Battle of the Loners

The Girl Who Plays With People's Shapes

Alice Margatroid

Vs.

The Guy Who Steals Pokemon Without Hearts

Shady Guy Wes

Alice began to levitate her book as she stared down the field. "Enough talk. This will be a 4 on 4 battle. Both sides are permitted 3 substitutions. Let this commence. Alice, are you ready?"

Her Bonéka jumped up and down in reply.

"Let's see what you have, shades."

Hmm... She's telekinetically levitating that book... If the Boneka are of the same type as that of whom they resemble... I'm gonna chance it! Wes desperately tried to figure out its type, knowing his 30 second grace timer was ticking before his Pokeballs automatically released one.

"Go, Sneasel!" he yelled, throwing out his Sneasel.

Alice grimaced. This guy is no rookie. Then she grinned. But I've studied the type charts in his world. So I'm about to give him a shocker. Boneka types are SLIGHTLY different than Pokemon in terms of effects.

"Sneasel! Use Ice Beam!" Wes yelled.

Alice frowned. And that isn't different at all. 1X and 1X.

The Ice Beam struck the Alice head on, knocking her back. It crashed against a shelf.

"Hey!" Rinnosuke yelled. "Can you take this outside?"

"Sorry, Kourin. Come on, Goggles and Rui." Alice led the two of them outside. "Now, we can continue. I do believe it was my turn! Alice, use Psychic!"

Wes smirked... until his Pokemon staggered over, actually damaged. What the?!

"Bonéka are SLIGHTLY different from Pokemon. Not much different, but there are slight differences in types. A Psychic type, for instance, CAN inflict damage to a Dark type. It's not very effective, but it does hit. As opposed to YOUR Psychic types, which cannot."

Is she trying to hint that Bonéka are superior to Pokémon? I cannot allow such an insult to stand! Wes was proud of his Pokemon, and that kind of talk really pissed him off.

"I hope you enjoyed that, since you've used your surprise! Sneasel, use Ice Fang!" he yelled.

The poor fool is playing right into my hands. Now it's time for Doll Wall to shine! Alice was amazed at how smoothly this was going.

Sneasel chomped down on the Alice... but then a bunch of dolls came out, smacking Sneasel around. "Hey, WHAT!?"

"My Alice's ability is Doll Wall. If you try to come close, her dolls come out and punish a physical attacker." Alice stated. "I believe the similar one in your world is Rough Skin."

"How do you know so much?" Wes asked.

"I read a lot, Shady. Newspaper articles find their way here sometimes." Alice replied. I only found out about that world last week. Yukari came by and gave me a Pokedex, then said to tell no one. Well, I see why. He looks rattled.

"Regardless, I'm still winning!" Wes shouted.

"Alice. Doll Strings. Let's show this man who he's messing with."

Strings came out from the Alice, tying themselves around his Sneasel's arms and legs. "A very effective and often controllable form of confusion." Alice stated smugly, smirking at Wes.

Damn! She's toying with me! First the type trick, then the ability, and now she's hit me with a move I don't know! I'd better learn fast! Wes was starting to panic. He was pretty sure if he lost, it wasn't going to be pretty. Then a lightbulb went off. "Sneasel! Shadow Claw!" A high crit rate, and it's super effective! This should finish it!

"Tut, tut. My name is Alice Margatroid. Alice, show him why I'm called the Seven Colored Puppeteer! Control that Sneasel's attack. No mercy." Alice seemed awfully calm.

He soon found out why. The Alice yanked on the strings, forcing his Sneasel into its own Shadow Claw!

AGH! I can't let my Pokémon be snared by those again! Otherwise, she can do whatever she wants with them! "GRRRR... Sneasel, return! You're going to pay for turning my Pokémon into your Bonéka's puppet!"

"I'd like to see you try. You've proven to be a rather boring opponent. I have 3 more where she came from, and you've fallen for every trick in the book. You stand NO chance against Nue if you're going to fight like this! Oops..." Alice covered her mouth after that.

"What. Do you know. About Nue?!" Wes was angry. Why you dishonest... I'm going to deck you and find out where Michael is!
"I will tell you... if you defeat me. Now hurry up and choose your next Pokémon." Alice responded.

Marisa had reacted similarly. "Alice, what do you mean about Nue? You sounded like what he was saying about her kidnapping his buddy was true."

Alice's response was: "If he wins, I'll tell you about it, Marisa."

"Alrighty then, now that we've gotten THAT out of the way... GO! Typhlosion!" Wes shouted.

Alice grimaced again. Dang... Can't Doll String that one, it'll burn its way out!

"Use Fire Blast!" Wes shouted.

Typhlosion unleashed a burst of fire that engulfed the Alice, painting a 大 character in flames on her body. The heat was enough to KO her.

*clap clap clap clap* "Not bad! You might have a chance after all! But this battle is far from over! Shanghai! Your turn!"

This time, it was a... doll? What is she pulling? That thing can't fight... Shanghai pulled a lance from nowhere and began to float. ...Or maybe it can.

"Surprised? This one's based off of Shanghai here!" Alice pulled out a doll and it proceeded to fly and shoot a couple of bullets. You've GOT to be kidding me.

"Shanghai! SuperPower!" Alice shouted

Wes's eyes widened. "Typhlosion! Dig, quick!" 120 power move? Alice isn't kidding around!

Typhlosion dug into the ground, just escaping before Shanghai would ram it.

*clap clap* "I must say, you are hard to hit... but defense only gets you so far. And you've forgotten something." Alice said. "I know what you're doing next turn! Shanghai! Detect!"

Shanghai easily dodged the attack. DAMN! She's STILL toying with me!

"Tee hee... Do you know what us youkai generally do to you humans?" Alice asked, a mischievous smile on her face.

"No. Obviously." Wes replied. "But I have a feeling you're going to tell me."

Alice closed her eyes and gave him the creepiest smile. "I'll tell you what we do to those who leave the village. We hunt you, in darkness through which only we can see. We fight and kill you, with attacks only we know. And then... we EAT you humans. Some skip the kill part, and consume you humans alive." Then the creepy smile vanished to be replaced by a mirthful one. "But I'm not like those youkai. I believe we don't NEED to eat humans. But I sure scared you, didn't I?" Alice laughed. "Anyway, back to this fight. Shanghai! SuperPower!"

Wes was reeling from her little horror story. I don't want to end up like that. Not dead. So my Pokémon will have to protect me as well... Wait, did she just... Oh, that sneak.

Too late to call anything, Wes snapped back to reality as Shanghai smashed into Typhlosion hard, stabbing with the lance. She did that to distract me! And it worked. Typhlosion went down hard from the attack. "UGGGH! DANG! I don't want to die! And I won't lose!" Wes shouted. "Come on, Sneasel! Finish this! Use Faint Attack!"

"Shanghai! Dodge... Oh wait, Faint Attack always hits. Unless I do this! Detect!" Alice shouted.

But it failed, and Shanghai took Faint Attack hard to the face. "Hah! 180 power!" Wes crowed as Shanghai went down.

Alice's face became a mask of indifference. "Hourai. Teach this impudent whelp some respect." Another doll appeared, holding- "A meat cleaver? OK, this is ridiculous." Wes snorted.

"Hourai! Mana Burst!" Alice shouted. Wes reacted instantly. "Sneasel, Quick Attack!"

Sneasel dashed over and struck Hourai before it could move. Then, Hourai unleashed the Mana Burst on Sneasel. Weakened already by the battle with Alice, Sneasel was defeated.

"AGH. Go, Entei!" Wes shouted.

"A Legendary Pokémon, huh?" Alice chuckled. "Shanghai! Mana Burst!"

"Not this time! Entei! Sand Attack! You can't fight what you can't hit, Margatroid!" Wes yelled.

Well... I didn't see that coming! Shanghai was hit by the sand and missed with Mana Burst.

Hmm, I wonder if I could Snag it... Wes saw Rui shaking her head. Am I really that easy to read? *sigh* "Use Fire Blast." The attack smacked into Hourai, finishing it.

"It's been fun. But you have no chance against my strongest Bonéka! Go, Goliath!"

A GIANT doll appeared. It towered over Wes and Alice. It had two giant swords. Holy cow, I do NOT want to mess with this thing! URGH... Where does she get these from? Just staring at it... my will to fight leaves me... "I will not lose. Entei! Fire Blast!"

The Fire Blast struck Goliath because Alice was too busy sizing up Entei. Goliath went down... or did it?

"My Goliath's ability... is Sturdy. Goliath! Earthquake!" Alice shouted.

The earthquake KO'd Entei instantly.

"You know why I don't eat humans, even though I am a youkai too? Because there are better uses for them. If you lose... Well, you'll make a lovely doll. Let's see your last Pokémon." Alice said to Wes, giving him the creepy smile again.

Is she joking or not? I can't tell! With Psychics, you have to be careful. I heard a rumor about a Gym Leader who made challengers at her place disappear if they lost. "Espeon, let's rumble!" Wes shouted.

"Not so fast. I'm going to use this... and there's nothing you can do about it. Have a Full Restore, my dear Goliath!" Alice said, smirking again.

DAMN! I REALLY should have seen that coming! "Espeon! Use Psybeam!"

It hit... and Goliath was confused! It slashed itself with the sword.

"Now, Psychic!" Wes shouted.

Espeon finished Goliath Doll off.

"As promised... I will tell you Nue's hideout and the story of the Boneka. But first, please, let's go back into Kourindou and get some tea. This will take a while." Alice put the book away and strolled back towards the building.

Two things. I know Sneasel cannot learn Shadow Claw until Gen 4, and Sturdy didn't become a Focus Sash until Gen 5. Do not point them out, I'm making these exceptions for the purpose of the story. Next time: Origins of the Boneka, and the location of Nue!

Explanations:

1. Everything Alice said about the youkai is 100% true. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the two generally do not like one another.
2.
"Rumor of a Gym Leader who made challengers at her place disappear" is a reference to Sabrina in the anime, who was slightly power-mad, and slightly insane. When Ash lost at her Gym, she telepathically shrunk them and teleported them to her toy box. They needed her father's help to get out of that one!
3. The "turning humans into dolls" thing is a fanon theory, albeit not a popular one. Whether she does or not is unknown.