'mattox stone', no relation to the illustrious stone family, musters the energy to stand across from his opponent in the arena. the name was a play on MATIAS SILPH's own, and that's enough to force his barely visible lips up into a smirk.
[break][break]
he was clad in a lavish suit with fresh bandages covering the vast majority of his face. his was ridiculous, but what fun was there in playing a part if he doesn't go all out?
[break][break]
"xen." his voice is barely above a whisper as he releases the lucario on the field. the cobalt furred jackal turns towards his trainer, his normally placid expression slightly amused at the disguise.
[break][break]
king nudges him forward with an annoyed grunt.
[break][break]
patiently, the lucario waits.

[attr="class","notes"]jayden cross[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

he signs up for the tournament as michail volkov, his civilian persona. the young ceo of wyndon pharmacuticals might have seemed like an odd match-up for battle, but he had entered in the hoenn star tournament and had undergone many battles. the local grapevine suggested that this might have been an HR move, or a networking agenda.

[break][break] for him, however, it was more of a personal vendetta.

[break][break] he had placed in the tournament, but not nearly high enough for him to feel satisfied.

[break][break] his dusclops materializes in front of the lucario. "michail volkov," he announces himself with a slight nod at the other. from across the arena, it's hard to get a clear view of his opponent, but he gets a feeling of deja vu.

[break][break] "gregori," he says. "let's go."

[break][break] the dusclops' single eye glows with the power of FUTURE SIGHT.

[break][break]

[attr="class","notes"] KING WAYLAND [break] GIznsxBW

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

the man's name across from him could've been anything — that didn't matter to king, or mattox, as he was now. when the tinkle of energy courses into the dusclops one eye, xen's decades of training kick in.
[break][break]
the lucario's fist coats itself in a pale silver (METEOR MASH) that looked like light refracted off of mercury. with a force of effort, he thrusts it directly into the ghost-type's face.

[attr="class","notes"]jayden cross[break]SM0ywl0t

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

his introduction is met with silence, not that jayden minds. he is here for one reason, as he is sure his opponent is.

[break][break] to prove themselves, in whatever manner they saw fit.

[break][break] wind sweeps through the air as the battle begins, and the lucario's fist collides into that of the dusclops. the ghost pokemon is pushed back against the payment, as he uses his right to brace himself for the impact. ice crackles around his fist briefly as he aims an upper left-hook at the other.

[break][break]

[attr="class","notes"] KING WAYLAND [break] R3Mr40E5 [break]

INITIAL TOR 151 x 151 [break]
59-12 = 47 [break]
151 - 47 = 104 [break]
ROUND TOR 104 x 151

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

the ghastly flesh of the dusclops feels strange beneath his fist, but xen tosses the thought from his mind. combat gave him a peace that little could, mind clearing to just the base instincts as something primal took over.
[break][break]
from the corner of his eye he watches the cloth-like pokemon coat his fist in ice, and his eyes narrow slightly. raising his right arm to block the strike, he catches the impact on his forearm. lucario grunts beneath the brunt force, ice burning the skin beneath his fur. pain was temporary, however, so he pushes through.
[break][break]
around the lucario a DANCE OF SWORDS as ethereal as the ghost in front of him twirl around him, the fighting-type taking a step back to put a few feet between them.

[attr="class","notes"]jayden cross[break]rt3qzW6p[break]151 - 19[break]
132

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

gregori's fist finds purchase against flesh, ice crackling around his fist. excitement thrums beneath the ghost-type's translucent veins as he hears the other's grunt of pain; the thrill of battle was like no other and to be successful in his endeavor, even moreso.

[break][break] that being said, his opponent seems to draw back. unfortunately for him, the duskull's future sight was more far-reaching. seemingly out of nowhere, a clear beam cuts through the air — possibly stopping the other in their tracks.

[break][break] the dusclops rushes forward to take advantage and close the distance. this time his other fist glows with the power of SHADOW FIST in a sharp upper-cut.

[attr="class","notes"] KING WAYLAND [break] D6ZDUsOi [break]

INITIAL TOR TBA [break]
ROUND TOR TBA

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

a shift in the aura around here gives him a warning, but it's far too late. FUTURE SIGHT lances out from behind him in a pinpoint lazor, landing pointedly against his back. xen stumbles forward, inadvertently catching the SHADOW FIST to the stomach.
[break][break]
irritation consumes him and his eyes lock onto the dusclop's one. silently he vows to destroy this creature. from that anger fueled wish...
[break][break]
the beginning of the first KNOCK-OUT ROUND.
[break][break]
the aura trembles around him as it answers to the jackal's call. xen's left paw reaches out to clench his opponent still while the other cradles a glowing orb of blue light. with a thrust, he thrusts the AURA SPHERE into the ghost-type's chest.

[attr="class","notes"]jayden cross[break]MZIZQw1J[break]EFFECT: The user gains +5 to every column this knock out round and cannot lose torpor as a result of this round, but can still knock out/be knocked out when using AURA SPHERE.

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

as xen looks up into his eye, he would find that the ruby red hue that stares back at him are as vacant and limitless as his trainer's. a vacuum of eternal dark, threatening to swallow up anything in it's misery.

[break][break] almost.

[break][break] the lucario's paws go up to meet his, to grasp against that flowing grey curtain that is his pelt. however, the dusclops is not one to let himself down so easily. his own hands glow with the power of a ICE and SHADOW infused punch. his signature move, his double death strike, clashes against the aura sphere.

[break][break] which would win?

[attr="class","notes"] KING WAYLAND

[break] JUTgegcE [break][break]
EFFECT: The user gains +20 to odd rolls and +10 to even rolls this knock out round.

[break][break] 117 | 39 | 66

[break][break]

INITIAL TOR TBA [break]
ROUND TOR TBA

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

the ensuing clash of energy is enough to distort the air around it visibly. the shockwave that pulses out pushes the lucario back, sliding on the fronts of his toes and kicking up dirt. minor injuries are present on the jackal's surface, but nothing more than that.
[break][break]
a vibration on one of his aura reading appendages tells the lucario that his trainer was finding the match amusing. xen grunts in acknowledge, and annoyance.
[break][break]
he kicks off in another burst of dirt, bounding forth towards his opponent with body-language that spoke of an attack. it was a ruse of course, designed to lure the ghost-type into a false sense of security, the appendages on the back of his neck moving to DETECT the next incoming attack.

[attr="class","notes"]jayden cross[break]YTI|CmGA[break]EFFECT: The user gains +5 to every column this knock out round and cannot lose torpor as a result of this round, but can still knock out/be knocked out when using AURA SPHERE.

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

neither, apparently.

[break][break] both are blown back by the force of the collision, the duskull's fabric whipping back violently as the shock waves ripple out on the pavement. even from where jayden is standing, he is nearly hit by the force of the blow, throwing an arm up to block the worst of the gusts his way.

[break][break] jayden's face remained unreadable as the match continued, as the lucario bursts forward towards gregory.

[break][break] not that he had to worry. the ghost-type was more than aware of the circumstances they were in, his single lone eye following the shadow of the aura pokemon. a PRESSURE elicits from the ghost pokemon as he prepares a SHADOW BALL aimed towards the other.

[attr="class","notes"] KING WAYLAND

KcNnxYE0

[break][break]

TOTAL TOR 104

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

shadows dance in the corners of his vision, and a sense of bone-piercing cold overcomes him as his DETECT feels the shadow ball before it forms.
[break][break]
it's enough of a heads-up that, when it does break the distance between them, he moves at such EXTREMESPED an actual after-image remains in his place. the SHADOW BALL collides with the illusion, but xen is already gone.
[break][break]
behind the ghost-type he lands gingerly, sweeping his foot in an arc to kick up dust, dirt or debris between them - any effort to block vision he can.

[attr="class","notes"]jayden cross[break]O3fBV8eM[break]132

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

power surges between his palms as the dark cyclone gains energy from the ghost. gregori focuses his energy on the attack, so much so, that when it whizzes past him and collides against the apparation. it cuts clean through the fake lucario, smashing through a stand that had been standing just outside the ring.

[break][break] shouts of surprise and praise rings through the air, muffled by the announcer's exclamation. all is muffled in the duskull's mind however, his attention now shifting at the sand that was unearthed into the air.

[break][break] a good tactic, but none too difficult to avoid. his one eye shutters closed, his body shifting. ice cascades around his fist as he aims blindly for his opponent — none too difficult, considering their close proximity.

[break][break]

[attr="class","notes"] KING WAYLAND

klObaq2R

[break][break]

TOTAL TOR 104

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

the ICE PUNCH breaks the barrier of debris easily, landing a blow against the jackal's shoulder. the wall serves as the momentary distraction he needs, his own aura sense pulsing out to tell him exactly where his opponent was.
[break][break]
a flurry of fists, and kicks all explode outwards, dispelling the pokemon-made cloud. engaged in CLOSE-COMBAT as they were, this was one area lucario shines. even still, the drawback of using this attack would take effect quickly, so he would need to make sure the hits counted for something.

[attr="class","notes"]jayden cross[break]XzEkSX3r[break]132

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉