[15] Zero Moment vs TruetoCheese (ref: Metallica Fanboy)

[MF the ISOable]

1 vs 1 Sky Battle
DQ: 5 days
Damage Cap: 35%
Banned/Restricted Moves: OHKOs, Direct recovery, Pain Split, moves that KO the user; see here (just above the late bracket's fixtures and prizes) for a list of arena-barred moves
Arena: Skies over Azure Bay

The Azure Bay is a body of oceanic water at the northwestern limits of Kalos, near Route 12 and Coumarine City. Its vast blue of perdition is ocasionally broken by arrays of small isles that serve as guiding landmarks for the swimmer and the sailor alike. A shallow near the center of the channel contains a rocky pit that's thought to be associated with a legendary seafloor-dwelling Pokémon, and it is also said that even now, an energy that flows from that den beckons to powerful flying Pokémon that answer to the legendary's call when they become lost.

For this late bracket of the tournament, players will participate in a Sky Battle. By wearing the special suit of the Sky Trainer, the entrats will be able to remain airborne, miles up from the surface of the water and any land near it, where the clash will take place. Only flying/hovering Pokémon can enter a battle in such circumstances, as it's mandatory to remain aloft. Inherently flying/hovering Pokémon are able to stay in the air naturally and without cost, but consentually flying/hovering Pokémon will constantly expend energy as they make an effort to remain airborne. Either way, as any roost is entirely out of bounds, no Pokémon, inherent flier/hoverer or consentual flier/hoverer, will be able to roost properly, making it so each Chill will only restore half as much energy as would be regular. Moreover, in order to prevent plummeting accidents, no Pokémon can be put to sleep in this match, although other statues are as legal as usual, and moves that depend on the ground for their execution will tend to fail or be banned, while Nature Power will become Air Slash if ever used.

Zero Moment's eligible Pokémon

Eurastar the female Cleffa <Magic Guard> @ Magmarizer
Umbra the male Lampent <Flash Fire> @ Wise Glasses
Zephyr the male Vanillite <Ice Body>
Rufflet the male Rufflet <Keen Eye>

TrueToCheese's eligible Pokémon

Rathian the female Noibat <Infiltrator> @ Lucky Egg
Cuttler the male Inkay <Contrary>
Nosada the female Honedge <No Guard>
Bram Stoker the male Zubat <Inner Focus>
Faraday the genderless Magnemite <Magnet Pull> @ Lucky Egg
Jupiter the male Drifloon <Unburden> @ Lucky Egg

Up next:
1.TruetoCheese sends out
2.Zero Moment sends out and issues commands
3.TruetoCheese issues commands

 

[TruetoCheese]

Re: [15] Zero Moment vs TrueToCheese (ref: Metallica Fanboy)

I'll be sending out Cuttler! Yarr pirates and stuff.



boats

 

[MF the ISOable]

Re: [15] Zero Moment vs TrueToCheese (ref: Metallica Fanboy)

DQ warning for Zero Moment. 48 hours to send out and issue commands.

 

[Zero Moment]

Re: [15] Zero Moment vs TrueToCheese (ref: Metallica Fanboy)

Go, Pallasch the Rufflet!
Sometimes the simplest of plans are best. Open with an Air Slash, then follow with a Secret Power and Hidden Power.

Air Slash~Secret Power~Hidden Power

 

[TruetoCheese]

Alright buddy we're going to keep it nice and simple. He wants to damage us, maybe even flinch us? So be it. We want some fried chicken.

Then of course we need to catch our meal, so we should speed ourselves up to do so. And the best way to do that...well. We're hungry, I'm sure physics will understand.

Thunderbolt ~ Thunderbolt ~ Trick Room

 

[MF the ISOable]

1 vs 1 Sky Battle
DQ: 5 days
Damage Cap: 35%
Banned/Restricted Moves: OHKOs, Direct recovery, Pain Split, moves that KO the user; see here (just above the late bracket's fixtures and prizes) for a list of arena-barred moves

Round 1​

Spoiler: Pre-Round Stats

Zero Moment (O)
Currently out: Pallasch

Male Rufflet [Keen Eye]
Health: 100% / Energy: 100%
Status: Stable
Condition: Practicing his echoing eagle screech.
Commands: Air Slash ~ Secret Power ~ Hidden Power

TruetoCheese (O)
Currently out: Cuttler

Male Inkay [Contrary]
Health: 100% / Energy: 100%
Status: Stable
Condition: Practicing his jolly pirate laughter.
Commands: Thunderbolt ~ Thunderbolt ~ Trick Room​

Arena: Skies over Azure Bay

The Azure Bay is a body of oceanic water at the northwestern limits of Kalos, near Route 12 and Coumarine City. Its vast blue of perdition is ocasionally broken by arrays of small isles that serve as guiding landmarks for the swimmer and the sailor alike. A shallow near the center of the channel contains a rocky pit that's thought to be associated with a legendary seafloor-dwelling Pokémon, and it is also said that even now, an energy that flows from that den beckons to powerful flying Pokémon that answer to the legendary's call when they become lost.

For this late bracket of the tournament, players will participate in a Sky Battle. By wearing the special suit of the Sky Trainer, the entrats will be able to remain airborne, miles up from the surface of the water and any land near it, where the clash will take place. Only flying/hovering Pokémon can enter a battle in such circumstances, as it's mandatory to remain aloft. Inherently flying/hovering Pokémon are able to stay in the air naturally and without cost, but consentually flying/hovering Pokémon will constantly expend energy as they make an effort to remain airborne. Either way, as any roost is entirely out of bounds, no Pokémon, inherent flier/hoverer or consentual flier/hoverer, will be able to roost properly, making it so each Chill will only restore half as much energy as would be regular. Moreover, in order to prevent plummeting accidents, no Pokémon can be put to sleep in this match, although other statues are as legal as usual, and moves that depend on the ground for their execution will tend to fail or be banned, while Nature Power will become Air Slash if ever used.

Arena status: Unchanged.

-----​

The late afternoon hour hadn't yet tainted the vast deep blue tone of the sky, but the sun steadily approached the setting point, and its rays beamed into this stretch of the planet's surface at a less vertical angle, such that it glared dead-on against those who looked towards the wrong direction. This is one half of what explains the litany of screams and cussing from a referee that struggled in the air. The other half is something about Aerodactyl not being capable of indefinite flight and the difficulty of acquiring a Sky Trainer's gear in a last-minute notice, which tends to lead to such problems as inferior quality material, worn-out wings, poor manouvering, and an ostensible lack of goggles. Two trainers awaited impatiently as they hovered in flying suits of more reasonable conditions.

Ultimately without waiting for the referee's ready, they sent out Pokémon. From the surprisingly aerodynamic slab of cheese's corner sprung a familiar Inkay that swim-hovered freely in the floorless arena, doing what he wants because a pirate is free. Next, Zero Moment started calling out a Pokémon, but became oddly reticent just before he pronounced its name, which it strangely enough didn't seem to respond to at first. Fortunately, just in time, an old man parachuted in, hollering: "Hello, hello! I am the official Name Rater! Want me to rate the nicknames of your Pokémon?"

By the time the referee managed to climb back into a height comfortably within the fight's radius while also actually being able to open his eyes to keep good track of it, the airborne Pokémon already had their commands issues and readied to rumble. And so, with a belated signal, the jam began.

The newly rechristened Pallasch took the first move, and it couldn't have been a more fitting one for the battle type. With a loop-de-loop made imperfect only by underdeveloped wings, he raked the air in front of him with his wicked sharp talons, tearing in a moving blade that swiped dead onto his enemy with only so much time to guard. It wasn't a full hit, in the end, but it hurt like one.

Now truly drawn into duel with this scallywag, Cuttler pulled out the big guns. The lights on his head started glowing in overdrive, with a high-pitched crescendo to go with the brightness, and then, with a fierce clap, beams of lightning shot out of them and in about six different directions. The attack's target was left to make undignified sounds as the electricity coursed through him nonstop, leaving him captive to the extensive pain for as long as the Inkay was willing to bring it.

... Or so it seemed, but nature seemed to move of its own will for a moment to stop the continued attack. A collected breeze spun around Pallasch, releasing him from the Thunderbolt, and then it collapsed into a sky-blue glob of energy, barely visible against the celestial backdrop. With an upward chirp from the Rufflet, it transformed into a beam, firing unexpectedly and right in between his enemy's eyes, squarely into his head.

Flung back, Cuttler seemed to slow down for a moment... And then darted in full speed behind behind his opponent. However, he didn't strike from the back -- instead, he lay suspended upside-down, as is ever his kind's trait, beginning to exert a massive amount of psychic power. Concerned about the attack building up, the eaglet searched for his innermost strength, unleashing his ironbound pride in the form of a spray of energy orbs, each one tough as steel. But the pelting attack could not prevent the completion of the reality-bending move...

In a battle where up and down mattered much more than usual, up became down and down became up. And just then, Cuttler seemed to be once more floating as sluggishly as he seemed to be shortly after the earlier Secret Power attack...

Round 1 – End​

Spoiler: Post-Round Stats

TruetoCheese (O)
Currently out: Cuttler

Male Inkay [Contrary]
Health: 73% / Energy: 85%
Status: Speed 1+
Condition: Suddenly not sure he likes this situation.
Performed: Thunderbolt ~ Thunderbolt ~ Trick Room

Zero Moment (O)
Currently out: Pallasch

Male Rufflet [Keen Eye]
Health: 72% / Energy: 86%
Status: Stable
Condition: Digging his name. It is a better name than before, isn't it? Good for you!
Performed: Air Slash ~ Secret Power ~ Hidden Power​

Arena status: Trick Room is active (6 more actions).

Additional notes:
- Secret Power on the second action scored a critical hit and activated its secondary effect.
- The dB doesn't currently have a Secret Power effect that works for this kind of terrain, but the games do (Sky Battles in XY have the standard other terrain effect, but battles while Soaring in the Sky in ORAS have a different effect, which I went with), so I decided to go for that -- it's a Speed drop. Or, due to Contrary, a boost. Or, due to Trick Room, a disadvantage (and yes, Cuttler is faster than Pallasch right now, and thus, slower). Everybody hates Inkay. Also, Secret Power needs update badly...
- Pallasch's Hidden Power for this match is Steel-type.
- Zero Moment commands first next round.

 

[MF the ISOable]

Late DQ warning for Zero Moment. 48 hours from here.

 

[Zero Moment]

Not much time to post here
Air Slash~Strength~Facade

 

[TruetoCheese]

Since we appear to have moved on to more physical pastures, we're going to keep it simple and Superpower thrice.

Superpower ~ Superpower ~ Superpower

 

[MF the ISOable]

1 vs 1 Sky Battle
DQ: 5 days
Damage Cap: 35%
Banned/Restricted Moves: OHKOs, Direct recovery, Pain Split, moves that KO the user; see here (just above the late bracket's fixtures and prizes) for a list of arena-barred moves

Round 2​

Spoiler: Pre-Round Stats

TruetoCheese (O)
Currently out: Cuttler

Male Inkay [Contrary]
Health: 73% / Energy: 85%
Status: Speed 1+
Condition: Suddenly not sure he likes this situation.
Commands: Superpower ~ Superpower ~ Superpower

Zero Moment (O)
Currently out: Pallasch

Male Rufflet [Keen Eye]
Health: 72% / Energy: 86%
Status: Stable
Condition: Digging his name. It is a better name than before, isn't it? Good for you!
Commands: Air Slash ~ Strength ~ Facade​

Arena: Skies over Azure Bay

The Azure Bay is a body of oceanic water at the northwestern limits of Kalos, near Route 12 and Coumarine City. Its vast blue of perdition is ocasionally broken by arrays of small isles that serve as guiding landmarks for the swimmer and the sailor alike. A shallow near the center of the channel contains a rocky pit that's thought to be associated with a legendary seafloor-dwelling Pokémon, and it is also said that even now, an energy that flows from that den beckons to powerful flying Pokémon that answer to the legendary's call when they become lost.

For this late bracket of the tournament, players will participate in a Sky Battle. By wearing the special suit of the Sky Trainer, the entrats will be able to remain airborne, miles up from the surface of the water and any land near it, where the clash will take place. Only flying/hovering Pokémon can enter a battle in such circumstances, as it's mandatory to remain aloft. Inherently flying/hovering Pokémon are able to stay in the air naturally and without cost, but consentually flying/hovering Pokémon will constantly expend energy as they make an effort to remain airborne. Either way, as any roost is entirely out of bounds, no Pokémon, inherent flier/hoverer or consentual flier/hoverer, will be able to roost properly, making it so each Chill will only restore half as much energy as would be regular. Moreover, in order to prevent plummeting accidents, no Pokémon can be put to sleep in this match, although other statues are as legal as usual, and moves that depend on the ground for their execution will tend to fail or be banned, while Nature Power will become Air Slash if ever used.

Arena status: Trick Room is active (6 more actions).

-----​

Commands on both sides of battle were issued on a very short notice -- neither trainer had very much to explain for their next moves as the choice of the hour was straightforward brawling.

Pallasch quickly took the first move while his opponent still found much trouble moving through the twisted dimensions. Just as before, his broad movements in the air sent his talons slashing through, tearing up a gale of wind just as sharp as the eaglet's claws. Cuttler took the attack dead-on, just barely stopping the downdraft from messing with his movements, then struck back with a vertical overhead slam from both of his tentacles, powered by some flipping motions.

The excessive power put into the blow should by all rights by exhausting the Inkay and forcing him to give his strained muscle some due rest -- and yet somehow he relished in the sense of being worn out, and this eccentric joy put even more vigor behind his attacks. His opponent wouldn't be left behind so soon and put on his own show of strength, lunging in for a two-winged bash with all of a flyer's chest strength. And yet, the enemy's overbearing vim seemed even to lessen the might of others around him -- the crushing move did less against Cuttler's increasingly buff frame, and worse yet, the counterattack came in with such downard force as to slamdunk its target through the air somewhat.

Pallasch grew more intimidated and desperated as his foe gained ground nonstop despite how badly he was overextending himself. Letting go of any pretense of appearing to be the strongest, Zero Moment's Pokémon let it all out in a hustled mess of small hits from all parts of his body -- less visually impressive, but perhaps more effective. Or so it could have been, but the Revolving Pokémon at this point all but laughed off physical attacks, and his corporirude would simply not stop growing, while his own attacks struck hard enough to go past the legal limits, encasing their victim in a familiar faint red light. The bodybuilding battle had a clear winner -- but could that determine the victor of the war?

Round 2 – End​

Spoiler: Post-Round Stats

TruetoCheese (O)
Currently out: Cuttler

Male Inkay [Contrary]
Health: 48% / Energy: 64%
Status: 3+ Attack, 3+ Defense, Speed 1+
Condition: Flexing and bellowing low-pitched screams.
Performed: Superpower ~ Superpower (critical) ~ Superpower

Zero Moment (O)
Currently out: Pallasch

Male Rufflet [Keen Eye]
Health: 37% (Capped) / Energy: 73%
Status: Stable
Condition: Feeling like a tiny nerd who's cruising for a bruising.
Performed: Air Slash ~ Strength ~ Facade​

Arena status: Trick Room is active (3 more actions).

Additional notes:
- Superpower in the second action landed a critical hit.
- But that actually probably didn't matter as Pallasch hit the damage cap in the third action, with the final Superpower having dealing little damage.
- TruetoCheese commands first next round.

 

[TruetoCheese]

A bellowing Inkay amuses me so much. UNLEASH YOUR BEAKY BATTLECRY (ARR, Cuttler, ARRRRR).

We'll just eat into him with more Superpowers, and if he's too far away then see if you can drop some Thunderbolts on him instead, you might have to move a bit closer to maybe land a bolt, but do that if you have to.

If he's Protecting or he can't be hit (maybe he's just too far away for Thunderbolts), barring a Substitute, on the first two actions, Chill out.

If he used some form of stat boosting move such as Bulk Up, Work Up or Hone Claws on two of his last three actions (but not something like getting a Defense boost from Steel Wing), then Topsy-Turvy him on the last action.

If you get confused, just Chill on the first action. If he's Protecting on the final action and he hasn't boosted his stats or you can't hit a Topsy-Turvy on him because he's really far up/away (Topsy-Turvy uses some sort of psychic link, so I'm pretty sure you'd be able to hit him with it anyway), try and Superpower a nearby cloud to see if you can get the boosts from it, if that won't work just Thunderbolt him anyway.

If you get lifted higher by Sky Drop, that's probably close enough to Superpower right in his face with your formidable strength!

Superpower / Thunderbolt / Chill ~ Superpower / Thunderbolt / Chill ~ Superpower / Thunderbolt / Topsy-Turvy

 

[Zero Moment]

I may not win this battle, but I'm sure as hell gonna make it more annoying to fight against.

Swagger~Double Team~Air Slash

Also, when Trick Room ends, does turn order un-reverse?

 

[MF the ISOable]

1 vs 1 Sky Battle
DQ: 5 days
Damage Cap: 35%
Banned/Restricted Moves: OHKOs, Direct recovery, Pain Split, moves that KO the user; see here (just above the late bracket's fixtures and prizes) for a list of arena-barred moves

Round 3​

Spoiler: Pre-Round Stats

TruetoCheese (O)
Currently out: Cuttler

Male Inkay [Contrary]
Health: 48% / Energy: 64%
Status: 3+ Attack, 3+ Defense, Speed 1+
Condition: Flexing and bellowing low-pitched screams.
Commands: Superpower/Thunderbolt/Chill ~ Superpower/Thunderbolt/Chill ~ Superpower/Thunderbolt/Topsy-Turvy

Zero Moment (O)
Currently out: Pallasch

Male Rufflet [Keen Eye]
Health: 37% / Energy: 73%
Status: Stable
Condition: Feeling like a tiny nerd who's cruising for a bruising.
Commands: Swagger ~ Double Team ~ Air Slash​

Arena: Skies over Azure Bay

The Azure Bay is a body of oceanic water at the northwestern limits of Kalos, near Route 12 and Coumarine City. Its vast blue of perdition is ocasionally broken by arrays of small isles that serve as guiding landmarks for the swimmer and the sailor alike. A shallow near the center of the channel contains a rocky pit that's thought to be associated with a legendary seafloor-dwelling Pokémon, and it is also said that even now, an energy that flows from that den beckons to powerful flying Pokémon that answer to the legendary's call when they become lost.

For this late bracket of the tournament, players will participate in a Sky Battle. By wearing the special suit of the Sky Trainer, the entrats will be able to remain airborne, miles up from the surface of the water and any land near it, where the clash will take place. Only flying/hovering Pokémon can enter a battle in such circumstances, as it's mandatory to remain aloft. Inherently flying/hovering Pokémon are able to stay in the air naturally and without cost, but consentually flying/hovering Pokémon will constantly expend energy as they make an effort to remain airborne. Either way, as any roost is entirely out of bounds, no Pokémon, inherent flier/hoverer or consentual flier/hoverer, will be able to roost properly, making it so each Chill will only restore half as much energy as would be regular. Moreover, in order to prevent plummeting accidents, no Pokémon can be put to sleep in this match, although other statues are as legal as usual, and moves that depend on the ground for their execution will tend to fail or be banned, while Nature Power will become Air Slash if ever used.

Arena status: Trick Room is active (3 more actions).

-----​

As the signal to resume battle was given, Cuttler still flexed and twisted himself into poses that were rendered incomprehensible by something between the altered dimensions and a general lack of knowldge of squid anatomy from the general audience.

And yet, this was yet to become a game that two could play. Despite being battered, covered in bruises and missing patches in his feathery coverage, Pallasch stretched his wings out in full and showed off the most overdone eagle flight that America could ever have dreamt of putting in advertisements, letting out characteristic shrieks and putting on a display of almost reckless determination through his worn-down condition.

Surely, this boasting would've had to fall flat against the one who still had such a clear advantage in battle. However, the Inkay's eccentric psyche was wont to react unusually from this stimulus. He seemed to put more faith in the opponent's swagger than in his own increasing power, an arrangement that put him on the spot to doubt his chances of winning the battle. He seemed to almost visibly deflate in the face of self-doubt. His attacks became half-hearted, and he seemed to give up attacking halfway in order to slap himself in the face instead.

While the enemy made a one-man comedy act of his sorrow and anxiety, Pallasch continued his performance flight, although, having dealt the psychological damage, he switched from the inspiring visual to a series of speedy manouevers. The grey and white predominant in his visage became hard to distinguish from the clouds about as he sped into a blur. Even when he started to settle again, he was difficult to see properly as his image was split in five, further intimdating his foe.

But before truly switching back to idle flight, the Rufflet would pull off a final trick -- another looping motion to send a lashing gust of wind at Cuttler. And of course, that one seemed daunted by the attack, although still in such an overblown and theatrical manner as to make one doubt his true emotions; where this attack's sharp sting often causes its victims to lose composure, the Inkay seemed no worse in that regard, pummeling at himself with just as much gusto as before.

Such gusto, in fact, that his trainer had to physically prevent him from continuing to hit himself as the battle was interrupted for command input.

Round 3 – End​

Spoiler: Post-Round Stats

Zero Moment (O)
Currently out: Pallasch

Male Rufflet [Keen Eye]
Health: 37% / Energy: 58%
Status: Has 4 Double Team clones.
Condition: Feeling more optimistic, but doubtful about the source of his advantage.
Performed: Swagger ~ Double Team ~ Air Slash

TruetoCheese (O)
Currently out: Cuttler

Male Inkay [Contrary]
Health: 36% / Energy: 64%
Status: 1+ Attack, 3+ Defense, Speed 1+. Confused (severe).
Condition: Struggling and trying to slap himself more.
Performed: confusionfail ~ confusionfail ~ confusionfail​

Arena status: Unchanged

Additional notes:
- Holy hax, Batman!
- Trick Room ended after the third action.
- TruetoCheese commands first next round.

 

[Zero Moment]

Tasty, tasty hax.

 

[Crazy Linoone]

*creeps out of lurking* Is that Confusion supposed to still be at Severe? I'm just wondering which Confusion scale you're using because there's like, 3 different ones.

 

[MF the ISOable]

*creeps out of lurking* Is that Confusion supposed to still be at Severe? I'm just wondering which Confusion scale you're using because there's like, 3 different ones.

Not for long, but yes.

Also, late DQ warning for TruetoCheese. 48 hours from here.

 

[TruetoCheese]

Well that was...something. I guess we'll Chill on the first action to maybe clear up some of that there confusion, though if you can't Chill to clear up confusion then vent your Frustration (maybe that'll clear it up as well). Aerial Ace to get rid of some clones and then Superpower at the end? If he Double Teamed on the second action, then Aerial Ace it up on the third as well. If he's Protecting/Detecting or unhittable barring a Sub, just chillax some more.

Chill/Frustration ~ Aerial Ace/Chill ~ Superpower/Aerial Ace/Chill

 

[Zero Moment]

Hm. Those Chills aren't going to do much in this arena. Let's keep it simple.
Ah. I think I've found a rather STRONG, though risky, strategy. Thrash, and keep it going for the whole round. If Thrash ended on your second action, U-turn on your third to get outta there. Let's hope our hax keep on trucking.

Thrash~Thrash~Thrash/U-turn

 

[MF the ISOable]

1 vs 1 Sky Battle
DQ: 5 days
Damage Cap: 35%
Banned/Restricted Moves: OHKOs, Direct recovery, Pain Split, moves that KO the user; see here (just above the late bracket's fixtures and prizes) for a list of arena-barred moves

Round 4​

Spoiler: Pre-Round Stats

Zero Moment (O)
Currently out: Pallasch

Male Rufflet [Keen Eye]
Health: 37% / Energy: 58%
Status: Has 4 Double Team clones.
Condition: Feeling more optimistic, but doubtful about the source of his advantage.
Commands: Thrash~Thrash~Thrash/U-turn

TruetoCheese (O)
Currently out: Cuttler

Male Inkay [Contrary]
Health: 36% / Energy: 64%
Status: 1+ Attack, 3+ Defense, Speed 1+. Confused (severe).
Condition: Struggling and trying to slap himself more.
Commands: Chill/Frustration ~ Aerial Ace/Chill ~ Superpower/Aerial Ace/Chill​

Arena: Skies over Azure Bay

The Azure Bay is a body of oceanic water at the northwestern limits of Kalos, near Route 12 and Coumarine City. Its vast blue of perdition is ocasionally broken by arrays of small isles that serve as guiding landmarks for the swimmer and the sailor alike. A shallow near the center of the channel contains a rocky pit that's thought to be associated with a legendary seafloor-dwelling Pokémon, and it is also said that even now, an energy that flows from that den beckons to powerful flying Pokémon that answer to the legendary's call when they become lost.

For this late bracket of the tournament, players will participate in a Sky Battle. By wearing the special suit of the Sky Trainer, the entrats will be able to remain airborne, miles up from the surface of the water and any land near it, where the clash will take place. Only flying/hovering Pokémon can enter a battle in such circumstances, as it's mandatory to remain aloft. Inherently flying/hovering Pokémon are able to stay in the air naturally and without cost, but consentually flying/hovering Pokémon will constantly expend energy as they make an effort to remain airborne. Either way, as any roost is entirely out of bounds, no Pokémon, inherent flier/hoverer or consentual flier/hoverer, will be able to roost properly, making it so each Chill will only restore half as much energy as would be regular. Moreover, in order to prevent plummeting accidents, no Pokémon can be put to sleep in this match, although other statues are as legal as usual, and moves that depend on the ground for their execution will tend to fail or be banned, while Nature Power will become Air Slash if ever used.

Arena status: Unchanged.

-----​

The nets of physical distortion that had been about through most of the battle finally began to fade away. Pallasch alone seemed unaffected -- his enemy became more frantic, and worse, all of the human participants were caught off guard and struggled to normalize their suit-powered flight. Particularly so the referee, whose suit seemed not to power that much flight at all.

Cuttler hovered weakly, all the while striking theatrical poses that conveyed emotional pain. He may absolutely not have been worse for the wear than his opponent by that point, and was in fact even moving faster than he was, but his show went on nonetheless. Finding a nice spot close to the centers of all sight ranges in the proximity, he proceeded to the monologue. He delved for many long minutes into the drama of his situation, stringing together a long speech of squid noises. Loathe as he was to readily admit so, this exercise in self-expression started to purge his mind of confusion and restore his emotional welfare.

However, such matters would soon be pushed to the background in favor of the more pressing fact that Pallasch had gone on a rampage, all four images of himself encircling and ceaselessly slashing the enemy like a whirlwind made of talons. A talonnado.

Now pressed to take action, the Inkay raised a tentacle and narrowed his eyes, focusing. The hectic shadows surrounding him almost seemed to move more slowly for a moment. And then, just as all four were in the right place, he attacked with the sharp edge of his appendage, a sweeping slash downward and another upward. In these two motions, he cleared all of the illusions attacking him and even managed to rip a wound on the real deal's left leg.

And yet, the loss of apparent numbers and the injury did absolutely nothing to slow the Rufflet down. His conscious mind was momentarily lost in favour of the all-out swiping barrage. Even as his foe's visage became slathered in fittingly sky-blue taint, though, he also continued to attack with full vigour, and a full-power tentacle bombardment cleared Pallasch across the sky, snapping him out of his attacking trance and into sheer exhaustion as another round came to an end.

Round 4 – End​

Spoiler: Post-Round Stats

Zero Moment (O)
Currently out: Pallasch

Male Rufflet [Keen Eye]
Health: 17% / Energy: 37%
Status: Confused (severe).
Condition: Dizzy with fatigue.
Performed: Thrash ~ Thrash ~ Thrash

TruetoCheese (O)
Currently out: Cuttler

Male Inkay [Contrary]
Health: 1% / Energy: 59%
Status: 2+ Attack, 4+ Defense, Speed 1+.
Condition: Covered in wounds and still confident.
Performed: Chill ~ Aerial Ace ~ Superpower​

Arena status: Unchanged.

Additional notes:
- Cutter didn't hit himself at all this round, and was cured of confusion by the third action.
- Pallasch's Thrash lasted for three actions.
- Cuttler happened to take exactly 35% damage this round. Any 1% more would've been capped away.
- Fun fact: squids have blue blood.
- Zero Moment commands first next round.

 

[Zero Moment]

Your opponent could be knocked out by a stiff breeze, but you're not in good condition either. Use Aerial Ace whenever you can. If your opponent is Protecting or somehow unable to be hit that action, Chill to clear your head. If for some reason you can't use the move you've been ordered to, U-turn instead to get outta there.

Aerial Ace/Chill/U-turn x3