"Welcome, one and all, to this special event in the Hoenn League Ever Grande conference!" The announcer said the next day. "The Elite Four have just arrived and they are ready to take on our Top 4 contestants. What will be the outcome of these battles between these strong trainers?"
While the announcer spoke, the top 4 were in the contestants' room watching the screen.
"This is it..." Davin said. "Our battles with the elite starts today."
"They won't be easy to beat. We should take caution when the time comes." Haro said.
"Yeah." Maura said as she stood up. "I'm up first. Wish me luck."
Davin gave her a thumbs up. "We'll be rooting for ya', Maura. Do your best!"
She smiled at him. "Thanks. I will."
"Now, let's get these battles underway!" The announcer shouted. "First up, we have Maura from Blackthorn City," The girl entered the arena as her name was said. "Against the Dark type user himself, Sidney!" The almost bald guy with the bit of red hair made his appearance.
The battlefield suddenly started to descend under the arena. "The battle will take place on a grass battlefield." The announcer said as the said field ascended to the arena in replacement of the previous.
On the arena screen, the portrait pictures of the two trainers appeared, as well as five slot circles underneath each of them. "If both trainers are ready, let the battle begin!"
Sidney went first. "Mightyena, let's go!" The familiar black dog made its appearance on the grass.
"Like I didn't see this coming." Maura said as she took out a Poke ball. "Pinsir, I choose you!" A brown beetle with white, spiked horns on its head materialized into battle.
"A Pinsir?" Davin asked as he took out his Pokedex.
"Pinsir, the Stag Beetle Pokemon. Their pincers are strong enough to shatter thick logs. Because they dislike cold, Pinsir burrow and sleep under the ground on chilly nights."
"Good thing I stopped by the Safari Zone before I came to the Hoenn League." Maura thought. "Since Pinsir can use Bug and Fighting type moves, this'll be easy."
"Mightyena, use Double Edge!" It ran at the Bug-type with the intention to tackle it.
"Pinsir, charge in and use Superpower!" It jumped in the air and raised its fist to deliver a punch to its opponent, but Mightyena quickly dodged out of the way.
"Use Sand Attack!" Mightyena turned around and started to kick dirt at Pinsir with its back legs.
"Dodge and use Submission!" Pinsir did as ordered; it grabbed Mightyena and started to roll around with it in a wild fashion across the grass. Eventually, Pinsir kicked it and Mightyena just lied there.
"Mightyena is unable to battle! Pinsir wins!"
"Awesome!" Davin cheered. "That's one down and four to go!"
"I wouldn't get too excited." Edric warned. "That was just his first. The others will be a lot stronger."
Sidney recalled his Pokemon. "Not bad, Maura. Unfortunately for you, that was just a test." He took out his second Poke ball. "Now the real battle begins! Go, Absol!" A white-furred quadruped with a scythe-shape sticking out of its head appeared from the ball.
"He has an Absol just like yours, Edric." Davin noted, having seen the boy's Absol when they had trained last night.
"Yeah, but mine is nowhere near as strong as his." Edric said.
Maura wasn't worried. "No big deal! A Dark type is a Dark type." She pointed at it. "Pinsir, X-Scissor!" Its white horns glowed as it ran towards the Disaster Pokemon.
Sidney smirked. "Absol, Rock Slide!" The scythe on its head glowed and with a swing of its head, rocks flew out from it and struck Pinsir, making it skid across the grass and faint instantly.
"Pinsir!" Maura cried.
"Pinsir is unable to battle! Absol wins!"
Davin was shocked. "In only one hit?!"
"You expected anything less from an Elite Four member?" Haro asked.
Maura recalled Pinsir. "Thank you. You did great." She looked at the Absol. "It's stronger than I expected. I guess I'll just have to go with plan B." She threw her next Poke ball. "Blaziken, let's go!" The Blaze Pokemon appeared on the field.
"Absol, use Aerial Ace!" It swiftly came towards Blaziken with streaks of light surrounding its body.
"Substitute!" As Maura said this, Absol tried to tackle it, but Blaziken disappeared as soon as it made contact with it.
"Now! Sky Uppercut!" Out of nowhere, Blaziken delivered a punch under Absol's chin and sent it flying into the air.
"Absol, use Rock Slide!" While in the air, it quickly sent the rocks with a swing of its head.
"Head straight into it with Brave Bird!" Blaziken jumped into the air with its body in a blue aura and it broke through the rocks as it made its way towards Absol. When it was close enough, Blaziken impacted Absol in midair and made it fall to the ground.
"Use Slash!" Absol got back up and went towards Blaziken with its claws.
"Flare Blitz!" Fire engulfed its body and Blaziken charged forward and hit Absol with its burning body, resulting in it being knocked out.
"Absol is unable to battle! Blaziken wins!"
Davin smiled. "See, guys? She's doing great. I don't see how anything can go wrong."
"Just wait and see." Haro told him.
Sidney returned Absol. "Now, Crawdaunt, let's go!" The red lobster appeared on his side.
"Return, Blaziken!" The fire Pokemon disappeared in the red beam of light. "Since Crawdaunt's a Water type, I'll switch for now." The next ball was thrown. "Banette, it's your turn!" A black doll with red eyes and a zipper-like mouth came out on to the grass.
Davin's Pokedex
"Banette, the Marionette Pokemon. Originally a plush doll, they are said to live in garbage dumps and wander about in search of the children that threw them away."
"A Ghost type? But aren't they ineffective against Dark types?" Davin asked.
"That's true, but there's no way Maura would do that without having some sort of plan." Haro said.
"Crawdaunt, use Surf!" It pushed its pincers forward as a giant wave of water was summoned.
"Banette, use Hidden Power!" Clear white orbs circled around its arms and it threw them at the wave, destroying it before it could cause damage.
"Now, use Torment!" Banette started to clap its hands repeatedly as Crawdaunt became agitated.
"What's Torment?" Davin asked.
"It's a move that prevents your opponent from using the same move twice in a row." Edric explained.
"Oh no!" Sidney thought. "Crawdaunt's only other attacking moves are Strength and Façade, but they won't work since Normal attacks don't work on Ghost types. That only leaves us with Surf and Swords Dance, and that won't do any good since Swords Dance increases your attack power and Surf is a non-physical move."
"I had a feeling he'd panic." Maura grinned. "All right, Banette! Thunder Wave!" Electricity formed between its hands and it was sent at Crawdaunt, leaving it paralyzed.
Sidney gasped as Maura commanded, "Use Night Shade!" and Banette's eyes fired two dark beams that made contact with the Rogue Pokemon. "Now, use Hidden Power one more time!" The orbs were formed and launched as Crawdaunt took the damage and fell on its back, unconscious.
"Crawdaunt is unable to battle! Banette wins!"
Sidney returned the Water/Dark type. "This girl is something. I've already lost three and she's only lost one." The next Poke ball was thrown. "Go, Cacturne!" The Scarecrow Pokemon appeared on the field.
"Take a break, Banette!" The ghostly doll was recalled to its Poke ball. "Blaziken, let's go!" When it came to the field, Maura immediately called for Flare Blitz and it charged at the Grass/Dark type while coated in flames.
"Cacturne, use Cotton Spore!" White cotton balls floated out of its mouth, but were burned to nothing when they made contact with Blaziken; Cacturne's body was scorched by the blazing hit.
"Brave Bird!" It jumped and made another powerful impact on the cactus Pokemon, knocking it unconscious.
"Cacturne is unable to battle! Blaziken wins!"
"Ha! Now Sidney only has one Pokemon left!" Davin said.
"Yeah, but Blaziken used both Flare Blitz and Brave Bird, which both cause recoil damage to the user every time its used." Edric said. "At this rate, Blaziken won't last for much longer."
Maura noticed that Blaziken was panting. "Return, Blaziken. You've done enough." The Blaze Pokemon was absorbed back into the Poke ball.
Sidney took out his final Poke ball. "Shiftry, come on out!"
Maura threw her next Poke ball. "Let's do this, Cloyster!"
Sidney's second Grass/Dark Pokemon appeared as Maura's Water/Ice Pokemon materialized.
Davin's Pokedex
"Cloyster, the Bivalve Pokemon. It swims in the sea by swallowing water, then jetting it out toward the rear. It also shoots spikes from its shell using the same system."
"Shiftry, use Extrasensory!"
"Cloyster, use Protect!"
Shiftry's eyes glowed yellow and it fired one singular beam from both of its eyes, but it was blocked by a green forcefield that appeared around Cloyster.
"Now, use Aurora Beam!" A multicolored beam shot from the horn inside of its shell.
"Double Team!" The beam passed through Shiftry as clones of itself appeared.
Maura smirked. "Blow them all away with Blizzard!" A strong snowstorm blew from its mouth that made all the clones disappear in an instant while at the same time causing damage to the real one, freezing its entire body in solid ice.
"It can't be!" Sidney gasped.
Davin smiled brightly while Haro and Edric stared in disbelief.
With confidence, Maura grinned and pointed to Shiftry. "Now, Cloyster! End this with Giga Impact!"
Cloyster's body dragged against the grassy surface as it became engulfed in an orange and purple aura. Shiftry, frozen and unable to do anything, was hit by the powerful attack. With the ice having been broken on contact, Shiftry skidded across the field and just lied there, unconscious and defeated.
"Shiftry is unable to battle! Cloyster wins! Therefore, Maura advances to the semifinals!"
The crowd erupted into loud cheers and screams as her picture on the scoreboard moved to the center with 'Winner!' underneath it
"All right! I told you guys Maura could do it!" Davin cheered.
"Unbelievable! She actually did it!" Haro said with a shocked expression.
"She's a lot stronger than I expected!" Edric added.
Maura ran on to the field and gave her Pokemon a hug. "You did it, Cloyster! We actually won! Thank you so much!"
"Cloyster." It said in a dark voice, but with a happy smile.
Sidney recalled Shiftry and walked over to the girl. "That was an excellent battle, Maura. I really enjoyed it."
"Same here, Sidney. I had a ton of fun." She smiled.
Both of them shook hands with each other, Maura recalled Cloyster to its Poke ball, and they both exited the arena.
