Adrian vs Doug

Hello, Stranger!

"Right back at'cha, Mr. Malcom! Pleasure to make yer acquaintance!" Doug said cheerfully as he tipped his hat at the man, rolling his netball in his grip as he eyed the trainer curiously.

This man looked like he would get along with Andy for some reason. The youth brushed the thought away as he threw out his Scizor onto the field, seeing as how his opponent's own pokemon was already waiting.

The crowd was loud and eager to see some battling. With the tournament slowly drawing to a close, they were getting more and more rowdy. He had heard a few illegal betting rings had been busted (after the quote unquote 'legal' betting circles had ratted them out, of course).

Doug didn't care about betting- just showing Hoenn, and more importantly, Mauville, that their Gym Leader was the best among them.

For his part, his scizor swung his fists experimentally while bouncing on his feet like a boxer, testing the rocky grounds of the Battle Tent's field.

Good enough.

"Well then, if you don't mind us!" Doug said, before sweeping his arm dramatically. "Let's kick things off with a Bullet Punch!" He ordered, to which his Scizor immediately responded by launching forward with both fists reeled back, releasing them in a sharp one-two combo as the distance closed.

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Scizor used Bullet Punch!

TAG: Adrian Malcolm

"Roll with it; use those chicken legs!" Hawlucha, standing at nearly half the Scizor's height, took advantage of the awkward posture and nimbly flowed with the fist while shifting its footing, reducing the blow's efficiency. Keeping stance it shifted around and behind the Scizor, executing a SWORDS DANCE that helped keep its aggression flowing in a smooth, seamless transition while it anticipated another strike.

"That's it, keep it movin' along..." The way it circled around behind them suggested a keen predatory instinct, and he was sure that Hawlucha was feeling confident with the matchup, yet Adrian remained skeptical. Doubting, perhaps, that any victory could come easy in this, the Festival of Champions.

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John Sullivan

Adrian vs Doug

Hello, Stranger!

"He's a slippery one! Better keep an eye out on 'im, eh?" Doug shouted over at his pokemon, who hadn't immediately given chase to its opponent after missing, rather, looking surprised that it had missed at all instead.

After a moment of silent contemplation, Scizor lowered its stance and narrowed its gaze at the bird, one arm curling to bring the pincer waist level while the other was left to simply dangle freely, an obvious opening.

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Scizor used Laser Focus!

TAG: Adrian Malcolm

Adrian couldn't be too sure what was happening, but Hawlucha possessed a few means of attack, and he was prepared to capitalize on the safest option.

"Get some air, Hawlucha," Adrian ordered it curtly, causing it to leap into the air for a FLYING PRESS that would soon come crashing down. Scizor's adjusted posture meant the next attack would be poised and struck with greater care and precision.

As the avian plummeted in a predictable pattern, he realized his mistake. But then, it only knew so many moves, and all of them presented the same weakness. If they couldn't risk attacking, they wouldn't have a hope of winning.

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John Sullivan

Adrian vs Doug

Hello, Stranger!

Doug and Ultra both followed the Hawlucha's ascent as it leapt in the air, Doug sucking in a breath. A lover of theatrics, he adored Wrestling and Lucha Libre more than he cared to admit to many.

Sadly, he didn't think they would be seeing a succesful plancha tonight.

The Scizor's eyes flashed as its opponent came close, its arm pincer shooting for the neck like a guillotine as it twisted its whole body, feeling the flying type's weight bear upon its arm before it swung the pokemon down into the dirt!

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Scizor used a Laser Focus-boosted Counter!

TAG: Adrian Malcolm

Anticipating the hit, Adrian could only cringe and recoil at the sight as Hawlucha was driven into the ground. But it was built tough and could take the beating, though he knew the odds were ever shifting out of his favor. "Walk it off; make some distance..."

Hawlucha was no novice and had been able to DETECT the obvious counter play, tucking in its arms and placing gnarled, clawed fingers beneath the serrated pincers as they closed, granting it the leverage to break free of the chokehold once it came to.

Though it could only stumble back with slow, trudging steps that belied its bravado.

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John Sullivan

Adrian vs Doug

Hello, Stranger!

Seeing its state, he wondered if they could make it panic and induce a critical mistake...

"Hn... Surround him!" Ordered the youth to counter the retreat, his Scizor pausing mid step forward before its body began to shift and blur. It suddenly began to divide into identical copies, spreading out around the flier in a circle formation, each body trembling and vibrating in place as they lowered their stance, preparing to pounce!

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Scizor used a Double Team!

TAG: Adrian Malcolm

None of their options looked any good. This is why training should never be neglected. Faced with a pokemon positioning itself to counter their every move, they had no means to break through; they could only be broken. As much as he refused to surrender, putting his pokemon through needless torment... It was something he abhorred. Sometimes a trainer's greatest skill was knowing when to bow out.

...

Releasing his breath with a heavy sigh, Adrian urges Hawlucha to stay calm.

"Wait for them to make their move!" Whether it had the nerves, Hawlucha would hesitate, preparing to BOUNCE at the first sign of trouble to avoid incurring damage.

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John Sullivan

Adrian vs Doug

Hello, Stranger!

Doug and Ultra couldn't afford to let their momentum die down now; they had to take advantage now if they were to maintain the pressure. Adrian's move seemed simple, but it forced Doug to choose on the spot whether to act or not.

"Don't let 'em recoup- Dual Wingbeat!" Even as he said this, he was grasping his chin in thought, grinning at Adrian. He wondered if he should throw in a badge after the match?

The Scizor had no such intrusive thoughts, only its commands. All clones vibrated as their their wings flapped sharply. It rarely used them for anything other than managing its body temperature- Dual Wingbeat was a move it had been trained for recently.

With two powerful flaps, blasts of vacuum wind were sent flying towards the Hawlucha with enviable finesse!

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Scizor used a Dual Wingbeat! Technician activates!

TAG: Adrian Malcolm

Hawlucha's wings twitched at the other trainer's urgings, causing it to leap into the air and catch the wind in its wings even as they made ready their offensive. Concussive blasts of air meant to punish would only avail Hawlucha, providing it the much needed boost for a greater ascent. Reaching the zenith, it hung suspended in air...

Crashing down from so high a perch, he doubted it would connect, and the maneuver afforded Scizor all the time it needed to ready its next move. "Hawlucha!"

From so high up, they could afford a verbal exchange. "Just do your best, okay?" Maybe it was Adrian absolving himself of blame or guilt, or perhaps he simply wanted Hawlucha to act unimpeded by his instruction... To run wild.

It seemed to rattle Hawlucha out of its mental block, instilling confidence; UNBURDENED by obligation to its trainer's command, it regressed back into its feral nature, acting with wild abandon. Racing towards the earth it let its avian roots take over, building velocity while angling its wings such that its decent became a vortex, making it a blur that plunged towards Scizor in a felling swoop.

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John Sullivan

Adrian vs Doug

Hello, Stranger!

The Scizor's eyes widened as the Hawlucha descended at high speed in a vortex of death. Now that, in Doug's humble opinion, was a proper plancha waiting to happen.

The Scizor could see it coming, but there was an incredible stubbornness in it- and unwillingness to run away from the blow like any sane person would. Doug respected that desire-

"Not running away, huh? Very well then! Counter it!" And rose to the challenge instead.

The Scizor planted its feet firmly, the earth under it cracking as its pincer opened wide, its eyes glaring up at the flier as he prepared to intercept, and swung for the neck once more-!

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Scizor used a Counter!

TAG: Adrian Malcolm

Steadfast and doom driven on its suicidal course, it pioneered a path straight into the agape claws and struck, pushing against the steely carapace and stringy muscles underneath, causing notable damage where it struck. But not enough.

Once more caught in the Scizor's vice grip, its body would be mangled by its barbed claws before being tossed aside like garbage. Hollow, avian bones were more prone to crumpling beneath the pressure, and a shrill, piercing squawk alarmed its trainer.

"Hawlucha! Can... can you still fight?" Though he was troubled by the looming threat of defeat, the sincerity of concern was visceral, and Hawlucha would know it wasn't a coward in his eyes if it chose to abandon the battle as lost.

It visibly strained itself to rise, if only for its trainer's sake...

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John Sullivan

Adrian vs Doug

Hello, Stranger!

This, however, was were Doug drew the line. Watching the poor pokemon slowly rise, the youth frowned, feeling the weight of guilt and more than a little bit of fear settle into his chest.

He didn't battle to see pokemon broken before him.

Scizor was much colder, simply staring down its slowly rising opponent, pincers tightening into iron fists, ready to put it back into the ground.

"Stand down." Ordered the youth sharply at the Scizor with an uncharacteristic air of authority, lips set onto a thin line before he turned his gaze to Adrian.

"This battle is getting into dangerous territory." He pointed out the obvious; at this point, it wasn't the pokemon's responsability to pull back.

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Scizor is standing down.

TAG: Adrian Malcolm