thunder vs. Barubu, Round Four
Pre-Round Stats
thunder (1/1 Pokémon Remaining)
Squirt (F) [Torrent]
Health: 62%
Energy: 22%
Status: Special Defense -2; feeling worn down but enjoying her lucky break
Squirt's Commands:
Cut ~ Dark Pulse ~ Dark Void
Squirt's Substitute: 11% health remaining
Barubu (1/1 Pokémon Remaining)
Charles (M) [Keen Eye]
Health: 44%
Energy: 53%
Status: Special Attack -1, Speed -1; disappointed and in a great deal of pain
Charles's Commands:
Aqua Jet ~ Aqua Ring ~ Aqua Tail
Arena: Alphabetronome Battledome
The stadium itself is deceptively simple—a grassy expanse surrounded on all sides by the ususal stadium bleachers, a few large rocks scattered about, a pool of decent depth and breadth and so able to accomodate most non-wailord pokémon with relative comfort. What is not so simple is the series of small devices installed in the wall that encircles the field and separates battlers from spectators. These devices give off a bizarre energy that gives the battling pokémon the ability to use literally any move at random (with some ad-libbing where they don't have the required anatomy, e.g. walloping someone with a tail "punch" if the pokémon has no hands), not unlike a use of the move metronome. On their current setting, however, only the first move the battlers use will be completely random. The devices are connected to a computer with an alphabetical database of all known pokémon attacks, and after selecting the first move at random the devices will have that pokémon use the moves that come after that one alphabetically, in descending order and wrapping back around to absorb after zen headbutt. The devices will re-randomize a new first move at the beginning of every fourth round. (Chill is included in this database.)
Round Four: Begin
Without warning the buzzing in Charles's ears is drowned out by a rushing noise—the sound of watery energy building up around him and then propelling him forward like a jet. Almost predictably after his poor luck from last round, however, the resulting impact with Squirt's substitute is entirely forgettable. The slimy construct effortlessly bounces back to its former near-pristine state, the dimple Charles's paltry attack left on its shell disappearing in seconds; Charles, on the other hand, lets himself drop to the turf with a dejected look in his eyes. Everything hurts, nothing is working...
Flopping onto his back proves to be a poor decision, as when the buzzing urges Squirt forward it is not to sprinkle water on something that is already wet. She skips around her motionless substitute with one arm raised, white energy stretching from the tips of her tiny claws, and drags those claws across the pidgey's exposed belly. Charles screeches as they cut into his skin and pull several creamy feathers loose, but before he can try to strike back the assault is over and Squirt is behind her body double again, panting.
The last thing Charles wants to hear, especially after his worthless aqua jet and one too many sticky intercepts from the substitute, is the sound of more water, but he is, as ever, subject to the cruel whims of the buzzing alphabetronome devices. Even if they intended this second ring of watery energy as a boon—and, Charles has to admit, he does feel just a little bit better as the energy condenses into tangible water droplets and trickles along his various stinging cuts and bruises—water and pidgey feathers simply do not get along, and the wetness from the aqua ring leaves the little bird feeling uncomfortable and heavy overall.
Squirt, meanwhile, is still loitering behind her substitute and trying to catch her breath. This sudden burst of awesome sure is taking a lot out of her. And the humming devices seem inclined to give her more. Dark thoughts begin to collect in the back of Squirt's mind, a sense of resentment and simmering anger that she's not quite sure is her own; when the negative energy becomes too much for the turtle to bear she casts it out, sending a wave of pure darkness through the air and across the quiet battlefield. The dark pulse passes cleanly through Charles's misty aqua ring and washes over the sodden pidgey, only adding to his mounting discomfort and dismay. The aqua ring's cool drizzle is little consolation—Squirt has gone from poking uselessly at him to nearly leaving him senseless in a matter of one round, and as far as he's concerned things are starting to look hopeless.
Getting back up and into the air is suddenly a chore for Charles, the aqua ring still drizzling away around him and making his feathers wet. Most of the improvised string shot from before has been washed away, true, but he's not much faster while damp and weighed down. He moans audibly when he catches yet another ring of blue out of the corner of his eye. More
water. This surge of energy doesn't throw him forward the way the aqua jet did, and so it is on Charles to pick himself up and half-flutter, half-hop forward. His movements are about as quick and graceful as a magikarp, and, as usual, Squirt's substitute has no trouble stepping into his path in more than enough time to receive the sudden about-face and watery tail slap intended for its creator. To his credit, the lashing of energy does manage to leave a mark in the doppelganger at long last and in spite of the type disadvantage—part of the substitute collapses and dissolves, leaving the remaining construct lopsided and no longer accurately squirtle-shaped.
But it
is still standing, even if only just, and that means that Squirt is clear to call on her borrowed inner darkness once again. This time the negativity that wells up inside of her is heavier, more intense, and a part of her almost feels as if she's drawing on something that she really shouldn't be touching. The humming in her ears seems to draw out into a series of long, haunting moans, black clouds fade into being around her fingers, and almost without meaning to she points her arms at the miserable, sodden Charles and sends the wisps of pure darkness in his direction. The wisps stretch, twist and warp as they snake their way through the air, contorting around themselves and, by the time they reach the now visibly frightened pidgey, collecting into one large, hovering void of empty blackness.
Charles's eyes go wide as the void edges closer to him, unable to tear his terrified gaze away. Then, all of a sudden, his eyelids begin to droop and he lists forward, falling face-first to the ground and closing his eyes completely only moments later. Whether something within the darkness lulled him to sleep, or else whatever incomprehensible things he saw in the midst of all of that nothing scared him into passing out, is hard to say, but whatever the cause the pidgey is out cold—for now, anyway. Squirt sighs and slumps against her deformed substitute, feeling utterly drained but still managing a smile. Now
that was cool.
Round Four: Close
Post-Round Stats
thunder (1/1 Pokémon Remaining)
Squirt (F) [Torrent]
Health: 62%
Energy: 6%
Status: Special Defense -2; dead on her feet but enjoying her taste of legendary power
Squirt's Substitute: 4% health remaining
Barubu (1/1 Pokémon Remaining)
Charles (M) [Keen Eye]
Health: 32%
Energy: 36%
Status: Special Attack -1, Speed -1; Asleep (severe); whimpering in his sleep
Arena Status: The sun is shining brightly overhead, raising the temperature in the arena by quite a bit. Otherwise, nothing has changed.
Sunny Day: 1 round, 1 action remaining
Ref's Notes
-Squirt's next attacks will be defend order, defense curl and defog.
-Charles's next attacks will be arm thrust, aromatherapy, and assist.
-Cut scored a critical hit.
-Aqua ring has washed away most of the string shot, although wet feathers still aren't conducive to moving quickly and Charles's speed will remain lowered for a little longer.
-Barubu first next round.
