Lumeloch Festival Tournament

[pokemonleague]

Lumeloch spends the entire year preparing for this day. The opening tournament starts at 8am, the fields are set. The trainers are prepped. After two long rounds of battle. Eight contestants have made their way to the quarterfinals. The crowds have consolidated, and more people have started to gather at the Main Even field. The Sun is now high in the sky and the crowd whispers about the contestants and their pokemon.

The announcer comes on and presents the rounds. The constants faces showing up on the main screen...

Comments

[fushigardie]

Amaryllis was bored.

She'd been more interested in getting acquainted with the land and the cities than immediately jumping into tournaments (it was dangerous to make her name known, or it least that was how she felt), but it had been her refuge in Team Rocket that had forced her out of that idea. She had her orders to scout strong trainers and rare Pokemon, and Rylla knew that even powerful once-leaders didn't refuse orders from superiors. She didn't care about rising in rank, but the lifestyle was familiar and the refuge secure. So, with maybe a roll of the eyes and a rude hand gesture at the messenger to give her the orders, she'd obeyed and entered the tournament. It was, after all, a good training opportunity of a sort her team hadn't had for quite a while.

Amaryllis was experienced, but she gave her team all the credit. Due to the way they'd been trained-- both for tournaments and no-rules melee-- she considered it always the Pokemon's strength and the Pokemon's intuition that led to a win. Still, she had her pride, and she did know not everyone saw battling the way she did. Amaryllis saw herself as a coach; other trainers saw themselves as puppetmasters.

She'd made it through the first two rounds with what she considered too much ease. Sam was her least experienced teammate by far, which was why she'd chosen to choose the Growlithe as the one Pokemon allowed. She would bet she could steamroller anyone with most of the others now sitting in their Pokeballs on her belt, but they deserved rest. Sam needed the training.

Amaryllis knelt down next to the Growlithe as she waited, ruffling the fur at his neck. He shifted, tail thumping, tongue lolling; her usual lazy expression was accompanied by a small smile barely visible on her lips. "Let's get 'em, boy." Only for her Pokemon would she show genuine affection.

RP battle fine with you?

[sky_shark]

Being bored made two of them.

To the surprise of probably anyone who had seen the sweet kid wandering around the festival, the short blue-haired teen had suddenly turned completely ruthless in the tournament, flattening anyone who had gotten in his way. The more observant may have realised his eyepatch had switched sides, but Agito doubted it. No one ever seemed to realise things.

He was still in a bit of a temper over that damn Gible still not obeying him, hence why Gia was enjoying a stay inside her Pokeball for once, and why Akito was sulking in the back of his mind. Oh well, he'd make it up to the light later.

Necessity had it that his Pokemon couldn't exactly last outside of its Pokeball without water, so it was only when he entered his side of the field that he called out Carvanha, the shark-like Pokemon thrashing a little in the water in a show of impatience completely identical to his owner's. Agito had noticed the Growlithe and scowled slightly. He really, really needed to teach Carvanha a Water-type move. Win or not, he was getting a TM after this battle.

At least the Fire moves wouldn't bother Carvanha as much. The rest, only time would really tell. But Agito wasn't planning on losing.

perfect =]

[fushigardie]

Amaryllis had been trained to be observant. Both her previous jobs in Kanto and Sinnoh-- while markedly different kinds of employment-- taught her to be meticulous. And watching people was a habit: she liked to stay among crowds, in her own bubble, an eye on everything. So while she may not have taken the effort to check who her opponent would be that morning, she had watched the other rounds. So this kid, whoever he was, wasn't a new sight, but she was extremely irritated that she had to battle a Carvanha. Water-types, especially fish, did not appeal to Amaryllis.

She took Sam's head between her hands, turning him so that their eyes met. He closed his mouth, serious now, and stared back until she smirked and whispered in his ear, "Time to go fishing. I like them well-cooked."

Amaryllis straightened, stepping back as Sam bounded forwards to the field. Despite his being a fire-type up against a water-type, she thought he might at least have a pretty good move-set for a Carvanha. His fighting-type move would hit its weakness hard, and his nose wouldn't let it hide underwater. And even water-types, she'd discovered, weren't completely insusceptible to burns.

She was interested to see how the Growlithe would handle the battle. He'd not battled with an in-water Pokemon before, so it would definitely be a good experience, win or lose. Amaryllis herself had seen land-versus-water battles before, however, so if Sam needed it she'd be quick with a word of advice; still, the most important thing, in her opinion, was to let him learn strategy on his own. He was the one battling, not she.

She wasn't talkative, and she didn't feel the need to make herself obnoxious before a battle. Rather, Amaryllis gave first the referee a nod to indicate she and Sam were ready, then raised an eyebrow at her opponent as though to say, "Well?"

[sky_shark]

Agito saw that look. If she was going to give up the first move, that was fine by him. Either way, he would have started the same.

"Focus Energy," he called out idly, watching Carvanha as it hissed and began to circle the pool, obeying while staying completely focused on the Growlithe. He didn't like Fire types. They were annoying, and more than likely to know moves that could hurt. Still, he trusted Agito.

His trainer waited now, wanting to see what she did in response and what moves the Growlithe knew.

[fushigardie]

Focus Energy was a good starting move, Amaryllis thought as she watched. It was safe, and typically forced the opponent into action first. She liked giving up the first move. It was like a sword fight: move first and your opponent has all the chances to scout out your weaknesses. Patience always paid off.

But Sam was not a patient Growlithe. His eyes tracked the circling Carvanha, and Amaryllis could see his body shaking in anticipation. He was confused by the land/water situation (even though he could swim, he hadn't fought doing so before) and wanted to start a battle, something he knew how to do; she could tell he wouldn't be waiting for the other to move. So force it, she thought, and suddenly Sam pounced, snarling as he opened his jaws to release a powerful Flamethrower at the Carvanha. It wouldn't be the finishing move, but it was a start.

[sky_shark]

Carvanha didn't have quite enough time to duck underwater where he would've been safe, hissing violently as the Flamethrower hit him. Agito watched and noticed it wasn't burned. Good. The Water type's bulk shouldn't be too bothered by the Fire attack. Time to work on attacking.

Now...it would be safer to work on Rage now, while Carvanha's HP was high. Get too weak and the Pokemon wouldn't be able to pull it off before he was knocked out. "Rage," he called out.

Carvanha's body instantly went a light red as he leaped, aiming to crash right into Growlithe.

[fushigardie]

Amaryllis took a step forwards, her eyes narrowing. Sam was surprised by the leap; he might have dodged it had he been fully focused, but as it was he had time only to dance to the side to receive a blow to his flank rather than head-on. He yelped at the contact.

"Sam!" Amaryllis yelled, stepping in now. "Focus! You have the speed!" The Rage move was another good one; Agito was smart, even if she didn't like his choice of Pokemon. "It's out of the water, now hit it at its weak point with a Rock Smash!"

The Growlithe's eyes lit in understanding: Carvanhas were weak against Fighting moves. He reared onto his hind paws, front claws glowing white, and lashed out to smash into Carvanha's body.

[sky_shark]

Shit, it knew a fighting move. Agito scowled, not liking this turn of events.

Carvanha was startled by the attack, knocked back to the ground where it managed to get back in the water. It surfaced hissing, the red glow of Rage getting darker. Agito was also pleased to see that its Rough Skin was in effect, hurting the Growlithe even as it hit the shark Pokemon's body.

"Carvanha, keep it up with Rage! And don't fucking back down!" he called. The Pokemon understood that his trainer wanted this over with now and leaped again with surprising speed. Growlithe might be fast, but even it couldn't dodge every attack.