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Since I finally built up enough courage to actually share here, I've started a project basically remastering the PWT but with characters and gimmicks from Gen 6 onward. Below is the (mostly finished) first battle/chapter of it. Feedback is welcome 
* * * * *
An island just north of the Galar Region sat proudly in the middle of the vast crystal-clear ocean. It was spread out all across the archipelago, glistening from the bright sunlight above, and a cool breeze flowed through the air. Fletchling and Wattrel flew through the calm skies, chattering and chirping at each other as they glided along. Large rocky outcrops were scaled along vast cliffsides, overlooking the blue sea, with tall grass surrounding the area. All was serene at a glance, but it was bustling with excitement. A large stadium glimmering in the sunlight was situated on one of the flat and rocky outcrops, surrounded by dense foliage and scattered stones. Crowds by the thousands piled in through the various entrances, ready to watch exciting battles ensue with their favorite trainers to see who’ll come out on top. Among these was one of the participating trainers, Roxie, a poison-type musician from Unova.
“I knew this place was big, but…wow," She gasped, gripping her guitar case a little tighter as she approached the staircase leading to the northern stadium entrance. She was nervous as it was, but seeing all these people in one place… it was mesmerizing. But she had time to gawk later. She had to get to the battlefield as soon as possible; she didn’t want to keep her opponent waiting.
She arrived at the entrance and the glass doors slid open, letting her and a group of others enter in rather smoothly. The main area was open and expansive, perfect for the wave of people to get to their seats without too much delay. Roxie scanned the area quickly in search for the registration booth.
"Hey, over here!" A voice suddenly called out to her. She turned toward where it was coming from and saw what looked to be a league official waving her over to a desk. She squirmed her way through the crowd and stood in front of the desk. “Hey there,” she greeted warmly. “You’re Roxie, right?”
“Yeah. I mean, yes, that’s me,” Roxie responded. The official smiled.
“Great, can you fill this out then?” She pulled out a clipboard and pen and handed it to her. Roxie picked up the pen and began to write on the form, finishing with her striking, albeit chaotic signature, handing it back to her. “Thank you! The challenger’s room is down the hall and up the stairs. You can take a rest and do some planning if you wish.” Roxie nodded in thanks and headed off. Following the directions given, she began to take in her surroundings for a moment. The warm smell of malasadas, an Alolan delicacy, wafted through the air from a nearby concession stand, and a craving began to swell inside her. Maybe later, though. The crowds of people she passed by as she walked were all different in some way, and she appreciated the diversity and creativity of the costumes and signs some were wearing and holding. When she finally reached the stairs, she thought about who her opponent might be. She didn’t get the time to have a good look at the tournament bracket at all, so it was all wild speculation at this point. It could be anyone. She fondly remembered her time in the PWT in her home region, and all the strong trainers that joined in. Maybe she would be facing Red, the strongest trainer across the Kanto Region, or the Sunyshore Electric Type Gym Leader from Sinnoh, Volker, or even…
“Marlon?” Roxie was surprised to see her friend cozy in the room with a soda can in his hand. “You’re my opponent?” Marlon smiled.
“It seems so,” he responded nonchalantly. He cracked open the soda and took a sip. “Did you do any training beforehand?” Roxie plopped down on a comfy chair and opened her guitar case, hooking the instrument over her.
“Nope, I got here too late. I guess that’s what I get. How about you?”
“Besides my morning swim laps, I guess you could say the same about me.” Marlon responded with a shrug. Roxie plucked a few notes on her guitar as she looked up at the room’s screen. People were filling the seats fast, eagerly chatting amongst themselves, ready for the big match. “Nervous?” Marlon asked her, watching the screen himself.
“A little,” she replied sheepishly. Marlon smiled.
“Figured as much. I know this sounds a little cheesy, but just trust in yourself, dudette! Confidence is key. Just think of it as if you’re playing for your club in Virbank.” Roxie played another note on her guitar.
“Yeah, except it's in front of over a hundred thousand people,” she joked sarcastically. Marlon chuckled.
“When you put it that way, I guess it does seem a little nerve-racking.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Welcome one and all to the brand new and improved Pokemon World Tournament!” an announcer’s voice boomed over the room’s loudspeakers. The two focused their attention on them. “Are you ready for some heated battles!?” The crowd throughout the stadium cheered with euphoric enthusiasm. “Then give it up for our first two competitors! Hailing from Unova, it’s Virbank City’s rockin’ Poison Type Gym Leader, Roxie!”
“Go get 'em, Rox,” Marlon encouraged. “I’m right behind you.” Roxie slowed her breathing and pushed through the glass doors leading to the arena. Roxie shielded her eyes from the sun as she stepped out onto the field. She soaked in the crowd’s praise with a smile, waving joyously as she walked by. At least her nervousness was fading slightly.
“And for our next competitor, another Unovan star, the man who makes a bigger splash than the sea, here’s Marlon!” Roxie watched her friend dash out onto the arena, cheerful and excited. The two made their way to the center and exchanged another smile. The referee suddenly hovered down to the two, sitting atop what looked to be a freshly shined Magnezone.
“Alright, are both competitors ready?” Both trainers nodded in her direction. “This will be a three on three battle,” she said. “You are allowed one use of Mega Evolution, Z-Move, Gigantamax, or Terastalization. Is that clear?” The two nodded again. “With that said, take your places and send out your first Pokemon!” The two parted ways, and the referee floated up back into the air. Roxie held up her Poke Ball and looked at her reflection shining back at her. Let’s give them a show.
“You’re up! Let’s rock and roll, Toxtricity!” She hurled her Poke Ball onto the field, and Toxtricity was released. It strummed the purple organs on its chest while tapping its feet to a rhythm with a smile. “C’mon, let's see what you can do Marlon!” she shouted out.
“There’s the Roxie I know! Let’s make a splash, Wailord!” Marlon launched his own Poke Ball, and the towering Wailord loomed over the two with a deafening bellow. “Hydro Pump!” Wailord opened its gaping jaw, deep blue water surging in its mouth.
“Overdrive, go, go, go!” Roxie commanded. Toxtricity balled its fists and surged with electricity, before letting loose a discharge of thunderous waves, striking Wailord head-on before it could execute the attack. “All right!” Roxie cheered.
“A shocking first impression from Roxie!” The announcer called. “How will Marlon respond?”
“Don’t celebrate yet! Whirlpool!” Marlon countered quickly. Wailord sailed forward and launched a writhing typhoon toward Toxtricty, ensnaring it tightly. “Now, Noble Roar!” Wailord opened its large mouth again, releasing a reverberating roar suddenly, sending a surge of powerful gusts straight at the duo. Roxie covered her face with her arm as the wind whipped her clothes and hair.
“Ngh…H-Hang in there Toxtricity! Thunderbolt!” Toxtricity pushed through the harsh whirlwinds, charging up electricity. The Pokémon’s spikes flared up and a powerful strike of lighting exploded from its fingertips, striking Wailord with critical damage. “Yes! Awesome job!” Toxtricity gave a weak thumbs up before suddenly recoiling, dropping to the ground weakly. Roxie quickly dashed to its aid. “Toxtricity, can you hear me? What’s wrong?” She gritted her teeth. “The Whirlpool! He’s good…” she jumped back up onto her feet as she tried to formulate a plan in her head. Switching out would be useless, and it has no way of healing itself. The Whirlpool attack would only keep chipping it’s health down. She let out a breath. There was nothing else to do. So why not give them a show?
“Toxtricity! I know you’re almost down and out, but can you make some noise one last time?” Toxtricity looked back and nodded with a smile. Roxie returned the gesture and reached for a silver pick in her pocket. She strummed a chord on her guitar. “Well, come on then! Boomburst!” Toxtricty strummed the organs on its chest in synergy with Roxie’s upbeat guitar playing, before letting out a guttural screech, reverberating powerfully through the entire stadium.
"Wailord, Hyper Beam!" Marlon ordered. Wailord opened its gaping mouth again as a harsh light began to gather in the Pokemon's mouth, before launching it straight at its opponent. But it didn't land. The boomburst was powerful enough to push back the surging Hyper Beam. "C'mon Wailord, keep going!" Marlon yelled through the loud screeching from Toxtricity.
"You too, buddy!" Roxie called out to her own partner. The two attacks continued to strike each other relentlessly for what seemed like hours, before suddenly, Wailord's attack began to die down. It had finally tired itself out, and began to get pushed back by the powerful blast. "That's it, we're almost there, Toxtricity!" Roxie cheered. She was glad they were pushing through, but she began to notice her partner was running out of energy itself. It managed to blast one more burst of power before finally collapsing on the ground, fainted. She looked ahead to see her opponent had fallen as well..
"A double knockout!" The announcer said in shock. "Clearly both competitors are ready to win, but what's their next move?"
Wailord was on the ground with spirals in its eyes. Marlon rubbed its blue skin comfortingly.
"Good job, Wailord, you did your best out there," he said, placing his Pokemon back in its Poke Ball. Roxie brushed her hand across her partner's back.
"Rockin' job, Toxtricity," she said with a smile. "You've done more than enough work." She returned her Pokemon and switched it with an Ultra Ball. "All right, let's bring on the bass, Rillaboom!" She lobbed the capsule and Rillaboom launched from it, full of energy. It beat its chest with an emphatic hoot, pulling out its wooden drum.
“Clawitzer, let’s go!” Marlon called at the same time, sending out his Poke Ball. Clawitzer clamped its pincers down fiercely, making a furious snapping sound. “That’s new,'' he joked. “Thinking of becoming a Grass type Gym Leader?” Roxie rolled her eyes with a scoff.
“Yeah right, I’m just being a little creative, that’s all. The Galar Region’s full of rockin’ great Pokemon!” She faced her partner, reading her guitar again. “Now c’mon, gimme a beat! Rillaboom, Drum Beating!” Rillaboom began to beat its wooden drum quickly, a deep resounding bass with each heavy beat. The ground began to stir around the Pokemon, and thick vines protruded from it, launching toward Clawitzer.
“Clawitzer, blast through, Water Pulse!” Clawitzer opened its larger pincer and an orb of water began to grow bigger inside of it, before getting blasted toward the vines, breaking them apart in an instant.
“Wh-what!? R-Rillaboom, outta the way!” Rillaboom quickly swerved the oncoming attack and slid backward to Roxie, awaiting a new command. Roxie gritted her teeth. Even with the type advantage, Marlon was still tough to crack. And after losing Toxtricity, she needed to think carefully about her next moves. “Alright, Roxie, take a breath,” she coaxed herself. “Rillaboom, are you ready?” Rillaboom gave a thumbs up with a big grin. “Alright then let’s uh…” She scanned her opponent’s and her own Pokemon, looking for some kind of quick strategy, until her eyes fell onto RIllaboom’s drum. It would be a long shot, but it might just turn the field in her favor. “Rillaboom, your drum! Fling it!” she instructed. Rillaboom looked at its drum and back at Roxie, as if it was understanding her plan. It kicked it up into its hands and launched it at breakneck speeds toward Clawitzer. Even Marlon wasn’t prepared for the sudden attack, dashing to counter in some way. “Clawitzer, quick, do something!” Clawitzer looked back at its trainer helplessly before taking Rillaboom’s drum to the face, throwing it into the arena’s invisible walls protecting the crowd, causing it to shimmer a light shade of blue. It collapsed onto the ground weakly, stunned from the powerful attack.
“Now, close in Rillaboom, hit em’ with a Superpower!” Rillaboom charged forward toward Clawitzer, picked it up and slammed it into the ground, sending shattered cracks across the area. Clawitzer limply lay in the center, completely fainted. The crowd practically bursted with fanatic cheering. Rillaboom beat its chest with a loud hoot, clearly enjoying the praise. Marlon chuckled softly as he watched Rillaboom pick up its drum and dash back to Roxie.
“Finally getting into the heat of the battle, huh Rox?” Roxie smiled with a breath. He was right, the battle was almost at its end, but she felt heated to the core. She held Rillaboom’s Poke Ball and rested her hand along its back.
“Nice job, Rillaboom, you’re doing great so far. Let’s take it to the end.” RIllaboom nodded and prepared for its next attack. Marlon returned his Clawitzer and switched to his final Poke Ball.
“It’s time, partner, “he said, pressing his other hand over the capsule. “Surf’s up, Carracosta!” The Poke Ball flew through the air and Carracosta entered the field calmly, brushing its fins as it faced Rillaboom with an unmoving stare. “Let’s finish this with a bang, Carracosta!” Carracosta nodded in return. “Shell Smash!”
“Rillaboom, quickly, Wood Hammer!” Rillaboom bellowed and charged at Carracosta, ready to crash down on it with its drum. But before it could, a shattering explosion launched the Pokemon backward. It slid on its back across the ground, flipping back upward to regain stability. Roxie watched chunks of Carracosta’s shell fly past her feet from the sudden move. When the dust cleared, Carracosta’s shell looked different. The one rigid and thick shell was now smooth and thin, even partially showing its blue backside. Shell Smash was always a risky move, which could turn the tides of the battle for either side. “Wood Hammer again, go, go, go!” Roxie commanded. Rillaboom quickly charged ahead again, readying a strike.
“Carracosta, Protect, then strike!” Carracosta covered its face as a barrier began to form around it, nullifying Rillaboom’s Wood Hammer in an instant. As the barrier began to wear off, Carracosta quickly propelled forward into Rillaboom’s legs, knocking it to the ground. “Now, Icy Wind!” Carracosta began to breathe out icy air from its mouth, wrapping around its opponent’s feet, encapsulating it to the ground with ice. Rillaboom, surprised from the sudden round of attacks, tried to pull up from the ice, but it was no use. Roxie watched in surprise herself.
“Rillaboom, we can do this, just hang in there!” she called out. As much as she wanted to help, she couldn’t find an angle to fight back.
“Carracosta, Razor Shell!” Carracosta slashed furiously at Rillaboom’s back with its fins, breaking it free from the ice, but threw it across the battlefield. Rillaboom slid furiously across the ground but still managed to shake off the attack, staggering slightly as it got up, its hind legs numb from the Icy Wind. It glared at Carracosta, balling its fists for an attack.
“That’s the spirit, buddy!” Roxie called. “Drum Beating, let’s finish this!” Rillaboom reached for its drum, but quickly realized it had dropped it after the sudden attacks from its opponent. It bounded forward, ignoring the pain in its hind legs as it rushed closer. Carracosta stood in front of the drum with a returning glare, getting into a counter attacking stance.
“Smack Down, Carracosta!” Marlon ordered. Carracosta waited for its opponent to get close enough, before bringing its fins crashing down toward its head, but to no avail. It was quick, but Rillaboom was quicker. It avoided the Smack Down and knocked the turtle Pokemon to the side, reuniting with its drum. It pulled out its drumsticks and began to send deep reverberating beats through the drum, and vines erupted from the ground, ensnaring Carracosta’s body tightly. Rillaboom changed the pitch of the beats, and the vines slowly pulled it closer to the Pokemon. Carracosta’s serious face became troubled as it watched Rillaboom’s face curl into a toothy grin. “Carracosta, Razor Shell, get out of there!” Marlon yelled, worry tinting his voice. Carracosta tried to wriggle from the vines, but its fins were tied shut. Rillaboom drummed one last rhythm, and the vines launched Carracosta through the air with a powerful force. The crowd went silent as the Pokemon sailed through the air, landing to the ground with a powerful crack. The referee made her way down to the Pokemon and carefully observed its condition. After a few moments, she held up her left hand, confirming to the crowd that Carracosta had fainted.
“There it is! Carracosta is unable to battle! Roxie is the winner!” The announcer boomed, sending the crowd into an outburst of acclamation. Roxie stood in disbelief, her heart pounding with excitement. She had won! She dashed toward Rillaboom in excitement.
“We did it buddy!” she called. “We won!” Rillaboom hooted happily and ran toward Roxie too, picking her up and lifting her into the air. Roxie watched all of the people cheering and chanting her name and a surge of pride filled her body wholeheartedly. Once Rillaboom had put her down, she faced Marlon, who was putting Carracosta back in its Poke Ball. “You did really well out there,” she said to him with a smile. Marlon turned to her, returning the gesture.
“Same to you dudette!” he replied. “I mean, you and Rillaboom were in perfect sync, it was awesome!” Roxie was glad her friend wasn’t too dejected about losing, but Marlon was Marlon, he always took things pretty relaxed. “Come on,” he said suddenly. “I got something to show you."
* * * * *
An island just north of the Galar Region sat proudly in the middle of the vast crystal-clear ocean. It was spread out all across the archipelago, glistening from the bright sunlight above, and a cool breeze flowed through the air. Fletchling and Wattrel flew through the calm skies, chattering and chirping at each other as they glided along. Large rocky outcrops were scaled along vast cliffsides, overlooking the blue sea, with tall grass surrounding the area. All was serene at a glance, but it was bustling with excitement. A large stadium glimmering in the sunlight was situated on one of the flat and rocky outcrops, surrounded by dense foliage and scattered stones. Crowds by the thousands piled in through the various entrances, ready to watch exciting battles ensue with their favorite trainers to see who’ll come out on top. Among these was one of the participating trainers, Roxie, a poison-type musician from Unova.
“I knew this place was big, but…wow," She gasped, gripping her guitar case a little tighter as she approached the staircase leading to the northern stadium entrance. She was nervous as it was, but seeing all these people in one place… it was mesmerizing. But she had time to gawk later. She had to get to the battlefield as soon as possible; she didn’t want to keep her opponent waiting.
She arrived at the entrance and the glass doors slid open, letting her and a group of others enter in rather smoothly. The main area was open and expansive, perfect for the wave of people to get to their seats without too much delay. Roxie scanned the area quickly in search for the registration booth.
"Hey, over here!" A voice suddenly called out to her. She turned toward where it was coming from and saw what looked to be a league official waving her over to a desk. She squirmed her way through the crowd and stood in front of the desk. “Hey there,” she greeted warmly. “You’re Roxie, right?”
“Yeah. I mean, yes, that’s me,” Roxie responded. The official smiled.
“Great, can you fill this out then?” She pulled out a clipboard and pen and handed it to her. Roxie picked up the pen and began to write on the form, finishing with her striking, albeit chaotic signature, handing it back to her. “Thank you! The challenger’s room is down the hall and up the stairs. You can take a rest and do some planning if you wish.” Roxie nodded in thanks and headed off. Following the directions given, she began to take in her surroundings for a moment. The warm smell of malasadas, an Alolan delicacy, wafted through the air from a nearby concession stand, and a craving began to swell inside her. Maybe later, though. The crowds of people she passed by as she walked were all different in some way, and she appreciated the diversity and creativity of the costumes and signs some were wearing and holding. When she finally reached the stairs, she thought about who her opponent might be. She didn’t get the time to have a good look at the tournament bracket at all, so it was all wild speculation at this point. It could be anyone. She fondly remembered her time in the PWT in her home region, and all the strong trainers that joined in. Maybe she would be facing Red, the strongest trainer across the Kanto Region, or the Sunyshore Electric Type Gym Leader from Sinnoh, Volker, or even…
“Marlon?” Roxie was surprised to see her friend cozy in the room with a soda can in his hand. “You’re my opponent?” Marlon smiled.
“It seems so,” he responded nonchalantly. He cracked open the soda and took a sip. “Did you do any training beforehand?” Roxie plopped down on a comfy chair and opened her guitar case, hooking the instrument over her.
“Nope, I got here too late. I guess that’s what I get. How about you?”
“Besides my morning swim laps, I guess you could say the same about me.” Marlon responded with a shrug. Roxie plucked a few notes on her guitar as she looked up at the room’s screen. People were filling the seats fast, eagerly chatting amongst themselves, ready for the big match. “Nervous?” Marlon asked her, watching the screen himself.
“A little,” she replied sheepishly. Marlon smiled.
“Figured as much. I know this sounds a little cheesy, but just trust in yourself, dudette! Confidence is key. Just think of it as if you’re playing for your club in Virbank.” Roxie played another note on her guitar.
“Yeah, except it's in front of over a hundred thousand people,” she joked sarcastically. Marlon chuckled.
“When you put it that way, I guess it does seem a little nerve-racking.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Welcome one and all to the brand new and improved Pokemon World Tournament!” an announcer’s voice boomed over the room’s loudspeakers. The two focused their attention on them. “Are you ready for some heated battles!?” The crowd throughout the stadium cheered with euphoric enthusiasm. “Then give it up for our first two competitors! Hailing from Unova, it’s Virbank City’s rockin’ Poison Type Gym Leader, Roxie!”
“Go get 'em, Rox,” Marlon encouraged. “I’m right behind you.” Roxie slowed her breathing and pushed through the glass doors leading to the arena. Roxie shielded her eyes from the sun as she stepped out onto the field. She soaked in the crowd’s praise with a smile, waving joyously as she walked by. At least her nervousness was fading slightly.
“And for our next competitor, another Unovan star, the man who makes a bigger splash than the sea, here’s Marlon!” Roxie watched her friend dash out onto the arena, cheerful and excited. The two made their way to the center and exchanged another smile. The referee suddenly hovered down to the two, sitting atop what looked to be a freshly shined Magnezone.
“Alright, are both competitors ready?” Both trainers nodded in her direction. “This will be a three on three battle,” she said. “You are allowed one use of Mega Evolution, Z-Move, Gigantamax, or Terastalization. Is that clear?” The two nodded again. “With that said, take your places and send out your first Pokemon!” The two parted ways, and the referee floated up back into the air. Roxie held up her Poke Ball and looked at her reflection shining back at her. Let’s give them a show.
“You’re up! Let’s rock and roll, Toxtricity!” She hurled her Poke Ball onto the field, and Toxtricity was released. It strummed the purple organs on its chest while tapping its feet to a rhythm with a smile. “C’mon, let's see what you can do Marlon!” she shouted out.
“There’s the Roxie I know! Let’s make a splash, Wailord!” Marlon launched his own Poke Ball, and the towering Wailord loomed over the two with a deafening bellow. “Hydro Pump!” Wailord opened its gaping jaw, deep blue water surging in its mouth.
“Overdrive, go, go, go!” Roxie commanded. Toxtricity balled its fists and surged with electricity, before letting loose a discharge of thunderous waves, striking Wailord head-on before it could execute the attack. “All right!” Roxie cheered.
“A shocking first impression from Roxie!” The announcer called. “How will Marlon respond?”
“Don’t celebrate yet! Whirlpool!” Marlon countered quickly. Wailord sailed forward and launched a writhing typhoon toward Toxtricty, ensnaring it tightly. “Now, Noble Roar!” Wailord opened its large mouth again, releasing a reverberating roar suddenly, sending a surge of powerful gusts straight at the duo. Roxie covered her face with her arm as the wind whipped her clothes and hair.
“Ngh…H-Hang in there Toxtricity! Thunderbolt!” Toxtricity pushed through the harsh whirlwinds, charging up electricity. The Pokémon’s spikes flared up and a powerful strike of lighting exploded from its fingertips, striking Wailord with critical damage. “Yes! Awesome job!” Toxtricity gave a weak thumbs up before suddenly recoiling, dropping to the ground weakly. Roxie quickly dashed to its aid. “Toxtricity, can you hear me? What’s wrong?” She gritted her teeth. “The Whirlpool! He’s good…” she jumped back up onto her feet as she tried to formulate a plan in her head. Switching out would be useless, and it has no way of healing itself. The Whirlpool attack would only keep chipping it’s health down. She let out a breath. There was nothing else to do. So why not give them a show?
“Toxtricity! I know you’re almost down and out, but can you make some noise one last time?” Toxtricity looked back and nodded with a smile. Roxie returned the gesture and reached for a silver pick in her pocket. She strummed a chord on her guitar. “Well, come on then! Boomburst!” Toxtricty strummed the organs on its chest in synergy with Roxie’s upbeat guitar playing, before letting out a guttural screech, reverberating powerfully through the entire stadium.
"Wailord, Hyper Beam!" Marlon ordered. Wailord opened its gaping mouth again as a harsh light began to gather in the Pokemon's mouth, before launching it straight at its opponent. But it didn't land. The boomburst was powerful enough to push back the surging Hyper Beam. "C'mon Wailord, keep going!" Marlon yelled through the loud screeching from Toxtricity.
"You too, buddy!" Roxie called out to her own partner. The two attacks continued to strike each other relentlessly for what seemed like hours, before suddenly, Wailord's attack began to die down. It had finally tired itself out, and began to get pushed back by the powerful blast. "That's it, we're almost there, Toxtricity!" Roxie cheered. She was glad they were pushing through, but she began to notice her partner was running out of energy itself. It managed to blast one more burst of power before finally collapsing on the ground, fainted. She looked ahead to see her opponent had fallen as well..
"A double knockout!" The announcer said in shock. "Clearly both competitors are ready to win, but what's their next move?"
Wailord was on the ground with spirals in its eyes. Marlon rubbed its blue skin comfortingly.
"Good job, Wailord, you did your best out there," he said, placing his Pokemon back in its Poke Ball. Roxie brushed her hand across her partner's back.
"Rockin' job, Toxtricity," she said with a smile. "You've done more than enough work." She returned her Pokemon and switched it with an Ultra Ball. "All right, let's bring on the bass, Rillaboom!" She lobbed the capsule and Rillaboom launched from it, full of energy. It beat its chest with an emphatic hoot, pulling out its wooden drum.
“Clawitzer, let’s go!” Marlon called at the same time, sending out his Poke Ball. Clawitzer clamped its pincers down fiercely, making a furious snapping sound. “That’s new,'' he joked. “Thinking of becoming a Grass type Gym Leader?” Roxie rolled her eyes with a scoff.
“Yeah right, I’m just being a little creative, that’s all. The Galar Region’s full of rockin’ great Pokemon!” She faced her partner, reading her guitar again. “Now c’mon, gimme a beat! Rillaboom, Drum Beating!” Rillaboom began to beat its wooden drum quickly, a deep resounding bass with each heavy beat. The ground began to stir around the Pokemon, and thick vines protruded from it, launching toward Clawitzer.
“Clawitzer, blast through, Water Pulse!” Clawitzer opened its larger pincer and an orb of water began to grow bigger inside of it, before getting blasted toward the vines, breaking them apart in an instant.
“Wh-what!? R-Rillaboom, outta the way!” Rillaboom quickly swerved the oncoming attack and slid backward to Roxie, awaiting a new command. Roxie gritted her teeth. Even with the type advantage, Marlon was still tough to crack. And after losing Toxtricity, she needed to think carefully about her next moves. “Alright, Roxie, take a breath,” she coaxed herself. “Rillaboom, are you ready?” Rillaboom gave a thumbs up with a big grin. “Alright then let’s uh…” She scanned her opponent’s and her own Pokemon, looking for some kind of quick strategy, until her eyes fell onto RIllaboom’s drum. It would be a long shot, but it might just turn the field in her favor. “Rillaboom, your drum! Fling it!” she instructed. Rillaboom looked at its drum and back at Roxie, as if it was understanding her plan. It kicked it up into its hands and launched it at breakneck speeds toward Clawitzer. Even Marlon wasn’t prepared for the sudden attack, dashing to counter in some way. “Clawitzer, quick, do something!” Clawitzer looked back at its trainer helplessly before taking Rillaboom’s drum to the face, throwing it into the arena’s invisible walls protecting the crowd, causing it to shimmer a light shade of blue. It collapsed onto the ground weakly, stunned from the powerful attack.
“Now, close in Rillaboom, hit em’ with a Superpower!” Rillaboom charged forward toward Clawitzer, picked it up and slammed it into the ground, sending shattered cracks across the area. Clawitzer limply lay in the center, completely fainted. The crowd practically bursted with fanatic cheering. Rillaboom beat its chest with a loud hoot, clearly enjoying the praise. Marlon chuckled softly as he watched Rillaboom pick up its drum and dash back to Roxie.
“Finally getting into the heat of the battle, huh Rox?” Roxie smiled with a breath. He was right, the battle was almost at its end, but she felt heated to the core. She held Rillaboom’s Poke Ball and rested her hand along its back.
“Nice job, Rillaboom, you’re doing great so far. Let’s take it to the end.” RIllaboom nodded and prepared for its next attack. Marlon returned his Clawitzer and switched to his final Poke Ball.
“It’s time, partner, “he said, pressing his other hand over the capsule. “Surf’s up, Carracosta!” The Poke Ball flew through the air and Carracosta entered the field calmly, brushing its fins as it faced Rillaboom with an unmoving stare. “Let’s finish this with a bang, Carracosta!” Carracosta nodded in return. “Shell Smash!”
“Rillaboom, quickly, Wood Hammer!” Rillaboom bellowed and charged at Carracosta, ready to crash down on it with its drum. But before it could, a shattering explosion launched the Pokemon backward. It slid on its back across the ground, flipping back upward to regain stability. Roxie watched chunks of Carracosta’s shell fly past her feet from the sudden move. When the dust cleared, Carracosta’s shell looked different. The one rigid and thick shell was now smooth and thin, even partially showing its blue backside. Shell Smash was always a risky move, which could turn the tides of the battle for either side. “Wood Hammer again, go, go, go!” Roxie commanded. Rillaboom quickly charged ahead again, readying a strike.
“Carracosta, Protect, then strike!” Carracosta covered its face as a barrier began to form around it, nullifying Rillaboom’s Wood Hammer in an instant. As the barrier began to wear off, Carracosta quickly propelled forward into Rillaboom’s legs, knocking it to the ground. “Now, Icy Wind!” Carracosta began to breathe out icy air from its mouth, wrapping around its opponent’s feet, encapsulating it to the ground with ice. Rillaboom, surprised from the sudden round of attacks, tried to pull up from the ice, but it was no use. Roxie watched in surprise herself.
“Rillaboom, we can do this, just hang in there!” she called out. As much as she wanted to help, she couldn’t find an angle to fight back.
“Carracosta, Razor Shell!” Carracosta slashed furiously at Rillaboom’s back with its fins, breaking it free from the ice, but threw it across the battlefield. Rillaboom slid furiously across the ground but still managed to shake off the attack, staggering slightly as it got up, its hind legs numb from the Icy Wind. It glared at Carracosta, balling its fists for an attack.
“That’s the spirit, buddy!” Roxie called. “Drum Beating, let’s finish this!” Rillaboom reached for its drum, but quickly realized it had dropped it after the sudden attacks from its opponent. It bounded forward, ignoring the pain in its hind legs as it rushed closer. Carracosta stood in front of the drum with a returning glare, getting into a counter attacking stance.
“Smack Down, Carracosta!” Marlon ordered. Carracosta waited for its opponent to get close enough, before bringing its fins crashing down toward its head, but to no avail. It was quick, but Rillaboom was quicker. It avoided the Smack Down and knocked the turtle Pokemon to the side, reuniting with its drum. It pulled out its drumsticks and began to send deep reverberating beats through the drum, and vines erupted from the ground, ensnaring Carracosta’s body tightly. Rillaboom changed the pitch of the beats, and the vines slowly pulled it closer to the Pokemon. Carracosta’s serious face became troubled as it watched Rillaboom’s face curl into a toothy grin. “Carracosta, Razor Shell, get out of there!” Marlon yelled, worry tinting his voice. Carracosta tried to wriggle from the vines, but its fins were tied shut. Rillaboom drummed one last rhythm, and the vines launched Carracosta through the air with a powerful force. The crowd went silent as the Pokemon sailed through the air, landing to the ground with a powerful crack. The referee made her way down to the Pokemon and carefully observed its condition. After a few moments, she held up her left hand, confirming to the crowd that Carracosta had fainted.
“There it is! Carracosta is unable to battle! Roxie is the winner!” The announcer boomed, sending the crowd into an outburst of acclamation. Roxie stood in disbelief, her heart pounding with excitement. She had won! She dashed toward Rillaboom in excitement.
“We did it buddy!” she called. “We won!” Rillaboom hooted happily and ran toward Roxie too, picking her up and lifting her into the air. Roxie watched all of the people cheering and chanting her name and a surge of pride filled her body wholeheartedly. Once Rillaboom had put her down, she faced Marlon, who was putting Carracosta back in its Poke Ball. “You did really well out there,” she said to him with a smile. Marlon turned to her, returning the gesture.
“Same to you dudette!” he replied. “I mean, you and Rillaboom were in perfect sync, it was awesome!” Roxie was glad her friend wasn’t too dejected about losing, but Marlon was Marlon, he always took things pretty relaxed. “Come on,” he said suddenly. “I got something to show you."
