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((Papagoro - outcast from his clan for the sake of genetic diversity. He suffers now so the next generation can prosper. What a legend))

Cyllage City Gym - The Arena

Grant suppressed a smirk as Biz went down. He stood, arms folded, triumphant. The first pokémon had fallen; historically, that meant a blow to the challenger's confidence and their defeat not long after. Usually, the more confident a trainer going into their challenge, the greater the blow. The mist thinned, hanging loosely atop the indoor mountain, trainers and pokémon first becoming outlines, then shifting shapes of faint monochrome. Amaura gasped, cooling down from its last attack. With his final spray, Biz had managed to plant a Leech Seed on the rock type's flank. The bud split, sprouting tough vines that ensnared Amaura. It wasn't enough to limit Amaura's movement, but it sapped health with each passing second.

'How about we wrap this up,' Grant said swiping his chin with a great-for-TV smile. It was a good cover, but with Amaura seeded, he really needed to end this fight quickly. Steel types were always an annoyance, especially at a double type disadvantage. Ah well.

Before Dune could adjust to the mist, Amaura rushed him with a 'Take Down!' attack. Dune was fast after Rock Polish, so the first act of business wouldn't be to deal damage but to weaken that speed advantage. Therefore, as Amaura drew in close, whether Dune dodged or countered, it would unleash a crackling Thunder Wave through the mist.

Though Grant wouldn't be aware of Dune's special training, with any luck Amaura's Thunder Wave would override Dune's ability to power up using his own.

((Gotta say, Dune's probably my favourite character at this point))

Cyllage City Gym - The Arena

Amaura skidded sideways to halt its momentum after letting loose its Thunder Wave, confident that Dune had been paralysed. A sudden surge of shock echoed from Grant, and the rock type's mouth dropped. Thunder Wave crackled in slow motion, dancing like flecks of fire that etched bright cracks on the mist. The sparks lit Dune up in a haze of blue, arcing back to their source and colliding with enough force to bowl Amaura over.

The pokémon rolled, finding its feet through numb legs, the ground a million miles away. By the time it was upright, Salieri had continued her assault. Dune rushed Amaura with phenomenal speed, but before he could land his strike, the rock type generated a blast of 'Icy Wind!' that originated behind Dune and rushed towards Amaura. That meant that if Dune landed his attack, he'd be caught up in Amaura's, and Icy Wind would begin to freeze his body, reducing the enhanced speed of Dune's Rock Polish. Unless the Pawniard had a way of avoiding the wind, their attacks would trade, albeit a trade where Dune came away the clear victor.

Dune's Metal Claw hit home, raking across Amaura's face and drawing a great gash of blood. Then Amaura was thrown through the air and hit the deck, the thin layer of ice on the arena surface cracking under its weight, unconscious.

Grant said nothing and flexed his jaw, face darkening when he knew the cameras would be on Salieri, celebrating her win. He recalled Amaura, then pressed a finger to his ear, muttering an instruction. The pokéball-launcher on ground level responded, aiming its tube directly at the gym leader and firing. The ball screeched through the air and stopped dead in Grant's palm.

'Not bad at all. I'm almost inclined to give you a badge here and now. Almost.' Grant made a grim smile. The mist continued to thin, and without Amaura it would soon be gone entirely. But for now it hung silently above the arena; a chilling, smothering, choking fog. Grant threw his ball, and for an instant the mist lit up like lightning in a cloud.

The tree stood tall, silent, with its branches pointed like a holy cross. Mist flowed past unevenly, disturbed by soft waves of breath. Stillness left, and the tree's rock body twitched and shifted. It uprooted its legs, pulling them from the arena's stone, and stood to its full height. When its eyes opened, a face appeared, blank and beady. Then it broke into a friendly grin.

[Aha! I fooled you! All this time you thought that I was a mere tree! In reality I am, and have always been, Sudowoodo!]

Round 2 began that second. Grant threw his hand out and shouted his command. The level 33 Sudowoodo obeyed, lifting his branches and aiming them at Dune. The green balls of rock that acted as Sudowoodo's leaves fired one after the other, bursting from the pokémon's arms with crushing force. Each time one launched, a replacement rock immediately regrew in its place, allowing the rock type to maintain a continuous stream of 'Rock Throw!', loosing them like a machine gun would bullets.

He aimed to catch Dune as the steel type made his attack. As fast as he was, if Dune wanted to get in close, he had to fight through a rain of rocks. If the Pawniard maintained his distance, it was only a matter of time before Sudowoodo's assault caught up with him. And once one rock hit, it would likely be enough to faze Durendal and allow a concentrated volley to hit its mark, pulverising the pokémon.

((I could've edited this into my last post. But I didn't))

Lumiose City – Restaurant Le Yeah

Located on Autumnal Avenue between the Juice Shoppe and the Pokéball Boutique, Le Yeah’s business was always solid, especially at times when Lumiose had an influx of trainers like during the season of the Kalos League. One of the four most well known restaurants in the city, Le Yeah was also one of two where your badge status didn’t play into your potential to be served. Trainers enjoyed the Triple Battles, and everybody enjoyed the food.

Mia stepped into the restaurant with Bass and Treble flapping behind her. The center of the floor was currently an arena, where a young blonde waitress was in the middle of a busy Triple Battle with a Hiker. Tables were circled around the outskirts of the fight as people ate and cheered on. She paid it no mind as she coasted around it all towards the bar and the private stairs.

The manager and owner of Le Yeah, Gabriel Aviad, sported freckles, wavy brown hair, and glasses like his daughter Mia. Unlike Mia, he was a jolly talkative type. Cheering on the Hiker from behind the bar, he threw his arms up at the sight of his daughter. “Miriam!” He threw an arm around his daughter’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head, to which she sighed with the tiniest of smiles. She was still a little high from leaving Gotengo, but the aroma of food cloaked the scent of weed. “Look at this place! If business keeps up I’ll have to hire another chef! Waaahaha!”

“Cool, Dad,” Mia gave him an unenthusiastic thumbs up as she backed away.
“So, what are you doing today? Anything exciting?”
“Free waffle day at the center.” She scratched the back of her head. “Then I dunno. Maybe I’ll update the firewalls on the PC at Gotengo.”
“Miriam, if you’re bored, I could always use a hand around here.”

Mia resisted rolling her eyes. She’d do anything to avoid having this particular conversation. “Dad, c’mon. I’ve told you a million times, I don’t wanna be in the family business.”
“I know, honey, I know. I just don’t want you wasting your time doing nothing. You’re a little genius, you know that?” He grabbed her cheeks in her hands. “Don’t waste your noggin’ sitting around on your tuchus all day.”
“Mm-hmm, I won’t” she answered through squished cheeks before pulling his hands away. “I just came back to shower and change. If I miss all the fresh waffles I’ll kill myself.”

Gabriel was used to her consistent monotone, and how deadpan formed the cornerstone of all her humor. A few of his customers looked perturbed by her serious delivery but he just smiled and waved it off. “That’s why I don’t keep the razors next to the syrup, honey.”

************

Lumiose City – Northern Pokémon Center

As word spread around that today was free waffle day, hungry people swarmed the Pokémon centers. Mia was ahead of the game, sitting down with a stack of syrup laden waffles in the cafeteria and watching everyone else scramble to the line. Her Noibat and Sal’s Swoobat picked apart one large waffle on a plate next to hers. Mia’s case of munchies made the waffles feel like water in the desert. There was nothing else she wanted.

A familiar face wandered into the cafeteria: a tall Unovan woman with long black hair reaching almost to her ankles. She wore glasses and looked flustered by the crowd, keeping her hands in the pockets of her long white labcoat. As Mia recalled who it was, the scientist met her eyes. It was too late for Mia to pretend she hadn’t seen the woman. Damnit.

“Mia Aviad?” the woman said, adjusting her glasses and making her way to Mia’s table. Mia nodded with a mouthful of waffle, still chewing to buy time and figure out what to say. “Oh my god, look at you! The last time I saw you, you were barely ten years old! Do you remember who I am?”

Even if Mia didn’t know the woman personally, as a technology enthusiast, the name ‘Dr. Fennel’ would ring more than a few bells. Fennel was the world’s leading researcher in the field of dream science. Her recent discovery of the Dream World and how to access it was on the cover of more than a few science magazines. “You’re Dr. Fennel, right?”

“Yes! That’s correct! What are the odds?!” Without invitation, Fennel took a seat across from Mia, causing the youth to sigh. “So how are you? Still in school? I remember you were a computer wiz even when you were a kid.”

Mia nodded and gulped down some waffle. “Yeah, still in school.” There was no excitement in her voice, a direct contrast to Fennel’s enthusiasm, but Fennel didn’t seem to mind. “Um, what brings you to Kalos?”

“I’m meeting with Lysandre Labs about getting a tech upgrade. Something to help visualize the Dream World better. And how could I resist visiting Lumiose City? It really is just like the brochures.”
“Mmm-hmm. It sure looks like the brochures.”
Fennel cleared her throat. “You know, your mom was just talking about you the other day. About how you used to take apart PCs just to see how they worked. You must’ve been so adorable.”

At the mention of her mother, Mia became even more distant. She looked out the window at the street with a blank gaze. “Some say I’m still adorable,” she snarked without feeling. Fennel realized she must’ve hit a sore spot, and laughed as a courtesy.

“You know, our labs are trying to outsource projects around the world to really get the tech out there. You’re still interested in that kind of thing, right? I hope you didn’t grow out of it. Maybe you could work with us someday.”
Mia wiped her mouth with a napkin. “You came here for the waffles, right? Do you like syrup?”
“Um, who doesn’t?”

The youth pushed her plate of waffles, fork included, towards Fennel, and then stood up. “No offense Doctor, but I never want to work with my mother.”

Fennel blushed, feeling awkward about having started this conversation. “That’s…understandable. But it’s not what I’m talking about. I’m not trying to, err, ‘redefine’ your relationship with Gloria. I’m offering you a chance to look into something extravagant. You’d wouldn’t work with her, you’d work with me.”

She slid a business card across the table, and Mia picked it up. Fennel hung her head low. “I’m sorry if I made you upset.”
“I’m not upset,” Mia insisted calmly, giving Fennel a tiny smile. “I just have places to be. Don’t worry about it. Enjoy Lumiose City, Doctor.”

Bass and Treble flapped after Mia as she left the Pokémon Center, not looking back at Fennel. When she got out of the building, she headed for a garbage can. Mia took one more look at the business card, hesitant. Her hand wavered above the can, until she retracted it and slid the card back into her pocket.

“Bass, Treble.” Mia exhaled a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. “I wanna throw a party tonight. A big one. Let’s get the word out.”

Cyllage City Gym - The Arena

The only way Durendal was able to tell that his Psycho Cutter missed was that there was no collision. That, and his trainer yelling for him to “Evade!” The crescent kept going to the edge of the arena, where it fizzled out into nothing. Neither of them had counted on Sudowoodo being so flexible, but both of them separately took a second to recognize that it was necessary for any good tree imposter.

Although he was a Dark type, Durendal’s moral compass was particularly strong. He was keen on following the rules. It made him a good partner to Salieri, the reason to her chaos. But even Dune could be put into a position where he had to break a law. Right now, that law was gravity.

Instead of falling towards the Low Kick, Dune’s momentum ceased. He bobbed up on the Magnet Rise, turning what could have been a knock out into a glancing blow. The tip of the Low Kick hit the same spot as the Rock Blasts, compounding on the pain he knew he had to ignore as he floated up.

Without Ivan crunching numbers for her, Salieri had to make stat calculations in her head. The score on the giant video monitor showed Sudowoodo’s hit points at one hundred percent, while Dune was around fifty after that last hit. Icy Wind must’ve activated Defiant, so Durendal had a two stage Attack Boost and a one stage Speed boost. She didn’t know what kinds of abilities Sudowoodo was hiding. An imposter usually had more than one trick up his sleeve. So with this all in mind, and with The Sniper being a factor, Salieri fell back on her tried and true strategy: “Give ‘em hell, Dune!”

Dune nodded and prepped both hands for Metal Claw to match Sudowoodo’s Stone Longswords. He hovered down and as soon as his feet touched the ground a few feet from his opponent, he leapt at Sudowoodo to once again try a diagonal slash, leaving one hand free to block just in case. Fleché a la Mode was still their secret. If he had to, he’d pull his trump card before he was beaten down. And there was still much to gauge about their opponent.

Cyllage City Gym - The Arena

From Dune’s perspective, Sudowoodo teleported away just as a real tree magically sprouted in his place. He stabbed right through it, splintering it into pieces when he removed his claw. Oh. Fooled me again.

Salieri was not to be fooled. She knew what a Substitute was. Instead of looking at it as Sudowoodo dodging their strike, Sal considered it from a more positive light. Substitute’s were crafted from hit points. The fake tree just dropped a quarter of its health for them. “I’m not scared of things I can’t see!” she growled, more passionately than before. Dune wasn’t sure if she was speaking to more than just Grant and Sudowoodo. “Parry!”

Durendal spun around, swiping his free Metal Claw at the incoming Stonesword. At this point it wasn’t enough. Instead of hitting the joint of his arm, a hit that would’ve been critical, the Stonesword stab was pushed aside and struck his chest. Ready for the Low Kick this time, Dune rode the momentum of his damage and electromagnetically hovered backwards, giving himself some distance. His eyes were on his opponent while he held a hand to his ribs.

It’s too much. The Pawniard caught his breath, muscles tensing and ready to spring in a flash. He was winded, running on less than twenty five percent of his full stamina. Both opponents back to back, and The Sniper. It’s too much. He beard no malice towards Sudowoodo as he brought his arms up in a battle stance. The negativity he felt went inwards, becoming pressure, which became self doubt. If I lose, it’s all my fault.

If there was one thing Salieri could recognize in this world, it was anger. All she needed to see was the twinkle in Dune’s eye, and suddenly things became clear. So that’s why even though Biz could become Bulletproof, Dune couldn’t gain…no, this is good. We can use this.

“Stop screwing around, Dune!”

Out the corner of his eye, he looked at his trainer. Salieri scowled with her arms folded, amber eyes glowing with feral instinct. “You’re putting that pressure in the wrong place!” She pointed to Sudowoodo. “Show everyone what happens when they piss you off!”

At first he was puzzled by what Salieri must have considered a pep talk. He wasn’t mad at Sudowoodo. But then he remembered Sal had told him about fighting spirit. About unleashing yourself, and how by nature you had to convey yourself to do it. And then Dune found himself empathizing with Sudowoodo. He knew how it felt to hide how you were with a façade. Only now did he find himself unburdened from that feeling. It was time to drop the act.

He bore no ill will towards Sudowoodo, by all means a decent warrior in its own right. But The Sniper, the man who terrorized his friends and brought hardship to his trainer, the man whose job was to separate comrades and steal hope. That man had earned his personal ire.

I AM mad.

POP!

The sound was a prelude to a rush of cool air that blew all around the arena, with Durendal at its center. The thin layer of ice on the floor cracked outwards from where Dune stood, and the mist dispersed. And then, the wind stopped almost as soon as it started. Now the air in the arena was thicker, heavier. Dust slowed down to a crawl in the air, particles coming together and becoming puffs of earth and frost.

Salieri put a hand on her bandanna to keep it from flying off as the mist dispersed. “This is it,” she mused to herself. Areas with high air pressure create wind, makes it hard to even move. He’s turning up Sudowoodo’s clock. For just a moment, Salieri forgot about the scope that might be on her back, and marveled at her Pokémon. So that’s his fighting spirit. You really are a tour de force, Durendal. "Heh. A tree, a rock star, a hot shot, you can act like whatever you want," she told Sudowoodo and Grant. "Just quit acting like you can win."

Physically, now anyone in the vicinity who dared to make a move against Durendal would take twice as much of their power to do so. Mentally, the effect was far different. Mentally, the enemy would feel as through they were engulfed in Dune’s presence, as if he was the very air they breathed. His tranquil rage floated all around them, an essence of menace. Durendal was exerting undiluted intimidation, enough make the wind afraid.

This was his Pressure.

The instant he felt his Hidden Ability activate, he knew what it was. Before his opponent could fully comprehend what this supernatural intimidation factor was, he had to back it up. Dune burst into a full sprint at Sudowoodo, Right before he got into range, or if he saw Sudowoodo motion to attack, he would switch on Fleché a la Mode.

Crimson streaks of electricity wrapped along his body and trailed behind him as he moved so fast he was nearly invisible, nerves fired into overdrive. With his Metal Claws shaped like an X in front of him, he aimed an electromagnetic flying tackle into Sudowoodo to forcefully lift both of them off the ground. If he succeeded, he’d swipe out both of his arms to slash Sudowoodo’s chest with all his might. Dune hoped to either knock the false tree out in one hit, fling it out of the arena, or both.

((Trop, I believe you wanted Dune to learn Hug?))

Cyllage City Gym - The Arena

As soon as his Metal Claws were deflected, Durendal put up another Rock Polish, trying to push his speed higher to outmaneuver Sudowoodo. Alas, at this range with his momentum cancelled, he couldn’t avoid being Blocked by Sudwoodo’s bear hug. It ensured he wouldn’t cape. Still the poster boy for focus, Dune wasted no time struggling. Instead, he immediately hugged Sudowoodo back, pinning the false tree’s slender body between the blades on his ribs. Dune had also ensured Sudowoodo wouldn’t escape. And he hovered up while he did so, minimizing his opponent’s options. He wasn’t sure where he was going until Salieri shouted “The water!”

The out of bounds rules for gym matches stated that a Pokémon who hit the ground outside the arena was disqualified. Flying around was still allowed, so long as the contestants never left the gym itself. It allowed for more dynamic battles and let Flying types fight to their fullest. As long as Durendal didn’t touch the ground, he’d be fine. It’s still just a rock. A Rock type Gym Leader that battles next to a waterfall. You must be confident, Grant, thought Salieri.

Sudowoodo began to glow white, all the more reason Durendal needed to hurry.

Still sporting Fleché, and now faster than before, Durendal flew himself and Sudowoodo across the arena, over Salieri head towards the waterfall. The two of them were practically invisible, barely a blur against the light while they careened towards the end of the match. Dune didn’t try any fancy flying to disorient Sudowoodo. The imitation Pokémon had proven itself not to be easily deterred.

Unless Sudowoodo could somehow cancel its Self Destruct sequence and wrangle free from the double bear hug while they were still over the arena, a span of time that would barely last the blink of an eye, he’d be at Dune’s mercy in the air. Dune would stop on a dime right underneath the waterfall. A Self Destruct could not occur when the user was Damp, but what Salieri really wanted was to make the Rock type wet. She hadn’t met many Rock types who wouldn’t panic under crashing water. And once Sudowoodo was in a full panic, the Pawniard would drop the false tree so it could fall out of bounds.

If Sudowoodo could speed up its Self Destruct so the detonation was faster than Dune’s super speed, then the explosion would occur before they reached the waterfall, and by the rules Sudowoodo would win. Dune theorized that if the Self Destruct could be sped up, the tree would’ve blown up by now, because anyone using a kamikaze tactic wouldn’t give their opponent the luxury of time. Regardless, he tried not to analyze, head still in the game. He wasn’t sure whether Sal’s tactic would work, but it was all they had now. No matter what, he had to try.

Battle Chateau - The Courtyard

Elizabeth took a heavy breath when Juliet took up her tournament stance. She'd seen this form before, watched Juliet use it to destroy her opponents. But seeing a duel on television or reading about it in a magazine could never capture the essence of being in one; the rush of exhilaration when one mistake could mean your defeat. Few understood how devious Juliet's stance really was until it was too late. Simply put, it was an optical illusion. Juliet held the tip of her foil between her fingers, disguising the length of her sword and allowing her to quickly step toward her opponent with a range they weren't prepared to combat. It was a stance designed to force a mistake and seal victory.

However, Elizabeth thought, tipping her foil toward Juliet and arcing her off hand behind her shoulder, I know exactly what you're trying to do.

She laughed when Juliet spoke. A stifled laugh just shy of a giggle, like a child had said something funny. 'Do I detect a hint of jealousy? Perhaps if you weren't so casual in your suspicions, your father might trust you enough to keep you in the loop.'

Elizabeth jabbed her foil, not aimed to hit but to bait an attack from Juliet. By now, her muscles ran thin and each movement took that extra bit of effort. She wasn't the fresh duellist she'd been at the start of the match, but to the untrained eye her form hadn't changed. That image would soon shatter if they continued at this intensity. Her best chance to win was to end the match before third touch.

When Juliet lunged, expecting Elizabeth to be caught out, she would lose. Elizabeth would swing sideways with all her might, blood burning in her face, lips pursed white, throwing standard technique to the wind. If Juliet's technique meant to deceive her, then Juliet would be deceived in turn; rarely did the trickster expect to be tricked. And so Elizabeth swung like a barbarian trying to split an enemy in two. She aimed to strike Juliet's sword near the hilt and free it from the young noble's grasp. If all went to plan, Juliet's sword would be flung out of the arena, and the match would be over.

The alternative would leave Elizabeth wide open.

((You might wanna grab a drink for this...EDITED with an image of Route 10 for clarity's sake))

Team Salieri VS The Sniper: Cyllage City Bike Trail

The dirt on the bike trail was packed down tightly enough to be smooth as a tar road, easy on the tires of any biker. It made rollerblading simple for Salieri, who coasted downhill towards the river at the edge of town. Durendal flew right above her, Lupin perched on the back of her shoulder, and Biz rolled at the edge of the cliff beside her, flanking her open side.

“You’re on defense, Biz!” she shouted to her Quilladin. Being Bulletproof would nullify The Sniper’s signature Octazooka. His job was to be the shield for the party, destroying incoming attacks with Seed Bomb or defending against them with his ability. Still throttling down the hill, Salieri scouted out the skies. Overhead she saw a flock of Pidgey in a V formation curving away from the ocean. “I don’t think he’s just been watching us through a scope, he must have a scout. Dune, be on the look out!”

The Pawniard nodded, ever vigilant at Sal’s request. Lupin wasn’t given any commands, something he didn’t complain about. She gripped Banksy’s Pokéball in her hand. Banksy was by far the most powerful Pokémon she had on her, but taking to the sky without knowing where The Sniper was or how he tracked them was an easy way to get hit with an Octazooka. When they had a better fix on the location, she’d release the Torkoal and let her burn the enemy down.

After all, Banksy was there when Moze’s Pokémon, her comrades, her friends, were stolen. Salieri couldn’t deny her a chance for vengeance.

The dirt trail curved towards town, and beyond it was a grassy riverbank. Salieri clicked her rollerblades off and ran onto the bank, staying between trees to become more obscure. Her theory was correct: upstream led to a hole in the side of the mountain where the river flowed down. The hole must have been how The Sniper got to the gym’s waterfall. “Look upstream, don’t go far,” she told Durendal, and the Pawniard flew to search. Salieri wanted to look for clues but didn’t want to becoming a sitting Ducklett. So she started running down the bank with Biz rolling next to her, trying to find anything that would give them a fix.

Lupin tapped her on the shoulder and pointed across the stream. On the other side, halfway down the river, were hoofprints. These were unlike Gogoat hoofprints, which she recognized from the transport services in Lumiose City. As far as she knew, there were no native Pokémon on Route 10 with hooves. Ivan would be real useful right now.

Dune came back towards them, shaking his head. So The Sniper didn’t go back up the mountain. Whatever Pokémon this is, it might be his ride. But why wouldn’t he take the high ground? Maybe he doesn’t expect me to stay in Cyllage after winning the badge, expects me to move on. Confused, and still tense in case Dune made a mistake, she kept moving downstream. Eventually, the hoofprints curved and disappeared in the direction of Route 10. Ahead of them was a short bridge that would allow them to cross the river.

He’s somewhere on Route 10, or maybe in the next town…no, no he wouldn’t go that far, he still needs me to quit the league. Math said he’s a perfectionist that way. She smirked, and held up Banksy’s Pokéball. Route 10, that’s a start! We’ll give it a low flyby.

As they neared the bridge, Dune looked up. He saw another flock of Pidgey flying directly overhead. Suddenly, they dispersed, as if something came between them and cut their pattern in half. He could make out the figure of some insect, but then it flew away, moving too fast to be anything but a blur.

Durendal flew at Salieri and tacked her to the ground, just as an Octazooka flew southeast bound from a distance on Route 10. Instead of hitting her face as it was probably intended, it knocked Banksy’s Pokéball out of Salieri’s flailing hand, popping it up before it plopped into the river.

“NO!” she screamed, reaching in vain to catch the ball. Another Octazooka was fired. This time Biz hopped up in front of it, turning the projectile into tiny splatters of ink with one punch. A salvo of Octazookas came in and Salieri scrambled up, running with her party in tow to take cover behind a wide tree trunk. Her breath came out in huffs, eyes ablaze with fury.

“How’d you know!?” she shouted to Dune over the sound of Octazookas pummeling the trunk behind them. Trying not to think about déjà vu, Dune pointed up. Salieri looked but didn’t see anything. Her gaze lingered on the sky.

“You sure?”
He nodded.
“You’re the only one who can take them on, Dune.” No one else in her party could fly except for Banksy. She tried not to think about whether or not the release on the Pokéball was accidentally pressed at the bottom of the river, or whether or not Banksy could swim. I’ll get you back, Banksy, I swear. “Take out the scout or we’ll never be out of his sight.”

Durendal took a deep breath. His armor shined with a Rock Polish and he blasted to the sky, leaving a trail of shining red light in his wake. [Wow,] Biz gulped, half marveled and half jealous.

The Octazookas didn’t let up, and shards of tree bark began to flip around them. “He didn’t shoot like this before,” Salieri noted, poking her head out to judge trajectory. In the distance she could see Route 10: full of tall grass, and gigantic pillars of some bizarre stone. Travelers and wild Pokémon had taken note of The Sniper’s fire, screaming and running for the hills. The Sniper’s previous shots were precise and calculated, using the least amount of moves for the most damage. Now, he was firing non stop through an area with civilians. All this just to get to me? It’s like he snapped.

“Biz, on my mark, we move in.” Biz Marquis was staring out at the river, at the spot where Banksy’s ball fell in. She shook his arm. “Biz! We need you right now, don’t be a wuss! You wanted to get tough, right? It’s time to cast off the boy you used to be, and MAN UP!”

Biz watched in awe as Salieri crouched into a sprinter’s stance, eyes dead ahead. She showed no fear, no hesitation, even thought she knew what he could do. Pure conviction. [Got it,] he said halfheartedly. [I’m ready to roll!] How isn’t she afraid?

“Lupin you’d better hold on tight. Cover us when I run in.” Lupin groaned but did as he was told, muttering bitterly under his breath. “It’s up to Dune now.”

*********

High in the sky, Durendal zipped in a tight pattern above Salieri’s party. Pidgey and Fletchling flocks migrated effortlessly on gusts of wind, gliding then rising to repeat. Fifty feet ahead was the outside element: a Ninjask buzzing in place, oddly still aside from his rapidly fluttering wings. Around his neck was a collar with a camera, red light blinking and multilayered lens constantly shifting.

Humming with magnetic energy, he burst at the Ninjask, firing a zigzag of red electricity ahead. The Thunder Wave flew directly between a triangle of Fletchlings, and just when it was about to hit the Ninjask, the cicada vanished.

[Kekekeke…I didn't expect to be spotted. You have a quick eye, little brat.]

Dune tensed up and spun around. The Ninjask loomed behind him, leaning in at an angle to observe him with one eye closed. [But it isn’t quick enough. Don’t interfere with my sharpshooter.]

Cold wind exploded from Durendal’s body, and the water vapor crystallized into a snowy dust around him. The Pidgey and Fletchling flocks, all much weaker Pokémon than Durendal, simultaneously choked up and flew away in a panic, opening up the Sky Battle. The Pressure was on.

The Ninjask laughed his clicking laugh. His claws sparkled with a sharp sheen. [You really want to do this, brat? Fine, I'll tear you into scrap metal!] He disappeared, and crimson sparks wrapped Durendal’s body as he switched on Fleché and steeled himself.

*********

I won’t lose!

A mighty CLANG! rang in the sky, and Sal snapped her head up to see what it was. A red streak, surely Dune, swerved in loops through the sky, colliding with a flickering black dot repeatedly. Then the Octazookas stopped. “Let’s tear them apart.”

I won’t LOSE!

And she ran down the riverbank, Biz rolling on the inside track of her path to block shots if they were fired. When she got to the beaten path, she clicked her rollerblades on and wheeled right into-

Team Salieri VS The Sniper: Route 10

Before them were a few dozen titanic pillars, jutting up in rows in a way that resembled towers on city streets. The tall grass wild Pokemon would normally be frolicking shook as they went into survival mode, scrambling for safety from the shootout. Now that the fire had ceased, people gathered together to speculate what was happening.

“What do you think it is? Is it rare?“
“So far from the route, I wonder if it’s in the ocean.”
“I wanna catch it! Would that be stealing?”
“I don’t think it’s safe here, we should go back to Cyllage.”
“Isn’t someone from the aquarium going to do something?”

Passing by these people while sprinting without stop gave Salieri some insight. The morning radio had a report about the Ambrette Aquarium’s specimens getting loose on the west coast. Everyone thought The Sniper’s Octillery was one of them. That’s why he’s shooting through all these people. Ruthless! Salieri growled. That connard can’t leave these people out of our fight?!

More importantly, she gathered a better trajectory. He was shooting from the dense forest on the western side of the route at the edge of the coast, off the plot of land with the pillars. Would he sneak away on the water with Octillery? Merde, I can’t let him escape! I’m closer than ever!

On her next step, the shots started up again from the northwestern part of the dense forest. They were spread wider, piercing chunks out of trees on their way to Salieri’s general location. The pedestrians screamed again, dropping to the ground as Salieri kept going. For just a second, she took a chance and looked up. The red streak and the black blur were still weaving through the sky. He can’t aim as well. Probably still has binoculars or something. So he hasn’t snapped yet, not really.

Salieri bobbed and weaved between the cannonballs of ink, progressing down the path towards the cluster of pillars. If she saw one heading her way, she’d slow down or speed up or do a barrel roll turn to avoid it. [This is insane!] Lupin cried, clutching tight to Salieri’s vest for dear life. Any shots she couldn’t avoid, Biz took care of, simply getting in the way and letting them vaporize against his hide. There were people behind her that weren’t so lucky, getting clipped on their sides by high velocity shots, or worse. One man got hit in the face. Salieri didn’t see any of it, but she heard his screams stop instantly. Teeth clenched tight, she growled, “Faust!”

A swarm of wild Pokémon leapt from the tall grass at her side, running away as best they could. In all the commotion, an Eevee tripped, falling face first into the dirt. Out the corner of her eye, Salieri spotted a stray shot fired at the Normal type. Merde! Instinctively she turned, surprising both Biz and Lupin by going off the path to save the Eevee.

A Picnicker Girl beat her to the punch, diving on top of the Eevee and rolling them both away from the shot. “Whew!” she sighed, giving the Eevee a tiny smile. “You’re okay.” The Picnicker didn’t notice there was a second shot incoming behind her. Salieri broke into her top speed to race the Octazooka.

I’m not gonna make it!

A small body of water sprang up from the tall grass, whipping through the air like a floating river. It curved and snapped wildly into the Octazooka just before it hit the Picnicker and Eevee, absorbing the ink into itself. The constantly moving water swirling into to a spherical shape, then rained to the ground. Instead of becoming a puddle, the sentient water reshaped itself, gaining color and features as it became a growling Vaporeon. The Picnicker gulped, realizing her life was also just saved. “Gee, thanks-“

The Vaporeon barked at her, snapping its jaws in warning, and the Picnicker ran away with the Eevee under her arm. Salieri tried to contain her surprise as she hastily readjusted her rollerblades, getting back on the path to the pillars. “The hell was that?” she muttered as the Vaporeon also started running towards the northwest forest. Is this another escapee from the Aquarium? Or is it a wild Eevee that evolved next to the ocean? Did The Sniper make more than one enemy?

The Octazookas didn’t stop, coming in more furiously in a tighter area the closer Salieri got. Now the Vaporeon was a target too, but for every shot that neared the Bubble Jet Pokémon, it transformed into a flying, aqueous whip and nullified the attack on collision with Water Absorb.

Then the Octazookas stopped again. Far ahead, through the thick leaves and tree trunks, Salieri could see a light blue glow like the shining of a headlight. It grew brighter and started to blink. What is that?

And the Ice Beam was fired, freezing the ground underneath it solid. Sal, Biz and Lupin screamed as they dived aside, the Ice Beam passing right between them. Salieri rolled along the ground and hid behind one of the pillars. The composition of the stone was downright bizarre, complex and bumpy in a way that reminded her of twisted faces. It was creepy, and only added to her anxiety.

“Biz!?” she called out. Bulletproof hides couldn’t protect a Pokémon from an Ice Beam. The Sniper must have caught on that Octazooka wasn’t working anymore. Biz, hiding in the tall grass, held a thumbs up to Salieri. Now The Sniper started shooting again, this time with Bullet Seed. The shots were smaller, harder to see, and came at a much faster rate, like a swiveling gatling gun.

Unable to absorb the shots, the Vaporeon turned to water and snaked along the ground and through the air, flowing between the Bullet Seeds and making haste for the eastern forest to hide. So much for a team up, Salieri lamented. The enemy of her enemy was her friend, and she needed all the help she could get. Hopefully he pissed off more than just a Vaporeon.

“When we get to the forest,” Sal yelled to Biz Marquis, “Take cover. We’ll corner him before he can escape-“

There was a new sound. The trampling of terrain underneath a set of hooves. Salieri zoned out the sound of Bullet Seeds drilling into at the strange pillars to pay attention. No, now there was another set of hoofprints. And another. And another…

And then a stampede of brown deer with white spots and oddly alluring curved antlers burst from the brush, tearing a path out the forest and onto Route 10. Any bystander that hadn’t run away before decided to now. Biz stared at the stampede of Stantlers with a slacked jaw, one his trainer and Lupin matched perfectly. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Lupin shot his sticky tongue up at a curved crook on the next pillar and yanked hard, pulling both him and Salieri up to that spot. “Whoa!” she cried, not expecting such evasion as she grabbed onto any grooves she could to cling to the stone. Down below, Biz tried to roll to the closest pillar for better cover. But he wouldn’t be able to outrun the stampede.

[Damnit!] The Quilladin formed his hand cannon and fired a Seed Bomb straight into the stampede. It passed right through the Stantler in front, as if the deer was a ghost, and exploded in a shockwave of pressure and shrapnel in the center of the stampede. And it did absolutely nothing. [Huh?]

The stampede ran over him. Or rather, through him, passing right by. They were nothing more than illusions, projected images of a herd of deer. Biz cowered for a second, positive that he was going to be trampled just like Veillantif, but when he figured out the stampede real, he puffed out his chest and laughed. [HA! What kind of trick is that? You’ll need more than that to-]

The real Stantler slammed his antlers into Biz’s gut, lifting up the Quilladin and flinging him overhead and behind. Biz flopped through the air, slamming into a pillar and somersaulting down to the ground. “That’s gotta be his ride!” Salieri pointed. Octillery is slow, The Sniper needs a transport to set up his sharpshooting. But why is the ride out here?

The Stantler looked up at Salieri for a moment, then looked at Biz, and leaned his antlers forward. The antlers glowed with a hazy pink power and the Stantler charged. The needles on Biz’s body stood on end as he jumped away from the Zen Headbutt. Dust and flecks of stone came off the pillar on collision, and through that cloud of dust, the Stantler’s eyes glowed yellow. It charged at Biz again. And then Salieri had a feeling why it was only going after her Quilladin. The Sniper is aiming for my shield. He wants to take out what’s Bulletproof!

An Octazooka was shot on an upwards angle from the northeast forest at Salieri and Lupin. The Kecleon pointed at it and shot it down with a Charge Beam, sparks expanding the ink blob til it blew up. Lupin stretched his tongue out at the next pillar and swung just as another Octazooka came their way.

“Biz Marquis!” Salieri hollered down below while Lupin swung them from pillar to pillar closer to the forest. He was too busy accelerating his Rollout away from the Stantler hot on his heels to respond, but he was listening. “You have to take care of the ride! I’m leaving it up to you!” Now out of sight, she wasn’t sure he could hear her. But she had to trust his ability.

When they reached the end of the rows of pillar, and there were no more places to swing from, Lupin aimed low so the final swing could bring them to the ground. He snapped his tongue back in his mouth and Salieri flipped through the air, Octazookas trying to snipe her out of the air like shooting skeet. One of them slammed into her leg and she yelped. The pain was excruciating, like her whole calf was lit up in a numbing fire. That almost broke my leg! Her landing was compromised and the rolled into the dirt, stopping on a patch of grass. With a groan she got up. Right in front of her was a thick three, the beginning of many at the edge of the forest.

With a slight limp she hobbled as quick as she could to the tree, still ducking Octazookas, and shimmied up against it. “Lupin.” Sal took her switchblade out of her pocket and flicked it open. CLICK! “Get us into stealth mode.”

In the next moment, Lupin grew color changing scales, first on the red stripe around his midsection, and then outwards onto Salieri’s person. They covered her starting from the shoulder where Lupin was perched, slowly spreading and shifting light so everything they covered blending to the background, switchblade included.

As Salieri slowly became invisible, she couldn’t help but viciously smirk from the corner of her mouth. They had never been this close before. They would never be this close again. This was a now or never moment, and Salieri could practically feel her blood boiling in anticipation of seeing The Sniper face to face.

The scales were almost all over her. The last thing that could be seen was that feral smile, before it faded from vision, and they were gone.

((Act 2 will be up soon!))