Astro.
"I'll be damned, Mark. It looks like it really does pay off to have good connections."
The big three made it to the second round of the contest, while Lucian got the boot. About damn time, because I was sick of hearing his condescending tone. His "holier than thou" attitude made me wanna Force Palm him in the face.
Besides, psychic pokemon are psychotic. True story.
Mark slumped in a plastic chair against the wall. "Damn..." He sighed. "I didn't...goddammit, I should have used Nuzleaf or somethin'...damn you, Leon."
Obviously, the guy had had no intention to move on. Should have used Ember or something, instead of Blast Burn.
In the first battle round, we were each pitted against strangers. Amber chose me(who else?), Dee chose to use Eevee, and ironically, Mark decided he would battle with his Nuzleaf.
I have the obvious advantage, I reminded myself. Hit Eevee fast and hard...avoid Nuzleaf's attacks. I can...I can do this...
Based on my last few battles and contests, naturally, my confidence was shaken. Knowing Mark, he would likely make it to the last round; not only was he older than Aaron, he was much more skilled, and Nuzleaf knew a variety of attacks.
Not to mention Dee's Eevee. Hoo buddy, Eevee was just like me, only stupider; stupid enough to pick fights with Riley's Aron.
"Ready...begin!"
Amber was battling a boy with a Turtwig. Slow pokemon, high attack power. Easy to hit, easy to dodge.
"Astro, use Force Palm!" Amber started off.
I had planned to, anyway. Turtwig-boy ordered, "Use Leech Seed, Twiggy!"
I held my paws on top of each other, charging up energy. Only a fool would attack close up. I wasn't sure what Leech Seed did, but it didn't sound threatening.
Twiggy opened his mouth, and spat out a large seed. It burst open into tentacle-like vines in mid-air, and they wrapped snugly around me like a net.
The force of it knocked me onto the ground, my arms bound to my sides. I wriggled around fiercely, trying to escape.
As I tried to escape, the vines constricted around me, and shocked me as if they were electric. I opened my mouth and let out an angry cry.
Above me, I heard precious points drain away from Amber. The electric shocks of the vines drained my energy, almost as if it were absorbing it...
Dammit! I wriggled harder, grunting in frustration.
Lee's voice chimed in on the speakers. "Astro's been caught in a nasty Leech Seed attack! That drains the victim's energy and gives it to the attacker! Azzy better think of a better plan other than fighting back, or he'll faint well before five minutes are over."
I knew Lee was talking directly to me. But, if not struggle, what could I do?
"Fight before, Astro!" Amber cried. "Get out of it! I know you can!"
"Tackle him, Twiggy! Then Bite!"
Bite! I took a vine in my mouth, gnawing furiously at it. Riolu aren't natural carnivores, so my teeth were dull, but I wasn't a natural Riolu.
"Tuuuurrrr...turtwig!" Twiggy pummeled into my stomach, and I bit down on my tongue. Copper-tasting blood flooded my mouth. Then, I felt his mouth wrap around and chomp on my leg.
"Gah!" I kicked at Twiggy weakly. The Leech Seed really was leeching me dry...my head felt dizzy and light...
Fight... My natural instincts told me to fight back, but my body was already tiring out. Fight...! I wanted to give up, right there...
"Don't you give up, you selfish bastard!" Lee stood up, slamming his hands on the judges' table. He picked up his mike, screaming into it. "You still have the will to fight! I know it! Goddammit, Astro, get your ass up and prove you're more than a sack of skin and bones!"
Lee's outburst inspired-no, empowered me to fight the battle. I flailed my legs where Twiggy's teeth had broken through two vines to clamp around my leg, determined to break through and win.
Get off! I growled in my mind. I kicked Twiggy hard, in the face, and used the distraction to roll out of the tangle of vines. They disintegrated as I freed myself, the purpose served.
I lept to my feet, charged a quick burst of energy into my palm, and smashed it into Twiggy's stomach. The energy exploded, sending one flailing Turtwig flying into the air.
"Wow!" Marian gushed. "What a turn around! Astro managed to escape from the Leech Seed, and he even fought back!"
Twiggy's trainer didn't see it that way, naturally. "Twiggy! Use Razor Leaf, and land on your feet!"
"Quick Attack, Astro!" I could hear the hope in Amber's voice. She needed this.
At the apex of his little flight, Twiggy righted himself and swung his head, shooting crescent-shaped leaves at me.
The leaves weren't quite as fast as Aaron's Leafeon could shoot, which gave me a fantastic opening.
I shot myself into the air with my legs, using the leaves as stepping stones to push my tired body forward. When I reached Twiggy I pitched my body forward and my legs up behind me, slamming them onto his back to slam him back into the ground.
Literally, Twiggy hit the ground hard enough to leave a hole in it. I didn't even know I was that strong.
I landed shakily on my feet, my knees wobbling. The Leech Seed had taken a lot out of me, and so did all of the physical exertion. I had to force myself to stay standing.
Twiggy, brave little guy he was, laid limp in the hole that I had forced him in. He was done.
"Astro's wo-!"
"Fantastic!" Lee stood up again, interrupting Marian in his excitement. "Astro took this battle by the crotch and the throat, and he stole the win right out of Twiggy's mouth like candy from a baby! Flawless! Fantastic!"
The crowd went nuts with applause, and I know this isn't possible, but I imagined I could hear Riley and his sweet little Riolu cheering harder than anyone. Amber, herself, was going crazy with giggles and excited laughs.
The corner of my mouth turned up in a small grin. Astro the destroyer was definitely back.
Mark.
"Mark, Amber and Astro won! Look! Look, smug bastard's even grinning!"
"Yeah, I know, Dee. Don't pull my arm like that."
Dee was incredibly excited for her friend, which I could understand. I could remember cheering like a maniac for Lee whwn we were that age.
But, holy wow. I had heard from Lee that Astro was a fantastic battler, but I hadn't yet seen it for myself. I couldn't believe he'd hardly trained outside of Amber's country-ass hometown; my Blaziken couldn't even move that fluidly.
"He's a special Riolu," Lee had told me. "I can't explain it, he just...he has more energy than his body can even keep up with. Something about him just ain't right."
That's one thing you've ever been right about. Dee squeezed her hands around my arm again, squealing in delight.
Nothing is scarier than Deadra Thompson squealing happily...even as an adult, she's damn terrifying.
AOF: In case anyone forgot that Astro can do some sick gymnastic moves when he wants.