I am so sorry that this took so long. It's been a madhouse now that it's crunch time here in college.

Epilogue, Part 7: Items and Surprises

We didn't even hear when Fenrir called out the result. I grabbed another Reviver Seed from the items and placed it on Savage's back. It took root and started healing, but it was going slowly.

Rio's eyes glowed and he said, "His aura is still strong, but it's fading; Rose, teleport him to Chimecho! He needs medical attention!"

Rose grabbed one of Savage's arms and he groaned as they teleported away.

I glanced at the arena, and nobody had even moved Mirage from where she passed out. Blood was spreading in a puddle around her; her breathing was uneven. Next to me, Rio growled and said, "As much as I hate what she did to Savage, we have to help; otherwise, no one else will." He took out another Reviver Seed and walked over to Mirage. When he got to her, he dropped it onto her shoulder, letting it do its thing. After it started healing her, he dragged her off of the arena without a word and left her where Zane was still unconscious.

Rio walked back to his spot and sat down, waiting with the rest of us for Rose to get back.

Pyro stepped forward, "This is quite a unique case. Since the round was a draw, how about we send out our combatants at the same time once again?"

Rio glared and I said, "Fine." I was just as angry as Rio. All they cared about was the tournament; their own teammate was bleeding out, and they still didn't help her!

Rose got back, and we huddled up. Both Rio and I said at the same time, "I'm going next."

"No." We turned sharply to Damus, and he didn't flinch as he went on, "With all due respect, you two need to reign in your emotions. Savage is far too stubborn to die like this, and if you let them play off of your anger, then you'll pay dearly."

Vlad was floating next to the our little huddle, "So, who's going next? We don't know whom they'll send out, so we could wind up at a disadvantage if we're not careful."

Damus didn't miss a beat, "I will. Unfortunately, there's no better option than sending someone to take the brunt of whatever they send out, and, while my Dark-type moves won't be as effective, I don't have a type disadvantage against any of them either. Mel is weak to that Drapion, Rose, while she has her Magical Bow, would be in danger without first having a chance to examine the opponent's fighting style, Dash would have trouble with that Tyranitar either way, and Hogan, along with you, Meowth and Rio, are too important to risk on random chance."

Vlad gasped dramatically, "Oh no, Sunshine's ready to go down with the ship. I think he's snapped."

Damus glared at Vlad, "I don't plan to just roll over and accept defeat. I'm going to try my damnedest to bring the opponent down."

Vlad stuck out his tongue, "I know; it's just far too fun to tease you."

Damus just turned and walked grabbed his Perish Torc and Rio helped put it around his neck, saying, "If it gets too dangerous, fall back. You always said that sometimes it's wiser to retreat. (AN: Actually one of his in-game dialogue lines if you talk to him in a dungeon.) Do not try to buy a victory with your death."

Damus just said, "I have a plan."

At the count of three from Pyro, Damus stepped forward, and he was facing the Drapion, Toxin, with a black and purple bow tied to his arm. (AN: Skorupi Bow.)

The two stared each other down, Damus calm and Toxin with a smug and crooked grin.

"Damus vs. Toxin. Begin."

-Damus' POV-

Before I could do anything, the Drapion scuttled forward with surprising speed for his size and black sparks appeared along the claws on his right hand as he hit me. As I was flying back, I saw my Perish Torc go flying away from me.

Blast; that must have been Knock Off. They have an Absol on their team; he must have known about it.

With no time to grieve for the loss, I quickly jumped as Toxin tried to grab me with both his hands, and I landed a Slash attack before using a burst of speed from Quick Attack to put some distance between us.

I was hoping for my item to activate during the battle, but now he's between me and it, and with his speed, getting it back is not an option. I used Detect to weave and dodge through a Pin Missile attack. And with that exoskeleton, physical attacks won't do that much damage. Very well, it's not my most effective attack, but it's my best shot.

As he charged me again, I started charging Razor Wind and dodged his attempts at grabbing at me. Once it was ready I fired multiple blades, and he crossed his arms as they hit him. I gritted my teeth. Even with the blades of wind, that wasn't as much damage as I'd like.

After my attack was through, Toxin charged me again, seeming to be making the same attempt to grab me, but I had a bad feeling about it. I used Detect again.

Toxin made a grab for me with both arms, and I jumped like last time to use Slash on him again, but his bow turned completely black and I was seized by a purple light, being made entirely unable to move.

I didn't have to look further to know that it would be bad news to be immobilized. Dodging his grab by running back with another Quick Attack instead, I took in this new information.

That means that all this has been luck from the start. If I keep attacking I'm bound to be immobilized, and he'll take me apart at his leisure. And with that Knock Off attack, Rose would be in extreme danger fighting him once he knew what her bow could do.

While I was trying to think of a way out, Toxin sprayed a Toxic out of his tail. Caught off guard, the poison mist enshrouded me, and I felt the poison enter.

"Ha! No more running for you! My poison will drop you in a matter of minutes!" He laughed, but I just narrowed my eyes into a glare before letting a smirk slide across my face.

"Well forgive me, but I'm not exactly a graceful loser."

"Eh?" Toxin only had the moment after he was brought out of his celebration before he was crying out and trying to cover his ears. Black sound waves echoed all around him as I used Perish Song. Atop the poison in my body, my knees buckled underneath me as I tried to keep it up long enough to cause the Drapion to be entrapped by the effect.

He doesn't have a Heal Seed. He won't be able to get out of this. Even if I have no chance, I'm still going to defeat him in the long run!

I ceased the attack, and Toxin clutched his head for a while longer before he started lurching and he glared at me with murderous intent, "Damn you! I will enjoy crushing the life out of you! I still have enough time to do tha-"

"I surrender."

Toxin was brought up short, "Wh-what?! You can't just-!"

Fenrir spoke over him, "Damus has surrendered. Toxin is the winner."

I staggered back to the rest of the team, picking up my Perish Torc on the way, while Toxin tried to argue with Fenrir, only to be silenced with a glare. I shook my head; really, with the effects of my own move and the deadly poison in my body, surrender was the only option besides death.

And I was explicitly ordered to not die.

-Rio's POV-

After Cathy gave Damus a Heal Seed, Rose offered to heal him, but he shook his head, "With the poison and my Perish Song gone, I just need some time to be back in top form. I would recommend that Rose be the next one to fight. She can hit Dark-types, but they don't know that. If she waits out Toxin and focuses on dodging his attacks until he loses consciousness, then she should be able to catch the next one by surprise."

He turned to Rose as he went on, "Listen; do not attack that Drapion. I saw something in one of my visions. If you attack him, there's a chance that his bow will immobilize you. That would be catastrophic, given your fighting style."

Rose nodded. I smiled as the scene reminded me of the early days after she joined the team when Damus oversaw her training. With an encouraging nod from Hogan, and her Magical Bow tied in her hair, she stepped onto the arena.

As Toxin glared at her, I felt a huge surge of hatred, and I temporarily dropped my respect for others' privacy to read his thoughts.

A Gardevoir…?! Even in his thoughts, the name was spat out with utter rage. And a female! Just like that other team…! Oh, I will enjoy this! Hrk! I don't have much time! Forget the rules!

Reading what he was going to do next, I called out, "Rose, look out!"

Rose only had an instant to act before Toxin was upon her, his claws coated with poison. Right before they made contact, Rose glowed white and disappeared, reappearing several yards away.

Toxin turned his head around, looking at Fenrir and pointing at me, "Hey, he interfered! Disqualify them."

Meowth stepped forward, glaring, "Hey, you're da one that was outta line, bub! The match hadn't started yet! If anyone should be booted out, it's you!"

Toxin started turning his head back to us and opening his mouth, but he froze and any words he had died in his throat when Fenrir spoke from his position, "Did you just give me an order?"

He began to sweat and he turned around fully to face his leader, "I-I didn't mean it like that! It was merely a suggestion."

Fenrir regarded him with a disinterested look, "In any case, even if you hadn't broken the rules, you were still going to be disqualified. What kind of battler gets brought down by a song? I was planning on announcing Rose to be the victor before you interrupted me."

Toxin looked like he was about to protest before he doubled over and groaned in pain.

Fenrir just said, in a displeased tone, "Just drag your sorry self off the battlefield. It's sickening to watch as Pokémon I once respected are tended to by the opposition."

I looked at Fenrir incredulously as Toxin reluctantly staggered off the arena. Was there no end to this Pokémon's callousness?!

As the Sharpedo, Brute, floated onto the arena, I cringed slightly at the myriad of slash scars and discolorations from past bruises. So many wounds and he's still alive on this team…?

Fenrir called out, "Rose vs. Brute. Begin."

Brute darted forward and his teeth glowed white as he tried to use Crunch. Rose just teleported and appeared a short distance away. She shot a Magical Leaf and the leaves pelted him, only enraging him.

"Hold still!" He lunged forward again, and Rose teleported again. When she reappeared, she shot another Magical Leaf and said, "Do you really expect me to stay still just because you tell me to? How sexist is that?"

I heard Cathy snicker behind me.

Suddenly, Sharpedo moved in a blur, and hit Rose with Night Slash. My eyes widened. He knew Agility?!

As Brute looped around and sped back towards Rose while she was down, Rose glared at him and her eyes glowed purple. His eyes turned purple as well, and he froze in mid-charge. Rose took some time to catch her breath before standing back up and chanting a Wish. After she was healed, she casually walked over to Brute. Once she was right in front of him, she twirled and hit him with a reverse roundhouse kick, releasing the Imprison effect and sending him flying back. She grimaced slightly as she pulled her leg back under her "dress." (AN: Rough Skin.)

After Brute recuperated, he growled and charged forward, using the same burst of speed from Agility. Rose glowed blue and moved in a green and white blur, flanking him and landing another kick before he could change course.

Brute growled and shouted a stream of curses that put Savage's to shame as he charged again, but this time Rose just teleported since she saw it coming. She clasped her hands when she reappeared and started chanting another Wish. She needed to keep her energy up to maintain her psychic-fueled combat.

I guess she wants to keep the Magical Bow as an "ace up her sleeve," as Meowth would put it.

Rose teleported again to dodge an attack, not missing a single word in her chant. After she was healed, she met the Sharpedo's charge head on with one of her own and hit him with a powerful front kick straight in the chin, slamming his mouth shut and sending him flipping back. (AN: Remember; Hogan said that her kicks were as good as any Fighting-type's.)

Rose pulled her leg back in and looked ready to move as Brute tried to get up. After a bit of struggling and growling, Brute flopped down and laid still.

"Brute is unable to battle. Rose is the winner."

Damus nodded, impressed, "She didn't even need to use a single psychic attack. Keeping her energy topped off with Wish certainly helped."

Hogan laughed, "Of course Rose could take him! She's not just strong; she's smart too!"As Rose smiled at the praise, she started using another Wish to restore herself.

Meanwhile, the Crawdaunt, Bruiser, scuttled forward to Brute with an Oran Berry and a blue scarf around his neck. Once he arrived, he said, "I'm ashamed of ye, swab. Lettin' yer guard down cos you're fightin' a wee lass?" He picked him up with a sigh in one claw and carried him off of the arena, "Where'd ye be if ye di'nt have me ta patch ye up afterward? Yer jus' lucky we both got on this team; else ye'd 'ave bled out long ago." He slipped the berry into his mouth, and Brute slowly started chewing it.

I watched the interaction. Huh… At least those two seem to care about each other. I guess that they've just stuck together.

After Brute woke up, Bruiser turned around and said, "Now watch, matey, how a real 'mon of the sea gets it done!"

Scuttling back into the arena, he stared Cathy down and said, "I'll grant that ye had me surprised wit' yer kicks, lass, but ye won't catch me off guard like ye did Brute!"

"Bruiser vs. Rose. Begin."

Rose sped forward, but Bruiser saw it coming and used Harden. Rose grunted as her leg hit against the unyielding shell.

"Ha-ha-har! Ye'll have to try something new, lass! Yer kicks're old news." He lashed out with his claw, attempting Night Slash. Rose teleported away right before it hit, and Bruiser grunted in frustration, "Cowardly witch…! If'n I could land one hit on 'er…" He scanned the area and scuttled towards Rose when she reappeared. Shooting another Magical Leaf, she disappeared again.

Bruiser shouted in frustration and pivoted around, looking for Rose. But Rose appeared right above him, her leg glowing with energy, and she delivered an axe kick right on his head catching him off guard before he could use Harden. He was knocked to the ground, but his scarf glowed, and Rose was suddenly trembling right where she stood.

She spoke, "Wh-what's going on?! I c-c-can't move!"

Bruiser pulled himself up with a grunt, "Me Bossy Scarf; has a chance of stunnin' me opponents. Was wonderin' when it'd kick in. It be temporary, but this won't be." His claw glowed white and he leaped, grabbing Rose's neck with it and slamming her to the ground with Guillotine, creating a dust cloud around the two of them.

"Rose!" Hogan rushed forward as Fenrir called out the result. Shortly after going in, he came back out, carrying Rose in his lower arms. When he set her down, we all took a look at her. There were some nasty-looking red imprints on the sides of her neck where she was grabbed. Levi looked and said, "She needs ice on that, otherwise there will be bruising."

After he gave a pointed glance at Cathy, she nodded and formed a few small Ice Shards, placing them on Rose's neck. After a short while, Rose took a deep breath and started muttering a Wish chant, her voice a little raspy. Hogan held her hand and said, "You did great."

Rose sat up after the marks went away slightly, "I just wish I could've done more. I would've finished him with a psychic attack if his scarf hadn't activated."

Mel looked at Vlad and he nodded, "Mel wants to go next. She can finish that Crawdaunt right away, and then move on to the next opponent."