[11] Metallica Fanboy vs Grass King (Ref: Byrus)

Metallica Fanboy and Grass King both walk confidently into the middle of the hustle and bustle with their referee in tow, then bypass the crowd and take their places at each end of the square. Byrus hands each of them a Pokéball containing their chosen rental Pokémon, and both trainers eagerly unleash their choices.
Grass King sends out a Liepard, who slinks forward with a sly look on her face as she surveys the busy surroundings. He names her Deception, a choice which seems to please her, if the purr she gives is any indication.
Metallica Fanboy sends out a bulky Throh and dubs him Kool-Aid Man, though the fighter doesn't burst out of its Pokéball with an "OH YEAH!", much to everyone's disappointment. (perhaps if he'd been told about it beforehand, he could have got some practice in...)

As both trainers and Pokémon turn to face each other, the referee signals the start of the tournament match. The crowd immediately goes wild, and both battlers try to filter out the background noise and concentrate on the match at hand.

Metallica Fanboy (O)
[Kool-Aid Man] (M) <Guts>
Health: 100%
Energy: 100%
Status: Tightening his belt.

Grass King (O)
[Deception] (F) <Limber>
Health: 100%
Energy: 100%
Status: Slinking about.

Round one

The speedy Liepard is the first to make a move, and Deception’s fur bristles with static as she charges up electricity. She then sends the small pulse crackling over to the Throh, and it grips his sturdy frame in a wave of sparks. Kool-aid man gives an annoyed grunt as the current locks up his muscles and hampers his movement.
Scowling and grumbling, he sets about making himself a substitute to prevent any further trickery from that underhanded dark type. There isn’t much material to work with here, so he hesitantly goes for the water in the fountain nearby. He waves his hands, and a stream of water rises up from the fountain, where it solidifies and begins to shape itself into a crude copy of a Throh. Kool-aid man quickly stabilizes the creation with a hint of pure fighting type energy, which pulls the substitute into a more presentable and sturdy shape. With that done, he surveys the creation with a critical eye, noting that the magnificent eyebrows could really use some work. Other than that, it should get the job done.

Deception crouches down and hisses at the newly created substitute, her tail swishing to and fro. She then springs forward in one swift, fluid movement, her fangs and claws bared. The substitute reacts surprisingly swiftly, and it flows in front of its creator to take the vicious strike that Deception delivers with her claws. The blow is strong enough to cause Kool-aid man’s sub to explode in a shower of fountain water, leaving only a puddle in its wake.
Deception smirks as she surveys the substitute’s remains, then turns towards the real deal to see how he’ll react.
Kool-aid man is obviously struggling; the paralysis gripping his muscles is playing up on him, and he finds himself flailing about awkwardly. He gives a frustrated roar as his limbs refuse to respond, and Deception gives a small chuckle.

Gaining confidence from her opponent’s misfortune, Deception gives a mocking hiss as she zooms in for another swift strike. With no faux Throh to take the hit, Kool-aid man gives an irritated growl as Deception delivers a quick, stinging strike from above.
He teeters a bit before he manages to collect his wits again, then glares at the smug looking Liepard, determined not to screw up this time.
He stretches out both arms, and although the movement is more difficult and a bit sore, he’s relieved to find that they’re responding again. He then turns his attention to his opponent, and carefully scouts for her weakest point. After a few seconds, he grunts and lumbers towards Deception, then roughly grabs her by the scruff of the neck, ignoring her outraged shrieks and hisses. He delivers an expertly timed punch that knocks the breath out of her, then throws her across the square. Deception gives a somewhat muffled sounding yowl as she goes flying, then lands on the cobblestones with a harsh thump.
Kool-aid man sighs and dusts off his outfit, then watches the disgruntled feline pick herself up. She bares her fangs at him again, her fur bristling and her tail lashing in agitation. No way is she going to let him get away with that!

End of round one

Metallica Fanboy (O)
[Kool-Aid Man] (M) <Guts>
Health: 80%
Energy: 86%
Status: Pleased with the results of his attack, but still very wary. Guts activated | Paralyzed (Severe)
Moves used this round: Substitute (10%) ~ [Paralyzed] ~ Storm throw

Grass King (O)
[Deception] (F) <Limber>
Health: 82%
Energy: 89%
Status: Outraged and achy.
Moves used this round: Thunder wave ~ Aerial ace x2

Battle notes

- Grass King attacks first.​

Metallica Fanboy (O)
[Kool-Aid Man] (M) <Guts>
Health: 80%
Energy: 86%
Status: Pleased with the results of his attack, but still very wary. Guts activated | Paralyzed (Severe)

Grass King (O)
[Deception] (F) <Limber>
Health: 82%
Energy: 89%
Status: Outraged and achy.

Round two

Still hissing and glowering at her impudent foe, Deception tries to ignore the dull ache spreading through her body and abruptly dashes forward. Her form becomes a blur of purple and yellow as she speeds across the cobblestones, her tail streaming along like a banner behind her.
Kool-aid man watches her swift movements carefully as he plans his attack. She’s a tricky one to keep track of, especially with illusionary clones that are materialising in her wake. However, he thinks he’s got her sussed out. Now he just has to hope his stiff muscles won’t play up on him at the worst moment.
Furrowing his impressive brows, the Throh launches himself forward just as Deception slows to a halt. The nine Liepards all turn towards their foe at the same time, and each wear the same shocked expression as Kool-aid man deftly picks out the real deal and grabs her by the scruff again. He’s relieved that his body doesn’t seize up at this crucial moment, though tossing his foe bodily into the ground proves to be a bit more strenuous than usual.
The impact completely knocks the breath out of Deception, and she’s left lying on the ground for a while as she attempts to regain her bearings. Grimacing and hissing more viciously than ever, the Liepard gingerly picks herself up again, glaring daggers at her opponent all the while. Kool-aid man returns her gaze without flinching, trying to suppress a wide grin at his success.

Deception gets herself moving again, slowly at first on account of her injuries, but quickly gaining speed. She then leaps at Kool-aid man with an angry yowl, and delivers a swift strike with her claws before coming to a graceful landing.
The Throh grunts in pain and staggers back a little from the force, then grimly prepares for a counter-strike. With a rumbling growl, he charges forward, and an aura of reddish brown fighting energy flares up around his body like a bonfire. The display is enough to make even Deception forget her anger for the moment and take a few hesitant steps backward. Kool-aid man quickly proves it isn’t just for show either, as he powerfully shoves into the Liepard and delivers a tremendous punch on her chest for good measure. The light weight feline is easily knocked flying by the Throh's immense bulk, and she once again finds herself painfully eating cobblestone.

Kool-aid man can't suppress a grin this time round as he sees his opponent's pitiful limping movements. Although he quickly defaults to his gruff looking expression when he remembers he's dealing with a liepard named Deception here. She could be just trying to lull him into a false sense of security.
Deception wishes that were the case. As it is, she's aching all over now, and her whole body feels battered and bruised. Her anger hasn't quite fizzled out yet however, and she bares her fangs with renewed fury as she pounces at the horrible red monster that's caused her so much trouble. Her leap isn't as graceful as usual, but she manages to deliver another strike from above nevertheless, causing the heavy Throh to rock on his feet.
Kool-aid man shakes his head and furrows his brow, painfully clutching the spot that Deception struck. As he prepares to strike back however, he suddenly notices something.... Is that a RIP on his magnificent judo outfit?! He gives a furious roar as the aura around him flares up again, causing Deception to give a yowl of alarm and cower down. He charges forward heavily, and lashes out with a vicious one-two punch before he shoves Deception with even more force than before. As the unfortunate feline is set flying for the third time, Kool-aid man begins scrutinizing the tear on his outfit, his heavy scowl looking even more pronounced than usual. Hmm... Maybe he overacted a bit; it's barely noticeable and easily mended. Still, that pesky liepard needed a lesson in battle etiquette anyway.

End of round two

Metallica Fanboy (O)
[Kool-Aid Man] (M) <Guts>
Health: 60%
Energy: 65%
Status: Tiring a bit, but still raring to dish out more pain. Guts activated | Paralyzed (Moderate)
Moves used this round: Vital throw ~ Revenge x2

Grass King (O)
[Deception] (F) <Limber>
Health: 47% (Capped)
Energy: 73%
Status: Frustrated and in bad shape.
Moves used this round: Double team (Produced eight clones) ~ Aerial ace x2

Battle notes

- No paralysisfail for Kool-aid man this time round, plus his last revenge was a critical hit. I see you've been keeping up with your sacrifices to the RNG gods MF.
- Metallica Fanboy attacks first.​

Metallica Fanboy (O)
[Kool-Aid Man] (M) <Guts>
Health: 60%
Energy: 65%
Status: Tiring a bit, but still raring to dish out more pain. Guts activated | Paralyzed (Moderate)
Moves used this round: Vital throw ~ Revenge x2

Grass King (O)
[Deception] (F) <Limber>
Health: 47% (Capped)
Energy: 73%
Status: Frustrated and in bad shape.

Round three

The enraged Liepard gives off another series of angry hissing as Kool-aid man casually brushes off his outfit. She wants nothing more than to get revenge, but she's not having much luck trying to match his strength. More devious tactics are obviously in order....
To Kool-aid man’s surprise, she suddenly stops snarling and instead lets out a loud yawn, revealing her wicked fangs. It’s a strangely infectious yawn too, and he’s unable to stop himself from letting out an even wearier yawn in return. He frowns and gives himself a quick shake, trying to overcome the sudden feeling of drowsiness. Now definitely isn’t the time to be thinking about napping.
The Throh cracks his knuckles and quickly begins to dig his hands into the cobblestones, using his immense strength to rip up huge slabs of earth. It takes quite a lot of effort even for him, as his progress is hampered by a couple of worrying muscle spasms. He eventually manages to make a hole big enough for him, and he quickly jumps down, rapidly scooping up mounds of soil as he makes a tunnel.
Deception cautiously makes her way towards the hole that her foe disappeared into, and peers down the winding tunnel. Huh, she has to admit, he sure got a lot done there in a very short amount of time. She waits outside the tunnel, remaining alert, and tries to pretend that she’s just waiting to pounce on a Rattata…. A very um, big Rattata.

Deep in the safety of his tunnel, Kool-aid man takes a moment to think things over. He doesn’t really like his chances of pulling off an earthquake unharmed; what if he collapses the tunnel? The thought of being buried doesn’t appeal to him, so he stretches out as much as he can in the confined space, then begins to flex his cramped muscles. The already bulky Throh begins to bulk up even more; his form becoming more sturdy and muscular as he channels renewed energy through it. With that done, he feels even tougher than before, although the tunnel is now even more cramped.
Just outside the tunnel, Deception remains waiting, listening carefully for the telltale signs of snoring. The pain she’s in makes her impatient however, and she slumps down with a scowl as she begins sharpening her claws. As she viciously scrapes her claws against the ground to hone them to a point, she becomes lost in some rather violent fantasies about shredding a certain Throh into ribbons…
While Deception is busy with that, Kool-aid man shifts around uncomfortably, trying to reassure himself that he’ll get the chance to flex his muscles soon. Yep, he’s really raring to go… His train of thought is suddenly interrupted by the overwhelming urge to yawn. He does so, letting out a loud, jaw-cracking yawn that leaves him with a strange, overwhelming feeling of drowsiness. He frowns, and shakes his head angrily; now is definitely not the time to be thinking about falling asleep! Unfortunately, he just can’t seem to dispel that overwhelming feeling, and his eyelids begin to droop...

Deception is suddenly jolted out of her thoughts by a thundering snore. She peers down the tunnel eagerly, and manages a devious smile. Time for some payback. She takes a deep breath, then begins to tap into her psychic abilities, and her eyes glow with an eerie pink light.
She reaches out with waves of psychic energy, searching for the mind of her enemy, and prepares to steal his dreams. She closes her eyes tightly, putting all her effort into focusing as hard as she can, and continues reaching...
It proves a little trickier than she thought, but... there! She can sense that stupid Throh's tiny pea-brain. Her tail lashes eagerly as she begins to draw upon the sleeping fighter's dream, converting it into a nourishing snack.
Deep in his tunnel, the sleeping Kool-aid man's expression darkens as his thoughts are stolen, and he gives a deep rumbling growl in between his loud snores. As Deception releases her hold on his mind, he doesn't awaken, but his rest is more troubled than before.

End of round three

Metallica Fanboy (O)
[Kool-Aid Man] (M) <Guts>
Health: 44%
Energy: 57%
Status: Sleeping uncomfortably in his tunnel. + 1 attack, + 1 defense, Guts activated | Asleep (Moderate), Paralyzed (Moderate)
Moves used this round: Dig (Down) ~ Bulk up ~ [Asleep]

Grass King (O)
[Deception] (F) <Limber>
Health: 55%
Energy: 59%
Status: Still sore, but feeling a bit more upbeat after her tasty snack. + 1 attack, + 1 accuracy
Moves used this round: Yawn ~ Hone claws ~ Dream eater

Arena notes

There is a large hole in the middle of the square, with great chunks of earth and cobblestone nearby. The hole leads to an equally large tunnel where Kool-aid man currently is.

Battle notes

- Yawn makes a pokémon fall asleep at the end of the second action.
- I can't imagine an underground Pokémon being able to pull off an earthquake without hurting itself in the process. (by caving in its tunnel or being caught in the shock waves)
- Since dream eater requires no physical contact, and targets the mind, I was more lenient with it hitting an underground foe. I still reduced its accuracy a bit since the earth and distance would probably be a hindrance, but it hit anyway.
- Grass King attacks first.​

Metallica Fanboy (O)
[Kool-Aid Man] (M) <Guts>
Health: 44%
Energy: 57%
Status: Sleeping uncomfortably in his tunnel. + 1 attack, + 1 defense, Guts activated | Asleep (Moderate), Paralyzed (Moderate)

Grass King (O)
[Deception] (F) <Limber>
Health: 55%
Energy: 59%
Status: Still sore, but feeling a bit more upbeat after her tasty snack. + 1 attack, + 1 accuracy

Round four

Sleep is definitely proving to be a big problem this tournament, and people are trying to take advantage of it while they can. As Deception gives a sly smirk, Metallica Fanboy desperately shouts out to the sleeping Throh in an attempt to get him to WAKE UP GODDAMMIT. Although his shouts echo down the tunnel, they don't appear to have much effect on the heavy sleeper, though they do serve to bother Deception. A small consolation maybe.
Trying to ignore the trainer’s anxious shouts, Deception closes her eyes and concentrates. She then draws upon her psychic abilities and reaches out with waves of mental energy as she searches for Kool-aid man’s mind again. She gives another devious smirk as she manages to get a hold on it, then begins to nab the sleeping Throh’s dreams, converting them into another tasty snack. She licks her lips as she feels her energy returning; if she knew dreams could be this tasty she would have indulged in this a lot more often!

Kool-aid's sleep is left more troubled than ever, but it isn't quite enough to drag him out of the depths of slumber. He certainly appears to be on the brink of awakening though; he gives off a few irritated growls in between his weakening snores, and he keeps tossing and turning.
Trying to seize what may be her last opportunity, Deception reaches out again with her mind, frantically searching for her opponent again. She quickly finds that the Throh's restlessness proves to be a bit of a hindrance, and she finds her mental foot-hold slipping each time she tries to get a hold on his mind. She eventually manages however, and she eagerly delves into his dreams, stealing them for herself to give her a boost.

However, the repeated psychic assault is enough to wake Kool-aid man from his troubled sleep. He flails about in the dark tunnel, disorientated and wondering why on earth his head hurts so much.
He feels terrible; really weak and somehow drained… He gives a low rumbling growl as he realises that accursed dark type must have been pulling some underhanded shenanigans. Well, he most certainly will not stand for this.
Unfortunately, he’s running out of time, so he begins piling up dirt to make a substitute as quick as he can. Hopefully he can begin the last minute rampage when he gets this task done. As the dirt Throh starts to take shape, Kool-aid man bestows it with some of his life-force, and stabilizes the creation with an aura of fighting type energy. The impressive eyebrows certainly look more up to scratch this time round, but Kool-aid man isn’t in the mood for unimportant details right now. He hasn't had enough strength left to make it as strong as he would have liked, but it's the best he can do.
Meanwhile, Deception remains waiting outside the tunnel, and she can't help but feel a little disappointed when she hears the snores stop. She was quite enjoying that feast of dreams. Oh well, at least things are going her way again. Most of the multiple bumps and bruises over her body from the various pummelings have healed nicely, and she has a noticeable spring in her step.
Since the Throh is showing no signs of resurfacing, she begins to scrape her impressive claws against each other, sharpening them to an even more wicked point. She wears a dastardly grin on her face as she does so, which makes her look an awful lot like a super villain from a Saturday morning cartoon.

As the round draws to a close, the cheering crowd becomes more excited than ever, eagerly anticipating the final round. Deception tries to maintain her new super villain persona, and remains cool and calm amidst the excitement. It certainly is a lot of pressure though; no room for screw ups at this point.
Kool-aid man also manages to catch the distant sound of muffled cheering, but he pays it little attention. He's furious at Deception for tricking him like that and turning the tables so easily. Even if he can't win, he'd certainly enjoy giving that trickster a good toss face-first into the ground.

End of round four

Metallica Fanboy (O)
[Kool-Aid Man] (M) <Guts>
Health: 5%
Energy: 52%
Status: "That darn Liepard!" In dire shape and utterly livid. Still in his tunnel. Has a substitute at 10% health, + 1 attack, + 1 defense, Guts activated | Paralyzed (Moderate)
Moves used this round: [Asleep] ~ [Asleep] ~ Substitute (10%)

Grass King (O)
[Deception] (F) <Limber>
Health: 69%
Energy: 44%
Status: Sporting a Cheshire grin and some very sharp claws. + 2 attack, + 2 accuracy
Moves used this round: Dream eater ~ Dream eater ~ Hone claws

Arena notes

There is a large hole in the middle of the square, with great chunks of earth and cobblestone nearby. The hole leads to an equally large tunnel where Kool-aid man currently is.

Battle notes

- So, according to Negrek, a trainer shouting out to a sleeping Pokémon has no effect. Sorry MF.
-Dream eater rolled very close to a miss the second time, so its power was slightly reduced.
- Kool-aid man didn't have enough health left to make a 15% substitute, so he went with 10%.
- what am i doing making references to 60s movies... I feel like I could have sneaked in a Homestuck reference there too with the wake up bit, but I'm feeling uncreative at the moment.
- Metallica Fanboy attacks first.​

Metallica Fanboy (O)
[Kool-Aid Man] (M) <Guts>
Health: 5%
Energy: 52%
Status: "That darn Liepard!" In dire shape and utterly livid. Still in his tunnel. Has a substitute at 10% health, + 1 attack, + 1 defense, Guts activated | Paralyzed (Moderate)

Grass King (O)
[Deception] (F) <Limber>
Health: 69%
Energy: 44%
Status: Sporting a Cheshire grin and some very sharp claws. + 2 attack, + 2 accuracy

Round five

As the volume of the crowd continues to rise, Deception decides to bask in the attention instead of cowering away from it. She stretches out her limbs, then dashes forward with a sudden burst of speed, her form quickly becoming a blur. Eight illusionary copies form in the wake of her brisk run, mimicking her movements as she circles the square.
Satisfied with her work, the Liepard slows down her pace before coming to a complete halt. She then stands proudly with her clones in tow, confident that they will not be going anywhere this time.
Meanwhile, the seething Kool-aid man is trying to resist the urge to burst out of the ground and pummel that Liepard into a fine paste. His head is thumping horribly and his whole body feels shaky, but it does nothing to dispel the anger he's feeling right now. Still, no point in getting himself even into even more trouble if he can avoid it...
He crawls closer to the entrance of his tunnel, listening carefully. That irritating Liepard is annoyingly stealthy, and he can barely hear anything over the roar of the crowd. Still, he's waited long enough. Hoping for the best, he scrambles out of his tunnel with his substitute in tow, and sprawls out on the cobblestones for a moment as he tries to regain his bearings. The feel of fresh air against his face is a very welcome change from the stifling confinement of the tunnel, and it does calm him down slightly. Urgh, his outfit is a mess though. Not that he has time to worry about that right now...

The crowd becomes even more excited as they see the fighter resurface, eager for a final showdown. Kool-aid man hauls himself to his feet again with an irritated grunt, and he looks even more displeased with he sees nine of those god awful Liepards smugly looking back at him. Unlike last time, his current commands don't cover this trickery, so he's going to have to hope for the best.
Gritting his teeth, he raises his fists and prepares to give it his all, but he suddenly stops in his tracks as he sees Deception acting oddly. She's... fluttering her eyes at him and letting out a long and happy purr.
He stares at her, somewhat dumbstruck, as she shyly tells him what an amazing fight he put up and what clever stunts he pulled! Why, even now, she's finding it difficult to imagine her winning this thing at all... after all, she's dealing with a pro here, she's sure he's got one last trick up the sleeve of his dashing judo outfit. She gives him a wink, and the formerly furious Throh suddenly becomes quite flustered from the sudden compliments.
The Liepard doesn't help the situation when she begins rolling around on the ground, giving a happy purr as she bats at the air. Even the amped up crowd can't stop themselves from awwing over her adorable display. Kool-aid man stares at her, caught in a dilemma and wondering how on earth he could be swayed so easily. He hasn't forgotten the underhanded tactics she pulled, but at the same time... she's just so cuuuute! It's embarrassing for such a tough Pokémon to admit that though, so he tries to ignore the uncomfortable feelings and instead focus on punching her in the face.
He lumbers forward, and tries instead to focus on all the pain he's in, then channels that pain into a desperate and powerful strike. He lunges forward with a roar, and grabs at one of the purring Liepards, trying to ignore her adorableness. However, his eyes widen as the Liepard's fur slips right through his hands before the whole thing completely vanishes. He just barely manages to keep his balance, and stares dumbly for a moment as he realizes he's been had. Again.

Deception gives a sly grin as she rolls over to her feet again, her tail swishing lazily. She wastes no time in speeding towards her weakened opponent, preparing to deliver an even more vicious aerial ace than her previous ones. Kool-aid man snaps to attention, the scowl on his face more pronounced than ever. He crouches down, looking grim, and braces himself for the incoming strike. Even he has to admit things have gone too far south to salvage, but he'll be damned if she's gonna KO him.
Kool-aid man's substitute quickly leaps up to protect its creator however, and Deception's wickedly sharp claws slice through the thing with amazing ease, leaving nothing but a scatter of soil in her wake. As she lands gracefully, the roar of the crowd becomes more immense than ever, and the referee blows his whistle to signal the end of the match.

End of battle

Metallica Fanboy (O)
[Kool-Aid Man] (M) <Guts>
Health: 5%
Energy: 36%
Total: 41%

Grass King (O)
[Deception] (F) <Limber>
Health: 69%
Energy: 30%
Total: 99%
Victorious!

It doesn't take the referee long to inspect the Pokémon and see which is healthiest; Deception is still purring happily, while Kool-aid man is still struggling to stand. Deception's charms have obviously worn off, and the Throh is running on pure hatred at the moment. Byrus hastily scribbles down a note to keep those two separated until they cool off; Kool-aid man is looking quite murderous right now.

When the referee declares the winner, the crowd gives another loud chorus of cheering (as well as some boos). Metallica Fanboy and Grass King congratulate each other on an exciting match, and some friendly banter is exchanged. Deception and Kool-aid man are returned to their Pokéballs and both trainers hand the referee back the rental Pokémon, trying to pretend they won't miss them.
When the cash is all handed out, both trainers take their leave as the crowd gives one final roar of approval, and Grass King goes to prepare for the next round of the tournament.

Battle notes

So! Grass King gets $10, Metallica Fanboy gets $5 and I get $15. Good match you guys, this was fun to ref. Also, I think M Night Shyamalan would be proud of this ending.​