GWYAR'S GYM LOG

HOENN'S SWORD AND SHIELD

GWYAR WILL FIND THE ARENA PAINFULLY BORING. It’s plain, standardized to a tee. It’s only defining trait is the lack of—devoid of personality, creating with a corporate need to push efficiency rather than personalized flavor.

When he steps up to the challenger’s stand a robotic voice booms over the P.A. system.

“Welcome to the Battle Frontier! Today’s challenge will be the Sword and Shield challenge!”

A mechanical whirl sounds off as tiles from the roofing come apart. An odd appliance resembling a pitching machine drops down from the hole and ejects two Pokeballs.

“The rules for this challenge are as follows: each trainer will use two Pokemon at a time until both are unable to battle.”

To no surprise, the aforementioned Aegliash and Golurk appear on the field.

Gwyar Wledig

Impressive only in its brutalist architecture, the man couldn't help but think it suited a CEO rather well.

As his opponents appeared, the man couldn't help the dissappointment he felt when he realized he wouldn't have the privilege of being fought by FERNANDO SILPH himself.

Well, no use in focusing on that. He threw his own pokemon into the field, the Delphox and Empoleon taking their spots and staring at their opponents, waiting for his command.

Despite the name of the challenge, the man knew neither pokemon was truly suited to be nothing more than a shield. Specially the one actually shaped like one.

Either way, his pokemon already knew how to handle themselves.

"Fight." He ordered simply, and both acted. The Empoleon charged forth, arms waving through the air in bizarre arcs. The Delphox meanwhile generated focused her power as she weaved her magic wand, generating a massive sphere of darkness from the shadows in the room before launching it towards the Aegislash.

---

-Empoleon is charging forth, using Swords Dance.
-Delphox is using Shadow Ball on Aegislash.
TAG: FERNANDO SILPH

GWYAR'S GYM LOG

HOENN'S SWORD AND SHIELD

“BATTLE ROUTINE SET.”

Fernando’s voice booms through the intercom as Gwyar brings his Pokemon out and onto the field.

“Execute!”

The SWORDS DANCE goes unchallenged. It is the SHADOW BALL that draw the focus of both ghost types. It buzzes toward the Aegislash which quickly STANCE CHANGES into its KING’S SHIELD. Meanwhile, Golurk charges forward with an impressive and increasing speed as its HIGH HORSEPOWER charge is sure to knock down anything in its path.

Gwyar Wledig

King's Shield; exactly what Gwyar had expected.

It was what made the Swords Dance so important.

The Empoleon's dance was uninterrupted as the distance between itself and the giant grew less.

A flash of burning violet, and the Empoleon suddenly leaptoff its path at high speeds, corkskrewing across the air towards the Aegislash as the living shield's erected barrier repelled the Shadow Ball and disappeared, an earthy brown energy covering the edge of its steel finns.

The burning violet turned out to be a will-o-wisp; The Delphox had used the Empeoleon's swiftly advancing frame as cover, until the borderline live flames had bursted into a violet spray of flames, intent on capturing the Golurk before it could stop its charge.

---

-Empoleon is using a Swords Dance Empowered Drill Run on Aegislash.
-Delphox is using Will-o-Wisp on Golurk.
TAG: FERNANDO SILPH

GWYAR'S GYM LOG

HOENN'S SWORD AND SHIELD

THERE IS NO STOPPING ITS CHARGE. Attack or not, the Golurk continues to pick up velocity as it ramps into a full on charge toward the Delphox. WILL-O-WISP flames brush against the brute but they are dispelled after leaving their marks, nothing more than a mild inconvenience.

But the Golurk is not alone. The Empoleon charges forth with its DRILL RUN and manages to strike something. But that something is not Aegislash. Or, at least, not currently. Discarded steel from its AUTOTOMIZE serves as both a shield and distraction as the Pokemon disappears in a flurry of strikes. AERIAL ACE is used not to attack but as a maneuver to go around the Empoleon and pursue the Golurk, keeping pace as the two distance themselves from one opponent and toward the other.

Gwyar Wledig

The Delphox's gained a smile as the giant took on the will-o-wisp without putting any resistance, the fire spreading over its form to leave its mark- A minor inconvenience.

And then, she raised her wand in the air and flicked.

The wisps flared to life, its ominous purple gleaming over the titan's body as it coiled over its limbs with a solid, material presence.

A burning one as well.

Utilizing her finely honed psychic capabilities, she could take hold of her wisps- and infuse them with an influx of power. Temperature swiftly rising towards... 5,400 degree Fahrenheit according to bulbapedia, they tightened around the firmly around the Golurk, intent on impeding its charge.

Though slowing it down alone should be enough.

A booming sound echoed across the arena as something sailed through the air at high speed, zooming after and swiftly catching up to both enemy pokemon like a watery bullet, moving to strike the back of the Titan's knee.

---

-Delphox is... doing its thing on Golurk.
-Empoleon is using a Swords Dance Empowered Aqua Jet.

TAG: FERNANDO SILPH

GWYAR'S GYM LOG

HOENN'S SWORD AND SHIELD

THERE IS NO STOPPING ITS CHARGE. Magic tricks may tie up others but Fernando’s Golurk has practiced this routine too many times to count. Once the PSYCHIC powers come into play, the titan struggles, for only a split second, before it becomes ethereal. The speed of its HIGH HORSEPOWER is so drastic that the Pokemon forcibly tears into a PHANTOM FORCE, disappearing into a portal of vile, ghastly energy.

Unattended, the Aegislash follows suit. It cannot enter the same portal nor the same plane, but it also creeps into disappearing in the aftermath of the PHANTOM FORCE. The shadows casted by those on the field as well as the remnants of the portal, expand, shifting as the Aegislash travels within.

The Aegislash reappears suddenly, unable to maintain its shadowy form for long, behind the Delphox. Its cloth like appendage glows with a purple energy as it looks to wring the Pokemon’s neck with its completed SHADOW SNEAK.

Underneath Delphox, from the very floor itself, the PHANTOM FORCE appears. Inside, the Golurk hurdles upwards, continuing its HIGH HORSEPOWER by flying at incredible speeds. From a spectator’s view, the combination looks coincidental, as if the Aegislash looks to hold the target in place for the Golurk’s sudden reprisal.

A history of Gym Challenges says otherwise.

Gwyar Wledig

The fox's palms are brought together as the hex attempts to snare the giant, the shadows of the room gathering between her palms. For a split second the snare does something, before the titan abandons one plane for another, revealing her oncomming partner behind it.

With no obstacles in its path, there was nothing but a straight line for the Aqua Jet'ing Empoleon to take. Its eyes and the fox's meet as a shadow rises behind the fox, prompting a signal from the Penguin.

As the Aegislash reappears behind Vivian, the fox ducks low under the other's grip, energy crackling between her palms as Tiberius flies over her, crashing into the overextended Aegislash in a rush of water before opening its maw to unleashe a powerful hydro pump at point blank.

Low to the floor, she can see as the portal opens beneath her.

She drives her shadow ball into the portal with a crackling boom, detonating it directly across the Golurk's head before being ragdolled by its rushing form, her body slapping across the ceiling before falling back to the floor with a thud.

Psychic energy gathered around her as she picked herself up, hovering over the floor while nursing some unspecified anime injury, panting raggedly.

---

-Empoleon, Swords Dance boosted Aqua Jet to Hydro Pump on Aegislash.
-Delphox used Shadow Ball on Golurk.
-Delphox is very hurt.
TAG: FERNANDO SILPH

GWYAR'S GYM LOG

HOENN'S SWORD AND SHIELD

EMPOLEON JETTISONS STRAIGHT INTO THE AEGISLASH. The weight of the flightless bird pins the Pokemon down just long enough to power wash it clean.

The SHADOW BALL crosses into the PHANTOM FORCE as it opens. Ghastly plasma crackles against he Golurk’s heavy frame but it takes more force than that to divert it off it’s path.

One for one—an exchange of damage and precarious positions. The lack of a trainer, and therefore emotions, on the Gym Leader’s end leaves both Pokemon to pick themselves up. Their bout lasts without words of encouragement. They know better.


What it comes down is to a single Pokemon each. Whittled down to their last reserves, Fernando’s Golurk hums in anticipation of fainting at the next attack.

To no surprise, it repeats the same battle tactic. The speed of its HIGH HORSEPOWER rips through the very fabric of space as a PHANTOM FORCE is torn open. It fades from existence, traveling in a parallel realm, surfacing once it feels confident it can land a fatal blow.

Gwyar Wledig

GWYAR'S GYM LOG: SILPH BADGE

Vs: FERNANDO SILPH

The battle did not last much longer after the initial exchange. Minutes passed and before long, both Delphox and Aegislash were down for the count, leaving their bruised companions to finish the fight.

The one advantage the knight's Empoleon had over the ground-type, however... was that his trainer was actually there to seize the reigns as needed.

"Mist." Boomed Gwyar's voice across the battle chamber.

Like a machine, the Empoleon snapped to action immediately, its maw opening wide to unleash a blanket of white around it, painting the arena a hazy white.

A silence settled for but a brief moment-

And a shrill rocketing sound filled the air, before a booming clang rocked the chamber.

The shockwave blasted away the cool blanket of mist, revealing the scene hidden.

Empoleon panted heavily, its Iron fin dented as it stepped away from the Golurk's head.

"Well done." Gwyar praised.

---

Bingo Prompt: "Ground Type"

GWYAR'S GYM LOG

HOENN'S SWORD AND SHIELD

THE BUZZER RINGS. Somewhere between the echoing cacophony of a finished match Fernando’s Golurk is returned to its Pokeball. An announcement to return to the front is issued over the PA system.

At the front desk, the attendant will congratulate Gwyar with the SILPH BADGE.

“Congratulations, trainer!”

Gwyar Wledig

GWYAR'S GYM LOG: SILPH BADGE

Vs: FERNANDO SILPH

Gym Leaders were supposed to be the test that pushed trainers to go beyond blunt, overwhelming force, beyond simple type advantages or status spam.

Mr. FERNANDO SILPH was something else, though. Even without being present, his pokemon were trained to be frighteningly efficient all on their own.

Just like Gwyar's! Now he wanted to meet the man even more than before- he wondered what his approach was!

"Thank you kindly." The man said to the receptionist as he grasped the badge, looking it over for a moment before smiling. "Say, does Mr. Silph come by the gym regularly?"

Might as well ask.

---

Bingo Prompt: "Blunt Force"