Virbank Arc: A Fierce Battle

The next morning, Jacky was already sitting at the table biting into a bun when Mari staggered to the table sleepily. "Oh... Already awake?",
"Even earlier than you this time", Jacky smirked. "Have a seat." She sipped some tea. Mari sat down and yawned profusely before grabbing a marmelade bun. "Slept well?" Jacky asked, gulping down a bite. "Well... It was okay, I guess," Mari muttered. "I think I had a bit of a bad dream, but I don't really remember." She took a sip of cocoa. Jacky shrugged and wiped her mouth. "Hmm, well, never mind.",
"Yeah, doesn't matter..."

An hour later, Mari and Jacky were facing each other on a street in Virbank. "All right, I'm ready!" Mari exclaimed energetically.
"Then we're good to go." Jacky nodded and put a hand on her hip.
"Yeah, you get started", the black-haired girl prompted.
"Huuuh..." Jacky thought for a moment, then threw a Poké Ball. "Here we go, Absol!",
"All right, I'll pick Kirlia then!" Kirlia landed in front of Mari with a sweeping pirouette. "I have déja vu." Jacky smiled. Mari grinned back. "Okay, Kirlia, start with Magical Leaf!" Kirlia raised its hands and leaves formed in the air in front of it. It hurled them at Absol as it pointed its arms forward. "Scratch!" The leaves were cut by Absol's strong claws and disintegrated. "Dazzling Gleam!" Mari extended her arm forward.
"Razor Wind!" Jacky commanded. The light beams hit the light blades and an explosion roared through the air. Kirlia disappeared. "Focus, Absol!" Jacky shouted at it. Absol closed its eyes. At the same moment, Kirlia appeared behind Absol. "Dazzling Gleam!" This time the light beams hit Absol and it cried out. "Too slow..." Jacky gritted her teeth and Absol straightened up, growling. "Double Team!" Illusions flared around Absol, splitting up and surrounding Kirlia. "The same trick doesn't work twice!" Mari shouted. "Attack the Absol with the shadow, Kirlia!",
'Mari has discovered the weak spot... Shoot...' Jacky thought and Kirlia shot leaves at the real Absol. "Razor Wind!" Absol threw its head around and the white blades sliced the leaves, but Kirlia was able to save itself from them using teleportation. "Now Dazzling Gleam!" Kirlia appeared out of nowhere again and once more, the light beams struck Absol. It took a lot of damage and slammed to the ground. With filthy fur and scratches, it struggled to get back up and shook itself. "Well, how do you like that?" Mari asked, and Kirlia appeared in front of her. Jacky grinded her teeth and pulled out a Poké Ball. "Come back for now, Absol." The red beam shot out of the ball and absorbed Absol. "Tactical retreat, huh?" Mari tilted her head, bracing her hands into her sides.
"That's right." Jacky laughed, then threw the next Poké Ball. "Come on out, Shinx!" Shinx landed on his paws, bristling its fur from which sparks flew. "Are you going to paralyze Kirlia?" Mari asked with raised eyebrows.
"And I thought you knew me." Jacky laughed and waved it off.
"You don't? Oh well, it was worth a shot." Mari smiled and stretched out her arm. "Kirlia, Confusion!" Kirlia's eyes lit up, but Shinx jumped from the spot and managed to dodge the invisible blow of energy. "Set Charge!" Jacky commanded, and Shinx lit up briefly. "Now Spark!" Shinx hissed and leapt at Kirlia, but as it was about to hit it, the foe teleported away and reappeared a few feet away. "Confusion!" This time, Kirlia was more responsive than Shinx and managed to hit the Pokémon with the next blast. Shinx struggled to stay on its paws. "Don't let up! We can do this, Kirlia!" Mari instructed. Kirlia's eyes glowed again and it performed a graceful pirouette before the next wave of telekinetic energy swept Shinx off its feet. "Now Dazzling Gleam!" Kirlia teleported and appeared directly in front of Shinx, who was about to stand up again. The psychic-type Pokémon raised its arms and the beams of light it emitted finished off the little Pokémon. "Shinx!" Jacky slapped a hand in front of her mouth before running to it and carefully lifting it up. "Are you okay?" Shinx lay in Jacky's arms, unable to fight, and Jacky withdrew it. "Rest well..."
Mari nodded to Kirlia. "Good job. Now come back." She withdrew Kirlia as well and reached for the next Poké Ball. "Let's go, Zorua!" Zorua landed on the ground in front of her with a joyful cry. "Absol, you're on again!" Absol reared up in front of Zorua, growling, but you could tell it was still weakened from Kirlia's attacks. Zorua's fur stood up and it growled back. "Zorua, get started! Use Shadow Claw!" Zorua's right front claw was surrounded by shadows. "Double Team!" Jacky shouted, and Zorua's attack hit one of Absol's illusions. These began to circle Zorua. Zorua put on a slight, mischievous grin and suddenly buried itself in the ground. Mari smirked. "Dig, huh?",
"Aim at the ground with Razor Wind!" Jacky shouted. Absol nodded and fired a hail of blades at the ground where Zorua had disappeared, leaving cracks. "Did it do anything?"

At that moment, Zorua shot out of the ground and jumped into Absol's side. The calamity-Pokémon growled as it staggered back. Zorua lashed out with Shadow Claw. "Dodge to the side and grab it!" Jacky commanded. Absol whirled around and narrowly escaped Zorua's blow, then lunged forward and grabbed Zorua with Bite, holding its neck fur stubbornly. Zorua yelped and tried to break free, but Absol solidified the bite and Zorua's angry yelp turned into a squeal of pain. "Now throw it in the air!" Absol threw its head back into its neck and then forcefully flung Zorua into the air. Zorua somersaulted a few times and then crashed to the ground ungently, where it remained utterly powerless and badly wounded. "Zorua!" Mari looked at the little fox Pokémon in horror. "It can't keep fighting!" Jacky said. She ran to Mari and gave her a Sitrus berry. "Here, I got these from Nurse Joy. Give this to Zorua and its injuries won't hurt so much.",
"Thank you." Mari smiled, knelt down to Zorua and held the berry out to it. Zorua nibbled on it and soon, its wounds were healing. "That's better, huh?" Mari asked, and Zorua nodded, exhausted. "Now rest." Mari withdrew Zorua and straightened up. "Good, then it's one on one now. Let's see if anything can be done about that. Kirlia, your cue!" Mari tossed Kirlia's Poké Ball forward and the psychic-type Pokémon landed in front of her. "Okay, we'll start as usual. Magical Leaf!" Kirlia raised its arms and released leaves at Absol. "Slash them with Razor Wind!" Jacky stood back on the other side and pointed forward, Absol nodded and let white blades whiz across the field. The crescent light blades cut through the leaves. "Dazzling Gleam!" Mari shouted, and Kirlia raised its arms. The wave of light it released stopped the blades from hitting it. They dissolved and the beams shot towards Absol, but it jumped away, making them hit the ground. "Double Team! Don't let it know where you are!" Jacky shouted. Absol created illusions of itself again and surrounded Kirlia with them. "Magical Leaf!" Kirlia identified the real Absol and raised its arms, but since they were moving, it was hard to target it. The leaves flew through the air frantically. "Scratch!" Absol hissed, chopping the leaves as they swirled through the air. It dashed through them and swiped at Kirlia with glowing claws, but it teleported away and Absol's paw sliced thin air. From behind came another Magical Leaf attack.
"Jump!" Jacky shouted. Absol leapt into the air, growling, and the leaves shot out from under it. "Now finish it with Razor Wind!" Absol roared loudly and unleashed a hail of blades at Kirlia, which this time failed to dodge. It slumped down unconscious. Absol landed on the ground, gasping. Mari ran to Kirlia and lifted it up. "I guess that was a bust... But you did a good job anyway." She withdrew it.
"Yeah!" Jacky laughed softly and raised her fist in the air. "That was the second Pokémon we beat! But you underestimated yourself, Mari, you're doing great so far.",
"Thanks." A fleeting smile flitted across Mari's face before she sent out her last Pokémon with a scowl. "It's now or never... I'm counting on you, Gabite!",
"Oh dear..." Jacky put a hand behind her head. Gabite burst out of the ball roaring and its claws flashed in the sunlight, its yellow, sparkling eyes sighted Absol and it hissed with bared teeth.