LULU VS FERNANDO

A TURN OF TIDES

“I KNOW.”

He repeats the phase both knowing and not. He has no inkling that she’s managed to break free from his mold. But, even with his forced persona held over her he knows about her ‘secret’ obligations. The pieces fall in line, enough to paint a picture, but the most important one still eludes his puzzle.

“But I missed you,” and he means it genuinely. The way his smile sinks as she cuts straight to the point kills the otherwise warm smile that pleads with her to join him.

But duty comes first.

“Well, Lulu, show me what a trainer with two badges can do.”

His own Pokeballs are tossed in return. A Smeargle, Umbreon, Gyarados come out. Two of these are his more seasoned Pokemon while one is more of a probe to gauge her reaction. She won’t flinch at first but when the reveal happens, it’ll verify something else he’s been prodding at.

“Win, and we’ll make that three badges. Lose? We hit the showers. Tonight.”

Lulu Flint

LULU VS FERNANDO

A TURN OF TIDES

THE STORM THAT BREWS REMAINS INVISIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE. Fernando makes his stand in the eye of her hurricane of inner turmoil, none the wiser. Her response, while curt, is nothing out of the ordinary for those swept up by the festivities' innate sense of competition. He too succumbs.

“Battle routine set!”

The Blaziken has already taken off. Even Fernando’s words can’t carry out actions as fast as the Pokemon moves.

“Execute!”

The SKY UPPERCUT lands and sends the Umbreon into the air, crumpled up as its back juts out form the sudden blow to its stomach. There’s little it can do until its fellow Smeargle casts a SPOTLIGHT on Fernando’s Gyarados. Blinding light erupts from its tail, erasing the Umbreon from their eyes as the world goes white. The only spot untouched by the blinding light is where his Gyarados resides.

A FEINT ATTACK comes as the Umbreon tries to contort itself in mid-air. Without a proper foothold, the Pokemon can’t do much more than squirm, but that, coupled with the sudden veil of intense brightness, is able to evade the SKY ATTACK. Even if it’s just sheer dumb luck.

That’s about the most the Smeargle can do as it remains suspended into the air.

Fernando’s Gyarados lets out a ferocious roar as it tries to INTIMIDATE those that dare confront it. A single cannon of pressurized water comes up as the Pokemon vomits the HYDRO PUMP at the Shadow Alakazam.

Lulu Flint

LULU VS FERNANDO

A TURN OF TIDES

NO PROTECT. No nothing. Whatever technique the Alakazam had used remains unknown as Fernando raises an eyebrow at the futility of his attack. But he has little time to concentrate on such details as the battle continues.

The MIRROR MOVE proves a perfect replica but largely in effective. High speed water splashes against the Gyarados’ scales but it hurts no more than a strong punch—still painful but far from as effective as it would’ve been on anyone else.

It is the FRUSTRATION that makes up for their firepower. Such an attack belies the strength of the Shadow Pokemon, forces the Gyarados backwards as it recoils in pain. Its long neck rears around in an anguished cry before calling down THUNDER onto the Alakazam’s position.

Meanwhile, Fernando’s Umbreon sticks its landing on all fours. The feline lets out a spiteful hiss, glowing runes flashing before it spits out a vile TOXIC toward the Blaziken.

His Smeagle remains nowhere to be found. The moment the Alakazam released its PSYCHIC, the Pokemon fell into its own SHADOW FORCE, slipping into another plane of existence.

Lulu Flint

LULU VS FERNANDO

A TURN OF TIDES

THE ALAKAZAM’S STRATEGY GOES AMISS AT FIRST. Even if Fernando is able to put one and one together, is it worth the cost? When Lulu calls out for the next move, he’s able to piece together the circumstance. Definitely witty, and almost commendable, but he reserves such critiques and compliments for after their match.

Her attempt to riddle Fernando’s Pokemon with status conditions escalates into a heavy advantage. His noticeable lack of MISTY TERRAIN spells his undoing. But that’s fine. He still sees a sliver of victory before him and allows the battle to play out.

His Umbreon lets out a terrible SCREECH when Blaziken soaks it in TOXIC bile. Its pain fuels the scream that continues without end. Its tail shakes furiously as Fernando covers his own ears to dampen the noise.

THUNDER continues to course up above. Flashes of lightning hint at their potency before another bolt descends onto where Shadow Alakazam teleport to.

Lulu Flint

LULU VS FERNANDO

A TURN OF TIDES

EYES GO WIDE WHEN THE NOCTOWL STEALS FROM HIS PLAYBOOK. If anyone understands the depravity that comes from a SHATTERED PSYCHE, it’s him. Such a move turns the tides of battle instantly. His Gyarados is rendered unable to battle, comatose.

“Now!”

His command comes from desperation. Lulu pulls out all stops way too quickly. The battle turns from a toss up into a one sighted slaughter all too quickly. That’s why he commandeers their autonomy with a single call.

His Umbreon sudden lights up with CONFUSE RAY. Refracted sunlight will render it blinding. The runic glow fades under an intense white light that spreads, devouring all in a sudden expanse of emptiness.

And under the covers of the sudden flash comes his Smeargle. The SHADOW FORCE allows it to jump into this plane of existence from behind Lulu’s Pokemon. Its tail drips with a pitch black ink before it draws a small circle.

The sudden white light becomes an endless black. She should recognize the DARK VOID that swallows the field. Every Pokemon caught in the sudden domain will feel their consciousness fade as SLEEP overcomes those without a means out.

Lulu Flint

LULU VS FERNANDO

A TURN OF TIDES

“…”

Fernando’s not sure what he had been fishing for. Using the DARK VOID was sure to elicit some type of reaction. For most, the attack is an existence that transcends the scale of known moves. Most stare in awe or mystified. Lulu seems pleased instead, confident, as the attack fails.

That tells him all he needs to know.

As the Alakazam TELEPORTS out of the way, it’s met with a sudden dash from his Umbreon. The Psychic hunter follows with ease, in hot PURSUIT with a specialty for interfering with escaping Pokemon. Sheer velocity becomes a bullet left to rectify what the Smeargle cannot.

Which leaves the painter to hastily point its tail at the Noctowl to fire off a STEAM ERUPTION. Scalding hot air gushes forward with an intensity that’s more than capable of leaving a BURN.

Lulu Flint

LULU VS FERNANDO

A TURN OF TIDES

AGAIN, SOMETHING STANDS IN THEIR WAY. Fernando watches with vexed interest as his Umbreon returns their advantage with a game changing PURSUIT. Give or take an inch or so, that should render the Alakazam just short of fainting. He can come back from a two on two.

But the BEAST BLOCK is an unaccounted ace that Lulu can rely on. The faint shimmer of a barrier prevents the Umbreon from making contact. A definitive wall separates the two, the perfect setup for Alakazam’s retaliation. Mounted FRUSTRATION expels in a concussive force that sends the Umbreon several meters back.

“MOONLIGHT!”

An urgent call out to save the Umbreon before it succumbs to its weariness rips from Fernando’s throat. The Pokemon complies, struggling to its feet as the sunlight gets filtered into a ration of energy. The Pokemon can do little else as it absorbs the light, legs becoming less wobbly with time.

Linger flames brush against the Smeargle’s fur. Dark splotches of burn marks surface as the Pokemon places both hands on the ground. Green light flashes and the ground becomes uneasy. Steady tremors follow its will as LAND’S WRATH start to uproot the sand and dirt beneath the Blaziken. It’ll spike with several protrusions, a frantic rush to salvage what they can.

Lulu Flint