The SHEER COLD seizes the area, freezing out the flames- but not before it faints the Glalie. Unfortunately, Volcarona is struck by the cold as well, falling to a similar fate as the Infernape.

"You don't? I must have been a very poor gym leader back then."

Toucannon replaces Volcarona, and it sprays Ninetales with hundreds of white-hot BULLET SEEDS.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"must have. or i've gotten worse, which sounds less likely."

says the man with only one win this entire event.

BULLET SEEDS smack against ninetales, damaging, and she returns it in full with a FIRE BLAST.

[attr="class","noodles"]Stormy Silph

"No.. that's definitely it."

She chuckles, but she's serious. How dare he insult her integrity back in the day. What a low fuckin' blow.

"Retaliate!"

The FIRE BLAST is met with the Toucannon's BEAK BLAST. It absorbs the brunt of the damage, helping to super-heat his beak. And then she collides with the Ninetales, unabashed in his intent.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"that's definitely not it."

the BEAK BLAST is more powerful than expected. it collides against ninetales, scorching her skin which for whatever reason is enough to faint her.

recalling her, cian calls out a direct counter to the toucannon.

the avalugg summons a BLIZZARD.

[attr="class","noodles"]Stormy Silph

The temperature drops exponentially, wind whipping up into a nasty BLIZZARD. Cian's ability to cycle through Pokemon is quick. More than likely, at this rate, it will be a sudden death.

Especially given the fact her Toucannon freezes solid in the blizzard. Without the heat in its beak, it was unable to endure.

Stormy frowns, replacing the bird with a Claydol. It wastes absolutely no time: HYPER BEAM.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]no time is wasted.

the HYPER BEAM connects, taking out the avalugg in one massive hit. the ice-type falls to the ground, shaking the earth.

"wow."

another quick swap and out comes his swampert.

a MUDDY WATER washes across the battlefield, looking to drown.

[attr="class","noodles"]Stormy Silph

Once the dust settles, the Avalugg has crumbled and the sand smokes with the effects of the hyper beam.

"I don't mess around."

But apparently, neither does he, because the Swampert that replaces the ice shelf Pokemon forces muddy, sandy, dirty water to overtake the Claydol. The dual type is swept out to sea, unable to regain footing.

Hidden in the sand, a tiny Spinarak pops out just long enough to drench the Swampert in TOXIC THREADS, pulling sharply to drag him into the sand.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]maybe cian should have healed up his swampert after the last battle against KING WAYLAND.

it's because of her injured state that the TOXIC THREADS become more severe than they should've been. it damages, poisons, and faints.

sayonara, swampert.

"that's my bad."

replacing swampert is a krookodile who charges forward to CRUNCH down on the other.

[attr="class","noodles"]Stormy Silph

"That was really sad."

But what's sadder is the way the Krookodile scoops Spinarak into his mouth, sand and all, to swallow him whole. Oh, and to CRUNCH, obviously.

Stormy gasps, horrified, before glaring across the field at Cian.

"Did your Pokemon just eat mine? Make him spit it out! Cian!"

Her last Pokemon is a Galarian Stunfisk that lies in wait in the sand. With all of the conflict and confusion, the sand has all but covered his shiny metal teeth. Should the Krookodile step too close, he would SNAP TRAP closed around his foot.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"no idea what you're talking about!"

yes he does. the spinarak's still in krookodile's mouth, after all. the dark-type CRUNCHES once again but the taste of a gross bug is enough to get him to spit it out.

krookodile takes a step forward after, falling victim to the SNAP TRAP. he cries out in pain.

"hey wait was it hiding there the whole time?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Stormy Silph

"Spit him out!"

And the moment he does, she returns the Spinarak, glaring daggers into the centre of his forehead.

Metal teeth dig painfully into the Krookodile's leg, and for now remains there unwilling to let go. What was more ironic, to come, was the DEATH ROLL. Without warning and without letting go, the Stunfisk begins to BOUNCE and thrash and shake, effectively 'death-rolling' the king of death rolls.

Stormy feigns ignorance.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]the krookodile CRUNCHES, then faints. anyone else and cian would've reported them for cheating but because it's someone as cute as stormy, he decides to let it slide.

he recalls his krookodile and crosses the battlefield, careful not to step on any hidden stunfisks.

"hope you're hungry."

[attr="class","noodles"]Stormy Silph