"Yes he is!" Came a strong, cheerful voice from across from Hideo, two pairs of steps approaching the youth. One possessed a long, firm and confident stride. The other was the pitter patter of small paws and excess energy.

"Hideo, correct?" The man said, the sound of clothes crinkling coming next. When he spoke next, it was as if he was face level with the boy. "I am Gwyar Wledig, and this is Raki! A pleasure to fight alongside you, lad!"

The man extended his hand towards the boy as Raki's yips filled the air, the Riolu eagerly waving at the boy and his Ambipom.

---

TAG: Hideo Kino

Hideo could hear that cheerful voice immediately. Sounded like it was from an adult, a guy notably older than he was, but not old-old. Hideo raised his hand, waving to the man. “Yup, I’m Hideo! And this is-” “Pom!” “-yes, Pom.” She always was the overeager type.

Pom waved her hands, using one of her tail-hands to guide Hideo’s hand over to the man’s to accept the handshake, while the other tail-hand would find itself on the Riolu’s head, giving him a light headpat.

Once his hand met Gwyar’s, Hideo accepted the handshake, noting the man had pretty big hands. Must have been a big guy.

“So with introductions out of the way,” the Rotomdex said, floating up between Hideo and Gwyar, “Looks like our opponents are ready too. They got a Quagsire and an Appletun. The Quagsire’s an Unaware one, so that might be a problem for Pom, but the Appletun just has some Thick Fat. Quaggy there’s got a lot of close-range attacks, and the Apple’s got mostly ranged stuff.”

“Gotcha.” Hideo was already thinking through who’d focus on who, noting that they had speed on their side. “Pom’s good at distracting, so she can make an opening for Raki.” He turned towards his opponents, ready to fight. “Pom, let’s start off with a Swift!”

Pom nodded, rushing to her spot in the arena. With a swipe of one of her tail-hands, a flurry of stars flew towards their opponents. Both took the hit, though not particularly bad hits. It was mainly just to get their attention, and it already got the Appletun’s, who spat out some Apple Acid in retaliation.

“Ech,” the Rotomdex said, its digital face cringing at the sight, “I hate it when they vomit like that.”

Fortunately, Hideo didn’t have to order a dodge; he knew Pom was already moving out of the way the second it was spat out.

Pom used Swift against the Quagsire and Appletun, hitting them both.

The Appletun used Apple Acid on Pom, but it missed.

Gwyar Wledig

Raki leaned his head against Pom's tail-palm cheerfully as Gwyar nodded at the Rotom.

"Indeed, it is time to begin! Raki! You remember what I said, yes?" The man said as he stood back up to his full height, glancing down at the small Riolu

The dog nodded with a determined expression on his face, before jumping into the field, squaring up for a match.

"Understood, Hideo." Gwyar said, before turning his gaze to Raki. "Paying attention, Raki?"

The little dog nodded, his gaze focused on the opponents. As Pom started things off with a barrage of stars, the Riolu burst into motion, body vibrating with energy as he rushed towards the opponent. He leaped high as the acid came-

And then replied by opening up his own maw, unleashing his own Apple Acid upon the enemy's Quagsire, a screech leaving the large pokemon as it found itself unexpectedly assaulted by a Riolu with a grass type move.

"Hn. Good move!" Gwyar praised the little dog, crossing his arms over his chest and... otherwise doing nothing. No instructions, no strategizing, no nothing.

---

TAG: Hideo Kino

“Oh Arceus a Riolu should not be doing that too,” the Rotomdex exclaimed, visibly cringing at what move the Roliu chose to Copycat. It floated towards a visibly-confused Hideo, whispering to the boy; “Riolu there copied that Appletun’s Apple Acid and hit the Quagsire. Now the Quagsire’s looking kinda miffed.”

“Nice one!” Hideo said, facing towards his partner and offering a thumbs-up. No hint of disgust from him.

With the battle well under way, it was time to strategize. “Pom? You know what to do.” The wide grin on the Ambipom’s face grew wider, given the freedom to battle as she wanted. Which was good, because their opponent’s would probably catch on to her plan if Hideo was shouting it out constantly.

She ran towards the middle of the arena on all fours, stopping when she’d gotten the attention of the two opposing Pokemon again. She turned around, her tails wagging in the air as she held their attention, their eyes following her Tail Whip as she let out a mocking, “Pom~ Pom~ Ambipom~”. Even the two opposing trainers were distracted for a brief moment - before the Quasire’s trainer ordered it to attack.

Pom turned back to see what was coming at her. An “Ambipoblrghghghg,” come from her as the Water Gun hit her right in the face, pushing her back a good couple meters.

Once the stream was over, she looked back up, her grin ever-present, a little hurt but showing no signs of slowing down.

Pom used Tail Whip against the Quagsire and Appletun.

The Quasire used Water Gun on Pom.

Gwyar Wledig

Gwyar sent Hideo back a thumbs up. It was the thought that counted.

Raki was quick on the uptake, taking advantage of Pom's distraction and zooming across the field at high speed, masking his approach through their opponents' blind side.

Grinding to a halt directly under the water gunning Quagsire, the dog suddenly leapt up and rammed his knee into the water type's
open maw, slamming it closed while pressurized water continued to come forth, quickly filling the Quagsire's cheeks before it was forced open by the pressure, almost as if it had choked up.

The water type flailed, falling on its back on the floor as Raki grinned. Success!

Bonk.

A moment later, the Riolu's body bounded across the field, bouncing off the floor several times before grinding to a face planting halt in front of Pom, having been properly headbutted by the enemy Appletun.

"Don't get cocky- Stay alert." Was all Gwyar offered in response, crossing his arms over his chest as Raki leapt back up to is feet, growling as he rubbed his bruised side.

---

TAG: Hideo Kino

“Raki there got a nice hit!” the Rotomdex announced, bringing a smile to Hideo’s face. But that was soon followed by an audible *bonk*, followed by the Rotomdex saying, “Aaaand he’s sent back to Pom. The Appletun covered the Quagsire there.”

“Gotcha.” By the time Raki had gotten back up, the Quagsire had too. As far as Hideo could tell, their teams were pretty close in terms of power - with his side being a bit weaker, but more skilled. He spoke quietly, so only Gwyar could hear him. “I guess the Quagsire is the weaker between them...we can go for them first.”

Back to a volume his Pokemon could hear. “Pom! Get in close!”

Pom happily nodded, rushing straight towards the Quagsire. The Quagsire’s trainer saw it coming, ordering her Pokemon to use a stronger attack, a Brick Break, to keep her back. Pom was fast, getting in close as the Quagsire’s hand glowed bright...

And the Quasire received a tail-handful of sand to the face, the Sand Attack forcing it to close its eyes. Forced to aim where it last saw her, it struck, unaware Pom had already shifted to the side. The attack missed her completely, and now she was in striking range.

And more importantly, she was keeping the Quagsire between her and the Appletun.

Pom used Sand Attack against the Quagsire.

Quagsire used Brick Break against Pom, but it missed.

Gwyar Wledig

Raki's eyes flashed as Pom threw sand in the Quagsire's eye. He dashed across the field on all fours, body low to the floor as he reduced the distance himself and the opponent to nothing.

The Appletun saw him coming however, its eyes flashing as it opened its maw wide to unleash yet another mass of Apple Acid upon the approaching dog.

Raki responded by pushing off the soil with his arms, somersaulting over the blow and sailing high in the air, arm raised high- before he brought it crashing down on the back of the Quagsire's... neck-ish area in a clean neck chop!

The Quagsire's legs buckled as its eyes nearly rolled to the back of its skull, stumbling forward onto its... knees(?) before it arms came down to stop it short. Its eyes wobbled in place, disoriented. Its great bulk and... anatomy had kept it from getting anime'd.

"Wonderfully executed maneuever- but it required an understanding of your opponent's anatomy you do not possess, Raki."

---

-Raki used Copycat. Raki used Brick Break!
TAG: Hideo Kino

The Quagsire was reeling, struggling to withstand the assault from the twin-tailed monkey and the bipedal dog. Though the chop wasn't a critical hit, it gave Pom the perfect opening.

She circled behind the Quagsire, scaling up its back until she was up to where its "neck" was. Holding on with her tail-hands like she were getting a piggyback ride, she got up nice and close to one of its ears - and let out an ear-piercing Screech that put the Quagsire on its last legs, desperately trying to reach back to throw her off.

Just as Pom was ready to take it out, her face met with a stream of large seeds. She loosened her grip, letting herself drop off the Quagsire so she could get away from the Appletun's Bullet Seeds.

Rubbing her now-sore face, she looked up to see the dazed Quagsire looking right at her, very unhappy.

But she had a smile on her face, for she knew this meant that once again, both of her opponents had their attention on her, and not on her partner.

Pom used Screech on the Quagsire.

The Appletun used Bullet Seed on Pom.

Gwyar Wledig

Just as Pom predicted, Raki was there to pick up the crumbs she had laid, leaping onto the Quagsire's face and latching his palms firmly onto his skull before his chest suddenly inflated greatly.

A moment later, a barrage of Bullet Seeds was unleashed into the water-ground type's face, again and again, until its knees buckled and its entire body lurched forward, Raki leaping off to land behind it as it collapsed to the floor, fainted.

Grinning wide, Raki held out a palm towards Pom as the Appletun took a step back, doubt filling it as it suddenly found itself outnumbered.

"Well done."

---

-Raki used Copycat. Raki used Bullet Seed!
TAG: Hideo Kino

Good. It was all falling into place. Pom was thankful that Raki made sure the Quagsire wouldn’t risk falling on her - not that she wasn’t ready for it.

“I’ll never understand how Copycat works,” the Rotomdex commented, once again disgusted by Raki’s display. "And I never want to."

“But it works,” Hideo retorted, “And sounds like we only got the Appletun left.” He raised his voice so Pom could hear him: “Pom! You’re going great! Now get the Appletun!  Get nice and close!”

Pom nodded, standing back up and rushing towards their last opponent on all fours. Though the Appletun had faltered for a moment, encouragement from its trainer kept it from panicking. It stood up on its hind legs, its forelegs glowing as it stomped the ground.

The effect wasn’t immediate, but Pom and Raki would soon feel the sand start to shake underneath them, the Appletun’s Earthquake triggering. Pom had to go on all-fours to keep her footing, but she was able to maneuver without getting hit by too much sand.

And once she got close enough, her two tails went straight for the Appletun, each delivering their portion of a Double-Slap.

The Appletun used Earthquake

Pom used Double-Slap

Gwyar Wledig

The Appletun reeled back as two slaps smacked at its cheeks, making it reel back and squeal as it realized its Earthquake had failed.

Its gaze snapped upwards as a shadow swept over it, barely managing to see a blurring silhouette move beyond the reach of its eyes before something crashed atop it, making its belly hit the floor as its legs buckled under the force.

Raki grinned cockily from were his perch atop the Appletun's Pie-shaped back, grinning at Pom before offering a hand out towards her.

---

-Raki used quick attack.
-Raki used Helping Hand.
TAG: Hideo Kino

Pom smiled, watching her ally sneak up and land right on the Appletun. It kept their opponent down and easy to target, not to mention too dazed to stop her.

And how could she not attack, when Raki was so kind as to extend her a Helping Hand? Right as she gained access to her strongest attack?

She ran to the Appletun’s side, pushing herself into the air and meeting with Raki’s hand, drawing in the power of his Helping Hand. A bright aura surrounded her body, quickly coalescing in the two of her tail-hands.

She came back down, balling her glowing tail-hands together. She completed her front-flip by smashing her massive fist into the Appletun’s head. Stars erupted from her Last Resort striking true, the apple dragon knocked silly.

But somehow, still standing. If only barely.

Pom used Last Resort

Gwyar Wledig

It didn't last long standing, however.

A blur rushed in from the side at high speed and body checked the dragon a moment later, sending it crashing into the wall were it slumped onto the floor, knocked out.

Raki held his pose for a moment, before slowly standing back up straight, grinning as he dragged his paw atop his nose.

"And that's a wrap." Gwyar said with a clap of his hands, a smile on his lips. "That went terrifically well, wouldn't you say?"

Raki threw back his head and laughed boisterously, rather proud of their clean sweep of a victory as he ran up to Pom, holding out his hand for another hi-five.

"Well done, Young Hideo. I must apologize- I we might have to pull your weight, but clearly, I was foolish to judge prematurely." He said, cupping his chin.

He was way too old to be judging by appearances, honestly. What had he been thinking...?

---

-Raki used quick attack.
-We win.
TAG: Hideo Kino