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Worma-Sir
I took your suggestion about *beep* into consideration and I decided to implement it. I already fix the older chapters including a few grammar mistakes. There will probably still be mistakes. Proof reading isn't that easy when you have 50,000 words to go through. My eyes aren't that sharp either. I will try my best to offer the best experience regardless. Yeah, some eliminations will make people emotional but some will have the opposite effect. I feel like they balance each other out. There will be both annoying and satisfying eliminations. I see that you don't have faith in 'Good Guy Grovyle'. You will see how he eventually ends up… Is Houndour really the winner? I have the elimination list next to me and… no spoilers. You might be right or you might be very wrong.
Episode 5: The Duel Games
Skarmory looked into the distance from the dock. He saw a boat, carrying something. Skarmory didn't seem to be surprised or shocked at all. It was expected for the boat to arrive. The camera then panned back to the island as Skarmory started the opening.
"Welcome back our loyal viewers. It is obvious that you are in a ride to the finale at this point. If not, then I don't understand why you stick to our show this long. If this is your first episode, I suggest you to view the actual first episode. No skipping to spoilers, alright? With that out of the way, I will start the recap." Skarmory dragged the intro longer than usual.
"Get to the point! Hire actual cameraman next time as well." Chef Drapion or the cameraman in this case shouted impatiently.
"Fine. Geez, impatient. Last time, the contestants competed in the first aquatic challenge. Bisharp tried to prove that he is a legendary fisherman. However, he flopped like a Magikarp in the grasp of an athlete. Speaking of an athlete, Lucario intimidated the hell out of a Sharpedo. That guy is sure scary. Anyways, the Feckless Flygon won because Meowth innovatively decided to open a photography store. Helioptile was framed, sabotaged and eliminated. Short enough?" Skarmory ended with an annoyed glance at Chef Drapion.
"Finally, I can get a break." Chef Drapion grumbled as he turned the camera off.
Tyrunt sat in the mess hall, he was currently eating breakfast.
"Same, old meal." Tyrunt complained as he shoved the sludge into his mouth.
The door opened and Elekid entered. He looked worried about something.
"What is with that face?" Tyrunt asked as he pushed his plate away.
"I don't think it is healthy for you to sit in the mess hall all day, buddy. You can't even swim yesterday. I might not be the fittest but I at least exercise." Elekid revealed his concern.
"So, you want me to exercise? No way, no more moves." Tyrunt shook his head.
"You must. As a result, I have a special guest that will help you to be healthier and stronger. He will push you to your limits. Tyrunt, meet Houndour." Elekid moved away from the door so that Houndour could enter. Houndour waved at Tyrunt. The gamer looked pale all of a sudden.
"I understand how you feel about exercises. Hopefully, I can help you to appreciate the great outdoors a bit more. It will also improve your longevity." Houndour said encouragingly.
"Elekid? Are you kidding me? You want me to go out with this outdoor freak?" Tyrunt refused, his words damaged Houndour's feelings.
"Don't be rude, Tyrunt. This is for your own good. You might even get Skarmory tokens along the way." Elekid scolded.
"I'm not going! You can't force me." Tyrunt childishly snapped. He banged the table with his fists. Elekid and Houndour sighed at his temper tantrum. They looked at each other and nodded. Afterwards, they advanced toward Tyrunt.
"What are you guys doing?" Tyrunt asked with anxiety as both of them grabbed onto his arms.
"We are doing this for your own good. Please understand." Elekid patronized. Both of them tried to drag Tyrunt out of the mess hall. Tyrunt futilely resisted.
"I hate the outdoors." Tyrunt complained as he continued to resist. All of his attempts ended in vain.
Confessional
Tyrunt: "What kind of friend does that to me? For my own good? If that is the case, they will let me do whatever I want. I don't need someone to boss me around like my parents. If it wasn't for the million, I would already quit this show."
Elekid: "His attitude is worse than I thought. I start to understand why his parents forced him to sign up for this show now."
Houndour: "Well, we have an extra member today. I didn't tell Duosion and Meowth anything about this yet. Hopefully, everything will be alright."
"Have a nice time." Elekid said as he left after Tyrunt stopped resisting. The fossil Pokemon crossed his arms grumpily instead.
"Can you absorb the wonderful nature around you? You can't experience this indoors, you know?" Houndour tried to teach Tyrunt a lesson.
"No. Why should I care about the dirt, trees, rocks in general?" Tyrunt said unhappily.
Both of them stayed silent for a while until they reached the entrance of Skarmory Cave. Duosion and Meowth were there already, waiting patiently. They looked surprised upon seeing Tyrunt.
"Sorry that I'm late. Elekid requested me to bring Tyrunt with us today. Is that okay?" Houndour checked with the other Treasure Trio members.
"Escorting a VIP guest, I see. That will be fine." Meowth allowed.
"As long as he isn't a liability." Duosion sounded unsure.
"He isn't a liability. Right, Tyrunt?" Houndour assured Duosion. However, Tyrunt's attitude and body language suggested the opposite. Tyrunt sat on the ground with his arms crossed. In addition, he turned his face sideways.
"Ah, I see. Our VIP guest needs special treatment. You should carry Tyrunt. Don't you agree, Houndour?" Meowth persuaded.
"I guess it is my responsibility." Houndour sighed as he piggybacked Tyrunt. The spoiled gamer didn't resist yet his discontent expression remained the same.
Confessional
Duosion: "I think Tyrunt is spoiled. He acts like a baby sometimes. I feel like he is going to be a burden despite Houndour's words."
Meowth: "We need to make our VIP guest satisfied."
Houndour: "I don't want to babysit him but he needs to get out of his comfort zone a bit. It is for his own good."
Tyrunt: Tyrunt didn't say anything, he just stared at the camera with a dissatisfied look.
Houndour illuminated the cave once again with his fire. Due to the extra weight on his back, he moved slower than usual. Tyrunt still crossed his arms rebelliously. His eyes were closed. He refused to absorb in the surroundings. Duosion critically glared at Tyrunt.
"Touchy, touchy. I think you are abusing Houndour's hospitality. Please be a bit more mature, you are literally on his back." Duosion criticized. Tyrunt remained indifferent. Duosion looked frustrated. Meowth saw this and tried to help.
"Dear VIP guest, you are wasting your opportunity to observe Skarmory Cave. Your friend literally paid us with credit to bring you here. We are trying to offer the best experience that we can. However, we ask for your cooperation. Think about how your parents will feel to see their son acting rather childishly in national, no international television." Meowth persuaded to the best of his ability. Tyrunt opened his eyes a bit. However, he still looked depressed. Meowth gave him a Fire Gem as a consolation gift.
"You can speak to us. We are willing to listen." Houndour encouraged Tyrunt to open up.
"How do you think I feel when I was forced to join this show?" Tyrunt started to speak, capturing their attention. "I was in despair. I watched Total Drama before and I knew how cruel and disgusting things can be. I will be tortured, I will be humiliated, I dreaded these things. All of this for the sake of the heartless viewers."
"Initially, everything went better than I thought. I had friends. I didn't get hurt that much. For a moment, I was delusional. I thought that I can stay in the mess hall all day and avoid physical challenges. Now, the reality strikes me. This show is just like a shitty game I wish I never pick up. Do you really think a million is worth it for all the pain that I will go through? I need to sleep in an uncomfortable bed. The food tasted like garbage. I miss my home. I miss my mom's home cooking. I miss playing video games. Now, the traps in this cave will hurt me." Tyrunt whined rather querulously.
"Worse of all, I'm a burden to myself and all of you. Why did you force me to enter this cave? Why do you need to change me into a Pokemon that I never will be? Why?! I will never like the outdoors. I'm not an athlete. That isn't my lifestyle. Is this for my own good?" Tyrunt started to sob after he finished his story. All three of them looked at Tyrunt with sympathy, yet they disagreed with some of his points. This was especially true for Houndour.
"Tyrunt! Snap out of it! If you think Total Drama is already cruel, the real world is even crueler. Dude, there are Pokemon starving and fighting on the streets. If you don't step out of your comfort zone, can you really defend yourself in the outside world? Your parents love you Tyrunt. That's why they sent you here. Love doesn't always translate to pampering and spoiling. That will make you grow up into a delicate man. Get up and make your parents proud." Houndour lectured Tyrunt before he dropped him down. Tyrunt obeyed and started to walk on his own two feet.
"I'm still scared and I will never like the outdoors." Tyrunt said apprehensively.
"It is normal to be scared. I'm scared too. However, we will face our fears together. You don't need to like the outdoors, just tolerate it." Houndour said to the surprise of Tyrunt. Never in a million years would Tyrunt think that Houndour was scared as well. Tyrunt looked at Houndour with deep respect, alongside Meowth and Duosion.
Confessional
Tyrunt: "I never see this side of him before. He opened my eyes up. I will tolerate this game a bit longer then. I can't give up now. For my parents and friends."
Meowth: "Treasure Trio is doing well. We have such skilled workforce. When money start to rain, I will be sure to collect them first."
Duosion: "Houndour and Meowth are both growing on me. Houndour is stronger than he looks. He lectured Tyrunt without being too aggressive or soft. He has great social skills. Meowth also managed to make Tyrunt open up a bit as well."
Houndour: "I might not share a similar background with Tyrunt but I can relate to him in some ways. We are both scared and not the bravest. However, I know that we have the will to face our fears and insecurities."
Elekid waited outside of the cave. Tyrunt appeared, his facial expression changed. There was a slight optimistic smile on his face. He no longer crossed his arms.
"Tyrunt, are you alright? I didn't mean any harm by forcing you to enter this cave." Elekid tried to fix things between him and Tyrunt.
"No worries. I understand what you are trying to do. I guess I'm a bit stronger now." Tyrunt assured that he held no grudge. Everything ended happily for all of them.
Heracross walked around the forest area. She looked around a bit before she headed back to the cabin. Along the way, she met Miltank.
"How are things going in your team?" Miltank asked.
"Larvitar is a nuisance. My team is filled with a bunch of weaklings as well. I prefer to be in your position really." Heracross admitted.
"Yeah, my team is alright. Could have been better in the first few challenges but decent nonetheless. After Magikarp and Feebas were eliminated, things got better. What about the merge, what are we going to do?" Miltank asked.
"We have two choices, either you flip to my alliance or I flip to yours." Heracross explained.
"We can also build our own alliance. I don't want to play second fiddle to either Lucario or Archeops." Miltank suggested.
"That is too risky. We need the numbers-" Heracross heard some noises and signaled for Miltank to hide. Both of them hid under some bushes. Rhyhorn appeared behind the trees as he squeezed his way through them. He looked around a bit before he left. Heracross looked up after Rhyhorn left.
"We are safe for now. However, there is no telling if someone will actually see us together. We should head back to whatever we are doing." Heracross said before she separated with Miltank.
Confessional
Heracross: "I need to win even if it means to play dirty or play a bit nice. In my neighborhood, things are pretty rough. Tough to find money nowadays. I need it more than other contestants."
Miltank: "I like Heracross. She doesn't take crap from any contestants. I have respect for Pokemon like her. In the past, I used to be mocked by the people who visit the Moomoo Milk farm. They said that I'm overweight and fat. You know what? Screw them! I bet that those visitors aren't tough as me. Now, I beat up anyone that get in my way. I'm not afraid to be outspoken and get in their face. The strong beats the weak regardless of appearance."
Meowstic shuffled her cards and allowed Ledyba to pick one.
"Choose wisely." Meowstic advised.
Ledyba saw scratch marks on all of them but she didn't say anything. She just gave Meowstic a smile and picked the card in the middle.
"It is a queen of hearts." Meowstic looked at the scratch mark secretly and answered. Ledyba revealed the card, it was a queen of hearts.
"Wow, you are amazing." Ledyba complimented.
"Of course, I'm the great magician. I'm glad to have a wonderful friend like you that appreciate my tricks." Meowstic replied.
"A great magician? More like a scamming swindler." Scolipede appeared and scoffed at Meowstic tricks.
"Scolipede, you aren't welcome here." Meowstic hissed for Scolipede to go away.
"Scratch marks huh? A real magician doesn't use a simple trick like this. Regardless, all magicians are swindlers." Scolipede continued to attack Meowstic and magicians in general. Meowstic stomped off in anger. Ledyba gave Scolipede a disapproving look.
"Scolipede! I think you have a personal vendetta against magicians. I saw the scratch marks as well. However, Meostic did that for fun and entertainment not to fool me or anything like that. She is a nice girl." Ledyba defended Meowstic.
"You are either a swindler like her or you are too naïve and optimistic. Either way, suit yourself." Scolipede remarked before he tried to leave.
"What's wrong with being optimistic and see the good in others? Aren't you tired of always focusing on others' flaws? You will be happier if you look at others in a more positive light." Ledyba said her final words. Scolipede stopped for a moment before he left for real.
Confessional
Scolipede: "See the good in others? She probably said that so I ignore the ugly truth. I won't be delusional and hopelessly optimistic like that. Never again."
Meowstic: "Scolipede ruined everything again!"
Ledyba: "When will Scolipede ever learn to trust and believe in others? When I do something nice, he doubts my good intentions. If I do something bad or mean, he sees me as a villain anyways. How am I supposed to reason with him?"
Dedenne tried to climb a pretty tall tree. It was challenging due to her small stature, lack of wings and etc. As expected, she slid off and fell down the three every time. It started to become a hopeless, desperate struggle to the top. There was a shiny Star Piece at the top of the tree.
"Come on." Dedenne said frustratingly as she tried to hang on by biting the tree with her teeth. She was very close to the top, a few inches away to the valuable red gem. Unfortunately, she ran out of strength and fell down the tree again.
"Where there is determination, there is success." Dedenne tried to encourage her exhausted body to move. However, she failed. There were sounds of someone maneuvering from tree to tree. Dedenne looked up to see the forest expert.
"Need help?" Grovyle jumped down from a tree to offer his help.
"I will appreciate it if you can get that Star Piece for me." Dedenne requested.
Grovyle jumped up from branch to branch until he reached the top. With his right arm suspended on a branch, he used his left arm to throw the Star Piece to Dedenne.
"Thanks." Dedenne said gratefully.
"No problem. Good Guy Grovyle is here to help everyone." Grovyle tried to act nice. "See you." Grovyle bid his farewell before he left.
Confessional
Grovyle: "I need to make myself likable because likable Pokemon get far in this game. They also have a lot of friends as well. I'm that kind of guy. That is why my friends call me Good Guy Grovyle. I like that nickname."
Dedenne: "Grovyle is better than most of the contestants here in this island. He shares and he cares."
Bisharp sat on the edge of the dock with his fishing rod next to him. He waited and waited for any signs of water Pokemon. Finally, there was a nibble.
"Bisharp, fishing again? Can I join? I want to get involved!" Jumpluff exclaimed enthusiastically. This scared the fish away. Bisharp held his head with his hands and shook it. His eyes looked down upon the empty fishing hook. The bait was eaten.
"Why? Out of all the time, why must you interrupt me at this moment of glory?" Bisharp asked in denial.
"Did I scare the Pokemon away? If that is the case then I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." Jumpluff apologized. Bisharp sighed and clicked his tongue.
"Yes, you ruin my chance…" Bisharp groaned.
"I'm sorry." Jumpluff apologized again.
"It is fine. This isn't a real fishing tournament. Might as well waste my bad luck here and get all the good luck when it actually matters. Do you want to join? Why don't you bring a fishing rod then?" Bisharp said as he reverted back to his normal self.
"I just want to talk." Jumpluff clarified.
"Talk? Talk about what? I'm not exactly the most social Pokemon. My favorite topics can be boring to you." Bisharp seemed a bit confused as to why Jumpluff wanted to talk to him.
"Don't worry, socializing isn't that difficult. How about we talk about fashion?" Jumpluff suggested. Bisharp widened his eyes.
"Not your favorite topic? Sorry, it is my favorite topic and common interest that I share with my friends. Maybe we can talk about the price of things in a shopping mall. It is about maths and you seem to like maths." Jumpluff suggested a different topic. Bisharp looked a lot more comfortable at this.
"That suits me a bit more. Why don't you start?" Bisharp allowed.
"Well, there is something that I don't understand. Sometimes, the price is high at first then it suddenly drops. For example, there is this cool, trendy fedora that a celebrity wears. It was expensive at first then the price dropped after a month. Obviously, I bought it when it was still popular and in the trend like my friends. However, I feel like it was a rip-off because others get it for a lower price now. I don't understand. It happens to other products like phones and accessories as well, except for food from what I noticed. I'm not a business student. Can you explain?" Jumpluff asked.
"Yes, I study business a bit myself. There are several possible reasons. I will tell you a few of them. First, a pricing strategy called creaming or skimming. This involves setting a price high at first to target high-income class of Pokemon. After a considerable period of time with signs of sales declining, decreases the price to target medium and eventually low-income class of Pokemon. This works with things like phone where there are new and updated versions coming out. The obsolete version will be for the customers with less income. The new version will be for customers with higher income." Bisharp paused for a moment.
"Wow, I understand it a bit more now. Still, I don't feel like waiting for the price drop. That is so boring. Please continue to explain." Jumpluff commented as Bisharp continued.
"Now, there are other reasons like deflation, supply and demand. However, I will not go into details on those subjects. I advise you to ask Meowth instead as he is more of an expert. Rather, I will explain why you are confused when the same logic doesn't apply to food right?" Bisharp said as Jumpluff nodded.
"Well, it is because of price elasticity. Some goods are affected by price changes more than others. Essential goods like food are absolutely necessary so the impact on decreasing the price is minimal at best. Therefore, business owners don't usually do that. We consider these goods as price inelastic. I believe that this is enough for today." Bisharp ended his explaination.
"Wow, Bisharp, you are so smart. I believe that you can beat Skrelp in an intellectual challenge." Jumpluff encouraged. Bisharp turned silent immediately. He stared into the white, fluffy clouds in the sky.
"Be a bit more confident in yourself. I believe in you." Jumpluff insisted.
"Do you see those clouds?" Bisharp asked.
"Yes, they are beautiful." Jumpluff commented.
"My parents expect me to rise to the top of the sky like those clouds. They believe than I can be perfect. However, I'm tired of perfection. Sometimes, I just want to be myself. A normal Pokemon on the ground. However, that will ruin the honor of my ancestors and I can't do that." Bisharp looked strict and adamant immediately when he mentioned his ancestors.
"I feel sorry for you. You must have a tough life." Jumpluff sympathized with Bisharp. Noticeably, there was something that pestered Bisharp.
"Why did you come here? Is it really just to socialize with me? You have your friends, don't you?" Bisharp released his stored suspicions.
"Oh, about that. I have friends… A lot of friends outside this show. I really miss them. I'm not lonely in this island but… Dedenne doesn't like to talk about my favorite topics. She prefers to talk about social justice. I don't want to bother Tyrunt and Elekid, they seemed bored when I talked to them lately. I don't know Snorunt, Drifblim, Nosepass, Grovyle and Rhyhorn that well. Worse of all, Skrelp harassed me lately. I think I'm going to get voted off soon." Jumpluff said as she looked down at the water.
"Ignore Skrelp, she can't do much other than playing mind games. Rest assured, you have nothing to lose in this island. However, I have a lot to lose." Bisharp said as he left. Jumpluff looked at him with concern.
Confessional
Bisharp: "I need to win. For the pride and honor of my family. The million isn't what matters the most to me. I have no choice."
Jumpluff: "I feel really bad for Bisharp. He must be very stressed out. I hope that I don't make things worse for him. I also feel troubled lately. Who spread the rumors about my annoying attitude? It annoys me."
Snorunt looked around the cabin, she saw a mysterious footprint.
"Is this Larvitar's footprint?" Snorunt asked herself as she investigated the room a bit more.
"Helioptile went to the infirmary for half an hour. It takes around fifteen minutes to get to the gym section if she walked. She needs to run for her to steal my diary. For what purpose? I share a lot of things with her already. Doesn't make much sense. Larvitar doesn't seem capable of doing this but he surely has a motive. Maybe, I should ask someone." Snorunt summarized her investigation so far. As Snorunt exited the Crawdaunt girls' cabin, she moved to the benches where she used to sit with Helioptile. With her gone, Snorunt sat all alone. Her eyes were in a trance.
Confessional
Snorunt: "I feel a lot lonelier now. I got over some of my confident issues thanks to Helioptile. She doesn't deserve to get eliminated."
Drifblim saw Snorunt sitting on the bench all alone. She floated next to her.
"How are you feeling? Angry, sad, lonely, nostalgic?" Drifblim asked.
"All of it… I think Helioptile was framed. It enrages me to see someone nice like her going through that. I'm now all alone. All I can do now is to recall happy memories in the past." Snorunt revealed her feelings to Drifblim.
"I understand. Do you need help with the investigation?" Drifblim asked.
"Yeah, I'm so confused. I saw Larvitar's footprints but I doubt that he can frame someone. I mean Helioptile stepped on his feet lightly and he screamed in pain. Revenge could be his motive. I believe that he has an accomplice." Snorunt told Drifblim about her investigation. Drifblim didn't show any signs of anxiety, she was perfectly calm.
"It seems likely. Think deeper into this. Who can manipulate Larvitar? It must be a very smart contestant. This Pokomon must also have a motive." Drifblim implied. Snorunt's face suddenly lightened up. It was as if she got the answer.
"It must be Skrelp. I saw her a few times with Larvitar. She was in the cabins with us. She found the diary instantly. She spread the news about Helioptile stealing my diary. It all makes sense now. Perhaps, she wants to weaken me as a possible motive." Snorunt came up with a conclusion.
"I agree." Drifblim nodded.
Confessional
Drifblim: "Who expected these chains of event to happen just because I gave Larvitar a few ideas? As a super fan, this is very exhilarating. I can't wait to see what is going to happen next."
Snorunt: "Skrelp, you rotten, dirty, little framer. I will get my revenge."
Lucario called all of his teammates to the gym once again. He then forced them to exercise as usual.
Aromatisse and Oddish toyed with the jumping ropes again. They barely made any progress, which annoyed Lucario.
Ledyba, Meowth, Duosion and Meowstic played another round of basketball casually.
On the other hand, Shedinja floated around the field. This time, he was slower than usual. Neither did he care as Scolipede was the only one running with him.
"Do you want to play dodgeball with the others, Shedinja?" Cryogonal invited.
"Meh." Shedinja refused.
"Fine, don't regret it later." Cryogonal said as she left to join the others.
"I think she is hiding something. You should be careful, Shedinja." Scolipede warned.
"Whatever." Shedinja didn't care. He just floated around lifelessly.
Confessional
Scolipede: "I don't even know why Shedinja is here. I don't think he cares if he gets eliminated. Anyways, Cryogonal is still suspicious in my eyes."
Aromatisse: "Stupid sports. Why can't my team be a bit more civilized like the other team?"
"We will start the first round!" Lucario acted as the referee of the dodgeball game. On the left side, there were Houndour, Miltank, Cryogonal. The right side only had two members, Darmanitan and Machoke. Therefore, they got to throw the ball first.
"Relax homie, and aim." Darmanitan advised. Machoke nodded as he threw the first ball. It completely missed and hit the wall instead.
"Damn it!" Machoke yelled in frustration as Miltank grabbed the ball and threw it back at him. It knocked Machoke out. Darmanitan was at a disadvantage. He lost as expected.
Machoke sat on the bleachers after the game was over. He planted his face down.
"Homie, no big deal. We lost, it is fine." Darmanitan consoled.
"I'm useless. Most Machoke are usually strong but I'm not." Machoke was disappointed with himself.
"Relax, you might not be good at dodgeball but you got to be good at something. Chill here for a while." Darmanitan said as he patted Machoke's back.
Confessional
Machoke: "I don't want to let my team down. Still, I'm not that useful in challenges."
It was lunchtime once again. There was an alluring, mouth-wetting smell from Skarmory Shop. Tyrunt arrived in front of the stall first. He breathed in the smell deeply.
"What is this smell?" Tyrunt asked while licking his lips.
"Bib boy, it is pasta and lasagna." Skarmory revealed as he opened the pot. Tyrunt seemed insulted from the nickname. He frowned a bit before the smell calmed him down.
"How much does it cost?" Tyrunt asked excitedly as he showed a handful of tokens on his claws.
"Five tokens." Skarmory stated. Tyrunt paid without bargaining. The plate was small as usual. Tyrunt didn't complain as he was done with constantly eating purple sludge.
Nosepass appeared next. He was lucky enough to have five tokens. However, Larvitar blocked his way to the shop.
"Give me your tokens." Larvitar forced a shakedown upon poor Nosepass.
"Just don't hurt me." Nosepass threw up his hands and forfeited all of his tokens. Rhyhorn saw this and tackled Larvitar, sending him flying.
"I will be back, *beep*!" Larvitar swore.
"Thank you very much." Nosepass thanked gratefully as he recollected his tokens on the ground.
"I can only help you so many times. You need to take the first step forward." Rhyhorn said before he left. Nosepass felt even more pathetic.
Confessional
Nosepass: "Why? Why am I the only one left that is scared of Larvitar? If I go against him, he will surely beat me up. Right?" Nosepass sighed as he looked down.
Rhyhorn: "I'm willing to help Nosepass become stronger if he takes the first step by himself."
Tyrunt: "Finally, delicious food! The pasta melted in my mouth."
Skarmory stood in the beach area. "Gather around the beach area!" He used his megaphone to call the contestants over. After they arrived, he started his explanation.
"See the boat over there?" Skarmory pointed with his left wing toward the boat next to the dock. Some contestants were confused and shocked to see two Rapidash. "Today, we will have a one versus one duel between three types of sports. First, we have equestrian. Each team will get to choose one Rapidash. Don't worry, it is safe to sit on them without risks of burns. Afterwards, we will start the event in the gym area. Specifically, the colosseum. I will explain the next two events later. The Feckless Flygon will get to choose first since they won the last challenge." Skarmory explained before he allowed each team to choose the Rapidash of their choice.
Lucario walked forward to the first one. It was male, with timid looking eyes and shaking legs. Lucario immediately moved to the second one, which was female. She looked fierce and competitive.
"We will choose this one." Lucario made the decision for the team.
"Crazy Crawdaunt, you get the other one. Let's go the colosseum." Skarmory led everyone to the colosseum at the very back of the gym area.
Confessional
Miltank: "Horse riding is my kind of sport. Back at my Moomoo Milk farm, I race with my co-workers on our Rapidash."
Tyrunt: "I don't like sports. I don't want to fall down and get an injury. I want an intellectual challenge. Only if I can use a controller to control the Rapidash instead." Tyrunt whined.
Dedenne: "What kind of cruel sport is this? We are riding on another Pokemon as if it is our slave."
Oddish: "Err, what is equestrian? Are we supposed to cook our Rapidash and serve it for food? Rapid, dashing, dinner." Oddish tried to be funny in front of the viewers.
The contestants entered the colosseum. It was circular, with a muddy area in the middle. There were two entrances, the back and front entrance. In addition, a flag was placed next to each entrance. The contestants looked baffled upon seeing the colosseum.
"Is this the traditional equestrian set-up? I think you need to do a bit more research." Drifblim criticized.
"Of course not, I have a different plan in my mind. Instead of racing around or doing horse shows, all of you will fight instead. Each team will need to guard their flag from the opposing team. Alternatively, you can push your opponent off into the mud. Both ways will earn you a point. To make it fair, Chef Drapion has a little surprise for some of you. Come in, chef!" Skarmory explained before he called the chef. The contestants looked behind to see Chef Drapion holding a box of iron balls.
"We will give flying types iron balls to hold so they can't fly, glide or float. No cheating that way. This includes Cryogonal as well due to your Levitate ability." Skarmory explained. The flying types and Cryogonal looked irritated.
"I think it gives us a disadvantage as well because iron ball reduces our speed." Archeops protested.
"Your Rapidash speed is the only speed that matters." Skarmory countered.
"What if you deduct a point from us instead if we fly?" Archeops suggested a different idea. She didn't want to hold the iron ball.
"Fine, picky contestant. Other hosts would disqualify you already. Chef Drapion, leave." Skarmory ordered.
"What a waste of my time." Chef Drapion grumbled to himself as he left.
"Any other complaints?" Skarmory glanced around the contestants. Lucario lifted his right hand up. Skarmory pointed at him.
"I think you should also ban ghost and psychic abilities to make it fair." Lucario suggested.
"Fair enough." Skarmory accepted the suggestion and looked around for more complaints. There was none.
"Splendid, I will now explain the last twist of this challenge. Each team will privately create a list where each contestant will be numbered from one to fourteen. That will decide who you will go up against. Head off right away." Skarmory finished his explanation.
Confessional
Skrelp: "Interesting. This adds a psychological depth to the game. Each contestant might prefer a different number. I wonder who is going to choose the lucky seven and the unlucky thirteen. Having our weakest contestant, Nosepass facing off against Lucario is the most ideal scenario."
Nosepass: "Please, the gods of random number generator, put me against Oddish."
The Feckless Flygon didn't take the list seriously. They all chose random numbers.
"It is all luck, who cares?" Lucario disregarded.
The list looked like this:
1. Shedinja
2. Duosion
3. Machoke
4. Oddish
5. Lucario
6. Houndour
7. Meowth
8. Miltank
9. Cryogonal
10. Scolipede
11. Meowstic
12. Ledyba
13. Darmanitan
14. Aromatisse
On the other hand, the Crazy Crawdaunt overcomplicated the situation.
"Psychologically, Lucario will choose the number one. This is evident due to his professional athlete status and competitiveness. He aims for the gold. We should put Nosepass against him." Skrelp suggested.
"I agree. What about lucky number seven?" Archeops asked for opinions.
"I think a weak contestant will take that spot because he or she believes that it translates to good luck." Skrelp suggested.
"A decently strong contestant can take that spot then." Archeops wrote these crazy psychological theories from Skrelp down.
The list looked like this:
1. Nosepass
2. Archeops
3. Heracross
4. Snorunt
5. Bisharp
6. Rhyhorn
7. Grovyle
8. Dedenne
9. Tyrunt
10. Elekid
11. Jumpluff
12. Skrelp
13. Drifblim
14. Larvitar
Confessional
Grovyle: "I think my team thinks too deep into this. I don't really care about the mumbo jumbo psychology. I don't think Lucario and his team care either."
Nosepass: "Please, not Lucario."
Skarmory looked at both lists with interest.
"Match one, Shedinja versus Nosepass." Skarmory announced.
"I'm lucky, no Lucario!" Nosepass shouted in joy as he stepped down from the spectator area. He went to the front entrance. Skrelp looked frustrated.
Shedinja floated down unenthusiastically to the back entrance. He eventually sat on his horse.
The alarm rang, signifying that the match officially began. They were cries of cheer during the entire event.
"Just get the flag." Shedinja drawled. The female Rapidash ran to the flag. She curved to avoid the mud area in the middle.
"What are we going to do? They are getting close. I'm scared!" Nosepass panicked as he talked to his Rapidash.
"I'm scared as well. Make a decision." The male Rapidash said fearfully. It was too late. Shedinja grabbed the flag and ended the boring, first match.
"Yay." Shedinja cheered unenthusiastically. Nosepass sighed in defeat. Larvitar laughed at him. He stopped after he received stares from his teammates.
"Match two, Duosion versus Archeops." Skarmory announced the next match.
Archeops waited for Duosion to make the first move. Duosion ordered her Rapidash to run to the left. Archeops speeded to her right, which was Duosion's left. The Rapidash clashed into each other. Duosion nearly lost her balance. This allowed Archeops to get the flag first.
"One to one, match number three. Heracross and Machoke." Skarmory announced again.
Machoke ordered his Rapidash to go as fast as possible. He couldn't hang onto her neck and fell into the mud.
In round four, it was Snorunt against Oddish.
"Go slowly." Snorunt told her Rapidash. The male Rapidash understood.
"What are we supposed to do?" Oddish acted oblivious.
"Are you serious?' The female Rapidash asked her. Oddish shrugged. The female Rapidash just rolled her eyes and raced to the flag at her average speed. Oddish reached the flag first.
Confessional
Oddish: "We sure picked the right Rapidash for dinner. I acted stupid and we still win."
Bisharp looked tense as he rode his Rapidash against Lucario. Bisharp tried to move to the left. Lucario followed him. Bisharp moved to the right, Lucario followed him. Bisharp sighed as he decided to change direction once again. This time, Lucario ordered Rapidash to run at full speed. The professional athlete wanted to take Bisharp down to the mud.
Both of them got closer and closer. Lucario was about to collide into Bisharp. Bisharp tried to dodge but Lucario's Rapidash tackled his Rapidash, sending both of them (Bisharp and his Rapidash) into the mud.
Confessional
Lucario: "I expected more from him. I didn't even need to hold my Rapidash. My balance is perfect from Pokeathlon training."
Bisharp: "That was very degrading. Now, I need to wash this mud off." Bisharp wiped some mud off his body.
Rhyhorn automatically lost because he was too heavy. His Rapidash couldn't carry his weight.
"Sorry Rhyhorn, your weight might be useful later on." Skarmory apologized.
"It is fine." Rhyhorn said simply as he returned to the spectator area.
Confessional
Houndour: "I don't like a free win but well I shouldn't complain."
Larvitar: "He is too heavy. Hahaha…" Larvitar laughed.
"Currently, it is four to two lead for the Feckless Flygon." Skarmory updated the score. "Can the Crazy Crawdaunt catch up?"
Grovyle was next. He seemed uncomfortable sitting on a fire type.
Meowth climbed up and sat on his Rapidash.
The two stared at each other.
The alarm rang and the match started. Grovyle went to his left. Meowth went to his left. Their horses didn't collide with each other.
"Giddy up!" Grovyle raised the speed of his Rapidash. He nearly fell off. However, he hung on tight with his arms and legs locked. This allowed him to reach the flag first.
"Woo-hoo!" Grovyle cheered as he won.
The next match was a rematch between Dedenne and Miltank.
"I remember what you did to me last time, Miltank." Dedenne said in an accusing tone.
"I will finish this quickly." Miltank said as she rode her Rapidash very aggressively. She grabbed the ears and steered it like driving a car. The female Rapidash didn't looked pleased. Still, she didn't complain. Miltank drove the Rapidash straight into Dedenne, sending her flying into the mud area.
"Sweet justice." Miltank said as she celebrated by waving the flag around as well.
Confessional
Dedenne: "What she did is very cruel and mean. She could have just take the flag without hitting me." Dedenne spat the mud out.
Cryogonal was too heavy, resulting in her disqualification as well. The score was five to four with Feckless Flygon in the lead. Tyrunt headed back to the spectator area, sighing in relief at his luck.
"Match number ten, Scolipede versus Elekid." Skarmory called both of them down.
Scolipede tried to get on the Rapidash but he was too heavy.
"I think you should start teaching your Super-Secret Weight Busting Technique." Miltank talked to Machoke.
"Yeah, I should." Machoke laughed nervously.
"Another disqualification. Next, we have Jumpluff against Meowstic." Skarmory moved on to the next match. The host hoped that it will be more exciting.
Meowstic prepared her Rapidash for a crazy stunt.
"We will jump over the entire mud area." Meowstic told her Rapidash.
"Are you crazy?!" The female Rapidash questioned.
"I'm the great magician, just listen to me." Meowstic assured.
The match began and Meowstic speeded up her Rapidash. They kept getting faster and faster until they reached the mud area. The female Rapidash made a great leap… and fell flat into the mud with Meowstic.
"What the hell are you thinking?!" Lucario scolded from the spectator area.
Confessional
Meowstic: "I'm the great magician. I already calculated that our speed should be high enough to the point where it will be a success. I even enhanced our odds with my magic. It is the fault of that Rapidash."
Lucario: "She is now in my elimination list!" Lucario gritted his teeth as he pulled his ears.
Jumpluff: "I'm not very good at this equestrian thing. However, I'm lucky enough to get away with it. Hooray! Wait until my friends hear about my victory."
The Crazy Crawdaunt were now in the lead with the score of six to five.
"Match number twelve, Ledyba versus Skrelp." Skarmory announced.
"I want you to maximize your velocity. Just keep your eyes on the flag, no looking back at our opponents. Understood?" Skrelp instructed the male Rapidash. He nodded in reply.
"I believe in you. I know what you are capable of. Just keep up the good work." Ledyba said as she sat on the Rapidash. The Rapidash looked more satisfied and happy with this rider.
The match started.
The female Rapidash galloped at her full speed. Ledyba held her neck with all of her arms for support. Skrelp struggled to hold her Rapidash. Once she realized that Ledyba was far ahead, she told her Rapidash to stop.
"Great job!" Ledyba complimented Rapidash as she claimed the flag, the score was tied with six to six. Scolipede looked from the spectator area with worry.
Confessional
Scolipede: "I don't want to trust Ledyba. No, I can't trust. I will never trust. No… this can't be happening. I'm starting to trust someone again. Are her nice acts really genuine?"
"Both team need to win both matches or else there will be a tiebreaker. Next, we have Darmanitan versus Drifblim." Skarmory declared.
Darmanitan rushed to the flag on his Rapidash. Drifblim was also close. Darmanitan decided to play risky and monkeying around a bit. He held the Rapidash with his left arm and swung himself to grab the flag with his right arm. His team applaud his bravery and talent.
"Larvitar, you need to win. Don't do anything stupid, alright?" Archeops warned.
"Obviously, equestrian is easy. Even my grandma can do it." Larvitar looked overconfident. He folded his arms and walked over to his Rapidash.
"Horsey, you better go fast or else this will happen." Larvitar threatened the male Rapidash as he slapped his butt. His flame rose up and his eyes turned hostile. The male Rapidash angrily kicked Larvitar into the mud area, ending the challenge early.
"Wow, what an anti-climatic ending. Forget it, we will move on." Skarmory ended the challenge with the Feckless Flygon in the lead.
Confessional
Larvitar: "Ouch, this really hurts. You are supposed to obey my orders, *beep*. I could have whipped you. You know that? I let you go easy this time." There were injuries all over Larvitar's body.
Aromatisse: "With beauty comes luck." Aromatisse then applied her shiny powder make-up in the confessional room.
Lucario: "Of course, we win. Obviously, our team is more athletic. There will be no third round."
Everyone followed Skarmory into the dodgeball court. There was no dodgeball ball.
"What kind of game will we be playing? Any guesses?" Skarmory asked a question.
"Dodgeball." Drifblim answered simply. Skarmory had a deceiving smirk on his face.
"Yes, it is dodgeball. Hard to trick contestants nowadays. Chef Drapion, bring it in." Skarmory revealed as Chef Drapion entered the court and placed a ball on the ground.
"Get hit, you are out. If your opponent catches the ball, you are out as well. The ball will be in the middle. Run over and get it as quickly as possible. Same as before, no flying, no psychic and ghost abilities. However, you can float if you don't have proper legs. Also, don't use any moves. Head off and write me a list." Skarmory explained.
Confessional
Tyrunt: "Dodgeball, my nightmare. Every sport is my nightmare really. I prefer e-sports."
Larvitar: "I'm the god of dodgeball, I will teach those losers a lesson to remember."
Aromatisse: "Another barbaric activity. I don't want to get a face surgery after this."
Oddish: "Does anyone find it weird that catching the ball is a strategy in dodgeball even though the game is clearly called dodgeball? Or is it just me?" Oddish emphasizes the word 'dodge'.
For the Feckless Flygon, Lucario came up with a different strategy this time.
"We put all of our strongest members up to the challenge first. Then, we can finish this game early." Lucario told his teammates. No one disagreed.
"Can I have the last spot? I prefer to save my pretty face." Aromatisse pleaded.
"Fine." Lucario allowed.
The list looked like this:
1. Lucario
2. Miltank
3. Darmanitan
4. Scolipede
5. Houndour
6. Cryogonal
7. Machoke
8. Meowth
9. Duosion
10. Shedinja
11. Ledyba
12. Meowstic
13. Oddish
14. Aromatisse
On the other hand, the Crazy Crawdaunt spread their members randomly since they believed that the Feckless Flygon will do the same. Nosepass also requested the final spot.
The list looked like this:
1. Skrelp
2. Larvitar
3. Heracross
4. Grovyle
5. Tyrunt
6. Elekid
7. Archeops
8. Bisharp
9. Drifblim
10. Rhyhorn
11. Dedenne
12. Jumpluff
13. Snorunt
14. Nosepass
Confessional
Grovyle: "Don't overcomplicate things. This is how I like it. I'm tired of listening to Skrelp rambling about psychology."
Lucario: "The cowards that requested the last spot will never earn my respect."
Heracross: "Sometimes, you need to get dirty in the mud. Hiding will never save you."
Tyrunt: "I don't want to compete but I also don't want to embarrass my parents. Sure, I don't like dodgeball but what can I do? Like Houndour said, I need to learn to tolerate it."
"First match, Lucario and Skrelp. Chef Drapion, want to bet? I bet one million P that Lucario will obliterate Skrelp." Skarmory persuaded the chef to bet. However, Chef Drapion knew the odds very well. He didn't say anything.
"Fine, take it that way. Start the match!" Skarmory declared the start of the challenge.
Lucario ran to the ball like a speed demon. He then stopped in front of the ball once he realized that Skrelp didn't even move an inch. He had a confused expression.
"You aren't going to even try?" Lucario asked.
"Why should I try when there is zero percent chance of winning? It is illogical." Skrelp stated coldly. Lucario shook his head as he picked up the ball. His team cheered loudly for him. Some members of the Crazy Crawdaunt also cheered for Lucario.
"Obliterate her." Jumpluff cheered quietly. The noises were so loud and deafening that her team didn't hear it.
"Teach that cold hearted bookworm a painful lesson." Snorunt whispered.
Lucario jumped up and slammed the ball straight to Skrelp's snout. This created a powerful colliding sound.
"Ouch!" Skrelp screamed in pain as Lucario walked back to his team victoriously.
Confessional
Larvitar: "Bring the pain train! She deserved it for calling a wonderful person like me a scullion. Suck it, *beep*."
Lucario: "Pokemon that don't even try also won't earn my respect. Those slackers better start moving or I will whip them into shape."
Archeops: "Skrelp should at least try her luck catching the ball. Still, I can understand her reasoning."
Skrelp: "Lucario, that *beep*!"
"Moving on, we have Larvitar against Miltank. Want to bet, Chef Drapion?" Skarmory poked Chef Drapion.
"Can I bet for Miltank and you bet for Larvitar?' Chef Drapion asked. Skarmory shook his head.
"What are you doing, chef? You should bet for me. This fatty Miltank can't beat me!" Larvitar made the worst mistake of his life. He insulted Miltank's weight. There were clouds of smoke and steam coming off her head. Miltank's face looked extremely red. Larvitar gulped immediately.
"Begin!" Skarmory started the round.
"It was just a joke." Larvitar retreated back as Miltank picked up the ball.
"Ah!" Larvitar screamed in high pitch as he fled the dodgeball court. His team booed his cowardice.
"Another score for the Feckless Flygon. We might not even go to round three. I might need to keep the last challenge for the future." Skarmory said as he sipped his energy drink.
Confessional
Miltank: "Larvitar is dead!"
Nosepass: "I'm so ashamed to be a bigger coward than him. I'm so ashamed." Nosepass started to cry.
"Round three, Heracross versus Darmanitan. This might be cutting it close." Skarmory was excited for a close match. He sipped more energy drink as the two contestants stared each other down. Heracross stomped the ground to intimidate Darmanitan. Darmanitan did a few stretches to relax himself.
"Begin!" A fierce round started.
Darmanitan ran with both his arms and legs toward the ball. Heracross did the same. They got closer and closer as the ground thundered with energy. The team cheered loudly for their respective member.
"Show her the strength of a fellow Pokeathlon competitor!" Lucario cheered.
"Change the tide of this challenge. Start us off with a point!" Archeops cheered.
"Go, Darmanitan!" Machoke cheered.
Darmanitan got the ball first. Heracross sprang to her defensive position immediately. Darmanitan threw the ball hard at her. Heracross sidestepped to the right. She grabbed the ball and faked a throw. Darmanitan jumped. Heracross saw an opportunity as she threw the ball against the right side wall. It bounced and hit Darmanitan legs. The Crazy Crawdaunt roared for their first point.
"Good game." Darmanitan showed sportsmanship as he offered his hand.
"Good game." Heracross returned the sportsmanship.
Confessional
Darmanitan: "I feel like this show lacks sportsmanship sometimes. It is just a game, don't be serious. Chill out."
"Round four, Grovyle versus Scolipede!" Skarmory announced energetically after the thrilling third round.
Grovyle jumped from the bleachers down to the court. Scolipede didn't bother to show off and just moved to the court normally.
"Ready, set, go!" Skarmory changed his words to add more variety.
Grovyle hurriedly ran over to the ball. Scolipede rushed over to the ball as well. They were both equally close. However, Grovyle slid on the ground and grabbed the ball first. The gecko then back flipped and threw the ball at Scolipede.
"What a show off." Scolipede said as he caught the ball. However, it slid off his centipede arms and hit the ground.
"Just having fun, man." Grovyle said as his team cheered for him.
Confessional
Scolipede: "I think he was pulling off a dirty trick on me. The ball was sweaty. It must be him. Or was it my imagination? This is giving me a headache. I'm exhausted with this witch hunt of mine."
"The fifth round, Houndour against Tyrunt." Skarmory called for both of the competitors to step down the bleachers. Tyrunt nervously stepped down. He was sweating nervously.
"Try your best, don't worry." Houndour assured. Tyrunt breathed in deeply as the match was about to start.
"One, two, three, four, five…" Skarmory dragged on. Chef Drapion gave him a weird look.
"Start already." Houndour tapped his feet impatiently. On the other hand, Tyrunt smiled. He needed all the time in the world right now.
"I'm not going to get hurt." Tyrunt whispered under his breath.
"Forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven…" The audience looked bored.
"Fifty, start!" Skarmory finally started the match.
Tyrunt ran with his inadequate, poor legs to the ball. Houndour ran slower than usual to give him a slight chance. Lucario saw this and face palmed. The professional athlete looked frustrated.
Eventually, Houndour reached the ball and tossed it pretty lightly at Tyrunt. Tyrunt closed his eyes and braced for impact. The ball missed him.
"Open your eyes, Tyrunt! The ball missed." Elekid shouted from the bleachers.
Tyrunt opened his eyes and grabbed the ball. He threw it with all of his might. The ball didn't travel far enough to hit Houndour. Houndour sighed as he didn't want to stretch this match out any longer. He grabbed the ball and threw it at Tyrunt without his full strength. Tyrunt expected it to hurt but the ball just bounced off him without any major damage.
"You tried your best." Houndour consoled.
"Yeah, I tried." Tyrunt said in a disappointing tone.
Confessional
Lucario: "Having mercy? Hmph."
Tyrunt: "My performance could have been better. I probably embarrass myself in international television. Houndour was going easy on me and I still failed."
Houndour: "Tyrunt is scared of pain. That's why he lives such an indoor life. It isn't good for his health."
"Next match, Elekid versus Cryogonal. Start immediately!" Skarmory took the contestants by surprise.
Elekid hopped down from the bleachers while Cryogonal floated in a hurry to the ball. Cryogonal reached the ball first and grabbed it with her snow chains. She then threw it at Elekid. He tried to jump away but it barely touched his left leg. Tyrunt patted his back as they both went back to the bleachers. The Crazy Crawdaunt didn't seem mad at Elekid for failing.
"Four to two, Flygon leads." Skarmory updated the score.
"Up next, Machoke versus Archeops." Skarmory announced as Machoke walked down to his side of the court.
"I will use my Machoke Dodgeball Lucky Spin Technique." Machoke informed. Archeops looked amused.
"Show me, big guy." Archeops challenged.
"Start!" Skarmory started things simple this time.
Archeops ran over to the ball and grabbed it first. Machoke danced around on his feet. Archeops waited as Machoke continued to waste his energy and then she suddenly threw it. Machoke sweated as he tried to catch it. He failed as the ball hit him and bounced down to the ground.
"I lost again." Machoke sighed in defeat as he returned to the bleachers. Darmanitan patted his back.
Confessional
Machoke: "I'm so useless. I didn't even get a chance to show my technique."
"Bisharp versus Meowth." Skarmory called the next two competitors. They arrived at their respective positions.
"Duel begins!" Skarmory declared before he took another sip of energy drink to satisfy his thirst.
Bisharp ran over and grabbed the ball first. Meowth eyed the ball carefully. Bisharp faked the throw once. Meowth didn't flinch. Seemingly, Bisharp hurled the ball for real this time. Meowth waited patiently as the ball fast approached him. He then grabbed it successfully.
"Your project is denied and I'm sorry to tell you that you are fired." Meowth joked. Bisharp took a few deep breaths.
Confessional
Bisharp: "My parents will kill me for my unforgivable performance."
Jumpluff: "I hope that he is okay."
Houndour: "Meowth is such a jokester. First, Meowth & Co. and now this." Houndour laughed happily.
Meowth: "In business, your eyes need to be sharp. Or else you will miss the defective products."
"Five to three, Flygon still leads." Skarmory updated the score.
"Drifblim versus Duosion, an interesting match indeed." Skarmory commented
Both of them floated over to the court.
"Begin!" The ninth round started.
Drifblim floated over to the ball faster than Duosion. She grabbed it with her arms. Afterwards, she spun around a bit before she threw a curve ball.
"You can do this!" Houndour encouraged loudly.
Duosion steeled herself for the ball and grabbed it with her sticky body.
"I will let that pass." Skarmory allowed as the Feckless Flygon cheered.
"Shedinja versus Rhyhorn, begin!" Skarmory took the contestants by surprise once again. Shedinja floated to the ball at his average speed. On the other hand, Rhyhorn ran quickly to the ball first. He tackled the ball at the ghost bug. Shedinja ducked down, the ball missed. Afterwards, he grabbed the ball and threw a lazy shot.
"Meh." Shedinja said lazily. Lucario gave him an infuriated glare.
"Just kidding." Shedinja drawled as he caught the ball before it reaches the ground. He then threw it faster this time. Rhyhorn was too slow to dodge it. The Feckless Flygon cheered loudly. The Crazy Crawdaunt looked pessimistic. They were getting destroyed.
"Yay." Shedinja said unenthusiastically.
Confessional
Cryogonal: "He acts as if he is toying with this game all the time. Does he even care?"
Lucario: "I will consider that as a strategy."
The next two matches were too boring. Skarmory fast forwarded it. The duel between Ledyba and Dedenne was too nice and kind. The game dragged very long as well as they kept missing each other for ages. Skarmory yawned at that match. Dedenne eventually hit Ledyba luckily.
The duel between Meowstic and Jumpluff was weird. Meowstic hogged the ball to herself for the majority of the game. She used it for her 'magic trick'. She hid the ball under a blanket and tried to make it disappear and land on Jumpluff. After her several failed attempts, she was disqualified by Skarmory.
It was seven to five. The Crazy Crawdaunt looked more optimistic.
Confessional
Lucario: "Why? Meowstic, why? I should have kept Magikarp." Lucario banged his head against the wall.
Ledyba: "Meowstic is just trying something different… I guess."
Meowstic: "I tried to learn Teleport and use it to win the game. That isn't against the rule right? I didn't really pay attention."
Jumpluff: "My friends will be so jealous when they see me win two athletic challenges. Both times against Meowstic."
"Round thirteen, Snorunt versus Oddish." Skarmory said unenthusiastically.
"Begin." Skarmory started the unlucky thirteenth match.
Oddish bit into the ball and drool all over it. Snorunt covered her mouth in disgust. Oddish then spat the ball at Snorunt. Snorunt fled to the restrooms immediately.
The contestants all looked at Oddish with disgust.
"Well, the Feckless Flygon win!" Skarmory announced the final result. The Feckless Flygon jumped in joy as they won again.
Confessional
Lucario: "As promised, there will be a party tomorrow."
Snorunt: "Oddish is so disgusting and badly mannered."
Archeops: "Three defeats in a row. There needs to be a change in our team!"
Skrelp: "Adieu, scullion. This time, it is for real."
Nosepass: "I… I will vote for Larvitar. God, please save me from what is about to happen."
Nosepass was about to go to the restrooms until a hand grabbed him from behind. It was Larvitar. He covered Nosepass' mouth and dragged him to the forest. Rhyhorn saw this and followed them.
After Larvitar thought he was far away enough from the others, he freed Nosepass. Unexpectedly, Nosepass had that disobedient look on his face.
"Minion, I want you to sacrifice yourself for me. I want you to eliminate yourself." Larvitar ordered.
"No! I'm tired of being your minion. I will follow my own wishes from now on! I'm not your puppet. I'm not your slave. I'm an individual that has basic Pokemon rights." Nosepass rebelled against Larvitar.
"How dare you?!" Larvitar grabbed a nearby rock and slammed Nosepass on his nose. Nosepass tackled Larvitar back. Larvitar fell down to the ground. However, he was still persistent to defend what little he had left. Larvitar threw the rock at Nosepass. It hit his left eye.
"Ouch, Argh!" Nosepass yelled in pain.
Rhyhorn tackled Larvitar and sent him flying.
"I will be back, *beep*." Larvitar swore.
"Let me bring you to the infirmary. Well done for defending yourself." Rhyhorn congratulated as he carried Nosepass on his back.
"I'm still weak…" Nosepass groaned in pain.
"I will help you to be stronger, don't worry." Rhyhorn reassured.
Confessional
Rhyhorn: "Larvitar crossed the line. It is time for all of us to vote him off."
The elimination ceremony was shorter than usual. Everyone distanced themselves from Larvitar. No one looked at him, cared about him. He was nothing.
"I will end this quickly, everyone except Larvitar and Nosepass get a Leppa Berry." Skarmory handed the plate of Leppa Berries for the contestants to share. There was still one Leppa Berry left on his right wing.
"Nosepass, while you might be weak, you are a better Pokemon than Larvitar. Larvitar, there are so many reasons as to why everyone hates you. Larvitar, you are eliminated." Skarmory handed the last berry to Nosepass. It was the most delicious Leppa Berry that Nosepass ever tasted.
"*beep* all of you!" Larvitar swore at the contestants as Chef Drapion dragged him to the dock. There will be no final confession for him. There was no Lapras for him, only a boat and two angry Rapidash.
"I will get my revenge!" Larvitar screamed as he was thrown to the boat. The shadows of the two horses consumed him. Larvitar realized just then that it was about to be the longest night of his life.
"Ah!" Larvitar screamed in pain. Sounds of stomping could be heard.
"Well, Larvitar is finally eliminated for good. We will probably never see him again unless he returns. Nah, that is impossible. Larvitar will never succeed in the redemption challenge. It requires… I will not spill the surprises just yet. This time, Nosepass entered the infirmary. The streak continues. As a compensation for what Larvitar did, I will give a hint about the next challenge to all of you wonderful viewers. The codename is 'babysit'. Is it just babysitting, who knows? Find out next time on Total Skarmory Island!" Skarmory ended the episode.
Votes
Archeops: Larvitar
Heracross: Larvitar
Drifblim: Larvitar
Skrelp: Larvitar
Grovyle: Larvitar
Bisharp: Larvitar
Jumpluff: Larvitar
Dedenne: Larvitar
Tyrunt: Larvitar
Elekid: Larvitar
Snorunt: Larvitar
Rhyhorn: Larvitar
Nosepass: Larvitar
Larvitar: Nosepass
Larvitar: 13 (super eliminated)
Nosepass: 1
Hope you enjoy this episode. That third challenge will be featured later on. Trust me. As always, I will maintain my weekly upload schedule. In addition, I want to ask my viewers something. Should I write The Amazing Race Pokemon? Will it be exciting for all of you to see Bisharp and his unrevealed partner compete? Tell me. If I receive enough support, I might write it next year. I still have a lot of stories planned. Check my profile for more information.