Well.

You suppose you shouldn’t be surprised that your sweet, innocent little Meltan is staring down a Zeraora. It is a tournament, after all, and it was only a matter of time before you got stuck against some tryhard with delusions of winning the whole thing. Alas.

"Yeah, yeah, you too."

"hello mr leopard (￣ω￣)/ lets have a good match today!"

---

Gimmick, TERA; +15 on Even Rolls.
Josh Devlin

Shred wasn't too talkative, Josh cutting his banter short out of respect. Perhaps he was tired, too. It seemed like the older competitior wanted to get straight to the action. He watched the pre-match clock count down, Raikiri keeping his eyes on it as well in order to time his first attack with the starting horn's blaring tone.

He did so perfectly, running circles around the Meltan before slamming his paws into the court, causing them to catch fire from the incredible friction. The arena smelling of burning fur, Josh sneezed as Raikiri flung himself at his foe, his burning paws doing a great FIRE PUNCH impression.

The Zeraora rushes forth, ready to deliver a Fire Punch with its burning paws. Shitting hell, that can't be good for it, can it? It certainly won't be good for Meltan if he gets hit. Luckily, it's nothing if not a telegraphed attack, and the moment that the leopard leaves the ground, the counterattack is all but assured.

"go (/・ヮ・)ノ~~~~~~~~~~◎ meltan blast!"

Gathering light within its hands, Meltan hopped up to be eye-to-eye with the Zeraora, before firing off a Flash Cannon to hit the beast mid-leap.

---

Gimmick, TERA; +15 on Even Rolls.
fhys7kQb + 15 = 85.
Meltan wins! 3/3 HP Remaining.
Josh Devlin

As fast as the ramming attack was, it did take time for the paws to ignite from how much friction it took for them to combust. That part was telegraphed enough for the Meltan to see the attack coming, its FLASH CANNON knocking Raikiri off his feet and filling the arena with the stench of burning paws. The fires had been quenched, and Raikiri could not pull that trick again for the rest of the match.

Josh wouldn't be the Master of Faster without having more than one way to weaponize extreme speed! In an effort to confuse the Meltan, the Gym Leader's thundercat put the pedal to the metal, swerving madly around the rare, mysterious Pokémon with AGILITY and speed that Shred may have never seen before. After several rapid circles and near misses, Raikiri fired a trio of ELECTRO BALLS from his teal faceplate and bolt-shaped whiskers. They were coming in fast and hot, their strength amplified by their user's blistering pace.

Clearly shook by the sheer power displayed by Meltan, the Zeraora kicked it up into second gear. Round and around the strange beast went, running circles around the Hex Nut in an attempt to disorient him. A more trained, practiced fighter might've been able to see through this trick. You have dozens of Pokemon in your PC, and most've them would've seen through such a flimsy attempt at deception. But Meltan? Meltan was not one of those Pokemon.

"uoouoouoouoouoouoouoouoouoouoouoouoo (＠_＠) so fast..."

In his fruitless attempts to track the movements of his opponent, Meltan quickly became dizzy, his singular eye turning into a swirl as he staggered and swayed back and forth. However, in a strange twist of fate, this would turn out to be an advantage. As he stumbled about in a desperate attempt to regain his balance, he moved in such a manner that allowed him to perfectly dodge not one, not two, but all three of the Electro Balls. Wow. You couldn't believe it, and you saw it happen right in front of you! Whoever Arceus was, wherever Arceus was, he clearly hated this guy. You don't envy him one bit.

And it would only get worse for your opponent, as the moment the last Electro Ball sailed harmlessly past him was the moment that Meltan got a hold of himself.

"oh there you are ε=ε=┌( >_<)┘ meltan crash!"

Leaping forth, the Meltan threw himself right in the path of the Zeraora, and took the opportunity to land a head-on Headbutt.

---

Gimmick, TERA; +15 on Even Rolls.
29XodXJi + 15 = 101.
Meltan WINS. 3/3 HP Remaining.
Josh Devlin

In what appeared to be a twist of impressive fortune, the Meltan stumbled out of the way of the entire barrage of electric attacks, the Zeraora open to a HEADBUTT to the underbelly! Raikiri hissed loudly, stunned from the cut the sharp edge left on him. What kind of Pokémon could see through an attack that fast? There was something truly special about the Pokémon before Josh.

He couldn't hold back anymore, Josh lifting his Z-Glove to eye level. He was pondering pulling the trigger on Raikiri's ultimate move. Ultimately deciding against it, he simply let the battle continue as it was. The electric feline, discouraged by his ranged attacks' ineffectiveness, leaped toward the rafters. When the time was right, he would BOUNCE off them and toward the Meltan, his aerial charge made even faster by the force of gravity.

Meltan's had an impressive streak of luck, but unfortunately, it's about to run out.

As the Zeraora leaps high into the air, Meltan attempts to counter it with a Flash Cannon, but he's unable to fire off the attack before the leopard comes crashing down on top of him. With a yelp, the Hex Nut is send flying back, skidding across the ground for a few moments before coming to a halt. You have to admit, it was a good hit, but it won't change the outcome of this match. It's going to take more than one attack to put Meltan down...

...But it's better to be safe than sorry, right? So, Meltan takes the opportunity given and the distance made to set up an Acid Armour, melting, reforming, and reinforcing his body against further attacks.

---

Gimmick, TERA; +15 on Even Rolls.
A1DuBVnl
Meltan loses. 2/3 HP Remaining.
Josh Devlin

Josh smirked as the Zeraora's pounce yielded crushing results. This was exactly the kind of position he wanted to be in: on a relentless offensive. Raikiri was going to trample the Meltan while it was down. That ACID ARMOR would make that impossible, eating away at the Zeraora's already weary paws. Josh could not allow that to happen.

As the defensive reformations started to take place, Josh raised his Z-GLOVE above his head, posing like he was riding on a Pokémon's back. His partner hopped back into one of the battle court's corners. When the Gym Leader flicked his wrists like he was holding the reins of a Pokémon steed, the thundercat vanished from sight, leaving a trail of lightning bolts and an aural explosion amidst his HYPERSONIC PLASMA CHARGE. The triple threat of paws flying too fast to see, the lightning storm following that, and the shockwaves in its wake had felled many competitors in the past; would the Meltan remain standing?

Given the circumstances, the Z-Move seems more than a little excessive. Then again, what is Meltan even supposed to do against a Megasonic Charging Plasm? He's just a little guy. He doesn't even really have legs, what's he supposed to do against such an attack.

Get hit, that's what. Three powerful attacks hit back to back, pummelling Meltan with electric power. Yet despite the sheer strength of the blows, that still isn't enough to knock him out. He might just be hanging on by a thin fraying thread, but he's still standing, he's still got fight left in him, and he won't give up until his body gives out. Meltan has one last chance to win this fight, and he's going to take it.

"stand proud mr leopard ( ￣︿￣) you're strong."

With that declaration, Meltan prepares for the final clash.

---

Gimmick, TERA; +15 on Even Rolls.
4B5SpHOQ
Meltan loses. 1/3 HP Remaining.
Josh Devlin

It wasn't just the Meltan holding on for dear life in the intense battle between the two; Raikiri was tired after the exertion. A Z-Move was a mighty attack, but it came with quite the toll on the user's body. It made too much sense: running across the land faster than a commercial jetliner was stressful on a Zeraora.

Shaking his head and mustering heroic strength. the snarling cat faced Meltan head-on. With both of them seemingly at the brink, Josh ciphered wouldn't take too much to topple Shred's Pokémon: a single QUICK ATTACK to end it all.

As the Zeraora rushed forth, Meltan moved to hit them with a Flash Cannon, but he was already too late. The moment that the Zeraora began to move, Meltan's defeat was all but assured. The coalescing light didn't even have the opportunity to fully charge before the electric beast closed the distance in the blink of an eye.

Because the thing about Quick Attack? Is that it really was a quick attack.

"uh oh."

THUNK. With that one decisive blow, Meltan was sent skidding across the floor, his single eye swirling about as his lay there unconscious. The winner of this match was clear: Zeraora had won.

---

Gimmick, TERA; +15 on Even Rolls.
tnmNHYqd + 15 = 19.
Meltan is on 0/3 HP. He LOSES.
Josh Devlin

Though speed was an amazing defense, it was not a perfect one: all the slipperiness in the world came at the price of toughness. As fast as Raikiri was, his physical toughness left much to be desired. All it would take was one focused attack, or his speed faltering once, to take a match-ending spill. Meltan, however, could not land the finishing blow, a tired Raikiri the winner.

"Thought you had me for a second!" Josh laughed not at Shred, but at the situation. That was way closer than he expected, but it was another win. Two more wins and he could collect a nice payday. "Great match... oh I don't think I ever got your name!"

"Yep."

It's not a particularly personable response, but, well, you're pretty over this whole Vital City Tournament thing. Sure, Meltan's having fun, but really? You're mostly just tolerating it for his sake. Even then, you're getting pretty sick of being marched out into arenas and chalk-drawn battlefields. And for what? As far as you're concerned, there's nothing Vital to this City about this Tournament.

But hey, it's not all bad, is it? You still get Vitals for losing, and you've almost got enough to cash in at the prize corner for an air fryer, so you'll suffer through a few more.

Speaking of which, you turn around and leave, marching off to yet another match.

---

Josh Devlin