His Ability, Prankster, had surprised her greatly, showing up in the recent scan. It was one of the best Abilities in the games, and considering his potential for status moves, he could become a great supportive Pokemon. The reader had solid knowledge on overall abilities, but still lacked some knowledge that she was only privy to due to her sudden transmigration.
IV's and EV's were never touched upon, and whether they had practical application was still unknown. Without much experience with Pokemon, there wasn't enough data to consider one way or the other. Natures too seemed to be missing, acting more as the descriptions entailed. A more headstrong Pokemon was Adamant, getting up close and personal with their opponents while a Modest Pokemon would be more unassuming. Whether stats shifted, she couldn't tell.
"Disable is our top priority. Absol will use a move and you will stop her from being able to activate it a second time. You can only have one move disabled before they start to function again, but it can be a powerful situational move." She lectured.
"Eye!" He said, happy to focus less on attacking moves.
'He should also be able to learn Imprison if I remember correctly, that could be really good too…' Her thoughts drifted.
Absol was called out of her Pokeball and regaled with the details of training. Everyone was happy to jump right into it, sending non attacking moves like Leer to get started.
Disable had been ignored for the duration of his time with Rick, so it took some time before he got a real handle on the move. It had been used before, but not to the standard at which Lilith scrutinized it.
One thing she found was that few moves actually had 100% accuracy. Some were sure hit moves, like Feint Attack, but the rest had to be worked on. The move itself was a small beam of energy that disrupted his opponents energy channels, having a wide range of unreliability.
Other factors like activation time had to be considered too. From what she could tell, he was already drawing upon Prankster, having made Disable activate almost instantly.
Sableye proved to be a natural, as hours into their practice the only thing holding him back was the wait time in between each activation. He would have all but mastered it if he didn't have to wait the five seconds it took to reset.
"Well done!" Lilith cheered.
Other things like aim, timing, and situational awareness would have to be practiced rigorously.
Sableye was shy with the praise she gave out. It was sad to see his reactions. She wasn't sure if there was abuse counseling or something similar, but he appeared to be getting better with time. He was already much more friendly with her than the hours ago they had first joined together. Training seemed like the best icebreaker for them all.
"Now, let's try Confuse Ray." She said.
With one move expanded upon, it was time to move on.
"Lets see here…"
Lilith scrolled through her Pokedex until finally finding the move description.
"Small orbs of mysterious light that cause Confusion…" She read.
She tapped on the status condition to read more.
"Confusion can alter a Pokemon's mental state, making them see things that aren't real. That can force the Pokemon to attack wildly and without any caution. It has the small chance to disrupt their energy flows, causing minimal damage. It acts as a disruptor and is Illegal to use on Pokemon outside of a regular battle or people at all."
Sableye understood the meaning and held out his hand, calling upon his memory. A clear sphere appeared above his hand as miniature satellites traveled around it. The move reminded her of an atom diagram, but with a singular nucleus.
He moved the sphere around with his mind as Sableye stood still. He was caught up in the moment, not having been able to utilize the status condition in a long time. It revolved around his hand before climbing up his arm and circled around his head before stopping in its initial position.
His overall control seemed much better than even Disable just starting out.
"We should find some wild Pokemo to try it on…" She pondered.
It didn't seem like a good idea to Confuse Absol.
Incredibly weak Pokemon lived along the Route leaving plenty of subjects to practice on. Absol returned to her Pokeball as the duo snuck around. Even with his terrible offensive pressure, he would be able to hold his own against the baby Pokemon in the area.
Patrat slept in their nests on the ground while Pidove roosted above. Most had a good scare when suddenly woken to find nothing in the area. Sabley tossed Confuse Ray at anything they could find, with varying degrees of results.
'Why aren't they using any moves?' Lilith wondered.
It was comical what some Pokemon did while under Sableye's spell. One Patrat ran into a tree, thinking it wasn't there, while a Lillipup actively avoided the most direct path.
"Let's get some more practical experience." The duo decided.
The rest of the night consisted of getting into actual battles. Most were unable to put up a fight, but an occasional one star Pokemon appeared for them to get practical battle experience. They were all woken up with both in plain view, encouraging a battle.
"Nice!" Lilith whispered at their increased effort.
Sableye was rather good at his opening move, Fake out. He had practiced it so many times it was second nature. The small Lillipup was vulnerable to the surprising move even after getting pestered by Purrloin all day. He tried dodging but always tumbled to the ground.
The small pup got up and charged Sableye with Tackle.
"Through!" She shouted.
Normal types were unable to attack ghosts without special means. The small puppy ran straight through his opponent and dealt no damage. It served as a great opportunity for a Confuse Ray while also practicing his immunity. The orb of ghastly light spun through the air as he expertly guided the projectile home. The sphere landed on his opponent's body, Normal types being equally immune to the attacks from ghosts. Status moves were unaffected and considered a whole different class, letting Confusion grasp the small pup.
He turned around in bewilderment, looking for his opponent.
He could barely make out the small eyes in the darkness as he reoriented himself. His instincts immediately told him he was fighting a ghost type, so when the last attack was ineffective, he tried Bite instead.
Lillipup ran straight at his opponent who just happened to be a tree. The two met as a backlash of energy spread inside him, damaging his body. The world shifted as he fell to the ground.
"Ahh, so they have to be attacking to be damaged in Confusion…" Lilith scribbled down on her notepad.
With the small pup knocked out, it was time to move on.
The duo worked out the kinks of the move as they stalked through the night and challenged anything they came across. There was no need to finish off the shield of Pokemon like Lillipup. Instead, they pulled their pranks and moved on, feeling it was a waste of time now that they better understood how it functioned.
Lilith tried moving as fast as possible, hitting an opponent and moving on rapidly. They needed to cover a large amount of ground while also training. Time went on and both became more familiar with his new battle style. Small lights appeared in the distance after losing track of time. They could see Aspertia off in the distance.
'Time really does fly when you have fun…' She thought.
Both crept closer in caution. The wall was a marvel, but also quite intimidating.
'Hmm?'
Lilith spun around, looking for her Pokemon. Panic set in once his figure was nowhere to be seen. She crouched down to try and see more of the area, grabbing at her Pokeball.
'Come on, where are you?!'
Her alarm grew until something glimmered at the corner of her eye. Both eyes locked as understanding dawned upon her. Her game knowledge was starting to affect her ways of thinking, becoming much more rigid. It hadn't even occurred to her that the Pokemon of Darkness could hide in her shadow.
"What are you doing in there, silly?" She smiled slightly, having fun with his antics.
His head popped out, making a face before diving back to safety.
"Haha!" She couldn't help but let out a laugh.
With their plan settled. It was time to return to Aspertia.
Lilith made her way to one of the holes in the wall that surrounded the entire city. Their large shape rarely blocked the flow of traffic, people having other ways of transportation that were just as safe and efficient.
The road was no longer dirt, returning to its usual pavement. The ground beneath her crunched as she walked closer to the gate. Lights bled all over the area, illuminating the surrounding area. The darkness couldn't be chased away fully, creating the appearance that she had appeared out of thin air.
Upon being seen, two sentries jumped to
"Purpose of your visit?" One of the guards asked, slightly surprised..
They both looked at her with caution, having arrived just before the sun was about to rise. They couldn't see her Pokemon, being a blessing in disguise. Who knew how they would treat her, having one extra ace up her sleeve.
"I'm here to Challenge the Gym." She answered.
The guards looked her over and decided she wasn't a threat. Apparently most people formed opinions about people six seconds after meeting them. Her childish appearance was definitely off putting.
"League I.D. please." The male officer asked.
Lilith handed over her card as he walked to the module and swiped it through. All her information was brought up as he checked her credibility. It only took a few seconds for the man to walk back over.
"Thank you for waiting, Welcome to Aspertia!"
She was all clear.
"Thanks." Lilith said in return.
She took her card back and entered the city for the second time.
Her first stop was the apartment Bianca had shared with her. The room would probably be turned over, but it was better than the rooms one could rent in the Pokemon Center so she gave it a shot.
The streets were still quiet, the day had yet to start. She walked the familiar streets, only having been gone for about a week. The sidewalks wound their way up to the familiar building that she had lived in for over a month. Lilith strolled through the door with confidence.
"Hey Phil." She greeted the doorman.
The benefits of befriending people like the doorman in the building were too good to ignore.
"Hey Lilith!" He greeted her jovially despite not having slept much.
"I thought you moved out? What brings you back?" He asked, curious.
"I want to get back into my room. I'm only staying in town to challenge the Gym before heading off for good. Am I still on the logs?" She asked.
Phil frowned before opening up his computer. Normally they would need the keycard for the elevator and their room to get through the front door, but Phil knew her circumstances. He saw her face every day as they both went about their business.
"Ahh, let me see what I can do." He said.
The doorman clicked and clacked on his computer before a large notification popped up.
"Ah! You're in luck. Your name is still attached to the room. I can ring you up. Good luck on your challenge!" He gave a warm smile.
Lilith let out a sigh of relief. It would make her life much easier if she could in fact stay there.
"Thanks Phil. I'll be sure to grab a set of your favorite doughnuts on the way out of town for you."
The elevator was called given the temporary keycard. Lilith rode up to her floor as all the memories of the space returned. A short walk and she was at the door, wondering idly if Bianca would be there to greet her. It was also the place she had met Absol, leading to many emotions swirling around her.
She longed for those times, sometimes wondering why she was alone. Her ideology over the past few days had shifted wildly, not even considering such thoughts before. The one thing that stayed true however, was her passion for battle. With Absol given the all clear and Sableye starting to mesh, the team was starting to look like one.
The door swung inwards, yet nothing happened. No loud greeting followed by a charge into a hug. The living room was as cramped as she remembered, but felt a little less warm. No traces of anyone could be seen, a small feeling of sorrow settling into the air.
"Hahh." Lilith let out a sigh.
Sableye jumped out of her shadow and jumped around with curiosity. It was the one character trait all Pokemon that she had met seemed to have in common. They had a childish innocence that only ever came out when they were calm.
She shook her head of the sad thoughts, moving towards the kitchen.
"Come on!" She complained, reacquainting herself with the space fully.
No matter how much she searched, no food could be found. She had been hoping to have a nice home cooked meal and revel in the nostalgia, but instead would have to choke down her field rations.
"How people eat this is beyond me." She exclaimed, knowing full well she too was a participant.
Everything had to be checked, even opening the freezer to check and see if anything escaped her first inspection. When nothing jumped out at her, she became disappointed.
"At least I can use a plate and fork…" She mumbled.
She shifted her focus to the upper cabinets, being the place plates and cups were held. The big blue rimmed saucers were in the exact same place she remembered, plucking the top one off the shelf.
"Aww come on!" She complained once more.
When opening the cupboard directly to the right, many things were missing. Tall glasses appeared to be relatively untouched while mugs lay scattered about. It was clear almost immediately that some were missing.
"Hmm" She let out a grunt, looking for her go-to chalice.
Using her leverage, her body swung up onto the counter, getting a better look at the space She shifted around the other objets until she was satisfied it was gone.
'Darn, I really should have taken that when I had the chance.' She thought, not wanting to steal initially.
Her favorite mug was missing.
The dining experience had been ruined. Not being able to find anything was disheartening. With the drop in morale, she left the kitchen while Sableye jumped in to inspect the room.
They traded places with her heading down the hallway. A nagging feeling ate at her while turning the door knob before her. The feeling was familiar, sliding right into place. She pushed forward, ready for the worst.
"Damn it! Who stole my pillow!" She shouted.
Everything in the room was practically untouched. It was exactly the way she had left it, minus one soft and squishy object. The other objects held a sense of familiarity, being able to notice the change almost instantly. Even the large wooden box she once used to store Absol's baby supplies was still there. Lilith frowned as she searched the rest of the room for anything else taken.
The more she searched, the less she could find out of place. The amount of things she had left behind was minimal, even considering her rushed exit. The remaining stuff were wardrobes and bedding, leaving nothing particularly desirable.
With nothing else out of place, she stopped her search. Her next stop immediately after was across the hall. She had never been in Bianca's old room, finding it completely empty, not even having a bed. The entire room looked to be gutted, leaving many unanswered questions.
"Did Bianca ever live here?" She wondered
Light started to peek through the windows, signaling that morning was rising. She needed some sleep. Absol was let out of her balls and jumped around excitedly, recognizing their surroundings. Sableye joined the duo in her room, settling down for the day.
Absol took over the end of her bed, while Sableye took up a position underneath. He had been relatively low maintenance considering his species' known eating habits. She read online that their favorite food to eat were gemstones. Their main diet consisted of hard rocks, and that's what she would stick with for the time being, unable to even consider such a pricey alternative.
The absurdity of her situation rolled around her mind as she tried to get back to sleep.
Lilith woke up well into the evening.
The sun had yet to set, but she still needed to go and schedule her Gym challenge. It wasn't open 24 hours, so she would have to work with their schedule and when they were available. The sooner she got there the better.
"Ahh, my neck." She sighed.
The city had woken up and was already settling down to sleep during her hibernation. She walked out the front door, waving goodbye to Phil before the familiar streets greeted her.
Loud city noises assaulted her, the main offender being cars. The occasional person walked by but most drove the small streets. Absol stood by her, watching her surroundings while Sableye decided to stay in his Pokeballs for the duration of the trip.
Lilith walked around as she retraced her steps, having walked the path many times before. Her mind wandered while her body took control, knowing the direction by heart. The school was located right next to the Gym, so she could have found it with her eyes closed.
The ugly orange exterior was one she would have liked to forget, but what caught her eye more was a particular Trainer. Many walked in and out of the Gym, but one stood out due to the Pokemon who walked by his side.
A large bear towered over everyone else, standing just under three meters tall, only barely fit through the front door. The pure white polar bear had to crouch down just to clear the ceiling. The air chilled everywhere he walked as ice had formed over his face and mouth, functioning like facial hair.
Beartic walked with his Trainer up to the reception area as Lilith followed behind. It was her first time seeing the creature, which would have looked adorable if not for its intimidating size. She knew he was strong, but couldn't quite feel his star level, being weaker than Bisharp but stronger than anything else she knew. That didn't stop the sudden urge to reach out and touch the Pokemon's soft fur. Her level head won out in the end, waiting patiently for her turn.
Lilith inched closer to the Trainer in front of her.
"Card please." A male voice asked.
He rummaged around before handing his card to the receptionist. People seemed to love ironic fashion, as he wore a loose shirt that looked like it weighed nothing paired with what looked to be swim shorts. It was a stark contrast to the Pokemon that stood next to him. He wore sandals and looked dressed for the beach while the air conditioning was on.
"5th Gym challenge, public or private?" The receptionist processed the customer.
"Private please." the Trainer replied, his husky voice catching her off guard.
He looked strong and burly, but had a high pitched voice. They continued their conversation until he was all processed. She looked away as he left the line, not wanting to catch attention.
It was her turn.
She walked up to the receptionist and gave him a smile. Without having to be asked, she handed him the card. The procedure seemed self explanatory, the man gave her a slight smile before pulling up her information.
"Thank you. A rematch of the first challenge I see. That means your opponents will be changed but the levels will stay the same. If you lose this second match then you are liable to a fine, are you sure you want to proceed?"
This was the first Lilith ever heard of an exchange of money for losing a battle. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. They took time out of each day to evaluate young Trainer, and if they just rechallenged hoping for an easy matchup then it was counterproductive to the original goal.
To produce strong Pokemon Trainers.
The rest was considered common knowledge, having the teams shift each battle.
"Yes. I accept." Lilith said.
"Wonderful, these are our open times."
He turned one of the screens towards her. She scanned the schedule that was split up by day and time, looking for the most convenient.
'Yes!' She cheered internally.
The best case scenario had come true.
"I'll take the open slot for 6 this evening please." She said with a smile.
"Alright, there you go." He said after tapping a few buttons.
The receptionist swiped her card, locking in her challenge.
It was handed back to her before getting out of line to start the wait. It wouldn't be long considering the battle was only in a couple of hours. She was worried that it would take multiple days before she could be fit in. They would have to loaf around, unable to train like they really meant it.
Sableye would be able to make some gains, but Absol had all but stagnated after the crushing victory over Magnemite. She was so close to the second tier that any battle strong enough to challenge her would be the nudge over the edge.
The waiting hall was lively, Pokemon of all shapes and sizes running around. The hustle and bustle was infectious, yet Lilith took a different approach. She set a timer and leaned back in her chair, hoping to catch some extra sleep before the challenge.
"Beep, Beep, Beep!"
Time dragged on until the alarm roused her from contemplation. Sleep never found its way, attaining a meditative posture
'It's finally time!' She thought excitedly.
The energy filling the room hadn't changed when she made her way to check in. A security guard stood before one of the wings that lead deeper inside. This post looked much more alive than the one she had slipped through, having Gym battles all in one section of safety reasons.
Before she could get too close, one of the guards stepped forward and stopped her before she could enter.
"Gym challengers only." She scowled, looking down at Lilith.
Her composure held, only to not get kicked out immediately. If she didn't have the Gym riding on her good behavior, she would have given the woman a piece of her mind.
"That's me!" She pointed to herself.
The woman looked unimpressed, while the other guard rolled his eyes, seemingly used to such encounters.
"Then swipe." Her musculature became much more pronounced, pointing towards the side kiosk.
Lilith followed instructions and pulled her plastic rectangle through the small slit. The machine loaded before giving off a ding, a large number appearing on a green background.
"Room 5. Down on the left." The male guard said as she passed.
It appeared she would be starting early.
'Wonder why the procedure changed?' She thought back to her last challenge.
The initial battle had been herded into a different wing with much less security. The Trainers Identities were much easier to confirm, having them in the school right next door.
Lilith brushed off the thought, getting into battle mode.
The halls looked familiar, being similar to the other wings. She kept to the left, following the odd numbers as they counted down until she stood before the dreaded door. The last time she was in one of them, she had lost. It wasn't her fault, but it still stung.
Lilith pulled together her courage and pushed the door wide. Flashes of their last defeat replayed in her mind, fists clenching in nervousness. All arena's she had been to had the same layout, being familiar with the surroundings once more.
A Judge stood waiting in the center, the only anomaly. Once eye contact was made, both walked towards each other.
"Are you Lilith?" He asked while looking down at his pad, reading her information.
"Yes." She replied.
"Wonderful, I have it here that this is a repeat, so we can skip over the rules, yes?" He eyed her, waiting for permission.
Lilith nodded and he continued.
"Wonderful, press here for your matchup" He held out the smart pad.
Lilith pressed the button as a circle with all the different combinations spun round and round. She watched with anticipation, wondering what shoe would have to face off against.
The needle spun in a hypnotic circle, slowing after a few seconds before coming to a complete stop. Two Pokemon had been decided.
Even if it didn't matter, Lilith couldn't keep her eyes off the screen. A breath she didn't even know she was holding escaped once it had been decided.
"Lillipup and Herdier." The judge read off. "One moment while I request a Helper."
The minutes went by as the Helper made their way to the arena.
'Guess I'm getting a shot at revenge.' She chuckled.
Lilith half expected Sandy to appear once more, but was disappointed when a man showed up in her place. He was tall and bespectacled, reminding her of Cheren in a way. His hair was short but his demeanor was nothing like the confident Gym Leader.
"Set!" The Judge called once everyone was in position.
Her hand shook slightly, but she was ready for her revenge.
Cheren sat motionless as the Helper came out onto the field. He had been waiting patiently for her rematch, unsure if she had what it took. He wasn't really surprised that she lost the first battle, but that was to be expected considering her carry count. Going up against two Pokemon back to back that were about equal strength was incredibly hard.
Bianca sat to his right.
She had been nagging her ever since she had found that Lilith was coming back to Aspertia. It was one of Bianca's weirdest traits, always knowing what was going on, despite her foolish act. She always seemed to pop up when something important was about to happen. He never looked into it much, leaving her secrets in the dark.
The Pokemon Trainers stood across from each other as they got ready for their showdown.
"What do you think is gonna happen?!" Bianca asked excitedly.
She bounced up and down in her chair, clinging to Cheren's arm incessantly. He had tried many times before to peel her off, but found the entire ordeal fruitless. Her iron grip couldn't be pried off.
"Let's watch and find out…" Cheren mumbled.
He fixed the glasses on his nose in anticipation, leaning forward slightly. A flash of light engulfed them and they tapped their Pokeballs respectively. The monsters inside were unleashed as one of the spectators was met with surprise.
"Ohh! Look, it's a Sableye!" Bianca practically screamed, jumping up and down.
Cheren watched the small Pokemon with interest. It wasn't native to the Unova region, so he had little expectations for the small Pokemon. He hadn't heard anything one way or the other of its prowess, flying under his radar. He was told of strong Pokemon that could migrate to Unova to watch out for, but they were all extremely strong. If he took that into consideration, then it must be on the weaker side.
The one across from him was much more familiar, behind the staple when it came to normal types. Lillipup looked ready to go.
"Yes, let's watch the battle and not suffocate me please!" Cheren begged.
The judge had started the match, and they were off to the races. Lillipup and his trainer had no prior knowledge of their opponent, so they started out slow. He jumped up and down, getting ready for a Work-Up. It was a great starting move, increasing both his attack and defense by one stage.
Cheren paid particular attention to her demeanor, sitting back and watching with interest. He knew the Pokemon before him was not even a one star yet, so his expectations were low.
'How will she handle this battle?' He wondered.
Sableye jumped into action quite literally. He did a somersault through the air and landed on Lillipup feet first. The Darkness Pokemon showed off his acrobatic ability, using the small pup as a springboard. Fake-Out connected, stopping the Work up from finishing. Without the stat boost, he took much more damage than he originally intended.
"Beye, beye, beye."
A wicked laugh echoed through the arena as Sableye vaulted off his foe. The damage was intense, forcing him to try Work Up once more. The gap in strength had to be filled with his strongest status moves or they would be finished.
"Not bad." Cheren commented.
His creativity in the direction of his surprise attacks was well honed. Even Bianca was impressed with his movement.
'But how does he go from here?' He thought.
Sableye was stronger , but the gap wasn't as considerable as it seemed. Lillipup set up his status with the large window of time that was given to him. Sableye in turn, sat still. He appeared to be doing nothing, giving his opponents a strange confidence when in fact they should have been worried.
"Attack!" The helper called out, looking to press the advantage..
Lillipup wouldn't back down even if his opponent was just too strong. He ran forward on all fours, his energy pumping. Tackle coated his body as he attempted to ram his opponent.
"That's what you get for ignorance." Cheren shook his head, disappointed in his Helper.
The puppy Pokemon phased right through Sableye, leaving him completely untouched. The situation finally dawned upon the Helper.
"He's a ghost!" He half screamed.
Ghost type Pokemon were notorious for not listening to their Trainers. People who didn't specialize in them directly usually left them off their team considering they were just too unpredictable. What bothered him however, was the immunity his opponent obtained from their type matchup.
A slight smile formed on Lilith's lips. The spectators didn't miss the small change in facial expression, even with the scarf covering most of her jaw.
"Hahahaha!" Bianca laughed.
The giddy woman let go of her friend to stand up and let out a full bellied laugh. The situation was just too funny, Cheren obviously in the dark.
With the jig up, Sableye disappeared from view. No one, not even his Trainer could see him any longer. The only way to locate him would be through the increased ghostly aura he now emitted as a consequence.
He lacked the strength to clash head on, playing to his own strengths to better himself.
"There!" the Helper yelled.
Lillipup was all over it, already in motion before the call. All normal types went over ways to counter Ghosts considering the obvious weakness. The only upside to the situation was that their opponents' attacks would also be ineffective against them. Two glowing orbs moved around cautiously, unable to hold his invisible state for long. The signature move for countering ghosts was deployed once he had been spotted.
Bite expanded in the dog's mouth as he attempted once more to damage his foe. His fangs closed, looking for their target. Despite the effort, his teeth smashed together, meeting nothing but air, his momentum driving him forward. The energy inside his body twitched slightly, damaging his insides and causing him to trip.
"Wonderful." Cherren glowed.
Everything he saw was well executed and the most basic of strategies for ghosts. After Normal, it was his most well known Pokemon type to battle against. Sableye had pulled it off without even breaking a sweat.
"What?" The Helper wondered aloud.
He could not understand what was going on, having missed something crucial. It wasn't every day that a trick was pulled off right before a seasoned Trainer's eyes.
'Confusion? But when?' He wondered, catching on.
The Helper thought back to all the opportinities that could have been taken advantage of.
"Right before the first charge when we didn't know his type." coming to the correct conclusion.
Sableye had surprised even Lilith in his ability to manipulate Confuse Ray in their training, wielding it to a masterful degree. He could will the small orb to disappear like all ghost types could do with their bodies, adding another layer to his trickery. It was a wonder to watch, and anyone who didn't know what to expect was easily caught off guard. It was almost impossible to defend against an invisible attack that one didn't expect.
Bianca leaned forward and mumbled something incoherent. Cheren eyed her unnatural behavior, but cared more about Sableye's next move. Now that he had shown his hand, the Helper would be more on guard.
Gray mist formed around Lillipup as Disable clung to his body, unable to stop the advance. Despite not getting the attack off, it would now be impossible to use Bite for the foreseeable future.
"Yes!" Bianca stood up and shouted once more.
Unable to contain herself, she jumped up and down, loving the display of control shown in the battle thus far. It was far from perfect, but the matchup was just too favorable for the small ghost. Every step was executed like it was planned beforehand from a veteran. He had taken no damage thus far and already had a status effect along with massive damage to his foe. Even his only way to counter attack had been cut off.
Lillipup the fish in a metaphorical barrel.
The only problem he faced now was putting damage onto his foe. Fake out could only be used at the beginning of the battle, and with his only other attacking move, Shadow Sneak, being a ghost type, he had only one way of dishing out damage.
"Setup!" The Helper shouted, starting to feel the pressure mount.
He had been outclassed at every turn much to his dismay. There was only one chance to turn the battle around and he had to take it. Lillipup tried using Work-Up to increase the damage output to be enough to damage Sableye once Bite was able to be used again. It was his only attack that could touch a ghost, in fact, most Pokemon only had normal attacks early in their journey.
"Pup!"
Lillipup called out in anguish. The small Pokemon continued to take damage in his confusion. The amount was slowly starting to build, threatening to knock him out.
"Hmm fast or slow…" He wondered which style Lilith would take.
Sableye had fun with Lillipup, his movements looking less threatening by the second.
The new feeling he gave off was one of enjoyment. He didn't have the demeanor of a battler, only a small child shaking around his favorite rattle. With nothing else to do, he launched Ray after Ray onto his target, keeping the Confusion holding for when it inevitably faded.
Sableye stalled his way to victory, only getting hit by Bite once before Disabling it for a second time. He was all healthy and ready for the next opponent. The Helper recalled his Pokemon who was unable to battle any more, a scowl on his face. Gym rules forbade him from switching out. If the battle were at a higher level, then the option would be there, but the League wanted to have a gradual increase in strength. A careful balance had to be held to nurture Pokemon and their Trainers to the fullest.
Herdier appeared in his allies' place, signaling for the battle to continue.
"Lets see you do it again…" Lilith mumbled under her breath.
With normal attacks immune, she wouldn't fall prey to the same strategy as last time. Retaliate did no damage, even if he got the bonus damage from his fellow team member falling previously. The only option he had was some setup or quick damage. His body glowed red as he got himself pumped up, getting in a Work-Up. Sableye in turn took the chance to lay an orb of Confusion onto his target before backing up.
"I'd like to use my switch!" Lilith called out.
Cheren gave a nod, happy with the prudent decision.
'There was some Fake-Out pressure, but instead she looked to help the next Pokemon. Maybe not the best decision, but at least she's conscious of her other battlers…' Cheren continued his analysis.
Each gym battle had a set number of switches a Challenger could do, depending on the level of battle. The higher she went, more switches for both sides would be available. With it being only the first, only one switch was available.
What Cheren didn't know was that Lilith kept her promise. She didn't need him as an all out attacker, and there was no way he could defeat Herdier. The only chance he would have, was to chain an incredibly long and drawn out Confusion stall, but it would be risky and unsportsmanlike. The challenges were to help grow the strength of a Trainer, not teach them how to cheat their way to victory. The strategy had a time and place, but it wasn't the right time.
"Hold!" The referee called out as Absol took to the field. Their battle restarted immediately once she appeared.
Lilith would have liked an additional status condition onto the opponent, but Confusion would have to do. Absol finally got her chance at revenge even if it was less than fair. Last time, the Herdier had a large difference in power level, this time the playing field was different. She was the one in control.
Looking at the space, she started out easily, setting down a Leer onto Herdier. With one Work Up already set, his defenses returned to normal, with only the attack boost remaining as he decided to take the advantage. His body glowed as each powerful step sent him forward. He was on a collision course for Absol, except Confusion had already started to throw his aim wide.
"Snap out of it!" The Helper shouted.
He had finally realized what was going on. Confusion was set just like last time, invisible and deadly. His Pokemon tried responding to the command but struggled to snap out of it. His attack stopped short, sliding on the ground, simultaneously damaging himself and leaving his body vulnerable.
Absol played into her natural speed and took the opportunity. She was already close enough, so her jaw lowered and her natural fangs glowed as they were enhanced by her energy. She was feeling competitive, but decided to not aim for anything vital. She chomped down onto the dog's side, weakening up his barrier thoroughly. One more good attack and he would be done.
'Hmm She's come a long way.' Cheren commented, pleasantly surprised.
Herdier snapped out of the Confusion and charged up his attack once more. Retaliate only got a boost for fallen comrades immediately after their fall, but its base attack was still solid. He rammed into Absol who was trying to dodge, sending her flying. The power wasn't threatening enough, but her Bite had to be canceled, unable to reach her foe. Instead she transitioned into a Quick Attack, using the move as a pivot to ram Herdier in a blur before he could recover his footing.
One swift motion targeted the back leg, trying to charge up one last Tackle, struggling for victory. The attack landed but it wasn't nearly enough, still leaving Absol healthy. She took the chance to land one final Bite, ending Herider's Health.