[09] Chiropter vs Articuno

[Negrek]

Battle Style: 1vs1
DQ Time: 3 Days
Damage Cap: 35%
Banned Moves: OHKO's; chills limited to three/pokémon; direct healers limited to one/pokémon
Terrain: The Battle Factory

The Battle Factory’s arena is simple but practical: a large clay arena bordered by a two-meter-wide, three-meter-deep trough of water to accommodate water-dependent pokemon and attacks. The ceiling is retractable, allowing weather attacks to be used. Other than that, there’s nothing of note: just wide-open brawling space with nothing to get in your way.

The Battle Factory’s stands are mostly empty, housing only a few bored-looking spectators and one old guy who has apparently fallen asleep. The only enthusiastic-looking attendees are probably members of one of the competitor’s families. The first round of the Championship tournament isn’t the most highly-anticipated event in the history of the League, but for the challengers loitering to one side of the arena, it is just as important as any other match. Doing their best not to show any nervousness they might be feeling, they crane their necks to watch a huge screen mounted on the side wall between them. For now, it shows only their own names and faces, but at a signal from the referee, images of pokemon flash at the bottom of the display, a dizzying cascade of different species.

The randomization seems to last an age for the competitors whose victory may rest on what the computer chooses, but it is really only a few seconds before six images settle on the screen and, with a rattle, six pokéballs are dispensed into depressions below the display. The two trainers step up and select one pokéball each before making their way to the boxes marked off on either side of the arena.

A brief, muted stir of activity sweeps the stands. The League Championship is about to begin, and even the most jaded of spectator’s can’t help but feel a little thrill as the referee calls out the match’s beginning and two pokéballs are hurled into the air.

For this battle, you will be using a rental Pokémon instead of one from your team. The six (only one of each) available to you are the following:

Gliscor (M) <Hyper Cutter>, Dunsparce (F) <Run Away>, Meditite (F), Wingull (M), Beautifly (M), Feraligatr (F)

1. Chiropter chooses
2. Articuno chooses and attacks
3. Chiropter attacks

 

[Chiropter]

Ah, cool. Now... let's make this interesting. I choose Dunsparce as my combatant.

 

[Negrek]

DQ warning for Articuno.

 

[Articuno]

Go Mudkip!
Curse, Waterfall, Superpower
(Sorry forgot about this battle)

 

[Negrek]

You are not using your own pokémon in this battle; pick one of the six in the first post, besides dunsparce.

 

[Articuno]

Go Meditite.
Bulk Up, Brick Break, Brick Break.

 

[Chiropter]

Okay then! Dunsparce (I'd give you a name, but nothing's coming to me at the moment), start out with Yawn, then hit her with Thunder Wave while we wait for that to take effect. Once she's asleep, Nightmare. If she's not asleep for some reason, Yawn again.

Yawn ~ Thunder Wave ~ Nightmare/Yawn

 

[Negrek]

Round One​

Chiropter (O)

Dunsparce (F) <Run Away>
Health: 100%
Energy: 100%
- Placid and unconcerned.

Articuno (O)

Meditite (F)
Health: 100%
Energy: 100%
- Determined.

The trainers make their selections and toss their pokéballs to the field, releasing the pokémon within in twin flashes of light. On Chiropter's side of the field a low, squashed form takes shape: a dunsparce, small wings aflutter and drill-tipped tail swinging lazily back and forth. Articuno's choice is a meditite, a young pokémon, most likely, but one that shows no fear in the face of her opponent.

Dunsparce, for her part, seems thoroughly unimpressed by Meditite. The land snake opens her mouth in a great, serene yawn. For a moment Meditite only looks at her, puzzled, but after a moment she feels a yawn of her own creeping up unbidden. The little fighting type is suddenly awash in drowsiness, barely able to keep her eyes open as she bulks up her muscles, a burst of energy triggering rapid growth that leaves her noticeably less spindly-looking. That's as much as she can manage, though--in a sort of trance, Meditite seats herself cross-legged on the ground and then promptly falls asleep, her overlarge head lolling forward onto her chest.

Grinning to herself, Dunsparce raises her drill-tail, which now fizzes and pops with mild electrical charge. Jabbing it towards Meditite, the Dunsparce unleashes a thunder wave. The electricity hits home and causes Meditite to twitch and jerk, her breath coming in irregular hitches for a couple of seconds before smoothing out again. The fighting type sleeps on, though now and then a spasm passes through her, a testament to the paralysis locking her body.

Working quickly while her opponent remains asleep, Dunsparce reaches into Meditite's mind, tapping into the dream that holds her in thrall. Subtle changes to the sequence unfolding in the Meditite's sleeping mind shift her dream from a disjointed, harmless thing into an all-too-coherent horrorscape. Friendly faces grow blank and strange, half-seen monstrosities crouch in the shadows, and the very terrain is distorted and made treacherous. As Dunsparce retreats from Meditite's subconscious, the fighitng type's body tenses and and she whimpers, the unrolling nightmare taking hold and carrying her into a world of pyschological torment. Dunsparce watches impassively as her opponent whimpers and stirs, now and then jerking awkwardly as paralysis causes her muscles to spasm.

Chiropter (O)

Dunsparce (F) <Run Away>
Health: 100%
Energy: 89%
- Feeling fine.

Articuno (O)

Meditite (F)
Health: 92%
Energy: 96%
- Obviously in pain. Deeply asleep. Caught in a nightmare (8%/action). Paralyzed (severe). +1 Attack, +1 Defense

Final Notes
- Chiropter attacks first next round.

 

[Chiropter]

Good work, Dunsparce! Now... add some poison to the mix with Toxic, first of all. After that, hit Meditite with two Shadow Balls. If she wakes up, use Yawn once instead.

Toxic ~ Shadow Ball/Yawn ~ Shadow Ball/Yawn

 

[Articuno]

Facade/Sleep Talk ~ Facade/Sleep Talk ~ Facade/Sleep Talk
Use Facade if your awake, if your asleep use Sleep Talk.

 

[Negrek]

Round Two​

Chiropter (O)

Dunsparce (F) <Run Away>
Health: 100%
Energy: 89%
- Feeling fine.

Articuno (O)

Meditite (F)
Health: 92%
Energy: 96%
- Obviously in pain. Deeply asleep. Caught in a nightmare (8%/action). Paralyzed (severe). +1 Attack, +1 Defense

While Meditite is engaged in fighting off some nightmare phantoms, Dunsparce appears abruptly sickened, gagging and retching as she chokes up a foul mixture of toxins. Meditite, of course, is the unlucky final destination for the poisonous slime that results, and for a moment it looks as though the burning sensation caused by the toxic eating through her skin may have woken her up. As she rises to her feet, though, her eyes stay closed and she keeps up a constant muttering to herself, as though supported by the sound of her own voice. The meditite's steps are surprisngly sure as she begins to saunter back and forth in front of Dunsparce, speaking at length in a slow, sleepy voice about how much better she is thanthe normal type, goading her to attack.

Though Dunsparce watches this display with wide eyes, it is not blind anger that rises up in her body as she watches the swagger go on, but fear. Watching the meditite caper in near slow-motion, heedless of the toxic dripping off her body and periodcially wracked by shivers as a result of her nightmare, is an altogether eerie sight. Hastily, Dunsparce scrapes together what ghostly energy she has, collecting it into a swirling, dark purple mass in the back of her throat. Dunsparce spits the unstable attack at Meditite, and it explodes against the fighting type's chest, knocking her off her feet.

Meditite lies still for only a couple of seconds before she starts up muttering and moving around again; this time, though, she doesn't get up--instead, she begins to glow red. The aura fizzles and dies after a couple of seconds, though, and although prolonged sleep talking causes several more brief bursts of glowing, whatever the attack is, it never runs its course. Dunsparce doesn't dwell on what Meditite may subconsciously be trying to do--she merely readies another shadow ball and lets it fly, knocking Meditite back several inches across the floor.

This last attack is, at last, too much for the fighting type's tenuous grasp on sleep; her eyes open, and she lets out a small groan as the considerable damage that's been done to her while she was comatose rears up in her conscious mind. The stifling stiffness of paralysis, the sickening toxic, and the shadowy burns left by the shadow balls all clamor for her attention as she slowly rights herself, shaking her head. Her eyes narrow as they sweep over Dunsparce; she knows who's responsible for this, and the pokémon is going to pay.

Meditite gets shakily to her feet, then breaks into a run, hurling herself bodily at Dunsparce. The normal type lets out a wheezy cry and rears back as meditite lands square on her back and starts lashing out with all four limbs, dealing heavy blows to Dunsparce's somewhat yielding body. The normal type bucks wildly, trying to throw off her assailant, but Meditite is hell-bent on getting revenge for the status conditions now stealing her strength, and only redoubles her assault. Backed up by Meditite's pure power, the facade attack is devastating, every blow rocking Dunsparce's entire body. Only when Meditite is forced to stop and rest can Dunsparce at last crawl away--and she is definitely wincing as she goes, spectacular bruises already starting to discolor her back.

Chiropter (O)

Dunsparce (F) <Run Away>
Health: 79%
Energy: 71%
- Shocked and smarting.

Articuno (O)

Meditite (F)
Health: 57% (capped)
Energy: 77%
- Infuriated by her condition. Paralyzed (moderate). Badly poisoned (4% next round). +1 Attack, +1 Defense

Final Notes
- Meditite's sleep talks produced swagger (which missed) and baton pass (which failed).
- Articuno attacks first next round.

 

[Articuno]

Make him pay for this TRIPLE FACADE!
Facade/Sleep Talk ~ Facade/Sleep Talk ~ Facade/Sleep Talk

If your ever sleeping, sleep talk instead.

 

[Chiropter]

Go ahead and pay Meditite back double with a Counter, then show her just how much Spite you have for that attack. After that, send her back to dreamland with another Yawn.

If she can't work through the paralysis on the first action, however, just chill for a bit, and Counter the first Facade she uses, then Spite it if you still have an action. If she's paralyzed on the first two actions, use Shadow Ball for the second. If she's paralyzed for the whole round, finish with the Yawn.

Counter/chill ~ Spite/Counter/Shadow Ball ~ Yawn/Spite/Counter

 

[Sylph]

Reffing from Negrek

Round Three​

Chiropter (O)

Dunsparce (F) <Run Away>
Health: 79%
Energy: 71%
- Shocked and smarting.

Articuno (O)

Meditite (F)
Health: 57% (capped)
Energy: 77%
- Infuriated by her condition. Paralyzed (moderate). Badly poisoned (4% next round). +1 Attack, +1 Defense

Dunsparce presses herself flat against the ground, bracing herself for the attack she knows is coming. Meditite clenches one tiny fist and grits her teeth, thinking about the sick feeling of poison circulating in her body, the painful cramping of her muscles, and all the other aches and pains for which Dunsparce is responsible. The more she reflects on her condition, the angrier she gets, until she finally lets out an enraged cry and charges, however haltingly, at Dunsparce, and proceeds to lay into the normal type with another facade.

This time, though, Dunsparce is prepared. A brown aura springs up around her body as Meditite approaches, and it only grows stronger as the fighting type pummels her opponent, until at last Dunsparce snaps her head up and seizes a surprised Meditite's arm in her mouth and begins to swing the fighting type around and around above her head. The burning brown aura around her body lends her extra strenth as she jerks her head sideways and brings Meditite slamming into the ground. Cracks spiderweb across the clay from the spot where the fighting-type's body returned to earth, and she can do nothing but lie where she has been dropped, feeling twice the pain caused by her facade condensed into one tremendous, decisive blow.

With her foe temporarily down and stunned, Dunsparce works fast to get her next attack going. Breathlessly she mutters incantations, the brown aura of counter being replaced by flickering purple flames as spirits twine through the air around her. A similar sheet of fire springs up around Meditite, doing her no harm save to make her feel dreadfully cold. She lets out a thin cry and begins trying to get up, unsure of what's going on and terrified by Dunsparce's wheezy, dry voice muttering nonsense. The spite is just beginning to take hold of her limbs, though, the ghostly flames condensing and gathering around her wrists and ankles in the form of glowing manacles. Every time Meditite even tries to think of starting another facade attack, terrible cold rips through her body, destroying her resolve in a fit of desperate shivering.

Dunsparce watches, and as soon as Meditite has recovered enough to raise her head and look at her opponent, Dunsparce opens her mouth wide and displays a jaw-cracking yawn. Meditite's own jaws immediately clamp together, a furrow of concentration appearing on her bow as she focuses on not replicating the act. She can't help it, though; the urge grows stronger and stronger, Meditite's face going through all sorts of comical contortions as she tries to keep her own yawn contained. In the end, it bursts free, and Meditite is left feeling drowsy in its wake.

She can't sleep yet, though, and she can't use facade, either. But she's got to do something, and so at last Meditite lashes out wildly in all directions, flailing and stumbling after her opponent as Dunsparce retreats, doing her best to avoid Meditite's erratic strikes. What punches and kicks do land, though, are relatively minor. Meditite's movements grow increasingly sluggish, her eyelids fluttering, and at last she collapses, asleep but clearly not at rest as she mutters and occasionally thrashes where she lies.

Chiropter (O)

Dunsparce (F) <Run Away>
Health: 52%
Energy: 53%
- Getting worn down, but satisfied anyway.

Articuno (O)

Meditite (F)
Health: 22% (capped)
Energy: 65%
- Lying comatose on the floor. Moderately asleep. Facade locked by spite (7 more actions). Paralyzed (moderate). Badly poisoned (5% next round). +1 Attack, +1 Defense

Final Notes
- Meditite struggled on her final action.
- Because Meditite had only just awoken from a yawn-induced bout of sleep, she was prepared for and did her best to resist the yawn, with the result that she was not thrown as deeply into slumber this time.
- Chiropter attacks first next round.

 

[Chiropter]

Excellent, Dunsparce! We're almost there! For now, I think we can throw complex strategy to the winds - just go crazy with the shadow balls.

Shadow Ball ~ Shadow Ball ~ Shadow Ball

 

[Articuno]

We're not done for just yet.

Light Screen ~ Drain Punch ~ Drain Punch

 

[Negrek]

Round Five​

Chiropter (O)

Dunsparce (F) <Run Away>
Health: 52%
Energy: 53%
- Getting worn down, but satisfied anyway.

Articuno (O)

Meditite (F)
Health: 22% (capped)
Energy: 65%
- Lying comatose on the floor. Moderately asleep. Facade locked by spite (7 more actions). Paralyzed (moderate). Badly poisoned (5% next round). +1 Attack, +1 Defense

With Meditite presenting an unresisting target, Dunsparce doesn't hesitate to cook up another shadow ball, gathering ghostly energy at the back of her throat and spitting a wobbling hunk of cold energy at Meditite. The fighting type skids a couple inches back across the floor as the shadow ball bursts against her, but though her fretting redoubles, she doesn't yet awake.

Dunsparce regards Meditite a moment, uneasy about how restlessly she's sleeping, but delaying isn't going to help anything. Another shadow ball grows in Dunsparce's mouth. This time, when the attack strikes Meditite's side, it leaves behind an ugly black-purple burn, where further shadow balls will only be more painful if they strike. Dunsparce waits with bated breath as Meditite stirs, whimpers--and ultimately remains sleeping, not quite able to pull herself back into the conscious world. From there, it takes just one more shadow ball to still the meditite's struggles and clinch the match for Dunsparce and her temporary trainer.

Chiropter (O)

Dunsparce (F) <Run Away>
Health: 52%
Energy: 35%
Victorious!

Articuno (X)

Meditite (F)
Health: 0%
Energy: 62%
Knocked Out!

All right, that's $10 for Chiropter, $5 for Articuno, and $8 for me. Good luck in your future battles, Articuno, and best of luck in the second round, Chiropter. Thanks to both of you for playing.