Toki took a deep breath and waited for the right moment. As he heard the command from Makoto, he gave his own command to the sleeping Snorlax and rolled the dice. "Sleep Talk." At that command, Tameemon's ear twitched as he slowly stood up and loomed despite his deep slumber. He spread his arms wide and took a few steps forward. He tanked the hit from Dark Pulse again, but trained on the direction it came from and leapt towards the source with the intent to violently slam into it with Body Slam.

Once the thundering slam is complete, Tameemon would remain planted in the ground, still asleep. If the Ninetales was unfortunate enough to get caught underneath there would still be room to wriggle out, though. By this point the other grunt was likely long gone, so Toki decided to speak again "What's your motivation?" He would ask bluntly. He didn't expect a straight answer, if any at all. "Take this as a question from a combatant who respects you, not as a member of another side of war." The word war left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"If you're worried about anyone hearing, my lips are sealed. Whatever you have to say will not leave this battlefield." He wasn't so naive that he saw things in black and white. People weren't simply 'good guys' and 'bad guys.' Everyone had a life and circumstances that shaped them. He understood that there were truly awful people, but he didn't sense that from Makoto.

Though the Night Daze struck, it didn't stop Tameemon's advance. The snorlax was a sleepwalking juggernaut - and it was only thanks to Tsume's heightened speed that he was able to narrowly avoid the brunt of the attack, diving out of the way. However, even that being said - with Tameemon's terrifying strength after the Belly Drum, the slam left a shockwave that sent the disguised fox tumbling..!

And upon smacking into a tree, the illusion around him shattered - revealing a snarling Zoroark where there was a ninetales but moments ago. Though it didn't hurt as bad as it would've to be hit directly, he still didn't exactly enjoy that.

But shortly after, Toki spoke up once more - and Makoto glanced at him, considering his words. The last portion would make them hesitate though - and before they could stop themself... "Why do you even want to talk to me like we're classmates? They blurted out in question - why did he talk as if he wanted to get to know them? "What does it matter who I am, at the end of the day?" It wasn't like he'd know it was them, if they ever run into one another again.

They'd almost forgotten to even direct Tsume - but that didn't matter. Left to his own devices, the zoroark acted on his own - and he'd wait until Tameemon began moving once more, to lash out at his legs in a Foul Play, to try and use the snorlax's own momentum against him!

Toki Akiyama

"Because sometimes people need others to reach out to them." Was Toki's simple response. Tameemon was still asleep, but hurting. Everything was set up, but that was all about to backfire as that sleepy strength was sent tumbling away when the revealed Zoroark began to trip him up. Tameemon was spun around, struck at a critical point, and he tumbled down a nearby hill at high speeds, landing with a loud thud that kicked up the beach sand.  He tried to get up, but it was no use. His energy was spent, and he was down.

Toki tapped his foot slightly. A lot of set up, but he was outplayed. Using similar looking abilities and masterful use of Zoroark's illusion proved to be Tameemon's downfall this battle. Toki recalled Tameemon and sighed as he was put on the back foot. "Alright." He pulled out another Pokeball "If you think you can sigh a breath of relief..." He said, not losing his composure in battle. "Setsuna!"

Toki threw the Pokeball and a Mienfoo appeared and struck a fighting pose. "Aura Sphere!" He commanded with a confident tone as Setsuna waved his arms as blue light gathered around his hands. With a flowing palm strike motion with both paws, Setsuna launched a brilliant blue aura sphere that would pursue Zoroark relentlessly.

Makoto was quiet at the response offered, initially - unable to help clenching their hands. Where could've someone like him been, years ago, they couldn't help but wonder... But rather than dwell upon it - they'd give a simple statement in response to Toki's previous question. "... I'm seeking a quieter life." Not necessarily quiet, but quieter. Simpler. Easier.

It'd seem odd to be in the midst of a war - or even a part of Rocket at all - with that in mind, but...

Meanwhile, Tsume straightened up as his gambit sent Tameemon tumbling - a satisfied look on the older fox's face. Serves that bumbling brute right, if you asked him. Though, as he spotted the next pokemon that Toki brought out - a meinfoo - his expression furrowed once more. A fighting-type. A fighting type that'd waste no time in firing off an Aura Sphere at him, in fact!

Though Tsume attempted to dodge Setsuna's Aura Sphere, the projectile would twist in the air - and it did not take long for it to hit its mark, slamming into the zoroark's back. The dark-type was sent tumbling with his teeth gritted in a snarl - his claws digging into the earth to stop his momentum, as he gave the meinfoo a particularly vicious gaze--

-- "U-Turn!" But, Makoto had no intention of letting Tsume fight any further. He was essentially out of the fight - excepting any dire circumstances - given that they relied on his illusions, too.

Tsume's eyes narrowed - but he followed the instruction, coming in for a quick strike at the meinfoo before he retreated, much like the last time.

And once he returned to his pokeball, he'd be switched out for an Alolan Ninetales - the real deal, this time. Snowfall from Snow Warning heralded Tsukiko's appearance on the battlefield - the icy fox's tails swishing as she cast her opponent a curious - and almost playful - look. Who was this opponent before her, she wondered?

Toki Akiyama

A quiet life. There was something melancholic about the way they said it. Just what have they been through to warrant joining Rocket if the goal is to lead a quieter life? He didn't quite understand and he didn't want to pretend that he did for fear of sounding pretentious...if he didn't already. Either way, the Zoroark retreated with a U-Turn. Setsuna deftly parried the incoming strike with a graceful twirl of his paws, but they switched out regardless. Now, there was a standoff between Setsuna and what Toki assumed to be the true Alolan Ninetales.

The energy this Ninetales gave off was much different than the illusion Zoroark cast. They seemed more playful and spritely. The cool air from her very presence started to form painful streaks of hail, but Toki couldn't let himself rush and make mistakes. Setsuna sidestepped around Tsukiko, shivering slightly and breathing plumes of mist from the cold, but remained steadfast. With a deep breath and Toki's command of "Force Palm!" Setsuna would strike. He darted forward with a few leaping steps, and twisted his body into a heavy palm strike against the Ninetale's torso. There was a chance for the impact to strike in such a way the opponent might have to deal with paralysis.

Toki had no more questions or musings. He was going to focus entirely on the battle now.

Rather than dive straight into the fray, Tsukiko appeared to be studying Setsuna from where she stood - looking the meinfoo up and down briefly. However, as the fighting-type came in close, he'd strike out with a Force Palm! Tsukiko attempted to dance away from the attack - though it'd still strike her on the flank, drawing a slight yelp from her. Though her leg stiffened briefly, paralysis did not quite manage to set in - and she'd trot a few paces away from Setsuna.

"Aurora Veil!"

At her trainer's call, she'd throw her head back to howl - and multicolored lights would begin to drift off of her like smoke, hanging in the sky in the form of a beautiful aurora. Though it wasn't just there to look pretty - the glow that seemed to cling to her fur was energy that'd serve to protect her, as well. What would her opponent say to that, hmm~?

Toki Akiyama

This was bad. The snowfall mixed with Tsukiko's Aurora Veil will make her a veritable wall of defenses. He lost his biggest hitter, so it was time to come up with a plan. "Setsuna, hide in the snowy mists!" He commanded. With deft, near silent steps in the snow, Setsuna gracefully stepped into the falling snowfall. Setsuna would step along the sides of the battlefield in the direction of the winds, hiding in the powder snow...

After enough time had past, Toki would make another play that could be seen as risky. Normally he wouldn't take so many risks, but he had to trust in his Pokemon's skills and his own judgement. Setsuna's accuracy was unaffected, he was using the snowfall as a cover, so it was time to act. "High Jump Kick!" With that, Setsuna kicked off the ground into the air, silently gliding through the air as he dove towards Tsukiko. The velocity and strength behind this was a double-edged sword, but one that needed to be drawn!

Setsuna would kick with ferocious strength against Tsukiko. Should the kick land, he'd use the force to spring safely back into a patch of snow nearby. If he missed, he would painfully land and tumble to the ground, hurt but still conscious.

The cold and chill of the snow from Tsukiko's Snow Warning, paired with the humid air of Dewford itself, made for plenty of fog cover across the ground. Fog that Setsuna made good use of - as the mienfoo drew back to obscure himself!

Tsukiko's curiosity seemed piqued at this - where did he go? With a certain playful and leisurely gait, she'd trot forward to stalk after Setsuna - attempting to track him down. Though catching scents was somewhat difficult in the chilled humid air, she could see spot the occasional tracks in the snow-and-frost dusted ground. Though, she probably wasn't taking this chase quite as seriously as she should've - cocking her head in a curious fashion when the tracks seemed to end. Hewwoooo, whewe awe youuu~?

She'd get her answer but moments later though, when a harsh kick suddenly slammed into her shoulder, sending her reeling with a surprised yelp! That certainly hurt! Tsukiko fell onto her side - paws briefly scrambling as she made to right herself - though when Makoto made a call...

"Dazzling Gleam!"

... The fox wasted no time in following their direction - the lights of the aurora that wreathed her intensifying into a blinding burst of multicolored light!

Toki Akiyama

Toki breathed a sigh of relief as the attack landed true. Even with the added defenses that had to have done a significant bit of damage, but it wasn't over yet. Setsuna shielded his eyes and yelped as the blast of shining light rattled his body and knocked him away. Fighting types didn't hand the Fairy Typing's magical abilities very well, so that was a rough hit, but Toki had an idea to give him some rest "U-Turn!" He commanded. It wouldn't do much damage to Tsukiko normally, but it would be next to nothing with all of the current defenses boosted.

Setsuna dashed forward and leapt towards Tsukiko again, going for a simple jumping kick before backflipping as Toki recalled him. "Good going...next up...is you, Aylin!" he through out another Pokeball and out came a pretty unassuming little Pokemon with a steel rattle-shaped club in its hand and a relatively timid expression. She was anything but timid though as she waved her club around ready for battle.

Toki had a pretty well-rounded team of...very adorable Pokemon, but each of them were strong and ready to do what they could for Toki. Aylin in particular was very attached to him, second only to Azura, and she was going to push herself to the limit for him.

As Setsuna came in for the U-Turn, Tsukiko appeared to be much more readied this time around - and the leaping kick would meet the fluffy mass of the fox's tails, as she brought them up to protect herself. Initially, as he backflipped away, she'd bound in his direction - as if eager to keep fighting him - only for him to disappear into his pokeball! Awww, no more playtime, she supposed - though the appearance of a new combatant got her attention.

A little tinkatink - Makoto's eyebrows rose in curiosity. They didn't know quite as much about paldean pokemon - but this one was a curious little fella. They felt a bit bad about having to fight Aylin - with how young she appeared - but they'd shove those sympathies down, to instead continue directing Tsukiko. "Ice Beam."

And at Makoto's call, the fox would let lose a beam of frozen energy from their mouth - aimed at the tinkatink. How well would Aylin stand up to the cold that Tsukiko called her own?

Toki Akiyama

Aylin stood steadfast in the face of the battle and rushed forward with a little battle cry. She blocked a portion of the Ice Beam with her hammer. The chill still bit into her, but as a Steel subtype, it didn't harm her as much as it normally would have. She rushed forward, hammer at the ready as Toki gave the command "Metal Claw!" Steel versus an Ice/Fairy type. That would spell extreme damage if it connected.

Aylin swung her hammer hard, three silver claws of energy wrapped around her hammer as she attacked Tsukiko with all her might, the metallic sound ringing through the frozen air with the swing. Tameemon might have been strong and Azura was crafty and creative, Aylin was 100% pure, unrelenting tenacity given an adorable form.

That single attack could have been enough to unsettle Tsukiko and Makoto's chances against this unassuming Pokemon. A Fairy/Steel type was an astonishing combination with an extremely vast range of resistances and immunities. Even Toki had to admit this Pokemon family was absolutely resilient beyond all reasonable measure, and Aylin knew it as well. She was confident and hot-blooded, often pushing herself to her limits a little too often, but she would always get back up.

And here came the reason why it'd likely be worth it, to learn more about paldean pokemon. Aylin's Metal Claw raked through the air, and through Tsukiko's fur - even as the alolan ninetales dodged the brunt of it. She yelped from the strike, being sent stumbling and visibly hurting - unable to help the slightest curl of her lips to show her teeth in response.

Makoto, too, couldn't help but take pause at the realization that this little tinkatink might be more trouble than they expected. Despite Aylin's small size, Tsukiko couldn't stand up against steel-types - even with the added protection of Aurora Veil. She wouldn't last long in a head-on conflict like this. "Switch out!" They'd call - bringing out Tsukiko's pokeball to recall her.

(Though, in the last moments before the fox returned to her ball, she'd pout and stick her tongue out at Aylin.)

In Tsukiko's place though, Makoto would send out a different pokemon - this time being their klinklang, Haguru. The steel-type floated in the air somewhat ominously, the only sound coming from them being the click, click, click of the turning gears. The only indication that they were even regarding anyone - or anything - was the single proper eye on the smaller gear-face, staring neutrally at Toki and Aylin both... Watching. Waiting.

Toki Akiyama

Toki contemplated what to do after Makoto switched to the Klingklang. Aylin was still healthy and raring to go, though her moves were limited in scope when it came to dealing damage to this particular enemy. There were a couple of options though, one that would help ease in the next Pokemon Toki could feasibly use against it. "Light Screen!" He commanded.

Aylin's hammer shined bright as she raised it to the sky, a shimmering screen reflecting in front of her that would last for some time, even if Aylin was no longer out on the field. She stood in defiance, though had a feeling she would be taking a break here momentarily.

Toki wiped his brow. His heart was pounding, his head ached. He'd never made so many on the fly decisions without doubting himself to a crippling degree, and fighting that ingrained urge to second guess himself was wearing him down rather quickly. He held onto his scarf and muttered affirmations to himself in an attempt to compose himself.