It wasn't often that Zac encountered a fainted damsel on the road to the pokemon league. Almost never actually. Okay i'll level with you, this was the first time. So as he helped the wilting lily of a girl to her feet, he was overcome by all manner of pressing questions, like

'What do you mean Bailey Ooper attacked you and stole your pokemon?' and 'Are you sure you don't you mean Cooper?', and most pressingly 'Why are you wearing a bonnet?'

But it was rude to ask those kinds of questions of a lady, and from the look of this wild eyed heiress, she would definitely consider herself a most offendable woman.

So instead Zac settled on the ever faithful: "Are you okay?"
She began to respond in a conbination of soft, pitiable noises and some barely understandable foreign accent, and Zac nodded along, looking worried. Part way through the girl collapsed again, slowly, and Zac rushed to catch her, helping her back onto her feet. After this happened the third time Zac just lowered her to the floor and let het finish her monologue.

"I'm sorry to hear that?" He ventured, pretty sure that he had the broad strokes of the story. He had come to Ever Grande after hearing that a rogue trainer was attacking challengers on their way to Victory Road and stealing their pokemon.
A most disgusting crime indeed, but to hear that the Champion Herself was behind this egregious violation of league protocol? Zac could hardly stomach it, let alone stand it. 

"That Ooper has a lot to answer for." Zac said, clenching his fists as he looked up the shining, ivory towers of the league glinting at the top of the waterfall.
I bet she's up there right now, sitting on her throne of stolen pokemon and sneering down at this poor trainer. It's not her fault she was weakened by the intense, late-autumn sunlight.  

"It's time that Bailey Ooper was brought to justice. Which way did she run?"

As Chryssa led Zac to the entrance under the waterfall, he puffed up, feeling himself swell with pride and protective instincts. Real trainers help others. He thought, resolutely. CAN help others. 

They were a thin, rocky spur of path that forked off the main road, leading out just under the water level towards the crashing wall of water. The pair tread slowly, following the barely submerged path out across the streaming pool. Zac pulled up short a few feet from the waterfall. He put out his hand. There's something here. Something in the air.

There was a tangible, psychic barrier stopping him from moving forwards. He could feel the presence even from out here. There was something of immense power inside the cave, and they knew he was here. I didn't know Bailey was a psychic user. 

The presence spoke then. Sort of. It communicated with feelings and understanding. Pure connection as opposed to something as simple as language, and in an instant Zac knew what it wanted. 

He saw twelve shadowy forms clashing in a arena cavern, six versus six, battling for either supreme victory or crushing defeat. For all the marbles.

For Pokemon.

Zac swallowed. Was he ready? It didn't matter really, did it. This girl needed him, and he was here, he was this far, and he was a trainer dammit. 

He nodded, accepting the terms, and the psychic pressure eased. Zac walked forward, passing through the barrier. It was like pressing face-first through cling film, and as he passed out the other side his ears popped. 

Spray soaked his clothes from the thundering wall of water, until something pierced the waterfall, drawing it apart like halves of a curtain and revealing the way inside. 
Zac crossed the last few steps of washed stone and stepped into the cavern beyond. Chryssa followed, and together they made their way down a natural stone corridor that emerged into...well, into an arena.

Bounded on three sides by craggy rock formations and on the fourth by a dark pool of deep, cave water, this was the place Zac had seen in Bailey Ooper's psychic invitation.
It was almost regulation size, like a gym battle, only the surface was far from up to code, marked with deep divots and massive stalec...pillars that were almost as wide as Zac was. They broke up line on sight, and would be excellect cover. Perfect for Zappa to hide behind. Zac noted. 

A mental tap on the shoulder pulled Zac's attention to the far end of the cavern, where a squat, lumpy figure wearing aviators sat on a rock chair. It fanned itself, smiling a too-wide grin that revealed about twenty more teeth than Zac thought necessary. 

"Oo-ooper!" Said the Champion, and she held up her first pokeball in a dangling, overhand grip, like a claw machine barely holding onto a prize.

Zac reached for his own first pokemon: Zappa, of course. He looked over to Chryssa. Would she be joining him in the battle? He had assumed they would be fighting together for some reason, but she didn't have any pokemon, did she?

"Go get 'em Zappa!" Zac said, tossing his pokeball out into the arena.
It landed strangely on the uneven floor, bouncing and opening in midair to release his Heliolisk. Zappa looked around the cave, his frill emanating a yellow glow, like sunlight on sand. 

There was a colossal CRUNCH as Ooper sent out Aggron, shattering a section of the cave floor. The iron giant stormed across the cave, smashing against pillars with its metallic bulk as it tracked Zappa's glow.
It spotted the little lizard in earnest and roared, a sound like two tractors colliding in slow motion.

Chunks of rock tore free from the ceiling, plummeting towards Zappa. 
"Get out of there buddy!" Zac called, but the lizard was already moving, zipping between pillars as Aggron followed it's light, dropping a trail of boulders in Zappa's wake. 

"Keep running mate! Don't let him catch you." 
Zappa didn't need this advice, and he climbed up one of the pillars, out of Aggron's reach.
Heliolisk's glow intensified as it drew in light, sucking in the luminance from its surroundings. Zac's electronic lantern blinked out, and did the background glow of Ooper's psychic aura.

The cavern was thrown into darkness. Filled only with the grinding sound of Aggron's movements. 
Then, lightning crashed, out from Heliolisk's frill. For a moment the scene was illuminated in harsh white light. Zappa perched upside down on the pillar, a bolt of electricity busting from his mouth and jumping straight for Aggron's metal body.

Darkness again, and a roar from Aggron. 
Light returned to the cavern, and Zac saw that the attack had only scored a thin burn up Aggron's chest, more a welding line than a wound. 

Ooper pull another pokeball from the folds of her purple champion's poncho. <TO-OGEKISS!> it thought, the word echoing inside Zac's skull. <PLAY RO-OUGH!>  It commanded, and Zac cought a glimpse of shining white feathers as the pokemon soared around the cavern, diving in to harry Zappa, who was clinging to the pillar. Zappa hissed, spraying electricity at the swooping Togekiss and keeping it at bay.

Down below, Aggron charged into the base of the rock formation, shattering the bottom half and sending Zappa scuttling further up and onto the ceiling.

Zac cringed, watching as Togekiss darted in again and again, seeking an opening.
"Hang in there!" He shouted, scrabbling in his bag for a second pokemon.
I'm always behind in this battle. Always on the defensive. Well it's time to attack. Zac's hand closed around his target. and he pulled out the ball, tossing it far into the cave, aiming to get as close to Aggron as possible. 
"Get in there Shin! Smash that metal monster!" 

Rhydon hit the ground running, fists glowing as he tore towards Aggron. Shin hated being late to a fight. 

Okay. A 2v2. I can do this.

"You're slow. Unbelievably slow. Be smart. Be specific. We don’t have the luxury of wasting time.”

It was a harsh blow to Zac's pride, but a necessary one. Delivered moments before the girl had disappeared. In a puff of smoke, no less. There was something magical about Chryssa, in a very real sense. She made Zac wonder where the studio audience was hiding. 

She's right, i'm too slow. Zac thought, grinding his teeth in frustration. It was hard enough keeping the whole battle in perspective without being chided for his lack of skill. I'm not going to get faster halfway through a battle. So what's the point in telling me off?

Togekiss disappeared into the darkened cave ceiling, a puff of silver feathers glinting in the recesses and promising a glorious return. 
Aggron slashed at Rhydon, brutally leveraging his 3:1 horn advantage. Meanwhile, Zac hadn't even started to deal with the Kommo-o-o-o.

I'm slow. But...can I use that? Think Zac, think. If you're going to take too long, at least make it worth it. What's that pile of plates weak too? Dragon? Zac fumbled in his bag and grabbed out a new addition: Clawitzer. 

He hurled the pokeball, not at the marauding Kommo-o, but up high. It ricocheted off of a pillar, and Clawitzer appeared in a flash, wet, red light glistening off of shining scales.
"Hit 'im from above Busta!" Zac shouted, and there was a volley of concussive WHUMP WHUMP noises as the Clawitzer layed down a suppressive fire of DRAGON PULSES.
With a rushed, discordant clang the plated dragon hurled itself behind one of the pillars, letting the blasts slam into the rock, scorching it with dragon fire. 

Up above Togekiss glinted, claws and beak shimmering as the hunter prepared for its terminal descent. Can't run, it'll just follow. Zac thought, as the glow grew, a harsh white light to outshine Zappa's warm saffron. The lizard, for his part, shot ineffective blasts of lightning at the illusive Togekiss. 

It'll follow. Zac thought, his idea coming slowly. Follow. 
Togekiss dropped from the roof, gathering speed as it powered towards Heliolisk. "Zappa! PARABOLIC CHARGE at Aggron! Shin, turn around!"

Zappa merged with his lightning, the thick yellow bolt arcing across the battlefield towards the clashing titans. Togekiss followed, a streak of silver light hot on his tail. it only had eyes for Zappa. 

Rhydon roared, landing a crunching HAMMER ARM on Aggron's metal helm, denting the metal and seing the monster staggering back. 
Shin spin just in time. 
Zappa reaching the zenith of his parabola, shooting past Rhydon in a sizzling arc that sent him slingshotting back the way he had came. The silvery form of Togekiss was blindingly fast, but lacked the agility of the lizard.  

Shin may have been outgunned going hand to hand against the three horned Aggron, but one horn is more than enough to take out a bird. 

With a screech and burst of frantic wings, the Togekiss slammed straight into the ready horn of Rhydon.

And now it was a 3v2.

<DECIDOO-OOEYE!> came the psychic voice of Bailey Ooper, and suddenly the battle was equal again. 

---

Clawitzer uses Dragon Pulse
Rhydon uses Hammer Arm
Heliolisk uses Parabolic Charge
Rhydon uses Drill Run and knocks out Togekiss

"Why keep fighting? Submit. Surrender now, and join us."

What the heck? Zac thought, confused at the strange turn the situation had taken. There was too much happening and he couldn't focus dammit! 
 
The battle was turning for the worse. Worse, it was shifting quickly. Aggron had just taken out his Rhydon, and Decidueye was getting closer to pinning down his BOUNCING Clawitzer with every ethereal arrow.

And now he had to worry about...a betrayal?

Was that her real voice just now? Is she one of those undercover Rocket spies I keep seeing on the news? Zac thought to himself as he returned his fainted Rhydon. Or is she still on my side...somehow...playing the situation back the other way. A double-agent, or whatever. It was all so convoluted, and Zac didn't have the time to figure it out.

"You're slow. Unbelievably slow. Be smart. Be specific. We don’t have the luxury of wasting time.” 
The girl's words echoed in Zac's head as he grabbed in his bag for his fourth pokemon.

He was outnumbered. Behind. Again.  
Play for time Zac. You can't win by getting distracted.  

"Join what?" He asked the accent-less girl. "Your pokemon stealing scheme? And why would I do that?" 
There we go. That'll keep her talking. 

Zac tried to focus on the battle. Even in the moments it had taken to deal with girl the battle had evolved and it took him a second to figure out what was happening.
All three of Ooper's 'mon are grounded. I've got the height advantage. Zac realized, and he picked his next pokemon.
He tossed the ball behind a pillar, and there was a puff of fresh, clean air as Weezing appeared. A relatively recent addition to his team, but one perfect for area control.

"Hit 'em with a STRANGE STEAM buddy. Fill this whole battlefield!"
Glittering pink clouds billowed from Weezing's mouths and top hats, flooding the uneven cavern and enveloping Aggron and Kommo-o.

The weakened titans roared, and there was a jangle of plates as one of them collapsed somewhere in the steam. 

---

Rhydon Fainted
Zac sent out G!Weezing
Weezing used Strange Steam
Kommo-o Fainted

"Do you care for your Pokemon?"

The words came to him through the thin steam, as Zac struggled to see what his own team were doing. Chryssa and Ooper were still canoodling up on the throne, but the elevated platform at least had a little height. Zac pulled himself up a rocky pillar to try and get a view of the fight.

"You tend them, feed them... keep them dependent, keep them trusting."

    Well of course I do! I'm nothing without my pokemon. What is a trainer without his pokemon? Thought Zac, as he got above the steam just in time to a see a massive, flaming ape hurl the Aggron bodily into the wall. 
    In between the twin metallic crunches of Aggron's collision and fall Darmanitan launched itself after Zappa, moving with a speed that belied its bulk and pendulous arms. 
    The Heliolisk scuttled up the wall, firing half-formed bolts at its hunter. 
    Meanwhile, Busta was in a chase of his own, as Decidueye's return fire homed in on the bouncing crustacean, peppering the walls with bolts of ethereal greenery. 

    "Then you send them out to fight your battles, and never fight for theirs."

    Well that's not fair! How am i supposed to fight THAT?! What can I even offer? My strength? How can I compare to what my own Pokemon can do?
She's right in a way. Pokemon are naturally superior to humans. That's why we use them for damn near everything. To do what we can't. What is a trainer without their Pokemon? Just a...person. 
You're doing it again Zac! Focus mate! Zac berated himself. You're in your head when you need to be out on the battlefield!
    A shudder rocked the cavern arena as Darmanitan launched itself at the wall, crunching into the rock halfway up the wall. It dug into the stone with prying, humanoid fingers, and found holds. The beastly pursuer turned its whole torso, hanging from the created crag to search for Zappa. Zac opened his mouth to tell the lizard to run, but it was already halfway across the ceiling. "You're slow," her voice said again, the words still echoing in Zac head. "Unbelievably slow." And what would I say anyway? Zappa watch out? Does he even need me? He's been battling on his own this whole damn fight it seems!
    Trainers without their Pokemon are just people. But Pokemon without their trainers...are still Pokemon.
    Darmanitan threw itself after Zappa, but fell far short of its target. Meanwhile, Clawitzer was still evading the barrage of arrows.

    I need them to fight...but do they need me? 

    <RO-OTATE> Hooted Ooper, and the Darmanitan roared.
    It kicked off one of the pillars and colliding with Clawitzer mid air wrapping one meaty hand around the shrimp's firing claw and pinning it shut. The pair landed at the base of another pillar and Darmanitan slammed the helpless sea creature against the rock.
    Above, Zappa had stopped scuttling, confused by its pursuer's change of targets. Decidueye was ready though, and a dozen bolts of ghostly energy nailed the lizard the ceiling. Heliolisk let out a fading screech, and as the bolts dissapated his limp body fell from the roof into the cloud of pink steam. 

    "ZAPPA!!!" Zac screamed, and he ran into the smoke, only to fall back coughing, his lungs pounding with pain and his own muffled screams. What happened? They had been doing so well without me. Right up until...until their trainer stepped in. Zac had the immediate and almost irresistible urge to smash his head against the nearby rocks in frustration. I'm so bloody dumb.
    
"You're slow. Unbelievably slow."

He reached into his bag and pulled out five Pokeballs. he returned the fainted forms of Zappa, Busta, and Shin. Hitting Zappa's obscured form after a few tries. 
    It was just him and Weezing now, but he still had two Pokemon left. Wittingly or not, Chryssa had given him an opening, and if he acted fast- Zac grit his teeth -if he acted smart he might be able to maintain the numbers advantage for a bit too. It was only a matter of time before Ooper sent out her sixth Pokemon. She would be saving the best for last too.
   Her ace in the hole, and now was the perfect time.
   Just what was she waiting for?

---

Heliolisk Fainted!
Clawitzer Fainted!

     Pink haze swirled around the pillars, obscuring Oscar and Oakley. Ooper's Darmanitan stormed through the mist, searching for more prey to break. Above, Decidueye flitted between shadows, bow nocked and ready. 
     Zac gripped his fifth Pokeball. "Give 'em hell Kev. They're not weak, but neither are you mate." He hurled the ball deep into the mist, and it burst with crimson light. An iron head with a jutting lower jaw rose above the steam. Kev looked around, beady red eyes searching the cave for his opponent. 
    An arrow snapped against his metal hide, and Kev turned. His jagged, snaking form ground against the cave floor, throwing up chips of stone and weak sparks, lighting the mist from within like clouded fireworks. 
    Decidueye nocked and fired in a single motion. The bolt shot from a darkened alcove in the roof of the cave and broke against Kev with a sharp report. Ha! Kev's too tough to be taken down by a few little arrows! Zac thought, and he grinned as another of the shots cracked uselessly against his metal monster. Kev slammed the ground with his body, breaking up the warped floor into chunks. He slapped one of the chunks with his tail, sending a boulder the size of a car flying towards the sniper's nest.     Decidueye leapt out of the way as the rock burst against the ceiling, showing the field in dust and pebbles. Kev hit more of the rocks at the fleeing archer, keeping him on the run. The owl sheltered behind a pillar, but Kev launched himself at the column, shattering it with a titanic headbutt that sent the Decidueye tumbling to the ground in an avalanche of broken stone. The bird didn't get up.
    However all the noise had alerted Darmanitan, and the confused creature leapt from the haze and landed on top of Kev's winding form. The ape hung on to Steelix's metallic juts, and sunk its flaming teeth into the body of the metal snake. The Steelix roared and rolled over, grinding its body across the fallen rocks. Darmanitan leapt free just in time, launching itself through the air with its powerful legs. It landed against the stone wall, humanoid fingers pulling at the stone as it carved a grip. It turned, eyebrows blazing and mouth gleaming with molten steel.
    "Kev! Get outta there buddy! Burrow and wait for my signal!" Zac shouted, and the Steelix into the cavern floor, shovel-shaped head digging a path down into the solid stone.
    Darmanitan leapt after it, following its Kev down into the hole in a rush of flames and gnashing teeth. "Kev! Get back out here!" Zac shouted, but Steelix was deaf to his commands. 
    The ground shuddered and buckled, and the pair burst back into the arena in a spray of molten steel. Darmanitan had torn huge chunks out of Steelix, stripping the metal coating from the rocky form underneath. Kev thrashed weakly, but Darmanitan was as lithe as ever and hurled away from the attack.  
    Zac returned Steelix. The Pokemon was still conscious, but he was unable to bear seeing it hurt so grievously. "I'm sorry mate. Never again," he whispered to the ball, and he slipped it into his inner coat pocket. He reached for ball number six, but Darmanitan was still on its rampage. The shattering of the arena had dispersed a lot of the steam, and the flaming ape had at long last spotted Oscar and Oakley. With a primal roar he leapt at the pair, slamming them to the ground and ripping into them with his metal-soaked mouth. They let out a last spurt of caustic gas and fell still. Zac swiftly returned them too, and was left staring down the unstoppable ape.   
      <ARRRRU-MAAAAAAAAN!> roared the ape. It's victorious call made Zac's blood boil, and stood his hair on end. "Oh yeah? Well it's not over yet! I've had enough of you damn monkeys today!" he roared back at the posturing Darmanitan, and with a mighty throw Zac launched his final Pokeball into the thickest part of the fading smog. 
    A single, bobbing orb of red light appeared. Occluded by the mist, it flickered like a candle carried by an unseen figure. Darmanitan looked over at the glow, which strengthened into a thin, sweeping beam, as if the candle was now enclosed in a lantern. The hellish light approached, its beam cutting through the haze and sweeping up, up, to rest on the face of Darmanitan. The ape flinched, squinting at the light. the lantern flashed, transforming the smoke into a cloud of sickly red. Nothing happened, and Darmanitan roared. <ARRRRU-MAAAAAAAAN!>
It called, spit and flame flying at the new challenger.
    A sphere of vibrant yellow crackled into being, orbiting its steady red brother. For the flaming ape this was the last straw, and taunted by the glowing, twisting lights Darmanitan launched forward. Jaws aflame, it gnashed down on the yellow sphere, which burst in the ape's mouth with a sound like a muffled thunderclap. Darmanitan's crimson fur exploded outwards in a stinking, gray puff, and the beast let out a howl of fury. It hurled itself toward the light, deeper into the mists. Club-arms swung at the light, ever missing, until suddenly it went out. 
    Lost in the mist, the shadows pressed in. The great ape whirled, eyebrows flaming. <ARUU-> the roar was cut off by a shrouded fist, which slammed into the back of the ape's head. Darmanitan's jaws clapped shut as he jolted forward, and he spun, fists swinging but catching only smoke. Another ghost fist struck from above, driving him down into the shattered floor.
    The ape started to rise, slats of stone sliding as he pushed himself up onto one elbow. The beast let out a ragged, steaming breath before he slumped, giving up. His eyebrows dim to charcoal, and he rested in the ruins of the cave.

---

Zac sent out Steelix
Decidueye used RAZOR LEAF
Steelix used SMACK DOWN
Steelix used ROCK HEAD
Decidueye Fainted
Darmanitan used Fire Fang
Darmanitan used Fire Fang
Steelix Fainted
Zac sent out Dusclops
Dusclops used Future Sight
Dusclops used Thunder Punch
Dusclops used Shadow Punch
Darmanitan Fainted