It was an important moment for both battlers as Percival stepped onto the field, noting the environment of the battle. Forests shrouded the field, leaving many places to hide and climb. Millard wouldn't need Lepidopterae to get an aerial advantage, so long as his bugs were fast. But Percival wasn't going to make it easy, not by a longshot.

"So, Percy, you managed to make it in time. Got all the research you wanted? I doubt it, but best of luck anyways. You're about to get a lesson in perception." Percival responded in a cool, confidant manner, now that he had a plan. "And you're going to get a lesson in deception." Millard smiled, surprised at how much more confidant Percy was on the battlefield. "It'll be a 2-on-2 battle. Substitutions are allowed, but items are not. It will end when both of a trainer's Pokemon have fainted. You will send out first, and then I will. In exchange, you may have the first move."

Percival called for Fluffles, as Millard whispered into a Pokeball, tossing out a floating, undead cicada. Shedinja. "A smart guy like you probably knows how Shedinja works, right? Well, this little guy can completely stomp any team that isn't prepared with a solution to Bug types, and your team didn't seem to be. Your call."

"Fluffles, start with a Bide. It won't be able to hit him, but remember: that isn't our goal." Millard smiled. "As you also know, while attacks that aren't super-effective won't hit Shedinja, one good move and he'll faint." Percival nodded in agreement, slightly peeved that Millard was simply letting the Bide fade out as much as possible, stalling it. "Now, Fluffles, start climbing the nearest tree!"

Millard's eye seemed to dilate slightly, as he pointed towards the tree next to Fluffles. "Hone Claws, now to that tree!" As Shedinja sharpened its claws, it encircled that tree, going in and out of range of Fluffles, who could barely contain his Bide by this point.

"Finish it in one move, Void. Aerial Ace." A super-effective attack, to be sure, as it slammed into Fluffles, sending him hurtling to the floor in front of the tree. Percival gasped, but Fluffles nodded and got up. "That would have taken him out in one hit, but Fluffly helped. Aerial Ace does make contact, which allowed Fluffles to soften the blow. But still good thinking, leaving to one move. Now it's my turn. Release Bide on the tree!"

As Fluffles slammed into the tree while covered in bright light, its trunk splintered and it was sent hurtling into the tree next to it, knocking that one down along with a few others, leaving a mess of ramps and obstacles for Fluffles to climb, but, more importantly, forcing Shedninja to dodge forward, giving enough momentum for "Brutal Swing, Fluffles!"

A dark energy surrounded Fluffles' paw as he swiped in the air in front of him, just barely clipping the Shedinja. "Void!" The Shedinja had fainted, as Millard nodded in approval. "Good work, but now it's time you get that lesson. Come on out, Distill!" A massive hercules beetle flew out of its Pokeball. "My Heracross is an expert in field control. Just watch."

"Fluffles, Tackle!" The pink bear hurtled as fast as it could at Heracross. "Not switching out? Makes sense. Get in the last bits of chip damage before you're done. Distill, Megahorn!" A powerful energy surged in the horn of the Heracross as it charged directly into Fluffles, sending the poor bear flying, as the Heracross approached. "Finish with Brick Break!" A karate chop slammed into Stufful, leaving it unconscious at the feet of its trainer.

"You did great, Fluffles. I couldn't have done it without you. Charles, you're up next. I need you to start with a Sand Attack!" The poodle Pokemon hurled a spray of sand in the direction of its horned opponent, hoping to blind the Heracross. "Good move, preventing me from hitting. Especially with Megahorn already being hard to aim. However, it won't be enough. Feint!" A move that never missed, Feint instantly struck Charles before he could even understand where it was coming from.

"So far, not anything field-like, you may be thinking, Percy. But I think you're about to see what I mean." As Charles attempted to get up, he fell back to the ground. Looking at his Pokemon, Percival just stiffled an audible gasp. Charles had been caught in a root. "See, when I let you use Bide, knowing it was the only way for you to get clear access to Shedinja. The trees were at least partially uprooted, giving us the exact situation we needed. Granted, Furfrou can take a lot of damage, but even it can't take this: Focus Punch.

Percival began to almost hyperventilate as the Heracross approached his Furfrou, charging up a glowing brick-hued energy within its fist. While Focus Punch took a long time to charge, it could be stopped by attacking the user. But with Charles trapped, he couldn't do anything to intercept it. The move was an instant knock-out, and Percival was helpless to stop it. "This is what happens when you're only looking at what's in tomorrow. You never think about how you impact the world you're in today. Well, it was a pleasure, Percival, but there's no chance you're getting out of here." As Heracross began to finish up charging its Focus Punch, it let Percival have a moment, just to let the lesson sink in.

Percival's eyes widened, as he barely even heard what Millard said. He had been given the split second he needed to think, just, think of something. And then he realized it. "But maybe I understand it better than you think. Headbutt on the underside of the roots!" As the Focus Punch charged in, the Furfrou slammed its head on the bottom part of the roots, leaving an audible ripping noise as, all of a sudden, trees began collapsing all around the battlefield, their roots upturned by the force. The exertion alone was causing physical damage to Charles, and that showed in the damage that the falling trees did, as Heracross was crushed underneath one before its attack could connect. With both fighters trapped, it was a draw.

"You know, Percy, since its a draw, I decide who wins. In this case, I'm naming you the winner. Your planned worked, and you learned about the value of the present. I bestow upon you the Net Badge." The green badge, adorned with a spider's web tying together a number of different kinds of trees, fit snugly in Percival's badge pocket of his bag. "Thank you very much, Millard. Anyway, I need to get going. It was a pleasure meeting and battling you." As he went out, just stopping on his way out to heal his Pokemon, Millard gave a sigh. "They never learn it fully, do they?"

Pokemon So Far:

Fluffles (Stufful) - Moves: Tackle, Flail, Bide, Brutal Swing; Ability: Fluffy; Level: 21

Charles (Furfrou) - Moves: Headbutt, Bite, Sand Attack, Bady-Doll Eyes; Ability: Fur Coat; Level: 22

AUTHOR'S NOTE - I hope that was exhilarating enough for all the build-up. We're getting into the thick of it now. Next time, I introduce more characters!