[attr="class","spiral"]"Likewise."

Fernando lies for appearance sake. Well, it's only a half lie. Being able to face Alexander on the battlefield is one of the few instances where the Silph is placid enough to accept Devon company. Like the smooth tension of the pool that encircles them, its a silent front held in anticipation of the ripples to come. An overwhelming desire to crush his opponent under the wake of his own waves simmers inside while spectators remain oblivious to manicured smiles and greetings.

An ex-Champion and former Gym Leader is not an opponent to take lightly. Fernando's very own Tapu Fini makes a rare debut in an official League match. Choosing a Pokemon who's innate powers are a cut above normal ones is usually considered bad sport but under the guise of an exhibition mask, Fernando simply playing up to the crowd.

The Heliolisk that accompanies the Legendary pales in comparison. No one really pays attention to the lanky lizard in comparison. All eyes are drawn onto the unnatural sheen of the Island Pokemon's black shell, admiring the sight while they still can. As eye-catching as it is, the MISTY TERRAIN that seeps forth helps obscure some of the finer features of both Pokemon.

"Battle routine set!"

Alexander Stone is an exceptional trainer. Countless time and strategy is placed into making a comprehensive doubles team to both handle him without abusing a skewered match up. With no idea what Pokemon he'll use, Fernando formulates the plan blindly, dead set on adhere to their initial outline regardless of what Pokemon he chooses.

"Execute!"

It goes without saying that both his Pokemon will maintain their distance. Fernando's battle style is all about proper spacing, utilizing distance to create pockets of reaction timing to address the opponent's move. He plays a high defense game that looks to prevent losing more so than winning. And their opening move is no different.

Tapu Fini remains in place, levitating above what little land Fernando's given to work with. It analyzes the situation with a CALM MIND, looking to set the tempo based off the opponent's action. His Heliolisk flounders around in an eccentric impatience, squirming to travel as far away as possible while remaining outside of the water. Unironically, the water seems to come to them, its sloppy RAIN DANCE causing the indoor pool to humidify rapidly into a mild drizzle.

[attr="class","spiral"]The discoloration of the water isn't obvious at first, allowing the TOXIC to land with pinpoint accuracy. There's no possible escape or way to prevent the very weather that Heliolisk brought on. However, the venomous substance loses its potency the moment it encroaching onto the MISTY TERRAIN. Yet to be explained by science, the magical pixie dust is the encapsulation of fairy tales, preventing illness and pestilence alike.

Even Fernando doesn't catch this exchange from a distance but he smiles nonetheless.

ROCK SLIDE is a pain on its own but without any further chaos, the attack is telegraphed the moment the boulders manifest high above. The Tapu Fini retreats under the bulwark of its own shell, while the Heliolisk flounders for dear life. The barrage finds their blows but it has less of an effect on the shielded Tapu Fini than it does on the exposed Heliolisk.

In protest, the Heliolisk releases a discharge of sparks to ELECTRIFY their side of the field. The way the static continues to course through both Pokemon seems reminiscent of an ELECTRIC TERRAIN but that's a simple misnomer reflected by the nature of both attacks.

His Tapu Fini remains within the visage of its shell. Despite the match only just beginning, the CALM MIND already comes into play, honing its concentration to manipulate the very environment around them. It takes a moment for the waters to visibly stir under the Tapu's influence but once they do its shell cracks open in decisive aggression. The SURF it brings out takes command of the very environment they battle in, turning the pool against them as it threatens to swallow both of them in a giant wave. To those that understand Fernando's initial strategy, the artificial tsunami hides a more dangerous threat, loose currents of electricity that turn what was once not very effective into a move that can prove lethal to both.

[attr="class","spiral"]Unable to do much more, Fernando's Pokemon aim to continue their offensive. The SURF does nothing against the WIDE GUARD but that doesn't stop the Tapu Fini from channeling it's next attack. Without much movement, the Pokemon aims straight for the largest target, the Carracosta, priming it's own internal energies into a single attack. NATURE'S MADNESS turns the environment against the opponent, harvesting the power of mother nature into a glamorous array of pink and yellow electric currents. The stream crackles in a variety of arcs as they snake across the battlefield and toward the opponent.

Above, Heliolisk copies the ROCK SLIDE from earlier, dropping a variety of differently sized boulders onto the pair.

[attr="class","spiral"]Another round of ROCK SLIDE starts to pelt the field with more obstacles as the boulders rain down from above. Each piece that lands in the pool floats back to the surface, making makeshift stepping stones between the two parties. They crash against Tapu Fini's PROTECT but find their mark when several crash against the Heliolisk, pinning it momentarily as it squirms out from under one. The pain is bruise welting with each impact, causing the Pokemon to retaliate by launching the very same rocks back with its own ROCK SLIDE.

Despite the PROTECT there's nothing to be done about the PAIN SPLIT. The attack manages to latch onto the Tapu Fini, establishing a link between the two in order for its health to be sapped away. However, the Tapu Fini now knows exactly where the other Pokemon is. Without remorse, it pools another SURF with the intention of submerging both of Alexander's Pokemon. Inadvertently, this also splashes back onto Fernando's Heliolisk, pelting it with some splash back as the water rises off the coast of their little land mass.

But that's all part of the plan.

[attr="class","spiral"]It's a battle of attrition at this point. They both have their shields as well as their healers. And, like a duet, they mimic each others moves with every step of the way. What Fernando boasts in having a stronger Pokemon, the leading step, means little if their dance requires one of them to fold first. He has no intention of following the rhythm of their current battle tempo so he'll have to supersede Stone with a definite conclusion.

"Sweep them away!"

Upon his direct orders, the Heliolisk makes its first real move since the battle began. Washed out from the earlier SURF, the reptile shakes itself dry before taking off in a direct beeline for Stone's Pokemon. The frantic way the lizard waddles allows it to temporarily glide across the water's surface. It's a weird sight to see but the Pokemon's dead set on BULLDOZING through anything in it's way. The ROCK SLIDE may prove to dampen the Pokemon's advance but it'll bear through it, striking through the obstacles at the cost of bearing the backlash of cracking stone with flesh.


Behind it, Tapu Fini's SURF rises once again, sweeping what's left of the debris in another attempt to submerge them. This time, Fernando's Heliolisk will be swept away as well. At least it finds comfort in having its DRY SKIN permanently saturated. All this water is bound to cause it to discharge. It's only a matter of when.

Once the water bends to the Tapu's demands, it buries itself in its shell, channeling a different energy this time. Pink and purple start to swirl around the edge of the MISTY TERRAIN, consolidating into something more.

[attr="class","spiral"]To say that Fernando had calculated Stone’s move from the get-go would be a bold face lie. Between all the variables and possible choices, it’s simply impossible. Yet, imagine his surprise when both Carracosta and Pyukumuku both end up at his doorstep, right where he wants them. If Stone’s willing to inadvertently feed his Pokemon into Fernando’s setup, then he’ll enjoy it to his heart’s content.

“Now!”

The original plan was to have the Heliolisk approach using BULLDOZE, lulling the opponent into the assumption that they were looking for a close range attack. Once it’s within a reasonable striking distance, the Pokemon would release another discharge, setting up the area as a conduit to ELECTRIFY Tapu Fini’s incoming attack. As planned, the Pokemon does so. However, the lack of opponents takes the Pokemon by surprise. Ultimately, none of that matters since the order still comes through. Unless Fernando advise the Heliolisk to do otherwise it’ll stick to the original plan of ALLY SWITCHING with the Tapu Fini.

Had Stone’s Pokemon remain on their side of the field, the Tapu Fini would’ve pelted them at point blank with a massive electrical attack. Thankfully, where they end up doesn’t really matter as long as they’re together. Sure, they score an easy AQUA JET on the unsuspecting Heliolisk, but the Pokemon takes the attack in stride, deriving a masochistic pleasure from the constant saturation of its DRY SKIN.

The bundled up MISTY TERRAIN calls upon NATURE’S MADNESS to becomes something greater. In a show of lights and glitter, all the natural energy in the room converges into the Tapu Fini and takes the shape of a giant, faceless deity. Without any notable features, it seems more monstrous than humanoid, a spitting image of the horrific tales of Alolan legends. Like a puppet, it moves in accordance with Tapu Fini’s gestures, hands raised high above as the arena becomes engulfed with an artificial storm of pink and purple.


Winds pick up speed while the rain gets swallowed up in the turning storm. When the Tapu Fini brings its hands back down, the mighty GUARDIAN OF ALOLA hurls the elements straight at Stone’s Pokemon. No PROTECT or WIDE GUARD will be able to block the extent of the Z-Move. Not when the hurricane comes crashing down with all the energy the Pokemon’s collected in its pilgrimage through Hoenn.

Despite it's fairy origin, the attack pierces both land and sea, ELECTRIFIED to the point that every rain drop becomes a catalyst to pierce through the pool's depths.