Hideo already had his Beheeyem ready for battle - it was just a matter of waiting for his opponent to arrive. He took the chance to do a quick search on his phone, so he was already aware she was a Ranger by the time she arrived at the arena.

"Just 'Hideo' is fine." He preferred to be casual with titles, unless it was with people he really needed to be at his most respectful with - not that he intended to disrespect his opponent. "Man, first I get to battle the Head Ranger, now I get to battle a Captain! Guess I'm drawing the Ranger's attention now; think they're gonna try recruiting me soon?~"

Joking aside, Hideo put his phone away, taking a few steps back. "Ready when you are, Shalin!" he said, his Beheeyem meeting eyes with the opponent - then with her Pokemon.

The wave would, unfortunately, go unnoticed by the boy.

Chosen Gimmick: Tera (+15 to even rolls)

Shalin Nariya

Unbeknownst to Shalin, Hideo's empathy would make him a good Ranger. Keeping up with Gym Leader duties was already a lot. Running himself ragged like Mauville's Gym Leader did probably would not be good for his health. "I'm sure you would be a good Ranger, Hideo!" Shalin replied, her tone not as teasing as the child's.

Further conversation would be drowned out by Queen Zing's roaring wings, a TAILWIND propelling her to amazing speeds. Her speed would be her greatest asset, adding power to the stabbing motion of the FELL STINGER headed the psychic-type's way.

"Maybe." Being a Ranger had been something he'd considered when he was younger, before he was dead-set on doing the Gym Circuit - but it was an idea shot down by his parents, after hearing what his eldest brother was up to as a Ranger. "Buuut I got enough work to do as a Gym Leader. And I'm not exactly hurting for money enough to have two jobs."

He was also pretty sure the League wouldn't let him have two jobs - laws about minors working and all that.

His opponent made the first, moving in fast with a Tailwind-backed Fell Stinger. Hideo knew he wouldn't have much luck pitting a psychic-type against a bug-type like this.

So he'd just have to change that.

He took out his Tera Orb, the energy within it flowing towards his Beheeyem. In a flash, a small crown appeared on the Beheeyem's head, bearing a small heart with a bow on it, the Beheeyem coated in a pink light.

Now it wasn't a psychic versus a bug - it was a fairy versus a bug.

The Beheeyem would display its fairy power by…tossing a glob of rocks at the Beedril, the Rock Tomb meant to at least diminish some of its foe's speed on top of the damage.

At least the new typing would limit the damage if the rocks failed.

b_9s6J2C (+15 if even)

Shalin Nariya

So Hideo wanted to augment his Pokémon's power with his TERA ORB? Two could play at that game. Shalin's game was a bit different, but she could play hardball. Raising her hand in front of her MEGA CIRCLET, the KEY STONE and BEEDRILLITE both glowed a brilliant purple and pink. It was the light of MEGA EVOLUTION, the wasp sprouting two more stings and a tougher carapace that could ward off the barrage of rocks the Beheeyem tossed her way. Even so, they still dented her new natural armor.

With the stinger lodged inside the now fairy-type's body, she extended it deeper. She pumped more burning venom into Hideo's Pokémon, vibrating her wings as hard as she could to shake the Beheeyem and stab with the rear barb the species was feared for. It was truly a shame she could not split her Infinity Energy conduit between her Mega Circlet and her suit. Going for a ride on one of Queen Zing's wings in her apex state looked like such a thrill!

Maybe not the best start - but the resistance made sure that Fell Stinger wasn't a major hit on the now-Fairy Beheeyem. But it'd still need to do more than rely on its new sense of fashion if it were to overcome the Beedrill - who just had its own gimmick activated, Mega Evolving.

"Gotta outlast it," Hideo muttered - if he could just get his Beheeyem to outlast the Mega evolution, he'd have a much better shot at winning this fight.

First step would be to fight more carefully. "Elga, get a shield up!"

The Beheeyem did just that, a Reflective barrier shimmering around its body. As the stinger assault came, the Beheeyem aimed to repel it, firing a blast of Psychic energy at the Mega Beedrill. Distance would be important if it wanted to outlast this foe.

HP: 2/3

ZwWwjfAs (+15 if even)

Shalin Nariya

Hideo's Beheeyem had to be an incredibly powerful psychic Pokémon to not falter in the presence of such terrifying and eardrum-breaking buzzing. The REFLECTIVE barrier expelled Shalin's Pokémon away, her wings carrying her to incredible speed. Even turning around to try to reverse her momentum was not fast enough; she flew out of bounds, prompting the judges to score a point for Hideo.

Undeterred by the blasts despite the pain it left her in, the Infinity Energy-drunk Mega Beedrill bobbed and weaved in Elga's direction before ramming him down with her four venom-laden foreleg stings. While the POISON JABS would not deliver venom as potent as the rear sting, their sheer number would deliver a higher dose that would burn just as intensely!

The Reflect and Psychic combo seemed to do the trick, and the judges gave him a point. Just had to pull that off two more times, and they'd be good. Hopefully, they could do it before whatever poison that stinger set in did its work; fairy-typing did help cover a psychic's weaknesses, but it opened up its resistance to poison.

Which the opposing Beedril seemed to aim to exploit, those Poison Jabs coming in fast. The Beheeyem let out a loud Round, aiming to stop the Beedril from pinning it down in the first place - though it was gonna have to be very precise to get it off in time.

And if not, it just had to power through this just a bit longer...

HP: 2/3

rUwkrQdl (+15 if even)

Shalin Nariya

The second ROUND served its purpose, putting distance between predator and prey a second time, but not before pumping more burning venom into the Beheeyem. Upset at being hurled away, the furious insect's blue eyes blinked, again buzzing toward the psychic-type.

This time, though, the attack was much more terrifying, her four stings whirling at great speed, ready to bore through Hideo's Pokémon in a nasty DRILL RUN. Before she could reach her enemy, though, the conduit of Infinity Energy ran dry, four stings becoming two as she reverted from her apex form. In Shalin's eyes, though, two stings would be plenty to land the final blow!

The good news: his Beheeyem managed to outlast the Beedrill's Mega Evolution. The bad news: his Beheeyem wasn't doing too hot; that poison was not kind to its fairy-tera typing.

One more solid hit, and it'd be down. And that Beedrill was coming in with two stingers at the ready.

It was now or never.

This time, it'd go for what it was (normally) best at, aiming a blast of Psychic energy to try and knock the Beedrill off its path.

If it could pull that off, then it could get a shot at a spectacular finishing move. But only if it could get that far.

HP: 1/3

HiZl5TA6 (+15 if even)

Shalin Nariya

By the time the Beheeyem could repel the venomous insect with the PSYCHIC detonation, the whirling stingers had already starter boring into Hideo's partner. It wouldn't have to endure too much, a loud horn signaling that time had expired. It would come down to a judge decision. That decision did not take long, Shalin the clear winner.

"Your skill shows why you're a Gym Leader, Hideo," Shalin complimented the young boy on the battle. "You only lost because Beedrill is just a nightmare matchup for your Pokémon. One of these days I should stop by your Gym. I've heard you have a special challenge that's... out of this world."

Alas, it couldn't get that far: that poison did its work well, and the Tera energy around that Beheeyem dissipated just as the Pokemon collapsed, knocked out - though the judge still ruled it as his defeat.

Ah well.

"You're not wrong," Hideo said, recalling his Beheeyem into its ball. "Bug-type hits the Psychic part hard, but Poison works well against the Fairy." Whichever he chose, had a weakness his opponent could exploit.

Hopefully he wasn't pushing his Beheeyem too hard in these battles.

"I've heard that too! People seem to enjoy it a lot! Might open up some more spots for it…"

When he got a chance. Maybe after this tournament was over, when things quieted down a bit.

HP: 0/3

Shalin Nariya