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Format: 2v2 single Style:Clearly switch DQ: 1 week Damage Cap: 40% Banned/Restricted Moves: Direct healing plus anything requested by whoever accepts this challenge Arena Description:The Stop ‘N’ Swop Shop
The Stop ‘N’ Swop Shop has everything anyone could ever want to stop ‘n’ swap something for… while shopping. In the back rooms of the shop are countless shelves, each filled with a vast number of Mystery Eggs. As the battlers fight their way through this labyrinth of capitalism, the Mystery Eggs will react to their presence and give them the stopping ‘n’ swapping they need!
At the end of each round, some random Pokemon will hatch from eggs near the battlers. These Pokemon will use Skill Swap and Trick, with the result that each battler gets a random new Ability and a random new item. Yes these Pokemon hatch holding items. No you can't ask why.
Fine print: Items have only their in-battle effects — for instance, a Moon Stone randomly Tricked onto a Nidorina cannot allow it to evolve, nor will a Lucky Egg randomly Tricked onto something give it any extra EXP. A switched-out Pokemon will retain the Ability and item that have most recently been swapped onto it. Every Ability and item can be swapped even if normal gameplay would say otherwise (like Wonder Guard or a Plate). The battlers can't avoid having their Ability and item swapped at the end of the round.
Also of note: every Mystery Egg is a different mystery! This means after any Ability or item has been randomly chosen by the ref, it can't be chosen again. This is a high quality Stop ‘N’ Swop Shop with a wide selection, not one of those cheap knockoffs from down the street that just has like fifty Vulpix eggs and nothing else.
Gwen the female Spinarak <Insomnia> @ Red Card Sheena the female Froakie <Torrent> @ Lucky Egg Reynolds the male Inkay <Contrary> @ Eviolite Lancelot the male Doublade <No Guard> @ Dusk Stone Louise the female Budew <Poison Point> @ Shiny Stone Luke the male Zorua <Illusion> @ Lucky Egg Judge Judy the female Kangaskhan <Scrappy> @ Moon Stone Bun Two Three Four the female Buneary <Run Away> @ Soothe Bell
The Omskivar's active squad
Grockle the male Lotad <Swift Swim> Tickle the female Snubbull <Intimidate> @ Lucky Egg Porkpie the female Tepig <Blaze> Peaches the female Buneary <Run Away> @ Soothe Bell Rerun the male Elekid <Static> @ Chesto Berry Marilyn the male Gothita <Competitive> Howard the female Psyduck <Cloud Nine> Klodd the male Geodude <Rock Head> @ Lucky Egg Khidr the male Drowzee <Insomnia> @ Lucky Egg Rhiannon the female Stunky <Stench> @ Lucky Egg
Alright girl, we're not gonna waste any time; you're quite a bit slower than Bun Two, so we won't have time for anything fancy if you want to keep up! Rock Smash for the Defense drop, but try to hit her in the foot and see if that slows her down. Then gimme a couple of Power-Up Punches. If there's a Protect up at all, take the opportunity to Bulk Up, and if she disappears underground, use Bulldoze.
Rock Smash/Bulk Up/Bulldoze~Power-Up Punch/Bulk Up/Bulldoze~Power-Up Punch/Bulk Up/Bulldoze
Okay, I was hoping for a little more set-up on the part of our opponent, but since Tickle will be attacking right out of the gate, go ahead and drop your illusion to surprise her!
Hopefully, while she's surprised, you'll be better able to push her buttons with a Torment. Then use a one-action Bounce to avoid the Power-Up Punch.
On the last action, she should be unable to use Power-Up Punch again because of the Torment. If for some reason the Torment didn't work, though, (or if she didn't attempt Power-Up Punch while you were Bouncing), use Protect. If the Torment did work, then a Hyper Voice ought to do nicely. If you don't know whether the Torment worked or not, then wait for her to start acting and throw up the Protect shield at the last moment if it turns out she's using Power-Up Punch. If you can't reactively use Protect that fast, then just take the hit and use Hyper Voice.
drop illusion + Torment ~ one-action Bounce ~ Hyper Voice/Protect
A bell on the door jingles quietly as we enter the cramped, dimly-lit shop. Inside, the air is stuffy and thick with swirling dust. Countless gangly shelves fill the room, buckling under the weight of assorted curiosities and junk: statuettes, bowls, hats, a giant glass key, and a variety of expired battle items. A worn sign, dangling precariously from the ceiling, reads “MORE ITEMS IN THE BACK”.
The shopkeeper, a grim-looking old woman hunched behind the checkout counter, watches us suspiciously. Jack slips her a handful of asbucks and whispers something; she gives him a curt nod and disappears discreetly into one of the back rooms. Meanwhile, the Omskivar and I casually inspect the items on display.
“Look at this thing”, says the Omskivar, picking up a grimy Wonder Launcher. “It’s ancient!”
I chuckle. “Yeah, it’s pretty old. Doesn’t look like anyone’s gone shopping here for years.”
“I’m not surprised.” He puts the Launcher back on the shelf, stirring up a whiff of dust. “In fact, I’m amazed we even found our way here. This shop sure is well hidden…”
“So!” Jack interrupts, stepping up behind us. “What do you think?” He gestures around the room.
“Well…” I hesitate to reply. “It’s quite… It’s quite mundane, isn’t it? I mean, not that I’m complaining“ – I sweep away a large clump of dust with my foot – “but these days, everyone’s all about simulated holodrome battles in space and stuff.”
Jack grins. “You haven’t seen the back yet.” He produces a glass key from his pocket, a smaller replica of the one on the shelf. “Here, let me show you.”
We follow him through the store, weaving awkwardly between the shelves so as not to bump into anything. Finally we reach a door labelled “STORAGE”. Jack unlocks it and ushers us inside.
The storage room is massive. Rows of pallet racks extend in every direction, as far as the eye can see, stacked several stories high. Filling the racks are eggs – thousands and thousands of eggs, of all colors and sizes. A single row of humming fluorescent tubes illuminates the nearest racks, but most of the hall is unlit.
“It’s amazing, right?” Jack closes the door behind us; it shuts with a metallic groan that echoes into the depths of the storeroom. “Found this place the other day, and my first thought was that it would be perfect for a battle!”
“Of course it was”, I groan. “Now send your Pokémon out so I can get paid.”
ROUND 1: A Swopping Opponent!
JACKPK (OO) Bun Two Three Four ♀ <Run Away> HEALTH: 100% ENERGY: 100% STATUS: Looking around excitedly.
Torment ~ Bounce ~ Hyper Voice / Protect
THE OMSKIVAR (OO) Tickle ♀ <Intimidate> HEALTH: 100% ENERGY: 100% STATUS: Glowering.
Rock Smash / Bulk Up / Bulldoze ~ Power-Up Punch / Bulk Up / Bulldoze ~ Power-Up Punch / Bulk Up / Bulldoze
Audience Status:
There are no spectators for this battle. Audience Status will not appear.
Arena Status:
It’s cold in here… and quiet. Too quiet. What’s with all the eggs, anyway? This place is creeping me out – let’s just get this over with, okay?
-----
Bun Two Three Four, Jack’s fluffy little Buneary, bounces up and down expectantly. Opposite her is Tickle, the Omskivar’s surly Snubbull. They lock eyes, ready to fight. But just as Tickle is about to charge, something strange happens: Bun’s body flickers and distorts, then vanishes in a puff of black smoke. In her place stands a young Zorua, his pristine fur glistening in the lamplight. Tickle’s jaw drops in surprise.
"You have no idea what’s going on, do you?" Luke says with a smug grin. "Look at you. You don't even know who you’re fighting."
For a moment, Tickle merely gapes at him, struggling to understand what’s happening – then she explodes into furious barking and snapping. She leaps at Luke, aiming for his legs; he tries to sidestep, but her paw strikes his hip with a dull thud. He cries out in pain and darts away, the smirk wiped from his face.
"I don't think it worked", says Luke, rubbing his bruise.
"I think it did", says Jack. He points at Tickle, who is growling and clenching her fists, circling Luke slowly. "Or you might just have made her angry.”
Tickle snarls and lunges at him again, but this time Luke is faster – he springs into the air just as her fist swishes past, and a second later he comes crashing down on her back, slamming her hard into the floor. She grunts with pain, but manages to shake him off and clamber to her feet. Luke braces himself, expecting another attack, but Tickle merely grumbles and crosses her arms.
“Come on, what are you waiting for?” yells the Omskivar. “He’s right there, hit him!”
“And make myself look like a fool again?” Tickle shakes her head vigorously. “Nuh-uh. I ain’t stupid.”
The Omskivar groans and rubs his temples.
Luke, meanwhile, sees the perfect opportunity to strike. He takes a deep breath, filling his lungs until they feel like they're about to burst - and lets out an earsplitting scream. The deafening noise is so loud that it knocks Tickle over and sends her tumbling down the aisle, and it nearly topples the surrounding pallet racks. Jack, the Omskivar and I cover our ears as best we can, but the cry continues to reverberate in the storeroom for a full ten seconds, sending rumbling vibrations through the floor.
At last, the echoes seem to die away, plunging the room into silence again. But something feels off.
“Did – did that one just move?” I point a shaky finger at one of the eggs.
“They’re all moving”, Jack replies.
Something cracks loudly behind me.
Eggs Hatching!
On the nearest shelf, one of the smaller eggs – white with bright pink spots – shakes and splinters, leaking a rich, sweet scent into the room. In stunned silence we watch the egg break open. A baby Swirlix crawls out of it, blinking its eyes at us and squealing meekly. Before anyone can say anything, a second egg, this one big and gray and craggy, splits open too; as soon as it does, the metal shelves surrounding us creak ominously, seeming to bend downward slightly. A tiny, disoriented Nosepass climbs out, sniffing the air loudly.
Upon catching sight of Luke, the Swirlix lets out a shrill yap, hops off the shelf and waddles toward him. It begins to emit a strange, purple glow, entrancing Luke and wafting its sweet scent over to him. The Nosepass follows suit, wobbling its way up to Tickle and hypnotizing her with the same mysterious glow, causing her fur to bristle with electricity.
Suddenly, the Swirlix grabs Luke’s item pouch and sprints away with a gleeful squeak, dropping a lumpy green berry behind it. Luke snaps out of his trance, but the baby is gone, disappeared into the labyrinth of shelves. The Nosepass, too, swipes away Tickle’s pouch and runs, holding on to it with its clumsy block-hands. Tickle barks and starts to give chase, but stops when she realizes that the Nosepass gave her something: a tiny Moon Stone, pressed into her paw.
“I, uh… I’m not sure what just happened”, I say. “But if you wanna call it quits – “
“No, no!” Jack interrupts. “This is all part of the fun! It keeps things unpredictable, right?”
“He’s not wrong”, says the Omskivar, shrugging.
I throw my hands up and sigh. “Sure, whatever”, I mutter. “Second week on the job, stick me with these guys… No problem… ”
-----
End of ROUND 1.
JACKPK (OO) Luke ♂ <Sweet Veil> HEALTH: 94% ENERGY: 83% STATUS: Sniffing his fur. It suddenly smells very sugary…
Has Sweet Veil and a Rindo Berry.
Torment ~ Bounce ~ Hyper Voice
THE OMSKIVAR (OO) Tickle ♀ <Magnet Pull> HEALTH: 84% ENERGY: 94% STATUS: Shuddering with discomfort. First she’s humiliated, and now this. Starting to wish she could just drop out of the battle.
Tormented (2 more actions). Has Magnet Pull and a Moon Stone.
Rock Smash ~ Power-Up Punch (dodged!) ~ (nothing)
Arena Status:
Everything is eerily still... for now. In the distance, quiet cracking sounds can be heard. No sign of the two babies. Just how big is this place anyway..?
Calculations:
The following abilities will not randomly appear in future rounds: Sweet Veil, Magnet Pull.
The following items will not randomly appear in future rounds: Rindo Berry, Moon Stone.
The Attack drop from Intimidate was in effect during the round, but disappeared when Tickle lost Intimidate.
Cancelling Illusion prematurely to surprise your opponent? I like it! If Luke wasn’t already faster, that might’ve let him get the drop on his opponent. It’s the kind of trick that’s unlikely to work more than once, though. Remember, guys: if you’re ever unsure of how I would ref something or whether a certain tactic would work, you can ask me!
Rock Smash isn’t really the right move to target someone’s feet with; it’s for breaking through the opponent’s shell/armor/hide. Besides, have you ever tried punching someone in the foot? It’s really hard!
Here we go, Luke! We're in kind of a bad spot, since a big chunk of Tickle's movepool is super effective against you, but let's give it our best shot!
First things first: we have the disadvantage of commanding first, so I think we have a bit of license to be a little cheap to try to make up for that disadvantage. So at any point during the round, if you see Tickle preparing a Fighting-type move or Play Rough, use a one-action Bounce to avoid it.
With that stipulation out of the way, it's time for some attempt at a strategy. That Rindo Berry is useless for either of you, and the Moon Stone will provide a precious trickle of regeneration (until it gets swapped away) for whoever has it. So be mischievous by dropping your berry and using Thief to take the stone! If Thief wouldn't be successful for whatever reason (Protect, Dig, etc), be mischievous in a different way with Nasty Plot.
On action two, I bet that being mischievous like that made you pretty happy! If you're pretty happy, use Return! If you Bounced instead of being mischievous, use Spite on whatever Tickle tried to do! And if you're not pretty happy but you also didn't Bounce, then just do a one-action Bounce now! (Also do a one-action Bounce in case of a Fighting-type move or Play Rough as detailed above.)
Finally, that Hyper Voice was pretty great, so end the round by reprising it! If it would be useless for whatever reason (Protect, Dig, etc), then wait until after Tickle moves, and then put yourself in a strategic position next round with Double Team. (Again, one-action Bounce is still an option as detailed above.)
If you're Taunted, default to the one-action Bounce on actions one and two. If you're Taunted on action three, default to Hyper Voice, but use Bounce to dodge an incoming Fighting-type move or Play Rough.
Alright Tickle, here's the plan--they've only specified Bouncing in case of Play Rough, so we're gonna hit 'em with a Dazzling Gleam! Then, we want that item back, so we're going to Covet it! And on the third action, we'll use Thunder Wave!
“No reception.” I sigh and slip the phone back into my pocket.
“Look, don’t worry about the babies now, okay?” says Jack. He smiles, but I can sense the impatience in his voice. “When we’re done here, we’ll get someone to come pick them up.”
“I guess you’re right.” I glance around the room nervously, but the lighting is too poor to see beyond the first few aisles. It would take ages to search the place. “Okay, well, if you’re ready for the next round, we can – Omskivar, what are you doing?”
“83, 84, 85…” the Omskivar mumbles. I give him a perplexed stare. “What?” he says, frowning at me. “I’m just counting the – ugh, you made me lose count! One egg, two egg, three egg…”
ROUND 2: Stop ‘n’ Steal!
JACKPK (OO) Luke ♂ <Sweet Veil> HEALTH: 94% ENERGY: 83% STATUS: Trying to smell the berry, but his new ability is getting in the way…
Has Sweet Veil and a Rindo Berry.
Bounce / Thief / Nasty Plot ~ Bounce / Return / Spite ~ Bounce / Hyper Voice / Double Team
THE OMSKIVAR (OO) Tickle ♀ <Magnet Pull> HEALTH: 84% ENERGY: 94% STATUS: Fiddling anxiously with the Moon Stone. It’s cool to the touch, and pleasantly smooth, but she’s not in the right frame of mind to appreciate that sort of thing.
Tormented (2 more actions). Has Magnet Pull and a Moon Stone.
Dazzling Gleam ~ Covet ~ Thunder Wave
Arena Status:
This place is a lot bigger than it looked on the outside, come to think of it…
-----
Luke takes one look at the wrinkly green berry lying on the floor in front of him and decides that it isn’t worth his time. Instead, his eyes drift to the Moon Stone clutched in Tickle’s paw. It shouldn't be too hard to snag...
He leaps towards Tickle in a zigzag pattern, claws outstretched. She instinctively raises her paws to defend, but to her surprise, Luke doesn’t tackle her; instead, he swipes the Stone from her, leaving only a shallow cut across her paw. She snarls and snaps at him, but he skips out of her reach with ease. Furious, Tickle quickly readies her counterattack. Her fur bristles and glows bright, and suddenly her body unleashes a flash of brilliant, blinding fairylight. The light rips into Luke’s skin like a thousand tiny daggers – the pain is unbearable, he feels as if he is being torn to pieces…
But then he realizes something. I know I’m not very strong, he thinks. But I have something else. I have my trainer! I have a team that supports me, and together, we can do anything! I have the power of friendship – the roughly 80 base power of friendship! And that’s why I can’t give up now! That’s why I’m going to win this battle!
With newfound determination he pounces at Tickle, bowling her down, and strikes her over and over with all the force he can muster. He gets in a few good slashes at her torso, but she manages to kick him off and get on her feet again.
“Real impressive”, Tickle says, dusting herself off. “But playtime’s over. Give it back.” She nods towards the Stone, still firmly in Luke’s grasp.
“Never!” Luke sticks his chin out defiantly. “The power of friendship – “
Tickle cracks her knuckles. “We can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way.” Jack gulps.
“On second thought, I – I guess I don’t need it anyway…” He places the stone in her hand reluctantly.
“Thanks”, Tickle says, and punches him hard in the face.
Luke yelps and jumps back, more startled than injured. But the surprise on his face soon twists into anger. He takes a deep breath – Tickle, knowing what’s about to happen, folds her big ears and braces herself – and he screams at the top of his lungs. The sheer force of the sound pushes Tickle backwards, but she maintains her footing this time. Still, the shrill, piercing noise pushes painfully against her eardrums.
Keeping her paws pressed to her ears, Tickle begins charging her body with electricity. Soon her fur is crackling with sparks. With a gesture, she sends a jolt arcing towards Luke – it zaps him right in the chest, interrupting him mid-scream. He falls to the floor, gasping for air and struggling to gain control of his spastic muscles. It takes him a moment, but he manages to get on his feet and clumsily right himself.
Eggs Hatching!
The echo of Luke’s Hyper Voice rings throughout the room. The eggs seem to be shaking even more now, as if eager to hatch. One of them – a big, smooth, beige egg – suddenly bursts open, and a little Furfrou puppy leaps out, shaking its matted fur. It soon catches sight of Luke, and trots over to him confidently, fur glowing purple with psychic energy. As their eyes meet, Luke feels the sickly sweet scent lift from his skin at last; instead, every hair on his body suddenly stands on end, fluffing up his fur to nearly twice its usual size.
Another egg, gray and ridged, cracks open on the opposite shelf. Suddenly, a telepathic voice echoes in our heads: Excuse me, coming through! A small Elgyem pushes its way out of the egg, cautiously brushing the shell fragments aside. It takes a moment to absorb its surroundings, then quietly hovers over to Tickle. Ah, you’re the one I was looking for. Its words pulse uncomfortably in Tickle’s brain. I’m here to teach you how to communicate properly. That is to say, without opening that little flesh flap on your face. It points at her mouth with its stubby arm.
Tickle stares in disbelief.
Oh, that’s right. I sometimes forget that you… lesser species… don’t learn how to speak until you are many years old! It chuckles awkwardly, a rattling noise that seems to vibrate inside Tickle’s skull. Well, allow me to demonstrate.
He gives a light telepathic nudge, and suddenly something clicks in Tickle’s mind. A flood of sensations pour into her head – distant whispers from thousands of voices, curious colors that she didn’t even know existed, and an unsettling feeling of being in the wrong place.
Strange, yes? The Elgyem flashes its fingers green and red. That’s telepathy for you. I’m quite excited to try it out myself, now that I’m born!
Meanwhile, the baby Furfrou has begun coughing and hacking, as if something is stuck in its throat. Luke approaches it with concern on his face. “Are you alright?” he says. In response, the Furfrou retches loudly, then vomits a slimy black substance onto Luke’s fur.
“Eww!” Luke shrieks. The ooze stinks like a sewer and burns his skin; in a panic, he tries to reach back with his paws and scrape it off, but his stiff and trembling muscles won’t obey.
Oh my, says the Elgyem. I do apologize on behalf of my friend here. You know how newborns are. It shakes its head.
The Furfrou, apparently feeling much better, lets out a happy bark and runs off, picking up the Rindo Berry in its mouth on the way.
I suppose I’d better follow, says the Elgyem. But first, that Stone… He psychically lifts the Moon Stone from Tickle’s hands and levitates it over to him. That’s not from your planet. Don’t worry, I’ll see to it that it’s returned. He gives a little salute. Now I must return to my people. But should you need my help again… He produces a small slip of paper and places it gently in Tickle’s hand. It’s my card. Doesn’t have my number on it yet; I was only just born. But you’ll figure out what to do, I’m sure.
And with that, he flies away into the storeroom maze, vanishing somewhere beyond the shelves.
-----
End of ROUND 2.
JACKPK (OO) Luke ♂ <Fur Coat> HEALTH: 74% ENERGY: 72% STATUS: Trying to scrape the sludge off, but with his paralyzed muscles, he can’t quite reach.
Paralyzed (25% risk of failure, reduced Speed). Has Fur Coat and some Black Sludge.
Thief ~ Return ~ Hyper Voice
THE OMSKIVAR (OO) Tickle ♀ <Telepathy>
HEALTH: 64% ENERGY: 85% STATUS: Feeling very, very weird. Did an alien just give her mind-reading powers and a business card? Really?
Has Telepathy and a Weakness Policy.
Dazzling Gleam ~ Covet ~ Thunder Wave
Arena Status:
The eggs are wobbling. It’s only a matter of time before more of them hatch.
Calculations:
The following abilities will not randomly appear in future rounds: Sweet Veil, Magnet Pull, Fur Coat, Telepathy.
The following items will not randomly appear in future rounds: Rindo Berry, Moon Stone, Black Sludge, Weakness Policy.
For future rounds, note this: If an item has a negative effect for the holder, I will not allow the item to be dropped without spending an action or using an appropriate move (like Trick, Thief, Fling etc). Unless both of you prefer it to be otherwise, of course. But I feel like it makes more sense this way.
Luke’s Return had a base power of 80. He performed remarkably well in the first round, even managing to waste two of the opponent’s actions, but he also took a massive 15% hit just before using Return and isn’t really assured of his victory yet.
Well Tickle, that Weakness Policy could be good for us, but that Black Sludge? Gross! I don't envy Luke. First, I want you to Mimic that Bounce. Then, get right up close and use Dynamic Punch, since that paralysis won't be taking him anywhere, and after that, give me another Dazzling Gleam. If a Protect goes up, use Work Up, and if it's on the first action, delay everything else.
Mimic (Bounce)/Work Up~Dynamic Punch/Mimic (Bounce)/Work Up~Dazzling Gleam/Dynamic Punch/Work Up
Start out with another Hyper Voice to get in some damage. It's not very physically demanding to just stand still and shout, so hopefully the paralysis won't be as tough to pull through as with other attacks.
Then, Protect against that Dynamic Punch. We don't want to get hit by two super-effective moves in one round and be confused on top of being paralyzed.
Finally, give me another Hyper Voice! It's the best move in your arsenal against a Fairy-type, so as much as I hate to do so, we need to spam it as much as we can to keep ahead.
“So you’re not worried about property damage at all, is what you’re saying.” I shake my head in frustration.
“Nah!” Jack waves his hand dismissively. “We’ve got League insurance.”
“Right, but – “
“Relax! We do this all the time. They cover everything. Seriously, we wrecked Atlantis once and they paid for that.”
“Fine then. But I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” Reluctantly, I wave my flag to signal the start of the round. “Round three, begin! And do watch the eggs this time, will you?”
ROUND 3: Screaming!
JACKPK (OO) Luke ♂ <Fur Coat> HEALTH: 74% ENERGY: 72% STATUS: His face is bruised, his muscles are acting up, and his fur reeks of poisonous sludge…
Paralyzed (25% risk of failure, reduced Speed). Has Fur Coat and some Black Sludge.
Hyper Voice ~ Protect ~ Hyper Voice
THE OMSKIVAR (OO) Tickle ♀ <Telepathy>
HEALTH: 64% ENERGY: 85% STATUS: Reading the Weakness Policy. The letters are almost too small to make out, but at the top, it says “Turn your weakness into strongness!”
Has Telepathy and a Weakness Policy.
Mimic (Bounce) / Work Up ~ Dynamic Punch / Mimic (Bounce) / Work Up ~ Dazzling Gleam / Dynamic Punch / Work Up
Arena Status:
A faint breeze blows through the storeroom…
-----
With her newfound telepathic powers, Tickle reaches out and tries to read Luke’s thoughts. It turns out to be harder than anticipated. His Dark mind is swirling with mischief and misdirection, making it difficult to pry into. Still, she manages to snap up a tidbit of information – specifically, how Luke performs that tricky Bounce of his. The knowledge transfers into her mind instantly; she flexes her legs, confident that she could imitate the attack.
Meanwhile, Luke wobbles on unsteady knees, doing his best to keep his balance. The spasms are coming slower now, and for a moment he feels almost relaxed – he decides to seize the opportunity and attack before his body twitches again. He screams as loud as he can, sending yet another shockwave of sound rippling through the aisle. Tickle clasps her hands over her ears and braces herself against the floor, but the dreadful wail pierces into her head anyway.
The scream is loud enough that it rattles the shelves and all the eggs on them. But it isn’t just the sound – the eggs are shaking vigorously of their own accord now, as if they could bounce off the shelf any minute. When the last echo finally dies out, I turn to Jack and yell, “God, will you stop doing that?”
He seems startled by my outburst. “I’m not breaking the rules, am I?” he says.
“Well… well, no!” I cross my arms. “But you and Banshee over there better take it easy or we’ll be in so much trouble.”
“I’m sure we’re already in trouble!” the Omskivar chimes in cheerfully.
I sigh and return my attention to the battle.
Tickle uncovers her ears and starts marching toward Luke, fists raised. Luke, out of breath and vulnerable, hastily conjures a protective barrier around himself and curls up inside it. She shrugs and instead punches the air for a bit, loosening her muscles and getting herself warmed up while she waits him out.
Finally, Luke grows too tired to maintain the shield – it flickers and disappears in a flash. Tickle smirks. She tenses her body and frizzles up her fur, and soon her whole body is shining impossibly bright, flooding the room with burning fairylight. Luke can do nothing but close his eyes and whimper in pain as the light stings and eats into his skin.
When it finally fades, Luke opens his eyes and slowly gets on his feet. Every part of his body is stiff and aching, but by sheer willpower he manages to steady himself and face Tickle. He draws a lungful of air and, struggling to keep his muscles under control, unleashes one last scream. The horrible screech rips into Tickle’s skull – her eardrums feel like they’re about to burst...!
Eggs Hatching!
The sound has barely died down before a small, purplish egg bursts open, and a little Kangaskhan baby crawls out, blinking and mewling. Upon catching sight of Luke, it perks up, and totters over to him on its hind legs. “Mama!” it squeaks, and hugs his leg.
What? I’m not your mama!” says Luke. But the baby refuses to let go, despite his nudging; it clings to his leg like a barnacle and rubs its face in his fluffy fur.
Suddenly, there’s a loud crack behind us – a metal blade pokes out from one of the eggs and splits it open from inside. A young Pawniard emerges and climbs down from the shelf, bits of eggshell still clinging to its hide. It approaches Tickle with firm strides, pointing its blade at her, and Tickle becomes aware of something changing inside her; her telepathic sixth sense dulls and fades away, leaving her mind quiet and still again. Instead, something else stirs in her. Her heart fills with righteous anger – no, with defiance – and somehow she feels more determined than ever to win this battle. She looks the Pawniard in the eye and nods, as if to acknowledge it, as if to say: You have given me the gift of a warrior’s heart, and for that, I thank you.
In response, the Pawniard slashes her Weakness Policy in half, shoves a berry in her face, and runs away cackling.
Meanwhile, the baby Kangaskhan has caught a whiff of the Black Sludge tangled in Luke’s fur. It sniffs the sludge with a grimace, then starts pulling handfuls of it out, tossing clumps of slime-covered fur on the floor. Luke winces with each tug, but soon most of the sludge – along with his Fur Coat – is gone, and his skin stops itching almost immediately.
“Man, that feels a lot better,” says Luke. He gives the baby a little pat on the head. “You’re alright, kid.”
“Mama!” squeals the baby. It holds its hands out and presents Luke with a small green berry, gesturing for him to take it.
“Thanks,” Luke says with a strained smile, “but maybe you should… maybe you should hold on to that for now. Green is really not my favorite flavor.”
The baby nods and clenches the berry to its chest, awaiting mama’s next move.
-----
End of ROUND 3.
JACKPK (OO) Luke ♂ <Parental Bond> HEALTH: 55% ENERGY: 60% STATUS: His body aches, and the spasms still haven’t gone away, but he has to admit that the baby cheers him up.
Paralyzed (19% risk of failure, reduced Speed). Has Parental Bond and a Micle Berry.
Hyper Voice ~ Protect ~ Hyper Voice
THE OMSKIVAR (OO) Tickle ♀ <Defiant> HEALTH: 46% ENERGY: 79% STATUS: Her telepathy is gone. Now the only thing on her mind is victory.
+1 Attack, +1 Special Attack. Knows Bounce. Has Defiant and a Cheri Berry.
Mimic (Bounce) ~ Work Up ~ Dazzling Gleam
Arena Status:
All of the eggs are shaking noticeably now, and the combined effect is that of a low rumbling murmur throughout the room.
Calculations:
Oh, how lovely! Go steal that Cheri Berry with Thief, and immediately use it! If he Protects or otherwise prevents you from being able to steal it, use Nasty Plot to bide your time, then Thief as soon as you can!
If you have an action left after getting the berry and curing your paralysis, then you should be faster than Tickle again, so use Extrasensory to try to make her flinch!
Thief (switch items) + use berry/Nasty Plot ~ Thief (switch items) + use berry/Nasty Plot/Extrasensory x2
Alright Tickle, the first thing we're going to do is us Smelling Salts to take advantage of the paralysis while it's still there. Then, since we didn't prevent them from stealing the berry, you can tank the weaker Dark attack and you can use Fake Tears, and then Dazzling Gleam. Delay that Dazzling Gleam, though, and throw up a Protect if an Extrasensory comes your way, Parental Bond is gonna make things really nasty.
Gwen the female Spinarak <Insomnia> @ Red Card
Sheena the female Froakie <Torrent> @ Lucky Egg
Reynolds the male Inkay <Contrary> @ Eviolite
Lancelot the male Doublade <No Guard> @ Dusk Stone
Louise the female Budew <Poison Point> @ Shiny Stone
Luke the male Zorua <Illusion> @ Lucky Egg
Judge Judy the female Kangaskhan <Scrappy> @ Moon Stone
Bun Two Three Four the female Buneary <Run Away> @ Soothe Bell
Grockle the male Lotad <Swift Swim>
Tickle the female Snubbull <Intimidate> @ Lucky Egg
Porkpie the female Tepig <Blaze>
Rerun the male Elekid <Static> @ Chesto Berry
Marilyn the male Gothita <Competitive>
Howard the female Psyduck <Cloud Nine>
Klodd the male Geodude <Rock Head> @ Lucky Egg
Khidr the male Drowzee <Insomnia> @ Lucky Egg
Rhiannon the female Stunky <Stench> @ Lucky Egg
