At over half-way through, it's not surprising that Emporio will be gently refreshing his pokemon with some potions no matter the case by now. He probably did that already, but, here he is. After the slight break that Bruno resulted in, it's time to get serious once more with Karen...whose type spread makes things far more interesting after the last run.
With Karen's entire line up likely to have a weakness to Fighting Type, Stoat is already prioritized immediately, but for Sneasler to face a Weaville is nothing short fantastic. Given the risks involved with the speedy strikers however, Stoat again opens with Dire Claw rather than anything else- hopefully crippling the opponent. She then follows with a single run of Swords Dance, followed by what will be a deveastating x4 blow from Close Combat after Emporio calls for the oversized weasel to go 'all in'. But with a strike like that leaving her defenseless for a time, Stoat is recalled quickly for the next fight-
Which is instead taken by Northrop, whose first order against Karen's next is a nice and simple 'One, Two!' Quickly using the super effective U-Turn to get out, Stoat comes right back out, and Emporio's clear strategy is quick to paint itself forward. While more inclined to follow her Dire Claw with Swords Dance and Rock Smash rather than the all-or-nothing tactics employed against the x4 advantage, it's a handy trick indeed that the pair repeat again and again for the likes of Absol, Umbreon, and even Houndoom- though U-Turn is less to take advantage of any effectiveness here, and more to simply get that dragon out of dodge.
Against two of Karen's line up however, an exception must be made. When Northrop comes out against Spiritomb, U-Turn is employed not to switch to Stoat, but instead to Oxy- now equipped with Dazzling Gleam as well (which Emporio realized was a pretty good TM investment actually), she makes immediate use of the only super effective move that can be employed against the dark-ghost, the command from Emporio to 'Shine, and Sparkle!' taken to new heights when combined with the order to 'Make them think twice'- specifically, the command that results in Oxy using Spite, and Confuse Ray, in succession between the blows.
With Honchkrow to consider, it's instead Confetti who is swapped into the stage though. While the bird over all haas the greater stats to be sure, the defenses are less than spectacular. Equipped with vastly superior speed, Emporio thus launches the orb forward while shouting 'Celebrate!'
...Which is fortunately, or unfortunately followed with a swift 'Thunderbolt rather than something like Self-Destruct. Ultimately the others are ready to step up to the plate as well- Reedy-Weedy with his array of normal STABs, and Haema with off-type flamethrower strikes to bring against the opposition, but one hopes that the back and forth of Stoat and Northrop will be the successful strategy.
Lance
And at last, it comes to the final hour. The champion.
Emporio enters the room hood up, pokemon restored best as possible. He comes forward with the air of a ghost type specialist, enough that one could be forgiven for having questions for fellows in the league, and even more than enough if one was confused by the first pokemon sent to the field.
Electrode. As it turns out, middling defenses and offenses aside, the only moves that will truly strike with greater effectiveness against Confetti is that of the ground type; and despite the stark power standing before him, he hopes to take advantage. Confetti, when sent to the field, isn't told to open with any STAB based moves- instead, Emporio makes use of the move that does greater damage to Salamence over time.
Ice Ball. Confetti is told to 'remember the season', causing the small wooden orb to launch rapidly into a dance of dodging and rolling, pinballing off the walls of the field as ice gradually coats their form. For every blow, the power of the move doubles, and consecutively at that- within a very short time against Salamence's poor defenses, it won't matter that Confetti isn't ice type. The only shame perhaps, is that they must cease form for the very next pokemon on Lance's list. As something with an electric bonus, once Gyarados hits the field Emporio makes a motion akin to a falling slap, the ice covered orb shattering magnificently into the sparks of Thunder; an accuracy risk to be sure, but perhaps if Emporio is lucky, that Gyarados is wasting time on Dragon Dance or even Rain Dance- the latter making Thunder far more fatal.
That Confetti is equipped with Static only helps their efforts, and with any luck the orb can carry on forward through Lance's continuing party. The little orb that could meets Garchomp much the same way they did Salamence- striking constantly against the beast with the ever growing x4 blow of Ice Ball, employing Static to perhaps paralyze their ground type quarry as well as they continue to out pace (and hopefully out maneuver) the mighty dragon.
And so long as Confetti just survives to the end of that, they can keep going. While the power of Ice Ball resets after five turns, that is yet five turns of consecutive doubling; no doubt, if Garchomp is taken down, it's before that reset. Facing Altaria, another Dragon Flying type, Confetti will thus simply continue with their frosty destruction, perhaps successfully 'OHKO'ing the bird in the process.
But Confetti's reign comes to an end at this point- with Charizard, what was the electrode's greatest strength becomes their greatest weakness. Truly a dragon in name only, charizard is a dragon against whom Northrop opens, utilizing Dragon Dance to up power and speed before runnning in with Phantom Force as a method of avoiding the occasional blow. For all that it's a mere quarter of damage dealt, he makes use of U-Turn to swap out the moment he needs as well- bringing out Oxy instead, who follows with her own strategy of the noxious Sludge Bomb and the devastating Hex as soon as a status ailment sticks.
While Confetti could in fact do quite well against Dragonite considering the prior battles, Emporio gives the orb a rest once Charizard is dealt with- and as someone who's fought dragon on dragon using a Dragonite himself, Emporio knows enough about the pokemon to know how else to handle one. Well aware that Lance's ace is a powerful, study fellow, unflinching in the face of most blows, Stoat is the one who enters the field first; making use of her impressive speed to strike as many times as it takes with Dire Claw to get a status ailment in. Once theoretically successful, one of two things happen- if merely sleeping, Stoat takes full advantage of the situation, repeating Swords Dance twice before going in with Dire Claw again.
But for any other ailment, the pokemon is switched for Oxy- who now charges in to alternate Hex with Dazzling Gleam depending on what does greater damage. Emporio's commands are reduced to gestures and short sounds, quick stuttering syllables that sound more like pokemon cries themselves than solid words. Whatever the case however, the pokemon know exactly what to do as the pace increases through the battle, and their trainer barely stays within the boundaries he's physically required to follow while on the field. Even if Stoat fails to properly land her blows, Oxy is pulled out, with Northrop next in priority- dragon on dragon is the greatest advantage anyone can have, and Dragon Rush is certainly a painful strike even underpowered. Haema is the next priority send- doing what she can with Bitter Malice if it comes to that, while Reedy-Weedy faces anything and everything with Double Slap and the normalized Play Rough.
And if in the end it comes down to a last-man run from Reedy, then very well. If Stoat manages to pull off a solo against the dragon, then very well- by the end of the fight, both Emporio and his pokemon will be truly and fully exhausted however. But maybe...just maybe...
As far as other worlders go, at 14, he'll be the youngest to enter the Aurora League.
[sends the sounds of a bouncy ball slamming repeatedly against the wall and ceiling with no context]
Karen
At over half-way through, it's not surprising that Emporio will be gently refreshing his pokemon with some potions no matter the case by now. He probably did that already, but, here he is. After the slight break that Bruno resulted in, it's time to get serious once more with Karen...whose type spread makes things far more interesting after the last run.
With Karen's entire line up likely to have a weakness to Fighting Type, Stoat is already prioritized immediately, but for Sneasler to face a Weaville is nothing short fantastic. Given the risks involved with the speedy strikers however, Stoat again opens with Dire Claw rather than anything else- hopefully crippling the opponent. She then follows with a single run of Swords Dance, followed by what will be a deveastating x4 blow from Close Combat after Emporio calls for the oversized weasel to go 'all in'. But with a strike like that leaving her defenseless for a time, Stoat is recalled quickly for the next fight-
Which is instead taken by Northrop, whose first order against Karen's next is a nice and simple 'One, Two!' Quickly using the super effective U-Turn to get out, Stoat comes right back out, and Emporio's clear strategy is quick to paint itself forward. While more inclined to follow her Dire Claw with Swords Dance and Rock Smash rather than the all-or-nothing tactics employed against the x4 advantage, it's a handy trick indeed that the pair repeat again and again for the likes of Absol, Umbreon, and even Houndoom- though U-Turn is less to take advantage of any effectiveness here, and more to simply get that dragon out of dodge.
Against two of Karen's line up however, an exception must be made. When Northrop comes out against Spiritomb, U-Turn is employed not to switch to Stoat, but instead to Oxy- now equipped with Dazzling Gleam as well (which Emporio realized was a pretty good TM investment actually), she makes immediate use of the only super effective move that can be employed against the dark-ghost, the command from Emporio to 'Shine, and Sparkle!' taken to new heights when combined with the order to 'Make them think twice'- specifically, the command that results in Oxy using Spite, and Confuse Ray, in succession between the blows.
With Honchkrow to consider, it's instead Confetti who is swapped into the stage though. While the bird over all haas the greater stats to be sure, the defenses are less than spectacular. Equipped with vastly superior speed, Emporio thus launches the orb forward while shouting 'Celebrate!'
...Which is fortunately, or unfortunately followed with a swift 'Thunderbolt rather than something like Self-Destruct. Ultimately the others are ready to step up to the plate as well- Reedy-Weedy with his array of normal STABs, and Haema with off-type flamethrower strikes to bring against the opposition, but one hopes that the back and forth of Stoat and Northrop will be the successful strategy.
Lance
And at last, it comes to the final hour. The champion.
Emporio enters the room hood up, pokemon restored best as possible. He comes forward with the air of a ghost type specialist, enough that one could be forgiven for having questions for fellows in the league, and even more than enough if one was confused by the first pokemon sent to the field.
Electrode. As it turns out, middling defenses and offenses aside, the only moves that will truly strike with greater effectiveness against Confetti is that of the ground type; and despite the stark power standing before him, he hopes to take advantage. Confetti, when sent to the field, isn't told to open with any STAB based moves- instead, Emporio makes use of the move that does greater damage to Salamence over time.
Ice Ball. Confetti is told to 'remember the season', causing the small wooden orb to launch rapidly into a dance of dodging and rolling, pinballing off the walls of the field as ice gradually coats their form. For every blow, the power of the move doubles, and consecutively at that- within a very short time against Salamence's poor defenses, it won't matter that Confetti isn't ice type. The only shame perhaps, is that they must cease form for the very next pokemon on Lance's list. As something with an electric bonus, once Gyarados hits the field Emporio makes a motion akin to a falling slap, the ice covered orb shattering magnificently into the sparks of Thunder; an accuracy risk to be sure, but perhaps if Emporio is lucky, that Gyarados is wasting time on Dragon Dance or even Rain Dance- the latter making Thunder far more fatal.
That Confetti is equipped with Static only helps their efforts, and with any luck the orb can carry on forward through Lance's continuing party. The little orb that could meets Garchomp much the same way they did Salamence- striking constantly against the beast with the ever growing x4 blow of Ice Ball, employing Static to perhaps paralyze their ground type quarry as well as they continue to out pace (and hopefully out maneuver) the mighty dragon.
And so long as Confetti just survives to the end of that, they can keep going. While the power of Ice Ball resets after five turns, that is yet five turns of consecutive doubling; no doubt, if Garchomp is taken down, it's before that reset. Facing Altaria, another Dragon Flying type, Confetti will thus simply continue with their frosty destruction, perhaps successfully 'OHKO'ing the bird in the process.
But Confetti's reign comes to an end at this point- with Charizard, what was the electrode's greatest strength becomes their greatest weakness. Truly a dragon in name only, charizard is a dragon against whom Northrop opens, utilizing Dragon Dance to up power and speed before runnning in with Phantom Force as a method of avoiding the occasional blow. For all that it's a mere quarter of damage dealt, he makes use of U-Turn to swap out the moment he needs as well- bringing out Oxy instead, who follows with her own strategy of the noxious Sludge Bomb and the devastating Hex as soon as a status ailment sticks.
While Confetti could in fact do quite well against Dragonite considering the prior battles, Emporio gives the orb a rest once Charizard is dealt with- and as someone who's fought dragon on dragon using a Dragonite himself, Emporio knows enough about the pokemon to know how else to handle one. Well aware that Lance's ace is a powerful, study fellow, unflinching in the face of most blows, Stoat is the one who enters the field first; making use of her impressive speed to strike as many times as it takes with Dire Claw to get a status ailment in. Once theoretically successful, one of two things happen- if merely sleeping, Stoat takes full advantage of the situation, repeating Swords Dance twice before going in with Dire Claw again.
But for any other ailment, the pokemon is switched for Oxy- who now charges in to alternate Hex with Dazzling Gleam depending on what does greater damage. Emporio's commands are reduced to gestures and short sounds, quick stuttering syllables that sound more like pokemon cries themselves than solid words. Whatever the case however, the pokemon know exactly what to do as the pace increases through the battle, and their trainer barely stays within the boundaries he's physically required to follow while on the field. Even if Stoat fails to properly land her blows, Oxy is pulled out, with Northrop next in priority- dragon on dragon is the greatest advantage anyone can have, and Dragon Rush is certainly a painful strike even underpowered. Haema is the next priority send- doing what she can with Bitter Malice if it comes to that, while Reedy-Weedy faces anything and everything with Double Slap and the normalized Play Rough.
And if in the end it comes down to a last-man run from Reedy, then very well. If Stoat manages to pull off a solo against the dragon, then very well- by the end of the fight, both Emporio and his pokemon will be truly and fully exhausted however. But maybe...just maybe...
As far as other worlders go, at 14, he'll be the youngest to enter the Aurora League.
The youngest over all, after all, was what...Ten?