Coherence (PG-13) (Archived Story)

[Seiji Tatsuo™]

What's "IRL"? I haven't come across that one.

IRL = In Real Life|Our lives away from our comps, etc.

Nice updates, Duns, keep 'em coming.

 

[Dunsparce]

Really?! Well, well. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who likes to write huge fan-fics. Perhaps I should post my series on SPPf. May you please direct me there?

www.serebiiforums.com. The Fanfiction forum is VERY active, so It's recommended to post fanfics there if you want ALOT of readers.

Nice updates, Duns, keep 'em coming.

Thanks ^^ I will.

 

[Dunsparce]

Chapter 11:

Tramonus lost to Wrayt not long after the match began.

Wrayt didn't even have to use all three of her Pokémon; with her Venomoth, she cruised through Tramonus's Pokémon. As Wrayt returned to the bench and Tramonus left the arena, Benjamin called out the next two battlers.

"Master Jason and Mistress Michelle, it's your turn to battle!" Benjamin boomed over the roar of the crowd.

Lee's eyebrows shot up in surprise as Michelle rose from her seat, grinning broadly. Jason, a timid-looking boy with wavy brown hair, jumped down from the bleachers, and walked unnaturally quickly to the right end of the field. Michelle took the left, walking in long strides in contrast to Jason's scamper.

"Jumpluff, begin!" Michelle yelled, following up with a graceful pirouette. A Pokéball spun into the air, expelling an energetic blue Pokémon as it fell back to Earth.

Michelle balanced on one foot, catching the ball in her outstretched hand. The crowd went wild at her ostentation.

Lee cheered with everyone else. Michelle certainly was an excellent performer, but could she follow up her delicate maneuvers with a good battle?

"Gastly, come out!" Jason shouted rather lamely. A Gastly burst from its ball, noticeably different from its trainer due to its confident expression.

Gastly opened its mouth, and wagged its tongue obnoxiously at Jumpluff. Jumpluff frowned, and awaited orders from its trainer.

"Confusion, Jumpluff!" Michelle ordered firmly. Jumpluff's balls of cotton glowed electric blue. Gastly's defiant face melted into a curious one.

Jumpluff gave a slicing jab with its left hand. Gastly was knocked to the right by some unseen force.

Bewildered, Gastly rotated in a quick circle, unsure of what had hit it. The audience broke out in a small phoneme of whispers and murmurs, interested in Jumpluff's manner of attacking.

"Uppercut," Michelle said. Lee thought at first that she meant Sky Uppercut, but he saw that Michelle was describing the way she wanted Jumpluff to attack; Jumpluff speared the air with a strong uppercut, sending Gastly spinning in mid-air.

Gastly gave a menacing stare to Jumpluff, and rocketed forward. Jumpluff stood its ground, staring right back with cold indifference. And then, as Gastly soared ever nearer, Jumpluff brought its limbs together, clutching a ball of....air.

However, this stopped Gastly where it was. Astounded, Gastly rolled its eyes in its head, examining its strange situation.

Jumpluff just smirked, surprisingly evilly for such a normally innocent creature. Then it shook its head, bouncing its top ball of cotton off of something. Gastly cried out as something struck it across the head; Lee could see the gas on the top of its head wavering, as though something had just swiped through it.

Jumpluff repeated the motion, bashing the sphere against Gastly violently. Finally, Jason made a decision to help his poor Pokémon.

"Gastly, break free by shooting Shadow Ball at that thing," he called in a quavering voice. Gastly understood, though, opening its mouth to prepare a Shadow Ball.

"Agility," Michelle commanded as tentacles of thin, black energy coalesced in front of Gastly's mouth. Jumpluff ceased the flow of Psychic energy, and darted away in a blur of white and blue.

Gastly shut its mouth, allowing the energy to drift away disappointedly.

"Sunny Day!" Michelle called to Jumpluff. Jumpluff stopped, sending dirt and dust rocketing into the air.

Turning its eyes to the sky, Jumpluff spread its arms wide. It shut its eyes, and hummed in a low tone. As the humming echoed around the stadium, Jumpluff's blue color slowly morphed into a yellow one.

"Gastly, stop it with Hypnosis," Jason ordered, nervously clasping and unclasping his hands. Gastly angled toward Jumpluff like a boomerang, and stopped right in front of its face.

Lee could see its brow furrowing; he assumed that Hypnosis only worked when its target's eyes were open.

Suddenly, evidently aware of Gastly's presence, Jumpluff opened its eyes, and a golden silhouette of Jumpluff shot into the sky like a bullet.

Gastly grinned gleefully as Jumpluff's eyelids sprang open, and set to work at once. Jumpluff was quick enough to evade, but Gastly had the upper hand; Jumpluff was under Gastly's spell moments after its eyes opened. By the time it had realized it was in such close proximity with Gastly, it was too late.

Jumpluff fell over, laying one soft hand under its cheek like a pillow. Gastly chuckled to itself. All at once, its form elongated nightmarishly, forming a demonic shadow.

Gastly made up the head; the body of the beast was pitch-black and over eight feet tall. Sharp claws were protruding from the hands of the monster, as well as the feet.

Gastly hunched over, and shoved its entire head into Jumpluff. The body crawled into the small body of Jumpluff, compressing itself as it did.

Jumpluff shuddered as the beast completely entered it. A faint purple tint stained the cottony white of Jumpluff's puffballs, signaling that Jumpluff was completely locked in the Nightmare.

Jumpluff suddenly began to convulse, thrashing violently against whatever monstrosity Gastly was constructing inside its head. Rolling over and flailing angrily, Jumpluff appeared to be in terrible pain, imagined or not. And yet, Michelle did nothing.

Then, as Jumpluff began to whimper, Michelle recalled Jumpluff silently, swapping it with a Porygon2.

As Jumpluff's form was swept up into the Pokéball, Gastly appeared in the spot where Jumpluff had been. It appeared dazed, surprised to find that the Nightmare was finished. Porygon2 landed not too far away from Gastly, turning robotically to face the gaseous fiend.

"Thunderbolt, Porygon2!" Michelle ordered hastily. Porygon2's legs whirled, slowly at first, but faster and faster as it went on. Electricity began to leap from Porygon2's limbs.

Satisfied, Porygon2 sent a bolt of electricity searing toward Gastly. Gastly screeched harshly, and flipped upside down as the electricity halted, quite like a dead goldfish.

Jason's jaw dropped. He recalled his Gastly, and released a Pidgeotto in its place. Lee marveled at his choice; with Thunderbolt in its disposal, Porygon2 would make quick work of the bird. Jason didn't seem like too big a tactician, so Lee had to wonder what his reasoning behind Pidgeotto was.

"Sharpen, Porygon2!" Michelle barked. Porygon2 began to change shape at her command, the many round edges of it lengthening subtlety.

"Gust, P-Pidgeotto!" Jason stammered, probably aware of his odd decision to use Pidgeotto in the first place. Pidgeotto flew forward speedily, and began to circle Porygon2 viciously.

"Barrier, Porygon2," Michelle said. Porygon2 engulfed itself with a translucent, shimmering orange orb. As it did so, the light orb got caught up in the spinning eye wall of Pidgeotto's Gust.

Porygon2 spun around dizzily within its shield, Michelle looking on worriedly. Pidgeotto was barely visible anymore, the dust and winds blocking it from view.

"Lunge, Porygon2. Escape!" Michelle commanded frantically. Porygon2 backed up as best it could, still being buffeted by the winds, and pushed forward.

The orb fell from midway in the tornado, shattering as it hit the ground. Bits of orange, resembling broken glass, spun through the air, fading away into nothing as they went.

The crowd marveled at the spectacle quietly, with a couple of, "Ooh!"s here and couple of "Aah!"s there.

"Follow up with Ice Beam!" Michelle ordered. Porygon2 wheeled about, apparently none the worse for its battering in the tornado, and fired a wavy ray of ice at Pidgeotto, who was beginning to slow down.

However, to Michelle's displeasure, Pidgeotto was still moving too fast to hit. She'd have to wait.

"Sharpen until Pidgeotto comes down," Michelle instructed Porygon2, making use of the pause. Porygon2 gleamed in the sunlight, its Sharpening body catching the rays of the sun and sending them beaming out across the stadium, dazzling the audience.

Pidgeotto slowed even further, the dust following it beginning to fall back to the arena floor.

"Tri Attack, Porygon2!" Michelle commanded. Porygon2 shot forward diagonally, its streamlined body providing little resistance.

"Whirlwind, Pidgeotto!" Jason countered. Pidgeotto stopped, hovering in mid-air. Its shrewd eyes gazed at Porygon2 as the mechanical Pokémon flew nearer.

Porygon2 was beginning to glow in different places, hues of crimson, indigo, and gold shuffling like a roulette.

Pidgeotto's wings flared silver, and it began swiping at the air mightily, conjuring up a ferocious gust. Darts of silver rode the currents, slicing at Porygon2 as it neared the bird.

Porygon2 slowed down, the wind retarding its progress. Seeing that its attack had been ruined, Porygon2 allowed the energy it was building up to soar forwards.

A thin wire of white connected three masses of ice, fire, and electricity in a triangle, a triangle hurtling at Pidgeotto despite the turbulence Porygon2 was facing.

All of a sudden, Porygon2 disappeared, silhouetted by an insubstantial crimson color. It lost its form, and retreated back to Michelle. It returned to its Pokéball, its mass broken down by the Whirlwind.

Michelle fumbled at her belt for another Pokéball as the Tri Attack reached Pidgeotto. The triangle framed the bird in the sky, creating a painting from the blue sky and the amazed Pidgeotto.

Then, the triangle abruptly imploded into Pidgeotto in a burst of color, sending snow, flames, and sparks wriggling around the sky.

Pidgeotto squawked, and hung its head, battered but still able to fight. Michelle sent out Jumpluff to finish the tenacious avian. Jumpluff was worn as well, looking too weak to battle, almost. Both Pokémon were weakened, but which one would come out on top?

Michelle began the new match with a second Sunny Day. As Jumpluff powered up, Jason ordered a Sand-Attack from Pidgeotto. Pidgeotto lowered itself, and aligned itself so that Jumpluff was right in its path.

Then, Pidgeotto leaned forward, and torpedoed toward Jumpluff, spinning as it went. The loose dirt particles leapt into the air, uprooted yet again.

Right when it looked like Pidgeotto would careen into Jumpluff, it stopped. The sand exploded into Jumpluff in a cloud of beige. The sun was shining brightly; Jumpluff had finished its Sunny Day this time around.

But its eyes were stinging from the invading dust. Jumpluff swiped at its eyes with its limbs, hoping the gentle cotton would ease the smarting.

"Don't give up, Jumpluff, show Pidgeotto your Solarbeam," Michelle ordered encouragingly.

Blinking obsessively, Jumpluff fired a Solarbeam at the bird. Pidgeotto flew away, leaving the Solarbeam to blaze away into the earth.

As Pidgeotto made a loop back to Jason, he whispered, "Aerial Ace," to it, so that Michelle couldn't hear. Pidgeotto understood.

Far surpassing its normal position in the air, Pidgeotto flew upward steeply, until it was staring down at the metallic scab in the verdant land. High in the sky, Pidgeotto had a bird's eye view of the stadium. It could see Jumpluff with its keen eyesight, a blue micro-organism in a stain of brown.

Angling downward, Pidgeotto flapped its wings once to pick up preliminary speed, and began pumping them madly, pushing itself faster and faster.

Then, it let its wings stick out at precise angles, slicing through the air at a perfect angle. Jumpluff's squeak was inaudible, drowned out by the howling winds of the sky Pidgeotto loved.

As Pidgeotto sped closer, Jumpluff hopped into the air, allowing the wind to carry it away from the mighty bird. But Pidgeotto angled itself once more, sloping into a wide, horizontal loop.

Its beak slammed into the surprised Jumpluff, who had thought it had eluded the fast approaching Pidgeotto. Jumpluff squealed in pain, and plummeted down to Earth. Michelle caught it with the red laser before it struck the ground.

Lee was interested in how the match was going to end; both contestants still had two Pokémon left, one used and one perfectly healthy. Despite the length of the match, it seemed that it had just begun.

Michelle silently let out a replacement Pokémon, and it wasn't Porygon2. This one was partially blue as well, but it was a serpent, suspended above the ground impossibly. Its crystalline black eyes shone with a beauty masked by Porygon2's blank, artificial ones.

Michelle's Dragonair was a perfect mirror of her beauty and elegance, but Lee could see from its jerky movements that it was waiting for a battle.

"Aerial Ace again!" Jason called to his Pidgeotto, which was circling the arena high above. Pidgeotto did a showy somersault, prolonging it for dramatic effect.

"Extremespeed, Dragonair; head it off!" Michelle commanded. Dragonair crouched, looking very much like a snake, and darted into the air.

Pidgeotto accepted the challenge, finishing its loop and soaring toward Dragonair in the same angle it has used against Jumpluff. The two were on a collision course, and unless Dragonair had some strategy hidden up its sleeve, Lee was fairly sure Pidgeotto's beak would hurt more than Dragonair's fleshy nose.

Dragonair extended upward as it and Pidgeotto drew nearer. Pidgeotto had expected this, though, and followed the move, aiming for Dragonair's torso.

All at once, Dragonair flicked downward, like the tip of a whip. Pidgeotto tumbled awkwardly in mid-air, stopping too quickly as it realized that it had missed Dragonair.

Dragonair positioned itself beneath Pidgeotto, and send a torrent of water roaring up at the unsuspecting bird.

Caught unawares, Pidgeotto was blasted upward, and fell down to the stadium in a tangled mess. Jason caught it with the Pokéball laser as Michelle had with Jumpluff, knowing it had been defeated.

Jason sent out his last Pokémon, a Hypno. The creature narrowed its small eyes at Dragonair, eager to beat it.

Lee was surprised at this unorthodox choice of Pokémon; rarely did he see a Hypno fight. Dragonair seemed surprised as well, though still willing to fight.

"Hypno, begin with Reflect," Jason said, sounding more calm now that Hypno was out on the field. Hypno flicked its wrist and began spinning its fore-arm.

The pendulum whirled like a helicopter blade, and silvery blue shield expanded from the small circle. Opaque and small as it was, Lee didn't see what good the Reflect would do.

Knowing Extremespeed would be useless, Michelle called out, "Fire Blast!" Dragonair's neck ornament blazed orange. Dragonair opened its mouth, and send a huge formation of flame spiraling at Hypno.

"Now Light Screen," Jason said, permitting himself a smile. Hypno extended its hand, its fingertips beginning to take on a pink glow as it did. As the fiery symbol burned closer, a huge pink wall spread from its hand.

Unlike the Reflect shield, which had grown gradually, the Light Screen was all but instantaneous. The blazing shape hit the shield, causing Hypno to recoil, but it dissipated shortly after, incapable of penetrating the wall of energy.

Also unlike the Reflect, Light Screen was transparent; Lee could see how Hypno's shoulders slumped and its eyes closed as Jason ordered a Calm Mind.

"Horn Drill, Dragonair!" Michelle commanded, knowing it would penetrate the Reflect. Dragonair snaked forward, the small horn on its head growing and rotating at amazing speed.

"Meet it with Ice Punch," Jason instructed. Hypno's Light Screen died down, though its fingertips still shimmered pink. A white hue adorned Hypno's clenched fist, a light mist evaporating from it.

Dragonair's eyes widened, and its horn slowed down. Hypno ran forward, grinning wickedly. Dragonair stopped, and crouched, preparing to leap into the air. Hypno was too fast for it, though.

Dropping its pendulum on the ground, Hypno jumped into the air, and seized it by the throat. Amazed, Dragonair tried to break free. Hypno's physical strength was greater, though, and it pulled Dragonair to its level with minimal effort.

Dragonair's neck bead burned orange, but Hypno, like always, was one step ahead. Letting Dragonair go, Hypno slammed into the side of its face with an icy fist.

Its aim knocked awry, Dragonair sent its Fire Blast flying toward the bleachers. Lee screamed, and jumped up. But the Fire Blast exploded against the wall instead. Lee was the only one to jump up in fear, and sat down with the laughs of nearly everyone in the stadium echoing in his airs.

Well, so much for trying to look good in front of Nabiki, Lee said, grimacing unconsciously. He closed his eyes, hoping against hope that Nabiki wasn't there to see what an idiot he had made of himself.

He should have seen that the Fire Blast wasn't going to hit him, and yet, he stilled freaked out....Hopefully, if Nabiki was here, she would just laugh and think Lee was joking.

Dragonair's cry penetrated his thoughts, and he realized he wasn't paying attention to the match. Lee opened his eyes, and saw that a few drops of water were dripping off of Hypno's Light Screen; another unsuccessful attack on Dragonair's part. Hypno had even picked up its pendulum and continued the Reflect.

Lee was concerned for Michelle; long-range attacks were easily blockable, but it couldn't get close enough for a direct physical attack either. What could it do?

Dragonair shot forward in desperation, its horn whirling once again. Hypno retracted the Light Screen again, and its fist blazed white. Dragonair looked like it was actually going to go through with the attack.

But then, feet from Hypno, Dragonair stopped, and dropped at Hypno's feet. Hypno arched its brow, and walked forward. Dragonair was staring innocently up at it, stretching out across the battlefield. Hypno sneered at its helplessness.

All of a sudden, Dragonair let loose a Hydro Pump. Hypno punched at the last second, freezing the surging water in a spray of mist and sleet. Dragonair halted the attack, and sprang in a serpentine manner, horn spinning.

Hypno jumped back, but Dragonair was a long Pokémon, and it could still reach Hypno as it backed away. Its drilling horn pushed through Hypno's skin.

At first, Lee gasped like everyone else, sure Hypno had just been killed. But then, barely visible from his distance, he noticed the yellow skin at Hypno's stomach shimmering, and knew the horn hadn't physically impaled it.

Hypno vibrated violently, shaken to the core by the Horn Drill. Dragonair pulled its horn out, leaving Hypno to collapse to the ground. The end had come quickly, but the match was indeed over, and Michelle had won!

The crowd was slow on the uptake, not sure what had happening, but as the battlers cheered, they took the hint, and sent the stadium resonating with their gleeful cheers.

"Michelle is victorious!" Benjamin hollered over the cacophony. Dumbstruck, Jason returned his Hypno, and sulkily made his way to the exit tunnel.

Michelle returned her Dragonair proudly, and skipped back to the bleachers, ecstasy shining on her sweaty face.

Michelle gave a small smile to Lee, and Lee returned it, happy for her. Michelle sat down in her same spot, rewarded by some cheers from the other contestants.

Lee watched the battles following Michelle's with glazed eyes. He kept an eye out for Nicholas, just to see what he was up against, but for the most part, he was thinking about his own battle, and what was to come as he progressed in this tournament.

Finally, the first round ended. Thirty-two people had been defeated. But thirty-two had made it through, Lee among them.

Benjamin reappeared in the tunnel opposite the bleachers; he was the first person to come out of it, rather than going into it, in a long while. Clapping with everyone else as he went, Benjamin began speaking to the contestants, a jubilant grin on his face.

"Well done, well done indeed! Congratulations to you thirty-two talented trainers for making it through! We will be taking a lunch break, now. The tournament will resume in a half hour, in which time, your Pokémon will be healed, and lunch will be served.

Lunch will be provided in the room opposite the waiting room you occupied before the first round; the door is blue, and difficult to miss. Once more, congratulations! Whatever happens from here on out, you have all passed through the first round, and proved your strength to our audience," Benjamin said, grinning from ear to ear the entire time.

Benjamin disappeared into the tunnel once more. Michelle stood up, and made her way down the bleachers. Lee assumed she knew what she was doing, seeing as she worked here, but given his recent screw-ups, he wanted to wait until other people followed her example.

At first, no one followed her, but eventually, a few brave souls got up and jumped down from the bleachers. At that point, everyone was sure that they were allowed to leave; someone would have intervened, otherwise.

Lee stood up and made his way to the edge, jumping off at the edge of the metallic bleachers. He walked off to the tunnel, noticing as he went that the spectators were leaving through different exits as well. In the angular room, Lee walked out the door, following the others in front of him.

His heart stopped palpitating so violently in his chest as Lee walked across the polished floor; the battles were done, and it was time for him to relax. Through the blue door Lee went, and a pleasing sight met his eyes.

The room was vast, two miniature restaurants on either side of it. Circular tables were waiting for the hungry contestants, as were four Pokémon Machines. Lee recognized the machines as the ones the Pokémon Center used, but the insignia of the Lake of Rage was stamped across it to signify the difference.

The back wall was made of glass, and a wide meadow lay behind it, presumably for Pokémon and Trainers to train, play, and relax in.

Lee narrowed his eyes, and saw that the restaurant to the left was a sandwich stand, displaying all sorts of sandwiches. To the right was a restaurant where drinks were distributing, healthy and unhealthy. Lee reminded himself to order Ziggy a drink before he let the Linoone out; he didn't want Ziggy to know Sake was handed out here.

Lee went toward sandwiches first, though. He was hungrier than he was thirsty.

The stout woman there saw him approaching, and, turning away from her current customer, she said, "Be with ya in a moment, hon."

Lee nodded, and stood behind the young girl ordering her food. Lee's eyebrows rose when he saw that the girl walked away without paying.

"Is she allowed to do that?" Lee asked, confused.

"Do what?" the woman asked. Lee noticed that she resembled a frog. Her mouth seemed too large for her face, and various markings on her skin smothered the pale white color of it. Her voice was also deep and rasping, reminding Lee strongly of a croaking frog.

She smiled a lot, though, and seemed genuinely friendly; Lee couldn't hold her appearance against her.

"Walk off without paying? Did she have a credit card or something?" Lee asked.

The woman laughed, and exclaimed, "'Course she is; our services are free!" Lee smiled; how helpful it was not to have to pay!

"How, though? I mean, I'm not trying to talk you out of it, but isn't it expensive for the city to hand out food and stuff?" Lee inquired.

"We make a lot of money charging for the tournament, hon," she explained cheerily, "Enough to be able to hand out refreshments." Lee scanned the array of sandwiches, deciding which ones to get.

"Let's see, I think I'll take five cheese sandwiches, and ten peanut butter and jellies," Lee said, planning to feed his Pokémon as well.

"Appetite got the better of ya, eh?" the woman inquired, half serious.

Lee chuckled, and responded, "No, I've got an Onix, and I expect it'll need the sandwiches. I'm not asking for too much, though, am I?"

"I don't normally get orders that big, but it's no problem," the woman said smilingly.

She turned around, and opened a silvery machine. Inside, many cheese sandwiches were suspended from hooks, hanging above a glowing orange panel.

"Airing them out?" Lee asked.

The woman laughed, her voice cracking, and said, "Heh, nope, we just let them hang there above the warming tray to keep them from getting cold; unless you like your cheese cold."

Lee laughed as well, and said, "Naw, I'll take 'em warm. Cold cheese is pretty gross."

"Got that right," the woman proclaimed, adjusting her hairnet unconsciously.

Pulling on a pair of gloves, she reached into the small oven and retrieved five of the dangling sandwiches, stacking them on top of each other on her other hand.

Yanking a napkin from a tiny box, she laid the cheese sandwiches on top, warning, "Make sure you don't let them sandwiches fall over." Before Lee could respond, she was buried in a cabinet to the right of the oven, picking out packaged sandwiches.

"Take them sandwiches to a table, hon, I dun think you can carry fifteen sandwiches at once!" she instructed Lee, her voice muffled in the confined space.

Taking her advice, Lee hooked his hands over the napkin, balancing the sandwiches, and carried them slowly over to the nearest table.

Apart from a few crumbs here and there, the table was surprisingly clean, as were the seats; Lee was grateful for that.

He set his sandwiches on the table right as the door burst open. Lee didn't pay it any attention; it was probably just another contestant arriving for lunch.

"Hey, you! Lee guy!" a voice called out, anger abundant in it.

Lee looked up in alarm, hoping he wasn't in trouble. As he caught sight of the person in front of him, he laughed to himself; it was only Jonsey, fists clenched and young face indignant.

"How did you get in here?" Lee asked, fairly sure the room was only for those who had won.

"My dad's a guard here, I can do whatever I want," Jonsey said dismissively, clearly annoyed by Lee's question.

"I don't suppose that would explain you being in the tournament in the first place?" Lee said, taking a wild guess. Again, he laughed silently as Jonsey's face froze.

"I guess so," Lee said, smiling pleasantly.

Jonsey scowled, and said, "Alright, my dad reserved a place for me on the list. But that's not what I wanted to talk about."

"I see. What did you want to talk about, then?" Lee asked nonchalantly.

"I think it's really unfair about how you got matched up against me in the first round," Jonsey said, a touch of childish sorrow entering his angry voice.

"Well, aren't the match-ups chosen randomly?" Lee asked, "Even if they aren't, I sure didn't choose to face you."

"No, they're not!" Jonsey shrieked, turning the heads of those nearby, "People are matched up by how many badges you have! I talked to my dad, and he told me you had no badges! So why were you and me facing each other?!"

Lee rolled his eyes.

"Hah, badges. I don't need badges. They're really pointless. Little bits of metal don't tell people how strong you are."

"Well, you should have told the people who let you in that you don't collect badges, because it's really unfair!" Jonsey shouted, his shrill voice breaking in frustration, "And anyway, badges are really important! You can't get into the Pokémon League without them. Don't you ever want to fight the Elite 4?!"

"I could hardly care less about that group of elitists," Lee said coldly. From the look on Jonsey's face, he didn't even know what an elitist was. Lee decided to talk down to him.

"Listen, I battle for the fun of it. It's fun to battle, and my Pokémon like it too. We do it only for fun, not to prove that we're better than someone else," Lee said quietly.

"Then why are you even in this tournament?!" Jonsey asked, a hard edge still in his voice.

"Because I need the money. Believe me, if there was any other way, I'd take it. But there's a fair amount of money being offered here, and it's a good place to test out the strength of my newer Pokémon.

Same question goes for you, kid, why are you in this tournament? What could you need with that much money?" Lee answered, ending in a question he had been pondering ever since he first heard Jonsey misphrase an attack.

Jonsey hung his head, and said, "I'm here for my dad. He's too busy to enter, so he gave me his Pokémon to fight with. The people here pay a lot, but we want the extra money too."

Lee felt a bit of sympathy, in place of scorn, for the little boy. Jonsey was just his father's pawn, essentially; he hardly knew anything about battling, it seemed.

"Well, I need to prepare for the next round, Jonsey. If you want my advice, if you actually like battling, you should practice with your dad's Pokémon and wait for the next tournament," Lee said. Jonsey looked up, a different, calmer expression upon his face.

"Would you train with me and help me get better?" Jonsey asked, his swagger gone.

Lee smiled, and said, "I would, but I need to eat and prepare for the next round. Now you should probably get out of here, before someone forces you out."

Jonsey didn't say anything, but just scampered away and went through the door. Lee wasn't sure whether or not he had taken his advice.

"Hey, your cheese sandwiches are prolly getting cold, and I have your PB 'n' J's here," the sandwich woman called to Lee.

Lee winced, knowing cold cheese was in his future, and ran over to collect his sandwiches in his arms.

"Sorry, wasn't expecting that," Lee shrugged. He walked over to the door, and kicked it open, unable to move his arms with the crinkling packages stuffed in his folded arms.

Lee quickly dumped the sandwiches to the right of the door, and ran back inside to get his cheese sandwiches. Fearfully, he touched the extending corners of the slices. Luke-warm; it would have to do.

Lee picked up the cheese tower too, deciding to go back for drinks later. Lee returned to the spot where he left the sandwiches, and sat down beside the stash.

Stuffing a cheese sandwich in his mouth, Lee tapped the buttons of two of his Pokéballs. Slugma materialized in front of him, Ziggy appearing shortly after. Slugma looked happy to be in an open meadow and not fighting; Ziggy looked happy just to be out at all.

Ziggy turned to Lee, and said, "Is the battle already over?"

"Sorry buddy, it is," Lee said, grinning, taking the sandwich from his mouth to speak, "Slugma won all on its own."

"Well you deserve a great big handshake, dontcha Slugma?" Ziggy said, extending his paw jovially to the confused slug.

"Oh, wait, slugs haven't got hands! Silly me," Ziggy said, shaking his head, "I would shake your eyestalks, but numerous cartoons tell me that slugs and snails hate when you touch their eyes."

Slugma nodded, and glanced over at Lee's sandwich, which he had replaced in his mouth.

"Is it.....eating time?" Slugma asked, eyeing the sandwich in Lee's mouth enviously.

"Indeed it is," Lee said, grabbing a sandwich and offering it to Slugma. Slugma blinked blankly.

"Oh....Do you want me to hold the sandwich while you eat, Slugma?" Lee asked.

Slugma shook its head slowly, and said, "I'm used to feeding...from the ground."

"That's a shame, it is," Ziggy said dolefully," Forearms are ever so valuable."

Lee glared at Ziggy, afraid he was upsetting Slugma.

"What?" Ziggy asked, oblivious to the crude nature of his jokes.

Slugma chuckled, and bit into the sandwich slowly. Lee picked up a second sandwich, and held it out to Ziggy.

Like a creature possessed, Ziggy pounced at the sandwich, tearing it away from Lee and tearing into it.

"Ravenous today, eh Ziggy?" Lee smirked.

"I can be wilder, Lee. I haven't forgotten my instincts in light of your domestication process. Want me to prove it?" Ziggy said tauntingly.

It sounded like Ziggy was giving Lee the choice, but Lee could tell Ziggy was hoping he would let him; Ziggy didn't get to unleash like that very often.

Ziggy wolfed down the sandwich, staring at Lee all the while. Lee was pretending to think on the matter, enjoying Ziggy's impatience. Slugma just glanced back and forth between the two, chewing thoughtfully on its food.

Finally, Lee let the charade go. He tucked his arm in, grasping a sandwich discretely. Ziggy tensed, barely containing a smile.

"Whoa!" Lee screamed, flinging the sandwich high in the air. Ziggy's eyes lit up, and he leaned back on his hind legs, his neck tilting to monitor that sandwich's progress as it soared overhead.

Teetering drunkenly, Ziggy backed up, timing the arrival of the food. As it neared the ground, Ziggy leapt into the air, snarling like a wild animal.

As he landed, the sandwich was clenched in his teeth, hanging limply from his jaws. Ziggy shook it violently, like a dog with a tough bone.

"Dear heavens..." Slugma muttered as the sandwich began to rip apart and fly everywhere. Ziggy leapt to and fro, grabbing the sandwich bits and stuffing them into his mouth.

"So, do you mind if I begin with someone else other than you next, Slugma?" Lee asked Slugma as Ziggy tore at his hapless victim.

"...No, I could use some....recuperation....I think Ziggy needs.....to vent his energy.....anyway," Slugma responded, amazed at Ziggy's ferocity.

Lee laughed, but agreed with Slugma. Ziggy had been cooped up in his Pokéball for a while, longer than normal. No doubt this entire savage beast performance was just Ziggy expressing his need for some excitement. Ziggy bounded back, and did a little dance.

"Enemy defeated, Ziggy victorious," he sang.

"You sure showed that sandwich, Ziggy. The one we've got left looks like it's trembling after it saw what you did to its friend," Lee remarked.

Ziggy grinned broadly, and said, "But what sandwich wouldn't fear a hunter as fearsome and determined as I? If it begs at my feet, I might take mercy on it and give to your household pet of a Slugma."

Ziggy held his chin high, waiting for Lee to continue to scene. Lee wagged the sandwich in front of Ziggy in a piteous manner.

Ziggy glanced down at the feeble pieces of bread and cheese, and said, "Ah, but even the most noble and proficient killer has a heart! I see the fear and selflessness in this noble configuration of grain and dairy, and thus, I have decided to spare it a horrible fate. Toss it to your Slugma, Lee, before I change my mind and slaughter it."

"You have a heart of gold, venerable hunter," Lee said, chortling.

He placed the sandwich before Slugma, who began to eat it as well, having just finished its previous sandwich.

Serious once more, or at least as serious as he ever was, Ziggy asked, "How can you eat food off the ground, Slugma? I know you don't have much choice, but doesn't it taste like grass? Dirt? Fecal matter, even?"

"Thankfully not....I don't mind it..." Slugma answered.

"I see," Ziggy said imperiously.

Lee decided a drink would probably be a bad idea with Ziggy in such a state. Also, being naturally quick-witted, Lee could imagine Ziggy connecting 'drink' with 'Sake'.

"Alright Ziggy, the tournament's starting again soon. I'll battle with you first this time, if you let me return you to your Pokéball," Lee said.

"What a pitiful bargain you propose, lower-class urchin. However, I shall humor you and accept this offer," Ziggy said disdainfully.

"A wise choice, almighty overlord," Lee said, drawing out his Pokéball and recalling Ziggy. Slugma spoke as Lee returned the ball to its proper place.

"You and Ziggy....Certainly have a lot of.....fun together....." it noted, finishing the last bits of its sandwich.

"Yep, we do. I've known Ziggy for years and years, and he's pretty much my best friend," Lee said fondly.

"I see..." Slugma said, swallowing the last hunk of its sandwich.

"Are you done, then? Ready to be returned?" Lee queried.

"I suppose so..." Slugma said. Lee took out his other Pokéball, returning his Pokémon.

Now it was time for Onix's feeding. Lee called out Onix, and started on unwrapping a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Compact and circular, it was just about bite-size for Onix.

"Hey Onix!" Lee said to his Pokémon as it appeared in the grass in front of him. Onix turned, and gave a friendly welcome.

"I've got a sandwich here for you," Lee said, waving the sandwich over his head, "If you like it, I've got nine more like it. Catch!"

Lee tossed the sandwich high in the air. Onix lowered its head, and scooped up the sandwich in mid-air.

"Nice catch!" Lee praised, watching Onix chew on it and swallow it.

"Like it?" Lee inquired. Onix nodded, and opened its mouth.

"You bet I've got more!" Lee said, grinning, in response. He hastily undid the wrapping of the second package, and slung the second one like a Frisbee. Onix lunged to the right, and snapped it up.

"You're quite good at that, I see," Lee remarked. Onix gave a small smile, and watched as Lee took the wrapper off a third.

"So, Onix," Lee began as he shot the third one at the mighty stone serpent, "I expect you'd like some exercise after being locked away in your Luxury Ball."

Onix nodded as Lee tore the wrapper off the fourth and threw it onto the pile of empty wrappers.

"Then you haven't reconsidered helping me out in the tournament?" Lee said, throwing the next sandwich. Onix caught it, and shook its head.

"Cool," Lee said, liberating a fifth and tossing it to Onix.

"Your wounds aren't bothering you, right?" Lee said as a sixth sandwich was consumed by Onix. Onix shook its head.

"Great, you're healing well then," Lee said, following up his sentence with yet another sandwich.

"I'm using my Linoone first next round," Lee informed Onix, freeing an eighth.

Lee knocked his arm against his knee, sending the sandwich to bounce weakly off the ground. Onix leaned down, and plucked the sandwich off the ground surprisingly delicately.

"Sorry," Lee apologized, emphasizing his remorse with a ninth sandwich. Onix nipped it out of the air, adroit as it always was.

"So, the first round of the tournament is over, and the next one is coming up soon. Odds are, I'm going to need you. Are you up to the challenge?" Lee said, unwrapping and throwing the tenth and final sandwich.

Onix clamped its jaws down on the sandwich, and chewed it up. Lee watched, waiting for a response. Finally, Onix nodded its head.

"Excellent," Lee said smilingly.

----------------------------

*phew* Sorry it took so long ._.

 

[强有力]

Nice Fan Fic!!!!! Keep Going!!!

 

[Dr. Mack Foxx]

Thanks for the link, Dunsparce. At any rate, the latest additions here are quite excellent.

 

[Dunsparce]

Chapter 12

Lee recalled Onix, and got up, wondering if he had time for a drink.

The answer was no; Benjamin burst through the doors, and called to all the contestants waiting outside, "Ladies and gentlemen, the break is over! Please return to the main stadium; your battles will begin shortly." Benjamin retreated, withdrawing into the huge building.

His announcement shocked the contestants into activity. Those who had been playing with their Pokémon returned them abruptly, and those who had been napping or just relaxing sat up groggily and made for the door.

Lee followed the influx, deciding a refreshing drink would need to wait until next time. The women serving refreshments waved and grinned as their customers past in a gesture of good luck. Lee waved back at the sandwich lady, deciding a 'thank you' to be useless(the sound would be lost in the babble of the crowd).

Lee walked through the large green doors, and re-entered the stadium. The spectators worked themselves into a frenzy upon seeing the winners of the last round, knowing excellent battles were about to take place. Lee acknowledged the cheers with a slight wave, but he couldn't manage much more.

Anxiety was returning, and with a vengeance. Lee still had no idea if Nabiki was in the crowd, watching his continued foolishness. If not, Lee was still making an idiot of himself in front of thousands of viewers. Lee wasn't sure if he had lowered the expectations of the audience as a result, but he knew the next battle would be much harder than his match with Jonsey.

Lee took a seat on the metal, grimacing as he realized the sun had had its way with the bleachers during the break. Shifting uneasily to disperse the pent-up heat, Lee saw Benjamin, who seemed to have decided not to address the crowd immediately this time, walk across the battlefield.

"Well, the next round is upon us all already! I hope your break was satisfactory," Benjamin said jovially. Scattered nods and words of approval confirmed that Lee was not the only one surprised by the luxury of the break area.

Benjamin flashed a smile, but then took on a serious face, and said, "For some of you, this is the end of the road. Half of the Trainers aren't going to make it through; sixteen will be defeated and sent off. However, do not accept this as a loss. It is a victory!

You have already beaten a talented Trainer, and proved your expertise to the people observing. Take pride! For you are not losers; you are winners! And Master Lee, there are bathrooms in the lobby if you need a quick break."

Lee stopped squirming, and his face flushed red as thirty-one pairs of eyes turned to look at him in addition to Benjamin's.

"Ah, no, thank you sir. The seat is just....hot. Because metal heats up and all when it's in the....the sun," Lee said.

The sad part of his statement was that it was the truth, but it would sound to anyone else like he was lying. A couple of people snickered, but Benjamin did not pursue the topic.

"Right then, good luck, and may the best Trainer win!" he said grandly, before walking away as usual.

Lee buried his face in his hands. The tournament was out to get him, it seemed. The only upside was that there was no possible way Nabiki could have seen that, regardless of whether or not she was in the audience.

"Viewers of all ages, we now enter Round Two!" Benjamin boomed, drawing exuberant cheers from the spectators, "Our first match will be Master Lee versus Mistress Lillith!"

Of course, Lee thought to himself sardonically. Whether Benjamin was taking pity on him, giving him a chance to prove himself, or if the announcement was one of pure chance, Lee didn't know. He did know, though, that it was his turn to battle.

Lee wasn't counting on being first; he was expecting to have a chance to watch his fellows compete before he was put in the same position. Such luck was not to be.

Lee followed Lillith, a dark-looking girl with eye-burning pink hair, cut short in spikes. The two of them took their positions on the opposite ends of the arena, and eyed each other down.

Lillith's glare was disdainful; Lee knew he didn't exactly look like a challenging opponent. But, he was here, and that had to count for something. Lee didn't feel scorn; he just felt slightly surprised that Lillith was out in the sunlight.

"Good luck!" Lee called good-spiritedly. Lillith stuck her tongue out and hissed loudly, barely audible over the cheers of the crowd. Without a word, the pessimistic girl sent out a Raticate, its whiskers trembling excitedly.

Lee could see the frenetic spark in its eye; sending out Onix or Slugma against such a hyper opponent would be to their disadvantage. It was Ziggy's turn to fight.

"Ziggy, come on out!" Lee roared, opening Ziggy's Pokéball in time to his words. The Linoone materialized in front of Lee, catching sight of his opponent immediately.

"Well this is a feisty one," Lee heard Ziggy remark. Lee chuckled, but he didn't want to respond for fear of looking insane in front of such a large number of people.

"Begin with Extremespeed," Lee said as the cacophony rose to a fever pitch, hoping to catch Lillith by surprise.

Ziggy crouched, and shot off like a spring. Raticate backed up, but couldn't respond in time; Ziggy was going too fast, and it had attacked with no warning. The viewers hushed, seeing that the battle had begun.

Raticate held its ground, trying to offer some resistance. Ziggy was having none of that, slamming headlong into the determined rodent and sending it toppling over.

"I'm always the superior rodent, foolhardy mongrel," Ziggy proclaimed in a cocky tone. Lee knew Ziggy was kidding, but he wasn't as sure as Ziggy was of this Raticate's strength.

"Flame Wheel, Raticate," Lillith snarled, the ring that penetrated her lip quivering.

Raticate somersaulted amusingly, looking ridiculous with its flailing claws and feet. But flames began to lick the furry sides of the creature, and Raticate rolled over again, forcing itself to go faster and faster. Ziggy chuckled, and prepared to jump. Lee wasn't sure that would work, though.

"Ziggy, stop it with Shad - " Lee said, before stopping himself. Shadow Ball was a strong attack, but it wouldn't faze this Raticate.

"What did you say, Lee?" Ziggy said, distracted. Raticate's barrel roll reached Ziggy, knocking him backwards.

Ziggy screeched indignantly, and said to Lee, "I could've handled that myself, you know." Lee sighed, ashamed of himself.

"OK, then, use Pin Missile!" Lee commanded.

Ziggy sprang forward, irritated at being bossed around. Ziggy was used to fighting as he pleased, but he knew Lee had to keep up the charade of looking in complete control in this stadium, for the sake of both of them.

That didn't make him any happier about the prospect, though. Ziggy sent a half-hearted Pin Missile at Raticate, who avoided effortlessly. Ziggy followed up, though, with a high-speed Iron Tail.

"Block, Raticate!" Lillith screamed. Lee thought for one absurd moment that she meant the attack, but then he realized that Raticate was firing up an Iron Tail to use to ward off its opponent's attack.

The two rubbed their tails together like two swordsmen, each of them straining. Raticate's thin tail, though, was less muscular than Ziggy's thick, bushy one.

As Raticate began to step backwards in desperation, Ziggy made a slicing blow to Raticate's leg. Raticate stumbled, and fell to the ground.

"Smite it with Shado - Extremespeed!" Lee called, amending himself in mid-command. Too often had he used Shadow Ball as a clincher, a tactic working to his disadvantage here.

In Lee's moment of indecision, Raticate leapt away, hissing through its clenched teeth. Ziggy bristled, knowing the battle could possibly having ended by now. Lee was likewise annoyed, though mostly with himself.

But then Lee had an idea. Largely dependant on its Trainer's orders, Raticate probably would do badly without having a warning from Lee of what Ziggy was about to use. It was killing two birds with one stone, essentially. Ziggy could fight as he pleased, and the battle would be quicker.

"Ziggy, I'm saying too much by ordering you to attack. Fight in whatever way you want to," Lee said, forcing his murmur to carry to the nearest spectators.

Ziggy grinned devilishly, and shot forward, tail blazing. Finally free of his figurative shackles, Ziggy was ready to kick some ass and take names.

"Raticate, use Hyper Fang!" Lillith called, her blue eyes widened in slight fear of the new tactic Lee was employing. Raticate darted forward as well, teeth bared viciously.

Ziggy veered off to one side, swinging his tail as Raticate zoomed by. Raticate swung its head and clamped down on Ziggy's tail. A snarl came from Ziggy's mouth as the brutal teeth came down on his tail. If not for the strong metal energy sustaining his Iron Tail, the attack would have hurt Ziggy badly.

Ziggy changed his approach, and leaped on top of Raticate. The surprised rat, amazed at the daring move, squealed, and scampered around, having no attack to strike an opponent that was acting as a parasite all of a sudden.

Ziggy jumped off, leaving Raticate in a delayed state of shock and panic. Ziggy's fur bristled, and deluge of pins rocketed forth, knocking the furry beast aside. Raticate, improvising at the speed of sound, extended its hands, and turned its fall into a pounce, righting itself and wheeling around to face Ziggy.

"Flame Wheel," Lillith yelled, her eyes set in a menacing glare. Raticate charged at Ziggy, propelling itself in a fiery roll. Ziggy countered with an Extremespeed, bounding lightning-fast toward the spinning rodent.

At the very last second, Ziggy jumped and twisted sideways, ramming Raticate with his side. Ziggy flinched, the impact and inferno both damaging him. Raticate stopped its attack, and stood up, shaking its head in a disoriented manner.

Ziggy was panting by now, as was Raticate. Lee was glad to see that Raticate couldn't counter Ziggy as adroitly as it could when under his command. But Ziggy was feeling the pressure, and Raticate was a decidedly powerful foe. The battle needed to end soon.

Raticate, equally fed up, lunged forward all on its own, fangs revealed in a Hyper Fang. Ziggy was lucky that it wasn't feigning slavery to Lee's orders, because Lee wouldn't have had time to react to the surprise attack. Lillith seemed astonished as well; evidently, the concept of attack without consent was a new one to her.

Ziggy jumped backward powerfully, leaving Raticate to gnaw on the unfulfilling air. Ziggy was working out a plan, but Raticate was insistent this time, streaking from its previous spot to Ziggy's current one angrily.

Ziggy quickly lashed out with an Iron Tail, warding Raticate off for the moment. Raticate knew better than to risk a powerful Iron Tail; it was in no shape to take one. But it struck with violent determination, clamping down inches away from Ziggy's lithe form every time.

Lee's brow furrowed in concern for his partner. He didn't have a strategy to use against the surprisingly persistent Raticate, and neither did Ziggy. If Ziggy grew tired, Lee would be in a bad position....But if Raticate grew tired...

"Ziggy, Extremespeed as long as you can. Stick close to your pesky opponent," Lee said, trying to marry confidence to iron will in his voice.

Ziggy wasn't entirely sure what Lee was planning, but he could tell from Lee's tone that it must be worth a go. Ziggy was getting nowhere on his own anyhow. Pushing aside his concerns about exhaustion for the time being, Ziggy put all his strength into a frenzied gallop, circling Raticate erratically.

Raticate's nose twitched in anger, its beady eyes following Ziggy's progress warily. At any moment, a direct attack could be forthcoming. Raticate lunged for a Hyper Fang, timing it as well as it could.

Ziggy stopped, knowing it would be right in the line of the attack if he kept going. Alternatively, he could have simply sped up, but he didn't have the stamina to do so. Raticate noticed the sudden stop of its enemy, and moved right accordingly.

Ziggy swiped at the approaching beast with an Iron Tail. Raticate, too occupied in its chance to defeat the Linoone while it was still, and too tired to plot a backup plan, wasn't prepared for an attack.

Ziggy sent the creature reeling away, the beast completely winded and defeated. Lying on the ground, panting, Raticate gave up. Lillith let out a faint howl of anger, and returned her Raticate.

"Let's see how you fair against Wobbuffet, you little worm," Lillith snarled, the Pokéball clenched in her pale left hand.

Lee grimaced as the electric blue shape materialized in the field. He knew Ziggy's attacks were all Physical, and would be easy bait for Counter.

Did Lillith know that? Did Ziggy give too much away when he was fighting Raticate? It was hard to tell. Either way, a difficult fight was ahead. Wobbuffet made no move, of course. It was simply waiting for Ziggy to give it something to lead on.

Lee knew Ziggy would have to fight this match independently as well; apart from Ziggy being accustomed to it, Lee knew no advantages would come out of instructing Ziggy what to do. Wobbuffet would hear him, and be even more prepared for an assault. Small as the chances might be, there was still a chance that Ziggy could take Wobbuffet by surprise independently, and that was the only way Wobbuffet could be taken down.

Ziggy was contemplating its seemingly docile foe, grasping at strategies and tactics inside his head. Suddenly, Ziggy bolted forward, sending dust flying off in all directions.

A streak of blinding white appeared behind him, and Ziggy's legs began to blur; Extremespeed. Wobbuffet sat patiently, tapping its tail to a tune known only to itself. Ziggy galloped faster, closing the gap by the second.

And then, suddenly, he stopped, sending a burst of wind into Wobbuffet's face. Wobbuffet didn't seem to mind the particles in its squinting eyes, but its tail had stiffened, and it was no longer bouncing nonchalantly from side to side. Something was going to happen, but Lee had no idea of what.

Ziggy was just standing there, glaring at Wobbuffet. Wobbuffet did not back down before the gaze of the raccoon. It just sat there, frowning and squinting.

The tension was nearly palpable, weighing heavily on everyone watching. Even the children had been silenced, no longer muttering to themselves. Not a sound came from an audience of many thousands, an alarming thought.

To everyone's surprise, Wobbuffet made the next move. Ziggy recoiled as Wobbuffet raised its arms outward, looking like a bloated blue cross. Then it placed its arms in front of it in a classic zombie stance, concentrating on Ziggy. Ziggy cocked an eyebrow.

Then, Lee saw four purplish-pink beads detach themselves from Ziggy. Ziggy shrieked, and jumped backward. No one was certain what had just happened, but Wobbuffet had a fairly good idea of what was happening.

It opened its arms again, inviting the beads to join it. Ziggy jumped, trying to recapture one, but the four of them zoomed to Wobbuffet before Ziggy could even get close.

The balls squirmed against Wobbuffet's skin, burrowing inside it. If the violent burrowing Wobbuffet hurt Wobbuffet, it wasn't showing it. Finally, the orbs faded.

Ziggy tensed, prepared to jump away at a moment's notice. Wobbuffet, though, outsmarted him. A blue stain in the still air, Ziggy was rammed by Wobbuffet before he could even react.

Careening backward, Ziggy shook his head, more shocked than he was hurt. Lee was also amazed, as was the entire audience (a hushed gasp had arisen as Wobbuffet bursted forward). Lee had thought he recognized the Mimic attack, but it was too late now.

Wobbuffet now had a powerful advantage. It could rely on its defensive ways when Ziggy was attacking, and retaliate when he was. It had a plan for everything now.

In a desperate attempt to surprise it, Ziggy slashed outward with his tail aglow. Wobbuffet had years of experience behind it, though, and it took less than a moment or two for the Counter to surround Wobbuffet's rounded form.

Ziggy tried to cancel the attack, but his lash was too violent, and his tail rebounded at his feet before he had a chance to do anything. Ziggy winced, and slouched to one side. Suddenly, though, he stiffened, knowing Wobbuffet could all too well take advantage of the momentary weakness.

Wobbuffet stayed where it was, though, bouncing carelessly from side to side. Ziggy backed up, hoping to put some distance between the two of them. Wobbuffet watched on interestedly, but made no move to follow.

At a few yards away, Ziggy's back arched like a cat's, his tail that of a scorpion's. A spray of needles roared forth, spinning speedily at Wobbuffet. Wobbuffet made no move to stop them, and was barraged by the tiny missiles.

Ziggy continued the onslaught, pleased that he had caught Wobbuffet without a Counter to save it.

However, Lee was growing uneasy. There was something disconcerting about how the needles hovered around in zero-gravity after they struck Wobbuffet, hovering like ghouls to either side of the blue creature. And the number was growing....

"Stop, Ziggy!" Lee commanded frantically. Ziggy ceased the assault, and saw what Lee had seen all along. Hovering around Wobbuffet was an array of Ziggy's own needles, twirling as though in deep space.

Wobbuffet glowed pink, and the spiky projectiles followed suit. Lee gulped as Ziggy watched, awestruck. Suddenly, the needles rocketed toward Ziggy, whistling as they sliced through the air.

Ziggy took off immediately, racing around the stadium as the needles honed on him. Wobbuffet's energy had somehow given the pins the ability to follow Ziggy, taking every twist and turn he did.

Ziggy bounded left and right, trying to confuse them, but they followed him with perfect precision. Ziggy was slowing down, growing tired from the continued chase. And the needles were slashing ever closer.

"Ziggy, block with Iron Tail!" Lee ordered. Ziggy shot his tail up, and sent Steel energy pulsing through it.

The needles slammed into his tail, bringing a shriek from Ziggy's throat. But the damage as lessened as energy met energy, and Lee knew Ziggy could be a lot worse off.

Finally, the last of the Pin Missiles exploded against Ziggy's tail, and Ziggy lowered his tail painfully. Wobbuffet's grimace lifted into a sadistic smile.

Lee could almost see the ideas and strategies looping and crisscrossing in the Pokémon's head. Wobbuffet needed to be taken out before it could learn too much, else it would be nigh impossible to do away with.

Ziggy powered up a Shadow Ball, and sent it ripping through the air. Wobbuffet made no move to block it, but Ziggy had learned not to take Wobbuffet's indifference at face value.

The ball exploded against Wobbuffet, sending a mess of black tendrils groping into the air. Wobbuffet blazed pink, coating the inky blackness in a similar carnation color. The ball coalesced, but the pink shield remained.

Then the sphere started rolling toward Ziggy, spinning frantically. Ziggy scowled, and darted off. The ball was slower than the needles, but it was much more powerful. Normally, a Shadow Ball wouldn't have hurt Ziggy, but Counter eliminated Immunities.

Lillith watched contentedly as her Pokémon slowly picked away at the Linoone, ebbing away at its stamina. There was no need to give orders, this time. Wobbuffet was completely in control.

But Lee knew it could be taken down. Ziggy was busy evading the Shadow Ball, which gave Lee time to think. There must be some way to defeat the nuisance.

Lee knew it was taking damage; Counter didn't avoid damage, it bore it, and then sent it back at the sender, doubled. Wobbuffet was weakening as well, though Ziggy was certainly in worse shape.

Lee knew Onix and Slugma were rested and ready to fight if needed, but Lee's pride kept him from recalling Ziggy. There was enough brainpower between the two of them to conjure up a solution.

Indeed, Ziggy seemed to have had a brainstorm; he opened his mouth, and sent an impromptu Shadow Ball at the monstrous Shadow Ball chasing him. The two spheres collided and struggled against each other.

Lee willed Ziggy's Shadow Ball to overcome the redirected one of Wobbuffet's. For a moment, it seemed as though it had. The smaller one broke through the pink-encrusted Shadow Ball, and diffused it through the air.

Ziggy looked relieved, but then, like a beastly grapnel, three tentacles of the mess reached out and pulled Ziggy in. The ball reformed around the frightened Linoone, and then imploded.

Ziggy howled, and was propelled through the ground, gouging out a rut from the sheer force of the implosion. Black and purple sparks jumped excitedly from Ziggy's panting body.

Lee could see the dirt bleeding into Ziggy's handsome white hide, and the sweat that poured from his pores. Ziggy's chest was heaving, too. Ziggy was in rough shape, and Lee was about to recall him when Ziggy got up.

"Ziggy, you've done more than enough. Let Onix take it from here!" Lee yelled out. Ziggy shook his head, not speaking. He didn't need to. Lee knew Ziggy would not be satisfied until Wobbuffet was taken down.

But his shoulders slumped shortly after his defiant refusal, and he lurched forward unsteadily. All of a sudden, Wobbuffet sped forward, a neon blue streak in mid-air.

Ziggy snarled, and sent an Iron Tail at the approaching blob. The timing was perfect; Wobbuffet was knocked brutally sideways. Lillith's condescending smirk was knocked from her face like a vase off a table.

Wobbuffet, too, seemed shocked. It straightened itself up shortly after, but Lee could see a fixed frown on its face. It was a small hint, but all he needed. Wobbuffet was tired, and it was beginning to grow both impatient and weak. If Ziggy could pull off another surprise attack like that, the match would be finished.

But how? Wobbuffet could Counter everything Ziggy sent at it....But, it hadn't blocked the Iron Tail. That was strange. Surely Wobbuffet had seen it coming. Unless it hadn't been able to react, for whatever reason.

Yes, that seemed plausible. But, again, why? Wobbuffet was a master of Counter and Mirror Coat, and it had plenty of forewarning. Why hadn't it been able to stop a very obvious retaliation?

And suddenly, it all became clear to Lee. Until it finished an attack, Wobbuffet could not use Counter. It was still using Extremespeed, and that took all of its energy to perform. Now it was just a matter of luring Wobbuffet into another trap of the sort. And Lee had a good idea of how to do so.

"Ziggy, Extremespeed into the air! Wobbuffet won't be able to follow you there!" Lee called to his friend.

There were a number of tactics employed in this command. First and foremost, he knew Ziggy would obey. Lee wouldn't interrupt Lee in this fight unless he knew something Ziggy didn't, so Ziggy knew Lee was onto something.

And then there was Wobbuffet. Patient and resilient as it was, it must have had some sense of self-pride. With his order, Lee was suggesting that it was either physically or mentally incapable of coming after Ziggy.

It was a challenge to Wobbuffet, one that Lee hoped it would accept.

And lastly, there was the fact that this would make Wobbuffet use Extremespeed, if it decided to prove Lee wrong. How else could such a Pokémon propel itself into the air?

This would leave it susceptible to whatever tactic Ziggy felt appropriate to employ as a counterattack. Lee wished he could have ordered a Shadow Ball, so as to do as much damage as possible, but he'd just have to trust Ziggy.

Ziggy exploded into the air, propelling himself off the ground. And before Lillith could object, Wobbuffet was flying as well, following Ziggy yards upon yards into the air.

Ziggy looked down, and saw the blue irritation soaring after him. Lee grinned as Ziggy's tail blazed white. It wasn't Shadow Ball, but it would do. Ziggy had reached the highest point his mass would allow him to reach with Extremespeed.

As he descended, and Wobbuffet ascended, he swung his leaden tail over his head, a flip that both increased his velocity and the force that Wobbuffet would be struck with. Wobbuffet nearly collided with Ziggy first, but Ziggy had timed it well enough to slam into the flying blob with the base of his tail.

Wobbuffet ricocheted off Ziggy's stiff tail, and plummeted to the ground. But as it did, a mess of pink snakes ripped free of Wobbuffet, and bound Ziggy within their grasp.

Ziggy's eyes widened, and he thrashed and writhed against the tight tentacles. His tail twitched and his teeth gnashed, but there was nothing to be done. Wobbuffet's attack was inescapable, and Ziggy was beginning to be pulled down.

Helpless, Ziggy was thrown to the ground by the Destiny Bond, striking the dirt with all the force Wobbuffet had landed with.

Lee hadn't even seen the patient Pokémon hit the ground, his eyes were so drawn to Ziggy. But he knew Ziggy was hitting the ground just as hard as Wobbuffet had, and judging by the rumbling earth, it was a powerful blow.

Dust billowed upward, freed from the arena, coating the impact site with a translucent cloud. Gradually, the dust seeped away, filling the air elsewhere, revealed the exhausted and defeated forms of Ziggy and Wobbuffet.

A tie.

Lee didn't know whether to grin or grimace at this revelation. He pulled out a Pokéball, and returned Ziggy to the ball.

"Congratulations, Ziggy, that was a marvelous fight," he muttered to the ball, replacing it at his belt. Now it was Onix's turn to battle. Lee picked up Onix's black Luxury Ball as Lillith sent her final Pokémon into the field.

It was a Houndoom, a fitting finisher for so dark a human. Lee sent out Onix, who seemed completely healed from the attack of the Marowak. Houndoom wasted no time getting started, firing a Fire Blast at the tall snake before it.

Onix didn't move, nor did it have to. The fiery blast just dissipated against its rocky hide, leaving little more than a scorch mark. Houndoom changed attacks quickly, sending a stinking ball of poison swirling toward Onix.

The resulting explosion was forceful, a cloud of smog belching into the air, but when the putrid fumes cleared, only a few insignificant drops of poison slithered down Onix's front.

Houndoom growled, and let a tongue of fire rage toward Onix's torso, fueled by a mounting frustration. Onix was impervious to this attack as well, letting the fire wash over its chest almost lazily.

Lee chuckled, and ordered, "Double-Edge, Onix." Onix dropped to the ground, and crawled forward, sliding across the colosseum floor with a harsh rasping noise.

Houndoom was busy charging up a Solarbeam, and let it loose prematurely as Onix came closer and closer. A small sizzling thread of light, Onix barely even flinched as it bounced off its nose.

Onix plowed into Houndoom, nearly crushing it beneath its chin. Houndoom howled as it was buffeted helplessly from side to side, tumbling violently as Onix pushed forward.

Finally, its wails ceased, and Onix backed away. The Houndoom was sprawled on the ground at an odd angle, its undeniable power quickly halted by the strength of Onix.

"And it looks as though Lee is our winner!" Benjamin called out, cementing the sudden win for the surprised audience. The enthusiasm revved like a jet, starting out low and appreciative, and rising in a sudden crescendo to roars of approval.

The audience seemed quite impressed by Onix. Onix grunted in slight amusement, and bowed awkwardly to its legions of new fans. Lee chuckled, and returned Onix.

Lillith's screech of emotional anguish was inaudible over the whoops and hollers of the spectators. She returned Houndoom with a growl, and walked away sulkily.

Lee wasn't affected by her hostile attitude. Here was another round, finished already. He was moving on! It seemed so sudden, and so unbelievable. But it was true, and Lee was ecstatic once more.

Lee returned to his seat, his heart beating joyously. His fight was over, and it hadn't been all that bad. Now all that was left to do was watch his other friends fighting, cheer them on, and make bets to himself on the fights of two trainers he didn't know, when applicable.

As he retook his prior position, Benjamin announced grandly, "A nice fight indeed, but do settle down, viewers, it's time for the next match! And, our next match will be....Mistress Michelle and Master Offo!"

***

Sorry it took so long @.@;

 

[Rattricks]

???Offo!!!

???Master Offo??? Another mystery about unfold in the world of the Offo!!!
Thanks for another great chapter!!!

 

[Dunsparce]

???Master Offo??? Another mystery about unfold in the world of the Offo!!!
Thanks for another great chapter!!!

Good news!

Hopefully after finding some willing helpers, Project Coherence will be back in action :D

 

[hunt587]

pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease finish this it is amazing!!!

 

[Dunsparce]

pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease finish this it is amazing!!!

I still getting the rescources I need to start on it again.

First of all, I need the chapters revised to take account of the Physical/Special Change in DP. Also, I need to have Moveset data readily available for all 4 Generations, Including the obscure event moves, like the Mimic Wobbuffet in my story.