"thanks, it means a lot coming from an old friend." he pats matias on the shoulder, both leagues (no-pun intended) ahead from where they were when they met. he then moves back, to pick-up a clipboard off the wall. after a moment of studying it, he looks back up at matias.

"i trust you're familiar with the rules," he was a quick learner, greyson had come to realize over their many jobs together. "if you don't have any questions, just go through that door and we'll begin." he smirks, a hint of mischievousness in his tone.

"i've prepared something special just for you."

MATIAS SILPH

please check the SPOILER TAGS below to read-over the rules for how this challenge will go!

☉

"i am."

matias has done his research.

"i'm looking forward to it."

giving greyson a parting smile, matias steps through the door and into the makeshift city, ready to start his gym challenge.

a pokeball flashes open.

for now, he watches for a flare.

Greyson Connors

☉

as matias steps through the doors, he's met with... a city. despite the parameters of the test, it looks, smells, and sounds like a living city. similar in appearance to slateport (though much smaller), matias would find similarities in their construction and design.

stepping further into it, a group of children run by, laughing and playing along to a game of tag, or something similar. meanwhile, off into the non too far distance, a group forms around what appears to be a logical chess tournament. the first sign that anything is wrong comes from the sudden formation of dark clouds that swirl over the city's center. it's soon followed by an ominous, blood-red moon.

the festivities around matias begins to fall to the wayside, as shouts of alarm, and nervous eyes flit upwards to take in the new view. they bulge and widen, as a figure becomes silhouetted by the sanguine glow, descending onto the city like an apocalyptic god. skeletal in its frame, with bug-like features, it's eerily silent in its approach.

it's still for a moment, silent, before red beams lance out from its shuddering form. they fall onto the city with devastation, turning this once nice day, into an unforeseeable disaster. behind them, two flares.

one RED.

one BLUE.

MATIAS SILPH

☉

mini slateport! how quaint, if not for the ominous blood-red moon and the appearance of a skeletal bug god above.

"great production value."

the flares fire off, red and blue, and matias wastes no time. he hops on the back of his charizard and takes off towards RED.

Greyson Connors

☉

beneath the flying elite four member, citizens scramble for the safety of.... somewhere. cries of fear, grief, and even anger become primal screams of desperation. it's a credit to his professionalism, or perhaps willpower, that he can push through all of it and keep his eyes on the prize.

not that it's difficult to find.

more than the flare, something else catches the duos attention. a beam of red light, like the clouds were parting for the heavens, shines down just before them. another pokemon - ironically enough, a charizard - is caught in it's grasp. then, it begins to grow.

myths and legends surrounded these types of steroid-like power-ups, but with little proof, they were largely written off. but, like demon, or perhaps an all-powerful god, the fire-type increases in size until it's easily the size of a large home.

it's eyes become crazed, and devoid of any signs of intelligence, as it turns onto those around it and begins to unleash torrents of FLAMETHROWER that wash the area in it's heat, and light.

and that was just the beginning.

MATIAS SILPH

a charizard GIGANTIMAXES before your very eyes, turning it's berserker rage onto those around him - including you! handle this threat by ANY MEANS POSSIBLE and secure this area. ROLL to potentially effect the outcome.

☉

perhaps too used to the cries of fear, grief, and anger, matias knows best to ignore them and to focus on the task at hand.

the torrents of FLAMETHROWER are buffeted back by a rushing gale of HURRICANE that whips as charizard approaches. it travels on and on and on until finally meeting the gigantamax!charizard, hoping to knock it back or at the very least get its attention.

Greyson Connors

☉

destruction is left the HURRICANE's wake as it rips through cement, trees, cars and more on its way to the massive charizard. the screams and cries of alarm and fear spike as the titan meets raging winds. beaten back, at first, it roars in frustration and with one large vertical slash of it's claw, sends a skyscraper sized AIR SLASH right through it.

the hurricane disperses, tearing itself away into harsh gusts of wind that break themselves on nearby buildings, shattering glass and buffeting those inside. but, that's only one threat. the powerful AIR SLASH continues on and past the collapsing funnel of wind and towards a massive building nearby. from matias's spot atop his own charizard, the pale faces of fear that look on at their certain death, are clearly visible.

MATIAS SILPH

ROLL to potentially change the outcome.

the massive AIR SLASH spells certain doom for the office building caught in its path.

SAVE THE CIVILIANS, or LEAVE THEM TO THEIR FATE.

DECIDE.

☉

AIR SLASH.

"shit."

the moment of hesitance can easily be mistaken for something else entirely. either way, matias follows after the powerful AIR SLASH, and it's near the building that he calls out his mr. mime.

"THE BUILDING!"

a shield of PROTECT looks to hold back the attack long enough for charizard to make its way over. the fire-type summons another rush of HURRICANE, this time directing it upwards looking to deflect the AIR SLASH.

Greyson Connors

☉

the PROTECT buckles and cracks under the pressure, and in-turn, so too does the mr.mime. sweat beads its forehead, and the mental drain takes a toll. luckily, a HURRICANE is whipped up to dispel the blade of hypercondensed air.

any more and the miming pokemon would have been in deep, deep trouble.

a glass-shattering roar echoes from the gigantic charizard, and it's wings flap with the force of gale storms as it takes flight. trees, cars, and more, are uprooted and scattered beneath it's powerful winds. none of that fazes the psuedo-dragon, however. its eyes remain locked onto MATIAS SILPH.

like spewing death itself, another FLAMETHROWER fills the space between matias and the deformed fire-type. and in it's wake, the dragon advances.

MATIAS SILPH

ROLL to potentially change the outcome.

Saving the civilians, but nearly at the cost of one your own, has enraged the enemy. It takes flight, a massive dnd-esque dragon, as it releases another powerful FLAMETHROWER in your direction. Then, like a deadly predator, it advances.

Already the signs of battle are shown all around you, and the further this goes on, the more dangerous it is for everyone around you. Show this creature why you're a member of the Elite Four.

☉

overhead, a DROUGHT forms.

"fuck it."

wisps of energy wrap around the charizard as matias hops off. it wastes no time in soaring straight towards the larger charizard, bracing through the heat of the FLAMETHROWER. even before it emerges, charizard's DRAGON PULSE rips across the space, looking to knock it back.

gyarados slithers forward to, trapping the larger charizard with a powerful WHIRLPOOL.

Greyson Connors

☉

going on the offensive truly, for the first time, the real battle begins. despite the type-similarity, matias's charizard is still subject to the harsh heat. it's made worse on it's SOLAR POWERED body from the drought above, but the matters of its safety was from its mind.

the DRAGON PULSE collides against the much-larger psuedo dragon. wings of flame recoil, his body shuddering from the impact. but the barrage continues as a massive WHIRLPOOL gathers around it, keeping it trapped and transfixed in the sky. its wings cool and the ability to remain in flight becomes too much to bear. like a dethroned god, the gigantimaxed pokemon plunges into the ground below.

dust and debris fly from the point of impact, spreading as far as the eye could see. its only luck that keeps the damage from leveling the block, as the creature had not gained enough altitude in the first place. still, it groans and whines in pain.

then, in a last ditch effort, it begins to glow. the BLAZE ability unleashes, empowering it in a last ditch effort. the fire-types body begins to quickly gather energy, the tempature of the nearby area heating up to new heights.

just a few more seconds. just a few more.

MATIAS SILPH

ROLL to potentially change the outcome.

Knocking the pokemon from the sky, it activates its BLAZE ability, determined to end this fight. Before your very eyes it begins to OVERHEAT, charging the up the power and flames to unleash destruction everywhere.

DEFEAT THE POKEMON BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.

☉

matias spares a quick glance around him only to see the area still occupied with civilians. in a real situation he would've taken the risk, but knowing greyson and hoenn, matias decides to play it safe.

a quick swaperoo brings out his rapidash, FLASH FIRE at the ready to absorb the OVERHEAT should it pulse.

"FINISH IT."

charizard, empowered by SOLAR POWER, lands atop the larger charizard before stomping its heavy foot down for a DRAGON PULSE.

Greyson Connors

☉

obsidian coated scales slam against the cream ones of his opponent, and though much larger and suffused with strange energies, it knows no fear or intimidation. a pulse of draconic energy lances out from the gigatamaxed pokemon's stomach, and after a moment of screaming pain, it silences and stills.

then, it begins to shrink.

in the span of a minute the once massive charizard is returned to its normal size, chest rising and falling slowly. a figure, a young man by appearances, races out to check on the pokemon's status. its companion. a strangled cry escapes the mans throat, but he recalls his pokemon, and races towards the cities edge.

from within' — deeper — a BLUE and YELLOW flare erupt.

MATIAS SILPH

Defeating the powerful pokemon is enough to force the energy from its cells, but without answers, you can only move forward. To face a threat that could destroy everyone here.
m

CHOOSE A FLARE!