Indigo Leauge - Battle in Fushia!

[T.G. Oskar]

The battle escalated to a double, synchronized attack as Gengar's devastating Psywave had met the Iaijutsu-style Steel Wing slash attack, and the fans were raging in excitement over the sudden change in action. Gengar had felt the icy cold steel of Skarmory's wings, but he had managed to land another crippling blow at the steel bird. Gengar's attack provoked something else: Skarmory was forced to land accidentally, dealing much more damage than he could possibly withstand. As he stood, his feet was wobbling, barely able to stand up. However, he was not eager to draw away: his pride was tarnished, and he would not rest until the Gengar was completely defeated. Although, in such a condition, in which his great speed was reduced by the incessant mind assault, he could not withstand another blow. Of course, he was aware of this: he knew this kind of combat was truly suicidal. Not that he cared: he was used to fight this way.

"Eh? Muck? Hey, I really was confused: it was that eerie feeling that dropped it away. I thought for a second that your trainer was mine, as I later realized while I was about to trick you. Guess you are used to..." Skarmory's body was uneasy and well-battered from the impacts, thus he flinched for a small moment, just enough to screech in pain. "...to these kinds of mind tricks, eh? Let's finish this, shall we?"

However...that was something Oskar was not willing to abide to. He knew the potential power of both Night Shade and Psywave, and he knew that another hit would knock the daylights out of him. He was not the kind of trainer that would allow his Pokemon to take unnecesary risks beyond what he thought was under the Pokemon's ability. He was willing to remain in one single Pokemon before risking a valuable friend's life. Just as he was about to summon back his Pokemon, evidently angered by what he thought was a wrong choice of his part, his Pokemon made a sharp look on his eyes, releasing a primal scream. In his heart, Oskar felt the following:

[i]"You trust in me? Then let me finish this. I know I can. I'll show you..."/I] With those words, Skarmory once again took it into the sky, but bypassed his favored spot. In an act of defiance, Skarmory flew through the air until his own sight essentially dissapeared. He knew how eager Gengar was to evade his kamikaze attacks, but he was no longer going to trust his eyes, or ears. He was going to trust his gut instinct, and prove his trainer that the laws of nature were capable of being bent...

...or even broken...

[Taco]

What I told you at the beginning of this match is still true at this time, the gengar sent the psychic message to the area in space where he had last sensed his enemy ascending, though his physical form faced the direction of TG Oskar, a grin still present on his face. The muck that was on his eyes was beginning to come off a little bit, yet his eyes remained closed. You have fought valiantly this day, and I will take pride in knowing that I competed against you in battle. I hope that, next when we meet, it can be under less confrontational circumstances, and I wish the best for you in your next match. I agree, however, the ghost pokemon concluded in a dark tone, Let's end this; here, now.

...you listening to me?! the ghost pokemon suddenly became aware that his trainer was trying to contact him.

Nope, sorry! Didn't catch that last part, boss! Taco finally received an indication that his pokemon was not yet completely brain dead.

Well, I think your ignoring me just cost you am easy shot at your enemy, Taco glared at his pokemon. You could possibly have ended this while he was struggling to take off again, but now that pokemon is back in the sky again!

You sound like you're getting a little stressed out there, boss! the gengar responded. You just need to mellow out a little bit, there. Everything's cool. I'm fairly injured here, but you got one more pokemon left, and she doesn't go down easily. Despite being a "widdle princess," the ghost pokemon mocked his fellow pokemon.

Don't give me that! I know the situation damned well! Taco responded. Let's just take care of business, shall we? I want you to get ready to release another nightshade for when that skarmory comes back down for another attack. Can you do that?

'course I can do that! The gengar turned around just long enough to stick his tongue out at his trainer. Y'know, you're not being very grateful to someone who's putting his neck out on the line for your reputation.

It's your reputation at a stake, too... Taco trailed off, then added, ...but you're right. I'm sorry, buddy.

No problem-o! the gengar responded.

[T.G. Oskar]

Skarmory was sure that this last attack would mean his sure defeat, but he wanted this to be a spectacular one. If he could take his enemy at the time he was about to faint, he knew he'd done his mission. And, he had the perfect attack for the task...

The Jutsu of Earth and Sky...

All the attacks he had learned so far: the Steel Wings, the Mud Slap, the Rock Slide, and the ability to Fly, were only preparatory moves for this spectacular final move.

As he thought he was about to reach the limits of the sky, he felt he was no longer able to fly farther. Stopping in an altitude beyond belief, Skarmory plummeted to the ground, catching amazing speeds. After a while, Skarmory managed to reach close to the Fuchsia buildings. Using his sonic speeds, Skarmory rushed towards the nearest building, breaking walls and solid concrete with the blow. At the speed of blinks of an eye, Skarmory bounced between the Fuchsia buildings, making a veritable amount of debris falling. Blinking in and out of sight, Skarmory reunited the debris into the area of the podium, knowing that such debris was not meant to be used against the spectators, while he was producing more and more debris. Of course, Skarmory was going in an erratic path, as if he was not aiming to attack Gengar with pinpoint precision, but striking at whatever crossed his path.

As he drew closer to the podium, and before he reached the protective walls, Skarmory spinned at very fast speeds, turning into a veritable whirlwind of speed that drew the debris toward him. And, just about he was reaching the center of the podium, he did something almost impossible.

He did a 90 degree angled rush right towards Gengar's position.

While it looked impossible, Skarmory had practiced to achieve such a goal. Upon avid observation, it could be seen that Skarmory was extending his claws toward the podium, while stopping his momentum. With a feat of great strength, he penetrated the floor of the podium with his claws to prevent being crushed by the fall, and impulsed towards Gengar's position in order to minimize his impact. The speed he had achieved caused a great displacement of air in all directions, but particularly towards Skarmory, and soon thereafter the cumulus of debris was expulsed in all directions. With his feet razing his podium, he accumulated the rare mud he used for his Mud Slide attack, ready to unleash it in the attack. His blunted and battered body was about to breakdown, but he still rushed on, almost fueled by mere willpower. Skarmory met with Gengar at point blank range, wings stiffed to the back, his beak extended as if to pierce the ghastly figure. If the final attack managed to connect, his wings would draw as if a samurai drew his sword and struck from the scabbard, the final step of the ougi, while he leapt towards the sky.

Of course, he knew the move was lethal if countered. He was willing to take the hit, no matter what attack came after him. Even if the attack turned out to be worthless, the impact of such a killer move would haunt trainer, Pokemon and spectators for weeks, months, or even years. Literally, he would end this...

[Taco]

Taco's eyes were barely able to follow the path of a gray blur as it descended from the sky, then evidently smashed through the walls of several buidlings. That's going to come out of someone's paycheck... Taco winced momentarily at the damage, knowing that his gym would be held liable for such damages. His economic worries would have to be left on hold, however, as the blur somehow moved the pieces of debris over his head, striking sporadically at the floating objects, keeping them from hitting anyone.

What's hap--? the gengar began, But his trainer immediately interrupted the thought.

Underground, quick!Taco sent the thought to his pokemon as he himself jumped for cover, covering his head with his arms from an oncoming explosion of the debris. There had been no time for him to tell if his pokemon had got the message. Although the last few attacks had not been near the Gym Leader, this last one brought back to light for him the reality that, in this battle, he was just as much at risk of being injured as the pokemon who were battling.

Taco felt his body battered by the explosion. Toxic mud also lay about him; possibly on his clothes too, although he had yet to sense it. The Gym Leader's eyes, when they opened, were greeted to a world of gray. However, beyond the edge of the podium, somewhat in the distance, a dark disturbance floated behind the dust, causing a distorted image of the world as it advanced. It was gengar's nightshade. Regardless of whether he had gotten away or not, the ghost pokemon had at least gotten his own attack off.


I'm done... Taco suddenly heard his gengar contact him. Call me back.

Are you okay--? Taco began, concerned for his pokemon.

I... need rest, the ghost pokemon interrupted Taco's message. Tell arbok... to be careful... These boys are playing for... keeps. Taco stood up, pulled out gengar's pokeball, and pointed it out into the gray haze that surrounded him, which was now beginning to subside.

"Gengar, return!" Taco called, and a bright purple streak zapped into the ball from a pile of rubble below the podium. "You did good, buddy. I hope I can call on you again, soon.” Walking over to a nurse on the sideline, the Gym Leader requested, “Please rush this pokemon to the PokeCenter right away.”

“Sir, are you sure you can go on like this?” The nurse asked Taco as she took gengar’s pokeball, a concerned look on her face.

“What, this? It’s just a few minor bruises and scratches here and there!” Taco gave his stage grin, inwardly wincing at several aching muscles and joints that had been pulverized. I’m sure that other guy would call me a wuss if I gave up now, the Gym Leader thought as he watched the young lady head off with gengar. Looking down at his belt, Taco saw that he had one pokeball left, which he knew well already, obviously. “Well, missy, it’s your turn now!” Taco called with a big grin on his face as he threw the remaining pokeball to the ground. As the ball hit, a bright pink beam shot out of it, and once more, the glitter-covered Arbok came out, a regal frown on her upturned face.

“Chabocka!” She called, turning her head to her trainer, one eyebrow cocked as she gave him the evil eye.

“Oh yes, I’m sorry about the dust, ma’am,” Taco rolled his eyes.

[T.G. Oskar]

The final move of Skarmory was so impacting, even Oskar himself was jaw-dropped, unknowing the incredible power his own Pokemon had. His mind was shocked, even though he himself intended to teach the requirements of this move, and had even seen it once before, in training. Of course, he had not seen it ever in combat, and Skarmory was fueled by something beyond determination.

Yet...Skarmory was not even wobbling. He was unconscious, horribly battered, chunks of his armor completely torn, revealing the grayish skin of an unarmored, young Skarmory. It was a bloody sight, and Oskar was horrified to see such spectacle. His steps toward Skarmory were filled of guilt for allowing such a terrible move from happening, but something incredible happened. Skarmory...was talking to him...in his heart...

"Fear not, Oskar. Can I call you that? The pain is horrible, but I wish that move allows you to have the upper hand. I...did it, did I? I..." Oskar swiftly interrupted, talking to his fallen friend. "Yes... We...are...equals now, comrade. You did it. But..." Oskar's voice was torn by tears, and he screamed to him. "...don't ever do that again, OK!!! I'd hate to lose a friend like you!!! I'd never risk my life for a victory, that would be unbearable!!!" Skarmory replied, allowing Oskar to understand he knew: "Don't you dare give up now, eh? I'd hate even more for you to give up after that much. I'll go away if you do, and so will all of your Pokemon. We'll tell everyone the coward that you are, unable to push us to our limits. But, if you remain fighting...we'll tell each and every Pokemon about your skill. Now, go on...the battlers are waiting..."

Oskar was standing, tears running from his eyes, when a Pokecenter operative neared his presence. "Would you like to return your Pokemon to your Pokeball? We'll take good care of him. I'm already rooting for you: caring so much for your friend...oh, sorry, I overheard!!!! Please, quick. He's not that fine, but he'll be OK: we've seen cases like that." Oskar took his ball and returned Skarmory in, a blast ray sucking the fallen warrior into a comfortable place. He gave the ball to the attendant, trusting she'd take good care of him.

Finally, the time had came: both were down to their last Pokemon. And, Taco had chosen his last option: the very same Arbok present at the beginning. Oskar thought to himself... "Arbok...that means biting attacks are present. Preempting for psychic opponents. And I just happen to have a psychic. This means the faster Pokemon will win...or the one who combines its attacks the best. Well...I hope my choice was the best: Skarmory and Tyranitar would hate to lose after so much..." His thought was interrupted by a faint voice, echoing through his mind: "...ey, m'boy, what'choo thinkin' 'bout? Getta ready, I'ma waiting for me spectacle..." Indeed, it was coming from his last Pokemon: encased in a Love Ball made from a Pink Apricorn from his travels in Johto, it had a sticker of a heart. It also had a sticker of an eye, pinpointing to him the psychic potential. Arming himself with valor, Oskar shouted with determined voice...

"Come forth, my oracle of love!!!!"

From the beam of pink light, a strange figure emerged: a woman-like figure, with the lower torso like a skirt of skin. On top, a small pink turban was tied by a gem brooch, with a pink stone. Garbled with fantasy jewels, the rare figure finally made it's identity known...

It was a Jynx. A really weird Jynx. Not like Oskar's other options, of course...

And, the spectators opened their mouths in unison as the Pokemon spoke, in clear tone: "Ooooo, what do we haf 'ere? A snakey-'mon, ready to defy me. Lemme see, whatcha can getta from it...ah, shucks, she's a girlie. Well, I'ma guessing it'll still work. Well, arent'cha ready, handsome?" Oskar was looking at Jynx with a small grin, and a sure look. "Sure thing!!! But...don't be doing something crazy like Skarmory, OK? Two very bruised Pokemon are not my usual thing, y'know..." "Erm, m'boy, I'ma not tha kind of crazy lunatic that'a weirdo is. Me, I'ma more passive. Remember, m'boy, I deal with tha power of tha mind, not of the body. Notta I'ma not a hottie, don'tcha think?" Her deep voice was coupled with a sexy wink, one that Oskar was not still used to, despite the months of partnership. "Ey, dont'cha think I'ma gonna scare ya all o' tha girls, eh? I mebbe can help ya on the dating, giving a pointa or two, dont'a be afraid."

Looking at her opponent, also a female, she let out a rare taunt... "I can see yer future, ma' snakey...and I can see a pretty battle comin' on. Getta ready, 'cuz I'ma not gonna give up that easy..."

[Taco]

Presently, Taco noticed a crumpled heap out on the battlefield; the broken form of TG Oskar’s Skarmory. Although it had dealt the final blow to the Gym Leader’s ghost pokemon and had seemingly avoided the gengar’s final attack, it’s own attack had wreaked havoc on its body. Shit, dude. That’s what you get for going overboard, trying to take every ounce of glory to be had, Taco thought, feeling somewhat sorry for the broken pokemon, but not entirely. After all, it had once again almost directly involved the Gym Leader himself in the battle, almost definitely on purpose, and he was still feeling its effects.

"...don't ever do that again, OK!!! I'd hate to lose a friend like you!!! I'd never risk my life for a victory, that would be unbearable!!!" Taco heard Oskar cry to his pokemon. As Taco looked on, he saw tears rolling down his opponent’s eyes, as he said goodbye to the wounded skarmory. The Pokecenter operative telling Oskar she was rooting for him because he was so emotional with his pokemon earned a roll of the eyes from the Gym Leader.

“Cha…” Taco’s arbok suddenly hissed. She was nudging her head in the direction of the opposing trainer, her eyes wide and lips pursed, as if to say “check out this guy.”

“Hey, be cool,” Taco responded, narrowing his eyes at the glitzy snake. “His pokemon just got the crap beat out of it. It looked like it was lucky to be alive. Cut him some slack.”

“Chabocka! Cha-chabock-op!” The arbok retorted, her eyebrows furrowed with a stern, yet concerned look on her face.

“Yeah, but don’t worry about me, kid,” Taco responded, a slight smirk on his face. “Take care of your opponent. Check it out, it’s a… Jynx. Uh oh…” Taco winced as his snake pokemon caught site of its opponent; a sleek, sexy-if Taco could consider a pokemon as such- very feminine opponent. The arbok’s lips curled back into a snarl, and her eyes narrowed, a look that Taco was glad was not directed at him.

"I can see yer future, ma' snakey...and I can see a pretty battle comin' on. Getta ready, 'cuz I'ma not gonna give up that easy..." This pokemon apparently could talk, although Taco could barely make sense of it; it apparently had a very strong accent. The arbok turned her nose up haughtily at its opponent’s taunt, though Taco could still make out the look of death on its face.

“Cha-cha-bocka-cha-cka-bocka!” Taco’s arbok rattled this all off quite rapidly as it turned its head to its trainer. Taco’s eyes shot wide open and his jaw dropped, taken aback for a second at what his pokemon had just uttered.

“Hey! There are children watching!” The Gym Leader exclaimed, exasperated. “Anyway, you’re right about one thing; we gotta take this lady down. Gengar put up an excellent fight on our behalf, and now it’s time for you to do the same.” Here, Taco leaned in so that his eyes were level with his pokemon. Their interactions would not be completely private, as the case had been between gengar and him, but he would do the best he could to play it with secrecy. “We’ve got some heavy hitting attacks, but let’s save the biggest one for later. Right now, you hit that woman over there with a crunch.”

“Chabocka!” The arbok nodded, and then shot across the battlefield, ready to sink its teeth into its opponent’s body. Taco was almost taken aback by his pokemon’s movements, when compared to gengar, who had been stationery for almost his entire battle.

The beginning of the end… Taco thought.

[T.G. Oskar]

"Ah, tha snakey-lady seems to be tha naughty one, it seems. Quite tha agile one, as well..." Jynx's concentration was not disturbed by the lightning speed of her opponent, the sparkling Arbok. She expected her first move to be a dark bite attack, but she refused to move. Oskar, in a sense, was finishing Jynx's thought, as he could determine that the relative power of Arbok would entitle a Crunch attack, easily a devastating anti-psychic attack. Given Jynx's low resistance to physical attacks, the Crunch would easily remove more than half of her health. But, Oskar was not into making Jynx move away, or try to evade: his tactics were of a nasty counterattack, and Jynx was eager to try such a move.

Jynx leaned back, ready to withstand the impact of the dark fangs. Meanwhile, Oskar issued his first command since he left Skarmory to fend off for himself...

"Jynx, counter with your Kiss of Eternal Doom!!!!!" Jynx readied to smooch her opponent as soon as her snake body, using her allure to cause Arbok disgust. However, her assault was to be done in two fronts: she was to take advantage of Arbok's disgust, the moment her mind flinched, to psionically induce sleep on her target. She would induce sleep by manipulating the amount of natural narcotic chemicals while inducing false messages of tiredsomeness in her nerves...

[Taco]

That’s strange… that Jynx is just standing there… oh shit. Taco stood pondering as his arbok came upon the Jynx, sinking its teeth into the psychic pokemon with its crunch attack.

“Chabocka!” The arbok chortled triumphantly, looking back at her trainer after her attack. Then, suddenly, a strange expression fell across her face. Her eyes grew wide, and her pupils shrunk almost to the size of tiny dots. Her cheeks turned rosy red, and her mouth took on the shape of a small “o.” Then, slowly, the snake pokemon’s eyes began to close, and her head sunk until it was nearly lying on the ground. The enemy Jynx’s lovely kiss had met its mark, and Taco’s arbok seemed to hover between nearly awake and total unconsciousness, a slow, steady stream of low, dainty hisses exiting her mouth.

“Aw, shit,” the Fuchsia Gym Leader muttered, a deep frown on his face. “Hey, wake up, lady! You got a battle to fight! This is no time for sleeping!” The arbok, of course, was oblivious to his calls. It was in a completely vulnerable state at the moment, and open to any number of devastating attacks.

[T.G. Oskar]

"Yes!!!" Oskar was very happy that Jynx's counterstrike was more than effective in stopping the Arbok in her tracks. Though, both Jynx and Oskar were more than aware that perhaps the Arbok had a trick down her sleeve, and she was just feigning her sleep condition, considering that Oskar knew how skilled at deception and subterfuge were trained Pokemon capable of...

Of course, after the attack, Jynx was staggering from the sinister fang attack, which drooled of darkness, that struck her concentration. She was trying as hard as not to scream, but the intense pain still could not stop the barrage of insults that flew from her mouth. "Aiyiyiyiyiyi!!!! Oi, that missy sure has pointy daggas for fangs!!! Arrgh, scr..." "Stop it!!! Jynx, there's boys in here, have some respect!!!!", Oskar replied back. "Ready up for debuffing, OK?"

"Ey, can't a woman scream her soul these days? You're needin' of some lecturin', after the battle finishes", Jynx answered as she rubbed her wounds. Suddenly, after moving back a certain distance, Jynx began leaning to her front, her arms poised to a side. Forming a spherical empty space, Jynx poured unto the formation all of her malice and anger, forming a sphere of crackling energy and unstable shadows. It seemed that phantasms and ghosts emanated from such a sphere, moaning curses and damnations.

"That hurt, snakey. How 'bout returnin' that pain wit' sum of mah juju?" Jynx bursted the sphere right at Arbok, the air surrounding the sphere being displaced and the lights disappearing from sight.

"That's it. Face the sphere of the Phantom Zone, the Shadow Ball!!!"

[Taco]

Taco was glad that his pokemon apparently had been put to sleep. Hearing such insults against her might have set off a chain reaction that could lead to the Apocalypse, starting right there in downtown Fuchsia. However, the snake pokemon was asleep, that much was clear. She lay there oblivious, first to TG Oskar’s objection to the Jynx’s insults, and then oblivious as the psychic pokemon created her sphere of shadows. This ball looked different than the ones that Taco’s persian had used. This one seemed to be more concentrated with wrathfulness and the pain of wretched souls. Taco let out a gasp as it exploded upon his beloved snake pokemon, his gut wrenched as her head suddenly shot up, her eyes wide with pain.

“CHAAAAAH!!!” the arbok screamed in pain, as the darkness continued to envelope her for several seconds, and then died down. With the dissipation of the attack, the snake pokemon once again sunk to the ground in sleep, though furrowed eyebrows and a deep scowl on her face would tell the world that it was a troubled sleep, indeed.

“Dammit, wake up!” Taco pleaded with his pokemon. “You can’t sleep through your enemy dealing those blows! You gotta snap out of it!” The snake pokemon did not show any signs of response. Shit! the Gym Leader cursed inwardly. His attempts at arousing his pokemon had apparently once again failed…

[T.G. Oskar]

"Huh? Is da snakey really 'sleep? Well, dat makes it more interesting...but let's go the safe way..." Jynx took a bit of time to visualize her surroundings: the blobs of poisonous mud, the rocks and debris from the attacks of Oskar's other two Pokemon, the barriers protecting the spectators...

Jynx imagined that the pain of both attacks would cause the Arbok to fly into a veritable rage, thus forcing her to use her surroundings to prevent traps, and to her advantage. She moved in her oddly alluring way, right into one of the solid barriers, and mantained a very close distance, barely about 3 feet from the wall. "Indeed, dis snakey's gunna go right at me, and right thru' de wall if I'm lucky 'nuff. Fort'nately, I was traind to use my powers to great extent, and all I need is to taunt her inta blind rushes. She's ready for psychics, dat I can figure..." Suddenly, Jynx's breathing released a cold cloud, as if her mouth was freezing up. Oskar, knowing that Jynx was leaving an attack for later, attempted to communicate as he did with Skarmory, to warn her...

"Hmmm, what if she's actually making you think she's mad at you? Although she wasn't as mad, that wild taunting will surely get her mad. Or maybe...that's what she's gonna make you think. Be careful...a tackle to those walls deals extra damage, and she's quite clever, I infer. It's his main Pokemon, after all..." Jynx replied telepathically, "Fear not. She's gotta reflexes, she's gotta cunning, but she's gotta not a way to evade this one..." Soon after, Jynx released a beam of pale blue to the ground she was standing, moving her head to form a hemisphere very close to her, and thereafter releasing the full force beam towards Arbok. The beam froze the surface, and if not careful, probably Pokemon too...

[Taco]

Taco watched the odd ladylike pokemon move towards the crowd in a rather provocative manner. It inspired in him an odd sensation that was both alluring and disturbing to him at the same time. However, another stronger emotion superceded this one; fear for his arbok. As the psychic pokemon began to make moves that were obviously some kind of preparation for when its opponent would next strike, the Gym Leader saw his sleeping pokemon begin to slightly stir. Maybe, however, this was just his eyes playing tricks on him. However, if she was on the verge of awakening, Taco had to do his best to wake her again, one last time.
‘
“Wake up, lady! She’s gunning for you, now!” Taco cried out as beam of ice shot across the battlefield at his pokemon. The Gym Leader saw one of the arbok’s eyes shoot open, and then within a split the entire snake was not where she had been; her agility and quickness had moved her several feet to the right of where she had been, as the ice beam shot past her.

“Chabocka!” Taco’s pokemon stared intensely at its enemy. However, it appeared that, unlike her team mate, Taco’s persian, she would actually show caution and patience. She hissed at her enemy, though her head was cocked in the direction of her master’s position.

“Okay! That look you’re giving your enemy… elaborate on it!” Taco called to his pokemon. “Give her a glare, now!” A split second after Taco had said this, the snake pokemon moved in, her eyes flashing intensely of yellow and gold.