As far as operations go, it can't get much more solid than this. A Mega-Evolved Corviknight, reinforced with a Talonflame up on high. Compared to the chaos and disorganisation elsewhere on the battlefield, this is a well-oiled machine. It would be hard to even stall it, let alone to throw a wrench in the works.

But that won't stop some from trying.

The vicious eyes of a Beedrill are what spot them. Even from down on the ground, they have the concentration of a sniper, able to spot targets from the farthest vantage. With an irritated buzz, it rouses its ally to battle, before it takes off to go greet its foe. Shortly thereafter, Skeledirge ambles out from behind a rocky outcrop, blinking the sleep of an overlong nap out of his eyes. After that, its only a few more steps before its in position, overlooking the ensuing dogfight from below. The artillery is ready and waiting, prepared to support its allies and shoot any and all opposition out of the air.

"Buzz!!! BUZZ!!!"
"Skeledirge!"

And before he knows it, Logan finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place - Or, more accurately, his Corviknight is caught between a barrage of Pin Missiles and the screeching swoop of a Torch Song.

---

lam logan

Of course, it was expected that the Corviknight wouldn't go down so easily. It's a species known for their durability, notorious for being fearless couriers and stalwart taxis, only hunted by the most powerful and unhinged predators. That was to say nothing of one that had Mega Evolved, pushing it to a level beyond, making it a true apex of the skies. It would not be easy to defeat, but it would still be defeated. Now that the opening salvo had been fired, it was time to go into second gear.

Talonflame swept in to intercept Beedrill, but the hornet wasn't going to go down so easily. With a chitter of its mandibles, it dodged straight downward, narrowly avoiding the Flame Charge. Even then, the sheer heat of the attack was enough to singe its wings, but that only seemed to infuriate the bug.

"BUZZ! BUZZZZ!! BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!"

The wasp tightened its body, taking the moment of safety it had earned to amp itself up with a Focus Energy. Paired with its vicious aura, it practically radiated lethal intent. If this bird wanted to fight, then it was going to get one.

But of course, that was only one half of the confrontation. The other was taking place in the sky above and on the ground below. Having landed one successful shot, and empowered by the hit of its Torch Song, it was ready to take a second shot. This time, however, it did not aim a Fire attack, but a Ghost one - Rearing back, the crocodile allowed gloom to coalesce in its jaw, before snapping them shut, firing off a Shadow Ball aiming to hit the Corviknight's wings and send it careening back down to earth.

---

lam logan

Despite everything, Beedrill is nevertheless at a disadvantage. Talonflame is simply that much faster. While they might seem evenly matched when they clash, any prolonged confrontation inevitably ends with the wasp on the backfoot, dodging and blocking and looking for a way out. Even now, the bird is flying circles around her, striking with its beak and wings and talons whenever an opening presents itself. It is an untenable state of affairs. If it continues, then defeat is certain.

So, a change of strategy is necessary. The bird may be faster, but it is still a bird. The way it flies is different from how Beedrill does. If it wishes to change direction, it is forced to turn its entire body. While it might have an advantage in speed, that swiftness is far more difficult to control, and that is the flaw in its perfect offense.

As a talon aims to rip her throat out, Beedrill drops down, putting itself directly below the Talonflame. From there, it unleashes a String Shot, seeking to catch its prey in the thread and kill what momentum it has gathered.

Below, the situation is similarly rocky. Now that he has earned the ire of the Corviknight, things will be getting much, much worse for Skeledirge. The strong winds threaten to blow it away entirely, and that could be disastrous. In a last-ditch effort, the Skeledirge lets out a Snarl, aiming to blunt the harsh winds and disorient the Corviknight. Even then, however, he cannot stop the sheer force from pushimg him back and sending him tumbling from his position.

"DRAAAGH!"

The good news is, the artillery fire has paused. The bad news is, it has not stopped. Surely, the Skeledirge will get back up, get back into position, and get back to firing soon. However, the Wind Rage has bought a precious few seconds of relief, and that alone is a plentiful boon.

---

lam logan

Despite all of its best efforts, Skeledirge is forced out of his element. As the Corviknight closes the distance, he finds himself short on time and range alike, and before long, the crocodile finds himself staring down a powerful attack. He braces himself, but its far too little and far too late. The Steel Wing catches him under the jaw, and like an uppercut, the force hits him so hard that he's sent flying straight upward, twirling in the air before coming crashing down on the ground, unconscious. It seemed that the prior Wind Rage had already pushed him to the brink, and without time to recover, it was trivial to topple him over the edge.

One down, one to go. But just as the battle began to shift in Lam's favour, he would face an unexpected complication. Just as it seemed he was beginning to smooth things out, a new wrinkle revealed itself.

"BUZZ! BUZZ!! BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!"

A glorious glow consumed the insect, covering it from antennae to tarsus. It was an immediately recognisable phenomena, especially since Lam had just called upon it himself mere moments earlier - Mega Evolution. Cocooning itself in potential, the Beedrill burst forth as a greater version of itself, far faster and more vicious that its previous self. How was this possible? Was the trainer nearby? Questions were raised, but there wasn't nearly enough time to answer them. With its enhanced speed, it rushed towards the Talonflame as it still struggled to burn through its bonds, aiming a vicious Fell Stinger to pierce the bird straight through the stomach.

The message it sent was clear - No more games. No more playing around. It's time to get serious.

---

lam logan

The Fell Stinger did not kill Talonflame, but it still did its job. It landed the decisive blow, and that was all that mattered.

Immediately, the body of the Beedrill seemed to change, its spiked arms becoming sharper, its wings beating faster, its vision further improving. Bolstered by Mega Evolution, and furthered boosted by its focused energy and the positive feedback of the stinger most fell, it had far surpassed the usual limits imposed upon its kind. No longer a mere worker in its hive, it might as well have been queen of the skies: More lethal than a Scizor, faster than a Ninjask, and with one singular mission in mind - The Corviknight can go no further.

Lam swoops to catch his Talonflame, but that means his path is predictable. With a malicious chitter, the Beedrill charges forth, aiming a Poison Jab to hit the trainer head-on and seeking to end the "fight" as quickly as possible.

---

lam logan

The Beedrill is beaten back, but the damage is already done. Venom is flowing through Lam's veins, and if he doesn't get the antidote soon, then failing his mission will be the least of his concerns. So, he's forced to turn tail and retreat, off to receive treatment for his wounds. Unfortunately for him, this mission can only be considered a loss.

"BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!"

Meanwhile, the wasp continues to flutter about, dragging together stingers and drills in a vicious dance of victory. It's half-tempted to chase down the fleeing prey and finish them off, but it decides against it. After all, the Mega Energy is already fading, and soon, it'll be just a normal insect once more. Besides, it doesn't need to do anything else: It's already driven away the intruder and stalled the League's advance. That, on its own, is victory enough.

---

lam logan
FINAL MP COUNT FOR SHRED
+100MP for SKY.
+60MP for 6 IC Posts.
+10MP for KOing Talonflame.
+10MP for Mega Evolving Beedrill.
+50MP for Skeledirge getting KO'd.
+100MP for completing an RT Mission.
+150MP for completing an RT Battle.
+50MP for Battle/Mission Participation.
+200MP for Winning an RT Battle/Mission.
TOTAL = 730MP