Dark Koala vs. Mad MOAI

Well, at least Bug is super-effective. To start, use Confuse Ray, and then Tail Glow; to follow up, repeat Bug Buzz.

Confuse Ray ~ Tail Glow ~ Bug Buzz

Dark Koala (1/2 left)

Rex ♂
Ability: Moxie
Health: 100%
Energy: 100%
Status: Not at all pleased with this weather.
Commands: Fire Fang ~ Rock Tomb/Payback ~ Stone Edge

Mad MOAI (1/2 left)

Solas ♂
Ability: Swarm
Health: 75%
Energy: 96%
Status: Quite shaken. That wasn't nearly as easy as he'd expected.
Commands: Confuse Ray ~ Tail Glow ~ Bug Buzz


Rex growls crossly under his breath as he materializes from his ball to be greeted by the feel of raindrops beating mercilessly on his skin. The rain seems to diminish a little as if in response to the noise, and a fleeting ray of hope shoots through him, but a few seconds later the storm just returns in full force. Ugh, he'd rather be somewhere much drier, thank you very much, Dar. Better get this over with quickly. When he focuses his attention on his opponent, the bug's curly antennae begin to glow, releasing two thin, multicoloured ribbons of light that wriggle through the air like tiny worms, twining themselves together just before they reach him. Dropping his guard, Rex lets his eyes follow the lights' movements in fascination as they continually separate and twist together and drift in erratic patterns around his head. No, no! Focus. He's got to focus. Rex tears his gaze from the lights with a quick shake of his head and parts his jaws slightly, spurts of flame escaping to swirl briefly around his snout before being extinguished by the relentless rain. Without giving himself another moment to remember those eerie lights, he runs at his foe and clamps his jaws around Solas's side, small clouds of smoke rising up from around the wound as the flames that snap at it are dampened. Stupid rain. Solas doesn't even seem to have any trouble keeping the pain out of his expression as he fights to shake Rex off, succeeding in dislodging his teeth after a few seconds. Stupid, stupid rain.

Oh, what a joke. Solas snickers to himself, his earlier cockiness completely restored. He could endure far worse than that wimpy Fire Fang. There's certainly no pressing need for him to go on the offensive at the moment, so he instead settles down on the grass, concentrating energy into his tail. It immediately starts to glow, dimly at first but steadily getting brighter, and he holds back a laugh as he notices his opponent quickly averting his eyes from it. No doubt he's expecting another Confuse Ray—as if he needs to spare more time subduing him! Hah! He watches his tail for a few seconds, humming a little tune and feeling a rush of power flood through his mind, until the light starts to fade out again. Getting up, he notices his opponent glaring at him—so he's worked up the courage to look!—a dark, malevolent aura shimmering faintly in his eyes and around his body. The glow becomes more distinct as Rex snaps his jaws and then launches himself at Solas, sending him stumbling back with an oof. The Sandile slashes at him a few times with claws imbued with dark energy and then slaps his tail across Solas's wings before leaping away, and this time it takes more effort to keep a smug look on his face, but he thinks he manages it in the end.

Those distracting lights still haven't given up, but Rex's attention now is more concerned with his opponent, who's flashing him a nasty grin. He backs up a bit, a sense of foreboding tingling down his spine, as Solas' wings begin to move so fast that he sees only a blur on the Volbeat's back. A strange buzzing sound fills his ears, growing louder and louder until it overwhelms him and he attempts to bury his head in the grass, raising his claws to try to cover his ears, but nothing he does can stop the pain. So he just crouches there, helpless, until the Volbeat tires of fluttering his wings and brings the noise to a stop. Rex warily uncovers his ears and, once he's certain that the noise isn't going to start up again, rears up on his hind legs to slam his front ones into the ground with a loud roar. Several pointed stones spring up from the ground and fly at his target, a few narrowly missing him but most stabbing viciously into his skin, leaving deep gashes. Solas lets out a cry, wings beating frantically as he struggles to wrench himself free from the sharp rocks, and once the Volbeat gets away, panting, Rex notes with satisfaction that the smirk has finally and decisively been wiped from his face.


Dark Koala (1/2 left)

Rex ♂
Ability: Moxie
Health: 78%
Energy: 84%
Status: Grinning triumphantly. Confused (moderate); 20% fail chance.
Used: Fire Fang ~ Payback ~ Stone Edge

Mad MOAI (1/2 left)

Solas ♂
Ability: Swarm
Health: 42%
Energy: 82%
Status: Cursing under his breath. +3 Special Attack.
Used: Confuse Ray ~ Tail Glow ~ Bug Buzz

Arena Status

• Rain Dance is in effect again, and will be for two more rounds.
• There is a large crater in the middle of the field, the result of Drake's explosion.
• Several small, sharp-edged stones are lying on the ground behind Solas.

Damage and Energy

• Rex's Health: 100% - 22% (Bug Buzz) = 78%
• Rex's Energy: 100% - 4% (Fire Fang) - 5% (Payback) - 7% (Stone Edge) = 84%
• Solas's Health: 75% - 6% (Fire Fang) - 12% (Payback) - 15% (Stone Edge) = 42%
• Solas's Energy: 96% - 4% (Confuse Ray) - 3% (Tail Glow) - 7% (Bug Buzz) = 82%

Notes

• I have attacks do 2% more damage for 1% more energy for each level the relevant attacking stat is raised by. (Someday I will just put up a scale somewhere so I can stop saying this every time.)
• Mad MOAI posts attacks first.

This isn't looking as nice as I'd like it to. In that case, start with Frustration, and then follow with Signal Beam... after that, I'd like to see what Water Pulse does, since it is raining.

Frustration ~ Signal Beam ~ Water Pulse

Okay, start with a Rock Slide. Then, use Dig, but make sure to come up after the Water Pulse.

Rock Slide~Dig (2 turns, come up after Water Pulse)

Dark Koala (1/2 left)

Rex ♂
Ability: Moxie
Health: 78%
Energy: 84%
Status: Grinning triumphantly. Confused (moderate); 20% fail chance.
Commands: Rock Slide ~ Dig (down) ~ Dig (up)

Mad MOAI (1/2 left)

Solas ♂
Ability: Swarm
Health: 42%
Energy: 82%
Status: Cursing under his breath. +3 Special Attack.
Commands: Frustration ~ Signal Beam ~ Water Pulse


Oh, now this is it. Solas is annoyed. So very annoyed. How could that pathetic little Sandile possibly have made him look so silly?! It must have been a fluke, and Solas is going to prove it. Normally he'd want to do this a bit more... elegantly, but right now he is busy overflowing with righteous fury. So he instead just throws himself at his opponent, pummeling him unrestrainedly with his tiny fists and feet, the only thought in his mind that of making Rex feel the pain that he should be feeling, that he deserves for making him, Solas, look like a complete idiot. His target flails around with his claws, snout, and tail, taking a few seconds before finally managing to push Solas away. The Volbeat stands there, panting and wondering if maybe, just maybe, he might have overreacted a little, but then Rex slams his tail onto the grass and those sharp stones from before, painful reminders of his previous embarrassment, rise up from the ground behind him. They tumble down on him from above, battering his already-bruised body, some of them cracking to pieces when they strike the ground and showering him with sharp slivers of rock that pierce his skin. Solas can do nothing but grit his teeth to avoid giving off any indication of the pain as best he can; he absolutely refuses to continue making a fool of himself.

The strange lights have faded away now, and the faint impression they've left in the back of Rex's mind is pretty easy to ignore as he watches Solas close his eyes, a bright green glow suddenly surrounding the Volbeat's body. A small orb of multicoloured energy forms between his antennae, steadily growing in size. Uh-oh... this doesn't look good at all... Rex scrabbles frantically at the earth beneath him, but to no avail; he's not fast enough to make any real progress before the Volbeat's eyes snap open and he fires off two beams of red and blue energy, outlined with some of that same green glow, that spiral together on their way toward him. More thoroughly unwelcome buzzing fills his ears as the Signal Beam hits, and he gives several distressed shakes of his head, unsuccessful attempts to fend the sound off. The shock of the attack is enough to drive away the image of the lights imprinted in his head for good, even once the pain has vanished. Eager to avoid any more assaults on his ears, Rex is quick to resume clawing at the ground, widening the indentations he'd previously left there until he has what he thinks to be a Sandile-sized hole. He dives in and continues his work underground, clouds of dirt flying behind him as he digs, stopping when he finally feels safe and sound a comfortable distance from the entrance to his tunnel. Let's see Solas try to get to him now, huh? Or that annoying rain, for that matter.

Solas watches Rex's hole uncertainly, wondering if his opponent is planning to come out. He's probably not, that coward... well, then, Solas will just have to try going to him! The Volbeat cautiously approaches the entrance to the tunnel, exhaling a stream of water that shapes itself into a ring in front of him. Droplets of rain are drawn closer to the water loop and cling to it, visibly increasing its size. Taking careful aim at the flurry of dirt some way in, he releases a steady pulse of those rings into the hole and hopes for the best... but those hopes are deflated when the water just strikes against the roof of the tunnel on its way to its target and disappears, leaving a small patch of wet earth but doing nothing else. Ugh, fine then. Solas rolls his eyes and stomps a short distance away from the hole, until a small noise makes him jump. There's a faint scraping sound coming from somewhere beneath him, and he glances all around, searching for the source... and then the earth behind him seems to explode upon him, heaving clods of dirt in all directions. Taken by surprise, the Volbeat barely manages to wheel around to see his opponent before Rex leaps at him with a snarl, bowling him over with all his weight. The tackle itself isn't all that powerful, but the shock of it takes the wind out of him, and the Sandile holds him down unopposed for a few seconds as he regains his breath before it occurs to him to start struggling. It was a wimpy attack from a wimpy little 'dile who was hiding from him like a wimp... ... and he's quite ashamed that in his weakened state it takes him some work to throw his wimpy opponent off of him.


Dark Koala (1/2 left)

Rex ♂
Ability: Moxie
Health: 43%
Energy: 75%
Status: Starting to tire, but feeling pretty good about the way things are going.
Used: Rock Slide ~ Dig (down) ~ Dig (up)

Mad MOAI (1/2 left)

Solas ♂
Ability: Swarm
Health: 25%
Energy: 66%
Status: Grumpy, embarrassed, and wearing down. Swarm activated. +3 Special Attack.
Used: Frustration ~ Signal Beam ~ Water Pulse (missed)

Arena Status

• Rain Dance is in effect, and will be for one more round.
• There is a large crater in the middle of the field, the result of Drake's explosion.
• Some sharp-edged stones are lying on the ground behind Solas.

Damage and Energy

• Rex's Health: 78% - 8% (Frustration) - 27% (Signal Beam) = 43%
• Rex's Energy: 84% - 5% (Rock Slide) - 2% (Dig, down) - 2% (Dig, up) = 75%
• Solas's Health: 42% - 11% (Rock Slide) - 6% (Dig) = 25%
• Solas's Energy: 82% - 4% (Frustration) - 6% (Signal Beam) - 6% (Water Pulse) = 66%

Notes

• Solas was in a pretty bad mood, so I gave Frustration a BP of 80.
• Swarm came into effect after Solas was hit by Rock Slide.
• The pain from the Signal Beam was enough to rid Rex of the last traces of confusion that he had at that point.
• Rex hit the damage cap exactly.
• Solas wasn't sure whether or not Rex was out of his reach, so he tried firing a Water Pulse down the hole. (Rex was, in fact, out of his reach.)
• Water Pulse would've done 6% * 1.5 (weakness) * 1.5 (rain) + 6% (stats) = 19%, by the way. Feel free to ask me about calculations or anything if you'd like to know how something would go!
• Dar posts commands first.

Okay, now that Solas is under the damage cap, Rex should be able to beat him in two or less rounds. Start with another Rock Tomb, and follow up with a Fire Fang. Then, an Earthquake, assuming it isn't floating. Otherwise, another Fire Fang.

Rock Tomb~Fire Fang~Earthquake/Fire Fang

To start off, Counter Rock Tomb, and then Protect against Fire Fang. Once that's done, use Bug Buzz again.

Counter ~ Protect ~ Bug Buzz

Dark Koala (1/2 left)

Rex ♂
Ability: Moxie
Health: 43%
Energy: 75%
Status: Starting to tire, but feeling pretty good about the way things are going.
Commands: Rock Tomb ~ Fire Fang ~ Earthquake/Fire Fang

Mad MOAI (1/2 left)

Solas ♂
Ability: Swarm
Health: 25%
Energy: 66%
Status: Grumpy, embarrassed, and wearing down. Swarm activated. +3 Special Attack.
Commands: Counter ~ Protect ~ Bug Buzz


Solas glares across at his opponent, holding his body rigid as he waits for Rex to make a move. It's not that he's really afraid of what Rex is going to do, of course. He's just being... prudent. The Sandile raises his tail and then slaps it into the ground with a loud thump, and Solas grows tenser still as he feels an ominous rumbling beneath his feet. The ground heaves upward and more sharp rocks burst out of it, making rough scraping sounds against the dirt... a few inches away from him. With nothing to hold trapped between them, the rocks simply fall in upon each other, raising clouds of dust as they collapse into a pitiful heap on the grass. Hah—... wait. He'd... he'd wanted that attack to hit, hadn't he? He'd been waiting for it. Maybe this isn't quite so funny. Well, the fact remains that he's not the one looking like a fool right now, so Solas shrugs and relaxes his muscles, instead closing his eyes and calling forth a shimmery, nearly-transparent energy bubble to surround his body.

Small wisps of flame escape from the edges of Rex's mouth as the inside of it finishes heating up, somehow not burning his own skin. Heedless of his opponent's shield, he rushes forward and parts his jaws, letting out a rumbling growl partly out of annoyance that the rain is once again interfering with his attempts to keep a steady flame going, and partly just in case it might make him seem the tiniest bit more intimidating. He makes to sink his teeth into Solas's flank, but the bubble he's been disregarding stands firmly in his way. With a hiss of frustration, the Sandile tilts his head and tries attacking from another angle this time. It does no good; his teeth don't leave even the faintest mark. Though Rex can't hear anything through the shield, he sees Solas's sides shaking and can just imagine his opponent's barking laugh as the protective bubble swells outward a bit, inviting him to chomp down on it further. Ugh. This is no use at all. Rex backs down from the challenge, letting the flames in his mouth flicker out and gnashing his teeth furiously. Things are just not going his way anymore!

The unwelcome sound of Rex's opponent cackling berates his ears for only a moment as Solas lets down his shield, before it is replaced by a familiar, even less welcome buzzing noise. The Volbeat's wings are vibrating at top speed again and Rex shoves his head down into the grass, claws over his ears, in another hopeless attempt to shut out the sound. The buzzing now is louder than ever, seeming to last for ages and ages as Rex convulses on the ground, closing his eyes just in case blocking off another of his senses might help. Finally Solas seems to get tired (or perhaps just bored) and begins slowing his wings, and Rex seizes on this tiny window of opportunity to recklessly uncover his ears and rear onto his hind legs, putting all his strength into smashing his full weight onto the ground. The impact sends tremors through the grassy surface, spreading across the arena and tossing his opponent clean off his feet as the Sandile stomps with his front paws again and again. Solas lands on his back, limbs flailing and wings buzzing desperately until the shaking throws him into the air again, and Rex almost finds it funny except that he's occupied with creating more ripples through the ground, trying to forget the pain in his ears. Soon he tires of stomping, though, and lets the shaking die down, watching Solas lighting down with a flutter of his wings to steady himself and looking visibly... shaken. Ha. Haha. It's probably just the huge tidal wave of relief washing over him now that all of the sensory overload has faded away, but Rex suddenly finds that absolutely hilarious.


Dark Koala (1/2 left)

Rex ♂
Ability: Moxie
Health: 12%
Energy: 62%
Status: Snickering quietly to himself in his exhaustion.
Used: Rock Tomb (missed) ~ Fire Fang ~ Earthquake

Mad MOAI (1/2 left)

Solas ♂
Ability: Swarm
Health: 17%
Energy: 53%
Status: Rather shaken indeed. Swarm activated. +3 Special Attack.
Used: Counter (failed) ~ Protect ~ Bug Buzz

Arena Status

• Rain Dance was in effect this round. The weather will change at the start of the next round.
• There is a large crater in the middle of the field, the result of Drake's explosion.
• Some sharp-edged stones are lying on the ground behind Solas.
• A pile of caved-in rock sits a few inches away.

Damage and Energy

• Rex's Health: 43% - 31% (Bug Buzz) = 12%
• Rex's Energy: 75% - 4% (Rock Tomb) - 4% (Fire Fang) - 5% (Earthquake) = 62%
• Solas's Health: 25% - 8% (Earthquake) = 17%
• Solas's Energy: 66% - 2% (Counter) - 4% (Protect) - 7% (Bug Buzz) = 53%

Notes

• Rock Tomb missed. Counter failed as a result, but Solas expended a bit of energy preparing it in the first place.
• Mad MOAI posts first next round.

All right. End it with a Signal Beam... Then, if the battle's not over use Silver Wind, and if you need to finish with Quick Attack. But if Rex Protects, just Chill. For the last turn, if Rex protected twice just use Signal Beam.

Signal Beam / Chill ~ Silver Wind / Chill ~ Quick Attack / Signal Beam

Okay, I'm going to take the chance of Signal Beam hopefully not beating Rex and using Dig first. But come up after Silver Wind. Then, a Stone Edge.

Dig(2 turns, after Silver Wind)~Stone Edge

Dark Koala (1/2 left)

Rex ♂
Ability: Moxie
Health: 12%
Energy: 62%
Status: Snickering quietly to himself in his exhaustion.
Commands: Dig (down) ~ Dig (up) ~ Stone Edge

Mad MOAI (1/2 left)

Solas ♂
Ability: Swarm
Health: 17%
Energy: 53%
Status: Rather shaken indeed. Swarm activated. +3 Special Attack.
Commands: Signal Beam/Chill ~ Silver Wind/Chill ~ Quick Attack/Silver Beam


Ha-hah! Victory is so close that Solas can almost taste it, feel it in his wings. As the air around him cools and hailstones begin raining down from above, a rainbow sphere of bug energy forms between the Volbeat's antennae, encircled with a bright green glow the same colour as that which still surrounds his body. It's a struggle for him to wait until the humming ball of energy has grown to sufficient size before firing off two twin streaks of red and blue light from it. The lights twine together on their way to their target, and Solas watches with glee as the Signal Beam hits and Rex tosses his head with a pained whine, forced backward through the grass. The attack proves to be too much for the Sandile—not that Solas had any doubt, of course—and Rex soon submits to it and slumps sideways onto the ground, unconscious.


Dark Koala (0/2 left)

Rex ♂
Ability: Moxie
Health: 0%
Energy: 62%
Status: Knocked out!
Used: [nothing]

Mad MOAI (1/2 left)

Solas ♂
Ability: Swarm
Health: 16%
Energy: 47%
Status: Victorious!
Used: Signal Beam

Arena Status

• Hail was in effect this round.
• There is a large crater in the middle of the field, the result of Drake's explosion.
• Some sharp-edged stones are lying on the ground behind Solas.
• A pile of caved-in rock sits a few inches away.
• There is a tunnel connecting two holes near the center of the clearing.

Damage and Energy

• Rex's Health: 12% - 27% (Signal Beam) = 0%
• Rex's Energy: 62%
• Solas's Health: 17% - 1% (Hail) = 16%
• Solas's Energy: 53% - 6% (Signal Beam) = 47%

Notes

• Rex fainted on the first action.
• Uh I was sure I put a note about the hole from Dig in the arena notes a couple rounds back? I guess not. Here, have it.

Final Notes

The triumphant Volbeat simply throws back his head and laughs, heedless of the hailstones that nick at his face and wings. His shoulders are heaving with effort, though, and Mad MOAI is quick to recall him to his Poké Ball before crossing the field to shake hands with Dar. The referee hands the trainers their prizes without delay and then the three turn and depart hurriedly from the clearing, eager to escape the onslaught of hail before it gets any worse.

Mad MOAI is the winner. She receives $16, Dar gets $6, and The Omskivar and I get $5 each. Ohoshihire and Rex get 1 EXP each, Drake gets 2 EXP, and Solas gets 3 EXP.