SILPH VS LOPEZ

WHEN SANDBAGGERS TRYHARD

WHEN THE HAIL ENDS SO DOES ANY SEMBLANCE OF HOPE THEY HAVE LEFT. Left exposed on the beach sand, the Flareon has no issues with assaulting it with repeated fire attacks. BURNS singe its cerulean skin until Fernando recalls it, allowing the Pokemon to whittle away at the opponent’s health until it actually faints.

By his measure, they’ve barely put a dent in the opponent’s stamina. Kyle’s Pokemon should be still raring to go, almost untouched if not for the HAIL. Fortunately, this next pick should rectify that.

“Tch. We’re just going to repeat this aren’t we?”

He can’t settle on whether to frown or smirk considering how back-and-forth the battle seems to teeter. The fact that is seems to flow based off their choices means that allowing Kyle to seize an early lead means victory behind another hurdle. No matter. The sense of challenge is what invigorates him into actually battling instead of sandbagging.

“You’re up!”

A sand colored Tyranitar enters the field, kicking up a sandstorm with its SAND STREAM. Once weather condition is exchanged for another as the Pokemon stomps in place. Several STONE EDGE pillar juts from underneath, serving as the perfect spike should Kyle’s Pokemon accept being the volleyball.

kyle lopez

SILPH VS LOPEZ

WHEN SANDBAGGERS TRYHARD

“YOU’RE RIGHT.”

The FOCUS BLAST lands a clean blow against the mighty Tyranitar. Without the SAND STREAM, the Pokemon has no other advantage in the less than accommodating sandpit. It devolves into contest of who can weather the most damage while dishing out their own in turn.

“HYPER BEAM!”

Fernando succumbs to the inevitable. If his Pokemon shall fall then they will do so only after being beaten into submission. Until then, the sport becomes a game of how hard he can press Kyle until the scales tip beyond his control. There’s no one else he’d rather raise hell against.





“Adequate. That went better than expected, all things considered.”

Fernando recalls his defeated Tyranitar from the war scorn battlefield. Several pillars of uncovered sandstone remain on the field, disheveled by an EARTHQUAKE meant to disrupt their footing while also supplying his Pokemon with ammunition for its STONE EDGE.

Thankfully, his next choice won’t have to worry about the state of the terrain. An Alolan Raichu takes the field, levitating in place, as its tail works as a makeshift hoverboard.

“Prepare yourself, Lopez.”

That’s the cue for it to take off. It speed toward the opponent with a WILD CHARGE, looking to paralyze it with a sudden burst of THUNDER WAVE.

kyle lopez

SILPH VS LOPEZ

WHEN SANDBAGGERS TRYHARD

“HMPH!”

Fernando’s indignation travels across the field to slap at Kyle’s lack of care. While the match features very little surprises their execution makes it more than entertaining for spectators. Trainers of their caliber have their trainer react accordingly, a well formed game of chess and trading pieces based off type advantages and tactics employed.

But that’s about to change.

“Battle routine alter!”

Fernando adjusts his battle strategy when he hears Kyle’s command. Pairing that with the Tyranitar makes the outcome predictable. Should it land, the pace will continue with one advantage taking down the other.

“Concave!”

The Raichu immediately floats upwards, using the caving STONE EDGE as a makeshift tidal wave. As the DARK PULSE misses below, they ripple off the faster-than-sound stone, sending the attack right back at their source.

kyle lopez

SILPH VS LOPEZ

WHEN SANDBAGGERS TRYHARD

NO FUCKING WAY. Fernando’s eyes goes wide as the signature move is reversed with one simple word. Of course! For every action there is a reaction; an opposite to reverse the strengths of the original.

The DARK PULSE bounces off the surface of the dish and shoots the Raichu out of the sky. It struggles to get back up but does so with some strain.

“I can’t believe it,” Fernando mutters out of disbelief. The sheer audacity of it causes him to break out in laughter.

“I suppose you’ve seen it before then. Fine.”



“Tch.”

Fernando recalls the fainted Alolan Raichu once the Tyranitar beats it into submission. Even though Kyle’s countered him several minutes ago, it doesn’t deter his plan. Instead of relying on his B-team, Fernando unleashes one of his aces.

“FRITZ FREEZE!”

When his Glalie hit the field it immediately reverses the SANDSTORM with a convoluted mixture of every ice type move it knows. The affect are astounding, to the point that it’s indescribable.

kyle lopez

SILPH VS LOPEZ

WHEN SANDBAGGERS TRYHARD

ON PAPER, the attack just looks silly. But in practice it’s nigh unbeatable.

Fernando watches helplessly as the Tyranitar cancels everything the Glalie can throw at it. Its silver sprayed tail starts to blur as the speed of its spin multiples, accelerating on the pivot of its heel. Staring too long at the spectacle proves blinding, living up to its name as the sunlight gets warped by its reflective surface.

“Fuck.”

Fernando bites his thumb in frustration as tries to derive a way to pierce an impenetrable defense.

And then inspiration strikes.

“Return.”

MISTY TERRAIN poofs in an explosion as his signature Glalie is returned to its Pokeball. Instead, he relies on Tapu Fini to takes its place, summoned from the excessive use of his basic Avatar powers.

“Tapu Fini. End this.”

The Pokemons eyes glow as it taps into its ancestral power. It has taken years of pirated research to acquire these powers but the inclination the Tapu has for its hidden bloodline come to actualization.

“STORM SPLASH.”

The fury of the Slateport ocean itself comes down onto the battlefield, looking to wash away both Fernando’s enemies and Kyle’s unstoppable win streak. Maybe, just maybe, this power will be the deliverance of the Champion first loss.

kyle lopez

SILPH VS LOPEZ

WHEN SANDBAGGERS TRYHARD

THAT’S HOW HE KNOWS HE’S TURNING THE TIDES OF BATTLE. When Kyle has to resort to straight up denial in the face of a textbook published technique etched into the history of Sootopolis, it means he has little left to deride Fernando’s high. That should be game, set, and match. All he has to do is let the wave of his Tapu Fini’s strength wash them out.

Until the Zeraora comes out. He’s familiar with the species, having two of his own, but he still counts the advantage as his. The electric attacks will prove more effective than anything else he has in his repertoire, but he underestimates Tapu Fini’s fury.

Unbeknownst to Fernando, as soon as the first strike lands, the Zeraora will feel the CURSE of Tapu Fini’s MISTY TERRAIN. It clambers into its shell, expelling a thicker stream of MISTY TERRAIN that conforms into a loosely made out shape. The usage of this MISTY TERRAIN saps its potency, allowing the PLASMA FIST to PARALYZE it but it doesn’t matter.

The GUARDIAN OF ALOLA acts independently of Tapu Fini. As it stands tall, it aims its fist before unfurling a tsunami of fae energies over the field.

kyle lopez