Faller Noun: Someone Experiencing Interesting Times - Chapter 15

It hadn’t taken all that long for the pair of highly competitive trainers to find a referee willing to preside over a battle between two professional trainers. Not when the group of individuals were hanging out at the Contest Hall, a place where trainers congregated to begin with. Heck, they had even drawn a small crowd of bored trainers, both obviously local and obviously not who’d wandered over to their chosen battlefield. Lesya was evidently a well known minor celebrity, something that made a certain degree of sense given how proficient of a Move tutor she seemed to be.

Before he knew it, Neil was surrounded by unfamiliar people who thankfully seemed to get the message that he appreciated his space, although the fact he had a furry dino with a crocodilian mouth half again her volume malingering on his shoulders may’ve something to do with it. Now, if only they would stop excitedly mumbling to each other that there were two ‘good’ trainers about to battle things out for their viewing pleasure. Heck, some of them even had Rotom Phones - and the rare Poryphone - to record the event for posterity… or for social media.

Yeah, no, different world or not no way in hell at least a few of them weren’t fishing for clips.

“This will be a one on one battle between Raiko and Lesya.” The referee declared gravely, voice projected excellently despite the complete lack of sound amplifying equipment, “One use of Mega Evolution, Z-Moves, or Terastalization shall be permitted.” Pausing to take a breath more than anything else, the young man who’d volunteered to oversee the match continued with a sense of finality, “This battle will continue until one side is judged unable to continue battling. Trainers, are you ready?”

“Ready!” “Ready.”

Both trainers declared their status in unison, the Pokemon at their sides itching with anticipation. Sableye was far harder to read than Eevee; perhaps due to a gap in experience, perhaps because the fox-cat was far worse at hiding her visible excitement. Yet all witnessing the event could tell that this was a match with some sort of meaning between all parties involved.

No casual battle had this level of tension or weight to it. This was something significant.

“Then begin!” The ref had barely finished chopping his right hand through the air before Eevee and Sableye moved, their trainers both crying out their respective orders at speed.

The immediate cry of “Fakeout” from Lesya was met with a cry for “Detect” from Raiko, Eevee’s eyes emitting an orange glow as she weaved between a pair of glowing claws projected by her foe. She didn’t need an order to retaliate against the failed attack, her hind paws kicking up a deluge of mud onto her foe. Without giving her opponent a single second to breathe, Raiko gave her next order, “Calm Mind!”

Only for a vicious, mocking cry from Sableye to completely foil that plan. Eevee grimaced as she briefly fought against the Taunt from her foe to complete the Move she’d been ordered to use, sparks of red-black energy crackling along her body. Giving it up as a bad job after only a moment, the foxcat and her foe stared each other down as they slowly circled each other.

As the pair of Pokemon continued their ‘dance’, Neil’s eyes remained glued to Lesya and her partner, drinking in every little detail of how a Move Master employed her partner’s arsenal. He didn’t have to wait long to see a practical example.

“Rock Tomb, box her in.” Lesya’s crisp order left no room for interpretation, and even as Neil’s head snapped back to tracking Sableye, they were already moving. Several constructs of Rock Type energy sprung into existence around the ghost, the Sableye cackling as the constructs assailed Eevee as one. Even as Neil’s eyes flicked towards the target of the Move she was already moving, weaving between the rocks with a nigh-unnatural grace, a faint sheen of white surrounding the fox-cat’s body.

Unfortunately, Eevee could not see the ghost of a satisfied smile on Lesya’s face. Raiko’s starter exited the veritable maze of constructs only to be confronted by a warning shout from her trainer,

“Eevee, roll with the hit and use Alluring Voice!”

That was all the warning the fox-cat received before a vicious right hook glowing with Fighting Type energy blindsided her. Doing her utmost to roll with the blow as ordered, Eevee endured the pain and let loose with a cry, incandescent pink tracing the waves of sound. A sympathetic wince dashed across Neil’s face as the Sableye screeched in agony, what must have been a point blank Fairy Move likely dealing serious damage.

Before Eevee could press her advantage, however, Lesya’s voice cut through the air, “Shake it off Sableye! We aren’t going to let Raiko and Eevee have a victory with a Move we didn’t teach them now are we!”

In what could only be in response to their Trainer’s demand-slash-plea, Sableye stabilized themselves, eyes gleaming with the same orange glow that Eevee’s had earlier. The aforementioned fox-cat’s followup attack - Crunch or Bite, if Neil had to guess - missed entirely as Sableye leaned out of the way with unnatural grace. Their leg snapped out in the same instant, barely missing Eevee’s paws as Raiko’s own order barely saved her from the followup attack.

“Dig!”

An unnatural calm settled over the battlefield as Sableye began to set up, Lesya guiding her Pokemon through a battery of obviously practiced Moves all designed to boost their performance.

Nasty Plot. Bulk Up. Reflect. Light Screen. All four moves were executed with professional swiftness, yet there was no sense of victory in it. Raiko definitely was doing something with that Dig. Neil’s intuition; or perhaps that of the crowd’s, whispered as much.

Yet nothing happened. Just as Lesya moved to look towards the ref, a question on her lips, Neil caught the smirk on Raiko’s face.

Eevee burst out of the ground straight beneath Sableye, violently sending the ghost flying through the air.

“Shadow Ball, batter them!” A sharp command ripped through the air as the frenetic pace of combat resumed, Lesya’s own order drowned beneath Raiko’s own. Reflecting their trainer, Sableye desperately attempted to orient itself in such a manner that they wouldn’t be taking the full brunt of the deluge of shadowy orbs Eevee was firing skyward. Ghost Type energy slammed into Sableye, some impacts juggling the Ghost Type further into the sky.

“Substitute!” Despite the seeming desperation of the situation, Lesya’s voice did not waver in the slightest, the Move Tutor reacting to the changing situation with admirable poise and alacrity. The only thing betraying her own feelings on the matter was the sheer fighting spirit baked into her voice. Hell, it was plastered all over her face. Neil didn’t even acknowledge what all of that determination in a woman built like that did for him, folding it up with ease born of long practice as he focused fully on the battle.

Sableye landed roughly on the ground. Lesya’s Ghost was clearly winded, battered as they had been from Eevee’s constant pressure. Eevee herself wasn’t fairing all that better, considering the licks she had taken herself. Another pause settled over the battlefield as both trainers took stock of their situation, the combatants on the field circling each other slowly as they hunted for an opening entirely independent of their trainers.

The next few moves would finish this fight, that much was obvious.

Then, Lesya did something completely unexpected. Shocked gasps floated through the crowd as the Move Tutor withdrew a necklace from her pocket. It was an unassuming thing, a silver chain holding a small locket. Yet it was still immediately obvious why the crowd was so shocked, given what was ensconced inside of it.

Mega Evolution Keystones were distinctive like that.