OOC: Meh, sorry for not posting yesterday...I was caught up in a lit. analysis assignment for Swedish and ran out of time. Feeling so sleepy today...*Yawns* ~_~ Oh well, I'll post all the same.
Incidentally, what has become of Yibber? Or Flissie for that matter? I swear it's a curse or something...always someone missing from here. o.o
IC:
Despite feeling far from comfortable about the current situation, Rai couldn't help breaking a smile as Zachary spoke up in his defense, although the boy couldn't entirely shake off the nagging suspicion that Zachary was merely saying that to wipe away Railey's smirk rather than because he actually believed it. Still, Rai wasn't exactly in a position to be picky about allies and friends.
"I...thanks Zach..." Rai said, giving the other boy a grateful smile before turning his attention back to the task at hand.
"Aww...looks like the little fairy princess has a boyfriend..." Railey remarked in a drawling voice, "Ain't that just too precious?"
Rai gave the gym leader an irritated glare, out of all the bratty things-
"If you are quite done with your little fantasies, Railey..." he said in a cold tone which was hauntingly resemblant of Isabel's, "Could we get this battle started already?"
"Aww...did I ruffle the peacock's feathers?" the other boy continued in a taunting voice before shaking his head, "Enough of this nonsense, it's time I put you into your place once and for all! Magcargo! Defense Curl and Rollout!"
The slug pokémon, who had been mostly spacing out until then, took up a bit of a more alert pose, quickly retreating into the confines of her shell before suddenly springing herself into the air with all her might, the rock-covered shell beginning to roll across the floor much like a wheel, small chips of rock dislodging from the shell now and again and flying off in various directions.
Noticing the attack, Rai quickly blocked out his opponent's voice from his mind and focused on the battle instead. Granted, Ashura was a skilled and powerful pokémon, but a double type disadvantage was a serious handicap and he really couldn't afford many mistakes;
"Ashura!" the boy called out, "Agility and Double Team!"
The mantis pokémon gave a curt nod in acknowledgement, dashing straight towards her approaching opponent with blinding speed but jumping up into the air just before they came into contact, the mantis pokémon briefly turning into nothing more than a blurr, only to reappear as no less than eight images which landed in a complete circle around the now rather confounded Magcargo who had now stopped to peer out of her shell once more.
"Now Swords Dance and Steel Wing!"
The eight replicate Ashuras immediately took up moving in such complex patterns that they were, if possible, even more dizzying and confusing to watch than before, the real mantis pokémon rapidly gathering up power to strike before finally charging forward, the identical replicates joining in and attacking the slug pokémon from all sides.
"Now Magcargo!" Railey ordered in return, "Weed out the illusions with Overheat!"
Rai's eyes widened slightly at the order, "Ashura!" he called out, "Forget about the Steel Wing! Leap back now!"
The order had truly come at the last minute, as the Magcargo had already started drawing the heat which was available in abundance in her surroundings, the slug pokémon's whole body glowing and trembling with energy before she had reached her limit, unleashing all of the gathered heat in one devastating blast which spread out in all directions, striking most of the fleeing illusions and shattering them. Much to Rai's relief, the real Ashura had made it through however, landing a few meters away and only seeming to have been slightly singed by the heat and looking all the more eager for a fight, the mantis pokémon's features now bearing a truly fierce expression.
"Not too shabby, tinkerbell." Railey remarked, "Let's see you dodge this...Magcargo! Yawn and then Overheat again!"
The slug pokémon quickly snapped out of the daze that the attack had left her in, inhaling deeply before letting out a wide yawn towards Ashura, the mantis pokémon's expression immediately growing sleepier, even though she fought against it to the best of her ability.
Rai bit his lip...what was he to do now? Ashura had no way of reversing the Yawn attack now that it had already struck, and once the Scyther fell asleep she would be a sitting duck.
"Ashura-" the boy began at last, but before he had the time to give his command the Scyther had already set out on her own accord, charging straight towards the Magcargo with her wings spread wide, even as the slug pokémon had started gathering up heat once more.
"Ashura!" Rai repeated, now beginning to panic "Don't-!"
But it was already too late, the Scyther had made contact with her foe, striking the fire type hard with a Steel Wing attack, the slug pokémon flinching at the pain but maintaining her focus and unleashing another tremendous burst of heat, although this one was not quite as powerful as the last one, the blast briefly obscuring the combatants from view and forcing Rai to blink.
"Whoa..." Railey remarked, for once actually seeming just a bit frightened by what his pokémon could cause, "How could I have known that it was so stupid?"
"Ashura!" Rai called out once again, lacking the words for anything more specific as he anxiously scanned the battlefield for his pokémon, only to find her...standing?
{I'm...allright..} the mantis pokémon managed in reply, trembling slightly as she stood up, but still looking ready for a fight, a slightly manic grin spread across the mantis pokémon's face as she flinched slightly at the various deep burns on her body.
"But..." the boy continued, still looking nonplused, "The yawn...how did you-" he took a pause, finally realizing...it was the burn! The pain was keeping Ashura from falling asleep! She must have somehow calculated that it was worth the risk. Rai couldn't help smiling in pride at her pokémon's achievement, worried sick though he had been.
{Spare your speeches.} Ashura cut in before the boy could phrase his emotions, {And let's finish this.}
Rai nodded, turning to face the now rather shocked-looking Railey and his even more shocked-looking Magcargo.
"Ashura! Swords Dance and Reversal!"
The Scyther made no show of acknowledgement this time, merely charging forward in a mesmerizing show of mobility once more before slamming straight into the Magcargo, exploiting the weakest spot of the slug pokémon's body to its fullest, the fire type letting out a pathetic squeal as she was flung through the air, colliding with the wall behind Railey with a dull 'splat' sound and then slowly dribbling down it, KOed.
"No!" Railey called out, looking just about ready to pull out his own hair as he rushed to recall his fainted pokémon.
Rai ignored him, merely walking out into the scorched battlefield and quickly heading to support his Scyther.
"Ashura..." the boy repeated quietly, "You really didn't need to-"
The mantis pokémon scoffed weakly, giving the boy a tired grin, {Of course I did...} she replied, {It's not like I was going to let Chupon or Kaika take that thing on.}
The Vulpix, who had been silently following Rai this far, froze as he heard these words, his eyes widening.
{You...you bes sacrificings yourself for little Kaika?} he asked in a voice choked with emotion, {That-that bes-}
{S-sacrifice nothing.} Ashura interrupted as briskly as she could manage, {I survived and one trip to the pokémon center will make me good as new so there was no sacrifice. Don't start thinking that you owe me anything.}
{Y-yes ma'm...} Kaika replied, {Erm...Kaika meanings no, m'am.} he added in a slightly puzzled voice {That is...Kaika meanings...}
"He means to say 'thank you'." Rai noted, believeing that he had a fairly good grasp of what was being said, "Ashura, you'd better return before that burn gets any worse."
The Scyther nodded in response, making no resistance as Rai pulled out the pokéball again and pointed it towards her.
{Just promise...} she said, just before the beam struck, {Promise to teach that twerp a lesson.}
