"welcome, welcome." comes a voice from behind the desk, violet hues peering over thick gray frames. the gym-leader stands and picks a clipboard off the wall as he moves in her direction. "right on time — my favorite type of challenger." greyson's lips quirk up in a playful smile.

"anyways, the docket is full today, so we'll get right to it. you ready to go?"

Elisabeth Fiorelli

"hm," greyson says, dwelling on the thought, "it's pretty cut and dry. i'll say that each challenge you'll face is both unique and, well, challenging. this isn't the type of gym that you'll get by with just offensively focused pokemon." he gives her a smile, eyes soft but with a glint of... something else.

"if there's any changes you want to make before we begin, do it now. if not..." the door against the far wall swings open and a bright, almost heavenly type shines through.

Elisabeth Fiorelli

when Elisabeth Fiorelli reemerges from the light, she's standing a hundred feet off of a growing crowd nestled in the center of a large plaza. no one paid the mass of people any mind, indicating this was something of a regular experience.

a massive black statue had been placed on a pedestal of some kind, and the gathering crowds were busy taking photos of themselves with the strange thing. it'd been a gift to the city, found deep inside a woodland expedition. since then, it'd become a centerpiece of tourism and was featured in many prominent magazines.

the day seemed to be going at a normal pace. there was a slight spring breeze, but the sun held high and gave off warm rays. it would be easy to get distracted by the small pleasure. but, this was a challenge after all.

a shuddent shout of alarm went through the crowd. voices began to slowly rise, forcing hushed whispers and worries to heighten. the strange statue shook and trembled, giving off an immensely uncomfortable aura. those nearby began to dry-heave, grabbing at their stomachs, and it only worsened as the thing began to crack.

the screaming and running preceded the hatching. but, it was too late.

the second the egg snapped open, a sphere of black and white energy engulfed the nearby area. light and color was consumed, and those caught inside frozen instantly. as it receded back, the unlucky many caught inside still remained unmoving. closer inspection revealed they were... TURNED TO STONE.

a massive figure ascends into the sky, flesh the color of blood and night. it's screech shook a primal fear in Elisabeth Fiorelli , but luckily, it's gaze falls elsewhere. in a mighty flap, it races towards civilization, a beam of scarlet energy lancing from its maw. all in it's wake fall.

explosions of light sound in the distance. flares. one BLUE. one RED. one PURPLE.

Elisabeth Fiorelli

AROMATHERAPY scatters on trails of wind made more powerful beneath the current of a WHIRLWIND. panicked men, women and children feel clarity slip through the cracks of their fear, and a crowd on the verge of losing controls visibly shifts before Elisabeth Fiorelli's eyes.

as the trio lift-off in search of their first challenge they can feel satisfied in the little good they've already been able to accomplish.

traces of yvetal's presence is all around elisabeth and her team, with none so more prevalent than the line of grey-stone, like a mallen streak, through the city proper. while the legendary leaves a path of destruction that could very well lead the challenger to it, the RED FLARE she seeks lies somewhere in the middle.

a sphere of pure-black, forged by a passive DARK PULSE from the god-like pokemon, encompasses a significant portion of the park. around its edges color is stricken from the world and replaced by a chalky white, and the life of trees and wild-pokemon caught in its wake fare no better, turning quickly into husks.

just looking at it is enough to feel a deep sensation of dread, and despair. what's perhaps worst of all is the thump, thump of what sounds like a heartbeat that pulses out from it.

should Elisabeth Fiorelli attempt to attack the strange black orb she'd find her pokemon's attacks to be absorbed by a thin, liquid-like membrane at its edges. waiting is a sure option, but the sphere seems to be growing quickly, with a residential street only minutes away.

with this in mind, perhaps there is only one option left...

Elisabeth Fiorelli

Your first CRISIS comes in the form of a sphere of pure black. It absorbs color, attacks, and even the life of those things at its edge, while something ominous thumps in its center. Its growth leaves it barreling soon in the path of homes should it be left unhindered, but opposing this odd force of nature may leave you worse for wear.

DECIDE.

the edges of this malformation meet the MISTY TERRAIN and halts, seemingly recoiling slightly against the pink mist. as the PSYCHIC lashes meet the bubble at the same time, something deep inside screams, a muffled noise that sounds like a haunting echo.

this only seems to agitate the strange phenomena, it's upper portion blowing up like a malformed balloon until... it pops. everything collapses in on itself and a great rush of air pulses out in one fell swoop. it smells of death, and decay, and the worst types of rot.

but something emerges from its center.

a small creature with a bulbous skull riding a top a mare that trails wisping shadows. it locks an emotionless, pointed gaze onto Elisabeth Fiorelli and her pokemon. it raises its hand then, and from all around it, the residual darkness begins to form into specters of humanoid shape. these ghostly apparitions take a moment to form, and then at once, swarm elisabeth and her team. (ASTRAL BARRAGE)

Elisabeth Fiorelli

Your attacks seem effective against this strange phenomena, leading to it's eventual destruction. However, something steps out from its remains — an odd combination of two pokemon, one mounted atop the other.

It attacks instantly, dozens of ghostly figures swarming you like reapers of death.

DEFEAT OR RUN OFF THIS CREATURE.

the SHADOW BALL's formation isn't enough to faze the strange creature below. it collides with both horse, and rider, and the energy wraps around them. they recoil, despite the nonchalant of their posture, clearly injured by the attack.
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but they steady themselves once more, hand reaching upwards to guide the ASTRAL BARRAGE.
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they're pulled back from the PROTECTIVE bubble, phantasmas of which no light pierces through. their faces could barely be called human, carrying only vestiges of similarity — and the moans, the whispering moans that promise only death's release.
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they circle @elisatbeth, waiting, and watching. but perhaps most terrifying of all, beneath the strange rider of shadow, the inky black shadow returns and spreads. beneath its all-consuming touch, things turn slate grey, devoid of life. and it shows no signs of stopping.

[attr="class","notes"]Elisabeth Fiorelli

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defeat this creature in FIVE posts, or your challenge will fail.

[break][break]ASTRAL BARRAGE lingers outside of your protective bubble, waiting to sap your life force (read: dementors basically)[break][break]if a single apparation touches, or lands an attack on Elisabeth Fiorelli or her pokemon, they will be afflicted with ONE counter of NUECROTIC TOUCH.
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necrotic touch: after THREE counters on any living creature, they will be REMOVED from the challenge PERMANENTLY.

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time is ticking.

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉