Extra: Genius vs Empress II
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Note: This "extra chapter" is a companion to the next one. I wrote this battle out in-full, before deciding I didn't really need it in the narrative. That said, didn't want it to go completely to waste. It shows instead of tells and makes something more visibly gradual, but feel free to skip over it if you're battle-drained. These ones are the last major ones for a while, that said. The proper next chapter should be out in a few hours, if not tomorrow.
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The next battle of Tono Takuma day was set to begin. Many students had come to watch two of their own duke it out once more, particularly the ones unable to see their first battle. Nori was observing from a balcony.
Haruna and Tono were standing across from each other, ready for the signal to begin. It was a three-on-three with teams selected in advance. They had respectively started off with Empoleon and - of all things - Pincurchin. Haruna had openly speculated Tono was using an all-Electric team. Nori had to agree, there wasn't much reason for him to use Pincurchin in a high-level battle otherwise. Yet McCloud's injury called it into question. Did he have a fourth Electric type? Or would he be banking on Electric-type moves? And if Haruna had brought Camerupt, well...
"Start it out," said Volkner, waving his hands.
Just as before, Electric Terrain covered the battlefield courtesy of Unira. However, right after that is when Tono recalled the sea urchin. "Back, Unira. Munchie, go." This seemed to confirm his team, but what would the third be? It couldn't be McCloud, could it?
Haruna didn't seem too surprised, given how quick she was to respond. "Emp, get ready. Earthquake...now."
This was timed to perfection. The penguin crouched and jumped up, initiating the attack right as Munchie emerged, causing it to get hit right after emerging.
Tono was nonplussed. "Thunderbolt, Munchie."
"On your guard!"
Although Emp attempted to evade this, the burst of lightning found its mark all the same. The surge beneath served to amplify the move's power, and it felt it.
"Aqua Jet!"
"Thunderbolt again."
The penguin veiled itself in water and charged at the rodent. But Munchie turned as he was struck, getting off another blast of electricity. Surprising, thought Nori. Using Electric moves multiple times in a row often causes them to be weaker, simply because the Pokemon doesn't have time to generate more energy.
"Rare to see an all-out assault from you," the fiery orange haired teen slyly remarked.
Tono crossed his arms. "And it has served its purpose." He smirked and lowered his gaze, waiting their next move.
"Emp, wait." Haruna raised a hand.
Both sides paused. Neither wanting to take an action first. The trainers studied each other, trying to figure the other out. The Pokemon sized each other up, Munchie not acting in absence of orders. This went on for twenty seconds before Volkner told them, "Pick it up."
Haruna decided to bite. "Throw up some Mist around yourself!"
And that got Tono to scowl. A plan of his ruined, perhaps? "Grass Knot!" was the reply.
Instead of spreading it everywhere as it did before, the penguin used the move in the standard way of spreading it around itself. Right after, it was tripped and fell over when Munchie stomped and caused vines to lash at its ankles.
"Got you now. Thunderbolt."
This was bizarrely out of character from Tono. He was foregoing his usual tactics in favor of raw power. Unfortunately, Haruna quickly brought Emp back right before the move hit.
"Dusknoir, your turn." One of the Pokemon Tono predicted and her apparent second-best Pokemon. The Mist moved to the phantom as it emerged.
"Hmph. Disarming Voice!"
Munchie cried out in a strange way, yet Dusknoir easily endured the emotionally damaging attack. Haruna seized on the opportunity.
"Trick Room!" The dimensions twisted and contorted as a strange wireframe cube surrounded the field. "Now Night Shade!"
Tono crossed his arms, unfettered. "Counter with Thunderbolt."
The burst of lightning and shadowy beam collided with one another, effectively canceling each other out. It wasn't very dramatic, but it would've been silly if they somehow randomly exploded.
Haruna thought for a second, before deciding, "Confuse Ray!"
"Counter with Flash!"
With Flash?! Sure enough, when Munchie emitted blinding light all around itself, this caused the Confuse Ray to vanish, as if absorbed into the Flash itself.
"Try that against Shadow Punch!"
"Once more, Munchie. With copies."
One of the only ways to avoid a Shadow Punch attack is for there to be no shadows around. Tono's Pokemon timed it perfectly, producing a large amount of scattered copies of itself in the process. Volkner's words about Double Team came back to mind. How was Haruna going to counter this?
"Run them through with Darkest Lariat!"
That certainly worked. Thanks to the Trick Room, the phantom became a whirlwind as it mowed down copy after copy. "Thunderp–" Tono started, but his Pokemon was struck before he could finish. "Thunderbolt!" he said instead, before glancing down at his feet. "Argh!"
Despite the move connecting, the Electric Terrain was starting to fade away. Haruna snapped her fingers.
"Now Confuse Ray again!"
"Flash! It didn't work once, it won't work–"
"It just did!"
This time, the closer proximity of the Pokemon ensured the strange light entranced the electric mouse. As his Pokemon started to hallucinate, Tono wavered. "I have no choice." He raised Munchie's ball.
Haruna's Pokemon looked back at her, and she nodded. "Do it!"
"Yes, sure. Get it out of the way." Tono rolled his eyes as Dusknoir dashed forth and slammed a palm into his Pokemon as it was being recalled. Pursuit in action. "Unira, it is time to turn that Trick Room against them."
"Just try it!" Haruna countered as the sea urchin was materializing. "Shadow Punch!"
The electricity coating the floor was refreshed. "After it hits, Poison Jab."
Tono's Pokemon endured the attack and...suddenly rocketed towards Dusknoir. It wasn't very effective, but this was clearly about making a statement. The crowd cheered. Even Nori was a little impressed.
"Now Zing Zap."
"Block it and Brick Break!"
Dusknoir got its arms up in time to stave off most of the damage, only for Unira to easily avoid when the phantom clasped his hands and performed a chop.
"Discharge!" said Tono. Haruna's Pokemon was instinctively moving in for a strike, only to end up getting caught point blank. It was fortunate to get out of that with only damage and not paralysis.
"Damn it!" yelled Haruna. "Trick Room again, Dusknoir! Cancel it!"
As if he was waiting for this, Tono instantly made the switch. "Return, Unira. And now, Kiryu!"
With his opponent too busy to use Pursuit, Tono sent out his next Pokemon. While it was yellow and an Electric type, it most certainly wasn't a Jolteon. It was a strange bipedal lizard with a brown bottom half and a sunflower-like frill around its neck. Thanks to being around Electric-type experts for this long, Nori was able to recognize this as a Helioptile. No wait, that was its pre-evolution. What was this called, again?
"Step forward if you wanna lose!" Tono boasted, probably a quote of some kind?
Haruna snorted and snapped a finger. The boy alertly noticed the Dusknoir's eyes flashing purple momentarily, even at his high angle behind the Pokemon. It certainly didn't escape Tono. "Be ready for that..." he commented.
"Move in with Fire Punch!"
"Dragon Pulse."
Like a dragon would, Kiryu charged up and launched a blast of blue and red energy from its mouth, intercepting its target. Dusknoir was able to recover, make a lunge, and nearly hit anyway. The lizard dodged the actual punch, yet yelped as the residual flames licked at its skin.
Tono was unconcerned, particularly as the phantom had fallen over. "Now finish with Parabolic Charge."
Gathering all the electricity around and within, Kiryu formed a golden sphere between its hands. It threw the sparking orb into the hapless Dusknoir, almost point-blank. The move sapped away the last of the ghost's strength and returned like a boomerang, which the lizard absorbed.
"Dusknoir can't continue," Volkner ruled, to the delight of the audience. Tono had taken down Haruna's second-best Pokemon, the first Pokemon to fall in the battle. It was that deja vu thing.
"All right." Haruna lowered her gaze and wickedly grinned. "Emp, you're back out."
Tono's eyes stretched as big as Voltorbs before he glared like a Primeape. "What are you playing at?!" he demanded. "A foolish choice, three, no, fourfold!"
"You're a smart guy. You figure it out," she said quite simply. "But for now, Grass Knot!"
He didn't react even as his Pokemon was tripped, trying to figure out Haruna's angle. Even Nori had to admit, it was a strange choice. If he caught the effects of that Fire Punch right, did this Helio-something have Dry Skin? If so, water wouldn't have any effect.
"I know what you are up to, and it will NOT work!" the nerd eventually countered.
"Oh yeah?" She bared her teeth like a predator. "What is it?" Nori guessed, she was planning to stall until that Future Sight?
"Figure it out yourself!" The nerd pointed. "Thunderbolt!"
"Aqua Jet to escape, Emp!"
Using the attack to maneuver, the Empoleon had no trouble getting away. Tono's brow furled.
"Stop this ridiculous charade with Bulldoze!"
"Come out with Earthquake!"
Emp leaped out of its slide into a stomp, as Kiryu simply started jumping. The two attacks canceled in the strangest way: as the mutual earth-shaking moves hit the other Pokemon, they both lost their balance and weakened the effect of their own move.
"Thunderbolt, Thunderbolt!" he said, completely losing his patience at the worst possible moment. It was then that several psychic blades came out of nowhere. Kiryu thrashed about as they tore into its body. "No!" Tono yelled, slapping himself in the face.
To make things even worse for him, Haruna had gestured at her Pokemon. Emp came charging in with Aqua Jet right as Dusknoir's delayed attack happened. "Flop out and Drill Peck!" she ordered as it was halfway. The surging fluid around the penguin faded as it pushed up with its flippers. Still in motion, it ran Kiryu through with a spinning beak, knocking the dragon-like Pokemon to the floor.
"You...you...!"
Haruna snickered as her Pokemon got to its feet after impact, towering over its foe. "As they say, FINISH HIM! Ice Beam!"
While ice is frozen water, the Pokemon's Dry Skin did nothing to save it from the frigid laser. Kiryu convulsed with shivers as the penguin ran the attack across its entire body.
"You can still fight!" Tono urged. "Fight on, Kiryu! Your ultra special, PARABOLIC CHARGE!!"
Not frozen and amazingly still conscious after all that, Tono's Pokemon gathered its bearings enough to start preparing the attack. Unfortunately, Haruna's Pokemon was right in front.
"Please." She waved a hand, and Emp waved a flipper. It quite casually slapped the lizard unconscious.
"Kiryu can't continue."
Boos, no matter how earned that was out of Haruna. Or well, maybe Tono had made a mistake or two there. Either way, the score was even. Tono briefly mused between Munchie and Urina, and the Terrain fading as he was deciding helped make up his mind.
"Very well." Out came the sea urchin for the third time in the battle. "Acupressure, Unira."
As the Pokemon drove one of its needles into itself, Haruna smirked. "Now you're free to use your water moves, Emp! Brine it!"
The sea urchin did manage to boost a stat, yet it was hit by the blast of saltwater. And it didn't seem it was special defense.
"We are also capable of using water," said Tono. "Hydro Pump." He added a small gesture, waving his hand backwards.
Haruna laughed this off. "Easy to dodge."
Tono sounded too composed there. Nori had his suspicions. Sure enough, the Hydro Pump was not aimed at Emp, but used as propulsion. Suddenly, the two Pokemon were right next to each other, and Tono was more ready for it than Haruna.
"Zing Zap."
Unira expanded its sharp spines. For a moment it seemed Emp was impaled on this devastating move powered by the Terrain, yet there were no sign of puncture wounds or blood on its body.
"Aqua Jet to knock it away!" she yelled.
"Protect," said Tono, right after Haruna said her first two words, talking over her.
Tono's usual calm and calculating demeanor had returned. His Pokemon had anticipated this move before he even ordered it; Nori doubted the barrier would've gone up in time otherwise. Emp slammed into it face-first, yelping in pain and surprise.
"Shit..." Haruna muttered as her Pokemon clutched its face in pain. He had them right where he wanted them, and everyone knew it. "Get away!"
"Discharge."
A powerful blast of lightning arced out from the floor and around Unira. Emp almost escaped, but some sparks managed to barely catch it on the lower body. The penguin tripped over its flippers as numbness took hold.
"Lucky prick!"
Tono confidently smirked. "Now use the chance to Recover."
Nori gasped. Why would he do that!? Unira hadn't even taken that many attacks! A fair few of the other onlookers - particularly Kallisto - were also stunned, but none more than Haruna. Her jaw dropped, yet she regained her bearings in time to capitalize.
"We got one shot!" she rallied her Pokemon. "HYDRO CANNON!"
Unira was regenerating its wounds. Yet Emp unsteadily stood and readied itself. The telltale blue glow from Torrent surrounding it, the penguin absolutely blasted Unira with everything it had. That had to have gone critical. Even the normally aquaphobic Nori couldn't help but watch as the massive stream of water grabbed Pincurchin and carried it into the wall behind Tono. The sea urchin was left partially embedded, and there was no sign of any movement from it.
"Uh." Volkner scratched his cheek. Probably thinking about the repairs, Nori figured. "That should speak for itself."
The crowd respectfully applauding was drowned out by Tono screams of frustration. He turned back to bore a hole through his rival with his eyes, trying to call Unira without looking. He missed six times, finally turning around to do it properly on the seventh.
"Nice one, dumbass," she taunted. "You gave Emp time to recharge." Sure enough, the penguin had pulled itself together from using Hydro Cannon. Still paralyzed, yet fighting through.
"Shut up, Haruna Okazaki! Munchie, it's all or nothing!"
Out came the Raichu, one last time. While its foe was weak, it had gone through a fair bit of battling as well. They could beat Emp, maybe. But probably not Haruna's third, and if was Camerupt, he was absolutely screwed. Nori thought, he'd love to see Tono completely break down over that!
"Double Team!" was Tono's opening attack.
Haruna chuckled. "Earthquake."
Tono cringed. Yeah, that was an even bigger mistake. Munchie rode out the shaking floor, but the last thing its trainer needed to do right now in a two against one situation was give his opponent what essentially amounted to a free hit.
"Bring it close with Aqua Jet!"
The nerd pointed, although with less vigor. "Intercept with Thunderbolt."
He sounded uncertain. But they caught a lucky break when the penguin seized up when trying to flop onto its belly. Munchie actually missed at first, anticipating its foe would be in motion, but swiftly corrected its aim to hit with about a third of the blast of lightning.
Tono crossed his arms in triumph as the Pokemon toppled. "Simplicity."
"Emp can't–" started Volkner, stopping as the penguin burst into motion. It didn't even register with Tono until Munchie was bowled over despite attempting to evade. And Emp was right next to his Pokemon, ready for one final move.
"Steel Wing!" said Haruna.
"Thunder Punch!" countered Tono, deciding to fight it head-on.
A sparking fist swung, a shimmering wing swung. Both attacks struck true, but only one came out of it standing.
Volkner gave it three seconds just to be sure, before saying, "Now Emp can't continue."
The crowd lightly cheered. They knew as much as Tono that it was not looking good for him. Munchie was one of his better Pokemon, but it was no McCloud the Jolteon. Haruna's final Pokemon could dictate whether a win was possible or impossible, and Tono's slumped posture spelled out what he thought his chances were.
"Surprise!" said Haruna, throwing it out. It was a green plant-like Pokemon with a white mask and bouquets for hands. "You were right!"
Tono lowered his head, clenching his fists in frustration. If Nori remembered its moveset correctly correctly, Munchie was going to have serious trouble damaging a Roserade. Still, it was Tono. He couldn't be counted out just yet.
"Okay," said Volkner. "Restart the battle."
"Munchie, we need to act NOW!" he urged. "Thunderbolt!"
Haruna snickered with confidence. "Toxic!"
After shaking off the electricity, her Pokemon did some ninja-like gestures. Poisonous goop and gas came from thin air, enveloping Tono's Pokemon. The nerd clutched his head in disbelief.
"Tick-tock." Haruna gestured to her watch.
"No, no, no! All out! FOCUS BLAST!"
He'd completely lost his cool. He was mindlessly throwing out his strongest moves, not approaching with any sort of strategy! The battle was over, it just hadn't been made official yet. The attack missing by a wide margin only added insult, and Haruna kept going.
"Leech Seed!" she said.
"Dodge it and Thunderbolt!"
The electric rodent couldn't dodge in time; parasitic vines wrapped around its body. Its own move hit, yet Haruna's Roserade was still nowhere close to weakening, even with the move being amplified by the electricity along the ground that had been near-constant since the beginning.
"Thunder. THUNDER!"
"Venoshock!"
A bolt of lightning came crashing down. And it not only struck true, but Roserade seized up as paralysis gripped its body.
Yet the good fortune was all for naught. His Pokemon let out a final squeak as the combination of afflictions and overexertion exacted their toll. It was over.
Volkner gave his ruling. "Munchie can't continue. Haruna wins."
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EXTRA: Genius vs Empress II
May 20th, 2015
May 20th, 2015
The next battle of Tono Takuma day was set to begin. Many students had come to watch two of their own duke it out once more, particularly the ones unable to see their first battle. Nori was observing from a balcony.
Haruna and Tono were standing across from each other, ready for the signal to begin. It was a three-on-three with teams selected in advance. They had respectively started off with Empoleon and - of all things - Pincurchin. Haruna had openly speculated Tono was using an all-Electric team. Nori had to agree, there wasn't much reason for him to use Pincurchin in a high-level battle otherwise. Yet McCloud's injury called it into question. Did he have a fourth Electric type? Or would he be banking on Electric-type moves? And if Haruna had brought Camerupt, well...
"Start it out," said Volkner, waving his hands.
Just as before, Electric Terrain covered the battlefield courtesy of Unira. However, right after that is when Tono recalled the sea urchin. "Back, Unira. Munchie, go." This seemed to confirm his team, but what would the third be? It couldn't be McCloud, could it?
Haruna didn't seem too surprised, given how quick she was to respond. "Emp, get ready. Earthquake...now."
This was timed to perfection. The penguin crouched and jumped up, initiating the attack right as Munchie emerged, causing it to get hit right after emerging.
Tono was nonplussed. "Thunderbolt, Munchie."
"On your guard!"
Although Emp attempted to evade this, the burst of lightning found its mark all the same. The surge beneath served to amplify the move's power, and it felt it.
"Aqua Jet!"
"Thunderbolt again."
The penguin veiled itself in water and charged at the rodent. But Munchie turned as he was struck, getting off another blast of electricity. Surprising, thought Nori. Using Electric moves multiple times in a row often causes them to be weaker, simply because the Pokemon doesn't have time to generate more energy.
"Rare to see an all-out assault from you," the fiery orange haired teen slyly remarked.
Tono crossed his arms. "And it has served its purpose." He smirked and lowered his gaze, waiting their next move.
"Emp, wait." Haruna raised a hand.
Both sides paused. Neither wanting to take an action first. The trainers studied each other, trying to figure the other out. The Pokemon sized each other up, Munchie not acting in absence of orders. This went on for twenty seconds before Volkner told them, "Pick it up."
Haruna decided to bite. "Throw up some Mist around yourself!"
And that got Tono to scowl. A plan of his ruined, perhaps? "Grass Knot!" was the reply.
Instead of spreading it everywhere as it did before, the penguin used the move in the standard way of spreading it around itself. Right after, it was tripped and fell over when Munchie stomped and caused vines to lash at its ankles.
"Got you now. Thunderbolt."
This was bizarrely out of character from Tono. He was foregoing his usual tactics in favor of raw power. Unfortunately, Haruna quickly brought Emp back right before the move hit.
"Dusknoir, your turn." One of the Pokemon Tono predicted and her apparent second-best Pokemon. The Mist moved to the phantom as it emerged.
"Hmph. Disarming Voice!"
Munchie cried out in a strange way, yet Dusknoir easily endured the emotionally damaging attack. Haruna seized on the opportunity.
"Trick Room!" The dimensions twisted and contorted as a strange wireframe cube surrounded the field. "Now Night Shade!"
Tono crossed his arms, unfettered. "Counter with Thunderbolt."
The burst of lightning and shadowy beam collided with one another, effectively canceling each other out. It wasn't very dramatic, but it would've been silly if they somehow randomly exploded.
Haruna thought for a second, before deciding, "Confuse Ray!"
"Counter with Flash!"
With Flash?! Sure enough, when Munchie emitted blinding light all around itself, this caused the Confuse Ray to vanish, as if absorbed into the Flash itself.
"Try that against Shadow Punch!"
"Once more, Munchie. With copies."
One of the only ways to avoid a Shadow Punch attack is for there to be no shadows around. Tono's Pokemon timed it perfectly, producing a large amount of scattered copies of itself in the process. Volkner's words about Double Team came back to mind. How was Haruna going to counter this?
"Run them through with Darkest Lariat!"
That certainly worked. Thanks to the Trick Room, the phantom became a whirlwind as it mowed down copy after copy. "Thunderp–" Tono started, but his Pokemon was struck before he could finish. "Thunderbolt!" he said instead, before glancing down at his feet. "Argh!"
Despite the move connecting, the Electric Terrain was starting to fade away. Haruna snapped her fingers.
"Now Confuse Ray again!"
"Flash! It didn't work once, it won't work–"
"It just did!"
This time, the closer proximity of the Pokemon ensured the strange light entranced the electric mouse. As his Pokemon started to hallucinate, Tono wavered. "I have no choice." He raised Munchie's ball.
Haruna's Pokemon looked back at her, and she nodded. "Do it!"
"Yes, sure. Get it out of the way." Tono rolled his eyes as Dusknoir dashed forth and slammed a palm into his Pokemon as it was being recalled. Pursuit in action. "Unira, it is time to turn that Trick Room against them."
"Just try it!" Haruna countered as the sea urchin was materializing. "Shadow Punch!"
The electricity coating the floor was refreshed. "After it hits, Poison Jab."
Tono's Pokemon endured the attack and...suddenly rocketed towards Dusknoir. It wasn't very effective, but this was clearly about making a statement. The crowd cheered. Even Nori was a little impressed.
"Now Zing Zap."
"Block it and Brick Break!"
Dusknoir got its arms up in time to stave off most of the damage, only for Unira to easily avoid when the phantom clasped his hands and performed a chop.
"Discharge!" said Tono. Haruna's Pokemon was instinctively moving in for a strike, only to end up getting caught point blank. It was fortunate to get out of that with only damage and not paralysis.
"Damn it!" yelled Haruna. "Trick Room again, Dusknoir! Cancel it!"
As if he was waiting for this, Tono instantly made the switch. "Return, Unira. And now, Kiryu!"
With his opponent too busy to use Pursuit, Tono sent out his next Pokemon. While it was yellow and an Electric type, it most certainly wasn't a Jolteon. It was a strange bipedal lizard with a brown bottom half and a sunflower-like frill around its neck. Thanks to being around Electric-type experts for this long, Nori was able to recognize this as a Helioptile. No wait, that was its pre-evolution. What was this called, again?
"Step forward if you wanna lose!" Tono boasted, probably a quote of some kind?
Haruna snorted and snapped a finger. The boy alertly noticed the Dusknoir's eyes flashing purple momentarily, even at his high angle behind the Pokemon. It certainly didn't escape Tono. "Be ready for that..." he commented.
"Move in with Fire Punch!"
"Dragon Pulse."
Like a dragon would, Kiryu charged up and launched a blast of blue and red energy from its mouth, intercepting its target. Dusknoir was able to recover, make a lunge, and nearly hit anyway. The lizard dodged the actual punch, yet yelped as the residual flames licked at its skin.
Tono was unconcerned, particularly as the phantom had fallen over. "Now finish with Parabolic Charge."
Gathering all the electricity around and within, Kiryu formed a golden sphere between its hands. It threw the sparking orb into the hapless Dusknoir, almost point-blank. The move sapped away the last of the ghost's strength and returned like a boomerang, which the lizard absorbed.
"Dusknoir can't continue," Volkner ruled, to the delight of the audience. Tono had taken down Haruna's second-best Pokemon, the first Pokemon to fall in the battle. It was that deja vu thing.
"All right." Haruna lowered her gaze and wickedly grinned. "Emp, you're back out."
Tono's eyes stretched as big as Voltorbs before he glared like a Primeape. "What are you playing at?!" he demanded. "A foolish choice, three, no, fourfold!"
"You're a smart guy. You figure it out," she said quite simply. "But for now, Grass Knot!"
He didn't react even as his Pokemon was tripped, trying to figure out Haruna's angle. Even Nori had to admit, it was a strange choice. If he caught the effects of that Fire Punch right, did this Helio-something have Dry Skin? If so, water wouldn't have any effect.
"I know what you are up to, and it will NOT work!" the nerd eventually countered.
"Oh yeah?" She bared her teeth like a predator. "What is it?" Nori guessed, she was planning to stall until that Future Sight?
"Figure it out yourself!" The nerd pointed. "Thunderbolt!"
"Aqua Jet to escape, Emp!"
Using the attack to maneuver, the Empoleon had no trouble getting away. Tono's brow furled.
"Stop this ridiculous charade with Bulldoze!"
"Come out with Earthquake!"
Emp leaped out of its slide into a stomp, as Kiryu simply started jumping. The two attacks canceled in the strangest way: as the mutual earth-shaking moves hit the other Pokemon, they both lost their balance and weakened the effect of their own move.
"Thunderbolt, Thunderbolt!" he said, completely losing his patience at the worst possible moment. It was then that several psychic blades came out of nowhere. Kiryu thrashed about as they tore into its body. "No!" Tono yelled, slapping himself in the face.
To make things even worse for him, Haruna had gestured at her Pokemon. Emp came charging in with Aqua Jet right as Dusknoir's delayed attack happened. "Flop out and Drill Peck!" she ordered as it was halfway. The surging fluid around the penguin faded as it pushed up with its flippers. Still in motion, it ran Kiryu through with a spinning beak, knocking the dragon-like Pokemon to the floor.
"You...you...!"
Haruna snickered as her Pokemon got to its feet after impact, towering over its foe. "As they say, FINISH HIM! Ice Beam!"
While ice is frozen water, the Pokemon's Dry Skin did nothing to save it from the frigid laser. Kiryu convulsed with shivers as the penguin ran the attack across its entire body.
"You can still fight!" Tono urged. "Fight on, Kiryu! Your ultra special, PARABOLIC CHARGE!!"
Not frozen and amazingly still conscious after all that, Tono's Pokemon gathered its bearings enough to start preparing the attack. Unfortunately, Haruna's Pokemon was right in front.
"Please." She waved a hand, and Emp waved a flipper. It quite casually slapped the lizard unconscious.
"Kiryu can't continue."
Boos, no matter how earned that was out of Haruna. Or well, maybe Tono had made a mistake or two there. Either way, the score was even. Tono briefly mused between Munchie and Urina, and the Terrain fading as he was deciding helped make up his mind.
"Very well." Out came the sea urchin for the third time in the battle. "Acupressure, Unira."
As the Pokemon drove one of its needles into itself, Haruna smirked. "Now you're free to use your water moves, Emp! Brine it!"
The sea urchin did manage to boost a stat, yet it was hit by the blast of saltwater. And it didn't seem it was special defense.
"We are also capable of using water," said Tono. "Hydro Pump." He added a small gesture, waving his hand backwards.
Haruna laughed this off. "Easy to dodge."
Tono sounded too composed there. Nori had his suspicions. Sure enough, the Hydro Pump was not aimed at Emp, but used as propulsion. Suddenly, the two Pokemon were right next to each other, and Tono was more ready for it than Haruna.
"Zing Zap."
Unira expanded its sharp spines. For a moment it seemed Emp was impaled on this devastating move powered by the Terrain, yet there were no sign of puncture wounds or blood on its body.
"Aqua Jet to knock it away!" she yelled.
"Protect," said Tono, right after Haruna said her first two words, talking over her.
Tono's usual calm and calculating demeanor had returned. His Pokemon had anticipated this move before he even ordered it; Nori doubted the barrier would've gone up in time otherwise. Emp slammed into it face-first, yelping in pain and surprise.
"Shit..." Haruna muttered as her Pokemon clutched its face in pain. He had them right where he wanted them, and everyone knew it. "Get away!"
"Discharge."
A powerful blast of lightning arced out from the floor and around Unira. Emp almost escaped, but some sparks managed to barely catch it on the lower body. The penguin tripped over its flippers as numbness took hold.
"Lucky prick!"
Tono confidently smirked. "Now use the chance to Recover."
Nori gasped. Why would he do that!? Unira hadn't even taken that many attacks! A fair few of the other onlookers - particularly Kallisto - were also stunned, but none more than Haruna. Her jaw dropped, yet she regained her bearings in time to capitalize.
"We got one shot!" she rallied her Pokemon. "HYDRO CANNON!"
Unira was regenerating its wounds. Yet Emp unsteadily stood and readied itself. The telltale blue glow from Torrent surrounding it, the penguin absolutely blasted Unira with everything it had. That had to have gone critical. Even the normally aquaphobic Nori couldn't help but watch as the massive stream of water grabbed Pincurchin and carried it into the wall behind Tono. The sea urchin was left partially embedded, and there was no sign of any movement from it.
"Uh." Volkner scratched his cheek. Probably thinking about the repairs, Nori figured. "That should speak for itself."
The crowd respectfully applauding was drowned out by Tono screams of frustration. He turned back to bore a hole through his rival with his eyes, trying to call Unira without looking. He missed six times, finally turning around to do it properly on the seventh.
"Nice one, dumbass," she taunted. "You gave Emp time to recharge." Sure enough, the penguin had pulled itself together from using Hydro Cannon. Still paralyzed, yet fighting through.
"Shut up, Haruna Okazaki! Munchie, it's all or nothing!"
Out came the Raichu, one last time. While its foe was weak, it had gone through a fair bit of battling as well. They could beat Emp, maybe. But probably not Haruna's third, and if was Camerupt, he was absolutely screwed. Nori thought, he'd love to see Tono completely break down over that!
"Double Team!" was Tono's opening attack.
Haruna chuckled. "Earthquake."
Tono cringed. Yeah, that was an even bigger mistake. Munchie rode out the shaking floor, but the last thing its trainer needed to do right now in a two against one situation was give his opponent what essentially amounted to a free hit.
"Bring it close with Aqua Jet!"
The nerd pointed, although with less vigor. "Intercept with Thunderbolt."
He sounded uncertain. But they caught a lucky break when the penguin seized up when trying to flop onto its belly. Munchie actually missed at first, anticipating its foe would be in motion, but swiftly corrected its aim to hit with about a third of the blast of lightning.
Tono crossed his arms in triumph as the Pokemon toppled. "Simplicity."
"Emp can't–" started Volkner, stopping as the penguin burst into motion. It didn't even register with Tono until Munchie was bowled over despite attempting to evade. And Emp was right next to his Pokemon, ready for one final move.
"Steel Wing!" said Haruna.
"Thunder Punch!" countered Tono, deciding to fight it head-on.
A sparking fist swung, a shimmering wing swung. Both attacks struck true, but only one came out of it standing.
Volkner gave it three seconds just to be sure, before saying, "Now Emp can't continue."
The crowd lightly cheered. They knew as much as Tono that it was not looking good for him. Munchie was one of his better Pokemon, but it was no McCloud the Jolteon. Haruna's final Pokemon could dictate whether a win was possible or impossible, and Tono's slumped posture spelled out what he thought his chances were.
"Surprise!" said Haruna, throwing it out. It was a green plant-like Pokemon with a white mask and bouquets for hands. "You were right!"
Tono lowered his head, clenching his fists in frustration. If Nori remembered its moveset correctly correctly, Munchie was going to have serious trouble damaging a Roserade. Still, it was Tono. He couldn't be counted out just yet.
"Okay," said Volkner. "Restart the battle."
"Munchie, we need to act NOW!" he urged. "Thunderbolt!"
Haruna snickered with confidence. "Toxic!"
After shaking off the electricity, her Pokemon did some ninja-like gestures. Poisonous goop and gas came from thin air, enveloping Tono's Pokemon. The nerd clutched his head in disbelief.
"Tick-tock." Haruna gestured to her watch.
"No, no, no! All out! FOCUS BLAST!"
He'd completely lost his cool. He was mindlessly throwing out his strongest moves, not approaching with any sort of strategy! The battle was over, it just hadn't been made official yet. The attack missing by a wide margin only added insult, and Haruna kept going.
"Leech Seed!" she said.
"Dodge it and Thunderbolt!"
The electric rodent couldn't dodge in time; parasitic vines wrapped around its body. Its own move hit, yet Haruna's Roserade was still nowhere close to weakening, even with the move being amplified by the electricity along the ground that had been near-constant since the beginning.
"Thunder. THUNDER!"
"Venoshock!"
A bolt of lightning came crashing down. And it not only struck true, but Roserade seized up as paralysis gripped its body.
Yet the good fortune was all for naught. His Pokemon let out a final squeak as the combination of afflictions and overexertion exacted their toll. It was over.
Volkner gave his ruling. "Munchie can't continue. Haruna wins."