Episode 5: Maple Town Contest!

[Harley Scarow]

Morning arrives, and May and Drew both wake up in a refreshed manner after a hard, yet productive training day that they had yesterday when May was finally able to snap out of her laziness, learning it the hard way after being slapped in the face when she was battling professor Sap's generous husband, Syrus. May and Drew were in two guest rooms during the night, and have slept well.

The sunlight shined through May's window, which was bright enough to convince May enough not to forget about the importance of this day. "The sunlight is so bright! I wish that it wouldn't be so much so that I can get back to sleep, since yesterday was a really hard time of training." she was yawning as she talked.

Drew walked by her room, noticing May stretching her arms and decided to come in and talk to her. "You do know that today is the day of the Pokemon Contest, right? And you know that this is also our first one, right?

May spaced out for a while. "Of course I know that, Drew! Good thing that we signed up for it or else we would have been out!"

Drew swayed his head. "Um . . . no. We didn't apply for it."

May had a look on her face as if she didn't believe Drew. "You're kidding about that, right Drew? That's not what I would consider funny."

"Well we didn't because somebody didn't remind us to! Professor Sap, Syrus, and Rick already registered for the contest yesterday, so we better go right now!"

May sweatdropped. "Well then we better go now, right?" she shoved her hair back a little and proceeded to walk downstairs. "Come on, Drew!"

Drew followed May. " Wait up. Don't forget that I'm entering also!"

May paused when she opened the wooden door and entered the garden with rare plants in the beautiful country garden. "Um . . . where is it?"

Drew caught up to her, not tired like May was. "It's at Syrup Park, the place that I went to two days ago when I . . . you know."

May and Drew walked rather quickly so that they can get to the park.








When they arrived at the countryside-smooth Syrup Park with fall leaves decorating on the ground with its flavorful colors and children's playground equipment with the kids enjoying themselves at the moment, there was a table up ahead that was similar to a lemonade stand that kids would have, except it had a staff member wearing a blue vest; the person that registered you when you enter a Pokemon Contest.

Drew walked up to the smiling woman, ready to except more contestants into the contest, first. "We would like to enter the Maple Town Pokemon Contest, please. It will be me, Drew, and my friend here, May."

May was behind Drew, looking with her big head over his green hair so that she could see the lady registering them in the laptop. "Where exactly is the place, I mean Pokemon Contest stage, going to be? Is it going to be outside in the park? That would be sooo cool if I do say so myself."

The receptionist smiled. "You're a pretty good guesser. It's going to be on the center stage of Maple Park, where all of the battles usually take place. And you two are lucky; Drew, you're contestant number 29, and May, you're contestant number 30, the least two spaces remaining in this Pokemon Contest."

Drew frowned at May. "See? I told you that we shouldn't have procrastinated. Stuff like this always happends whenever I'm with you."

May was upset that Drew would put the blame on her. "You know that I can't rememnber things, Drew. And besides, you don't have to rely on me to depict when we should do something; you should have went ahead and do it yourself!"

Drew had an expression that he knew May was right. "Yeah . . . whatever. Let's just go inside and enter the contest already."

"Of course I'm right." smirked May, as they proceeded in walking to the center field, where there were people sitting down on the grass, gazing at the syrup arena with anticipation of what they will see in this contest.

A familiar voice appeared . . . it was Vivian Meridian! As usual, she came out with her perky voice, wearing different clothes. This time she wore a sky-blue swimsuit upperbody with blue jeans on; for some reason, her clothes get more revealing every country that they travel to. "I'm your host, Vivian Meridian, and I'm going to be your host for your Pokemon Contest today! she pointed to the panel of judges. "Here are our panel of judges, and the first and head-judge is Beauty Gala!""

Beauty Gala had a pink-blazer on with hearts on it, a red undershirt, crimson-colored sunglasses, and dark-blue jeans. "I love being head'judge!" she wasn't as strict as the head-judge in the other regions, Contesta. "Happy to be here!"

Vivian pointed to the middle judge. "Here is one of our old favorites, Sukizo, the ehad of the Pokemon Fan Club!"

He had on a navy-blue shirt with a picture of three bunnies on it, and blue jeans that everyone wears. His eyes were shut in a manga way. "Happy to be here!"

Vivian pointed to the last judge. "Here is our beautiful judge, Nature-Lover Sharmin, cares and loves all!"

Sharmin had caramel-dark skin, black hair, a revealing shirt that showed the stomach, and blue jeans that had pictures of flowers on them. "Care and love for all!"

"Time to start things off with contestant number 1!" announver Vivian. "Give a hand for one of the well-known traines of Maple Town, Rick!"

Drew had a look of negativity. "Hmm . . . "

Rick, with his blond hair, red blazer, black shirt under, and blue jeans walked out with a look of confidence. "This is going to be easy." He threw his PokeBall and it released his Dragon and Sharp type Sharpoile with its wicked stance. He threw three blocks of wood at the Pokemon.

"Sss . . . " the Pokemon slashed all of the logs through with one shot before they landed on the ground, making shaved wood out of them. The crowd cheered.

"Amazing accuracy!" commented Sukizo.
.
"What will Rick use to finish this appeal off?" announced Vivian.

"Tail Whirlwind!" ordered Rick.

The Pokemon began spinning its sharp tail and all of the shavings spun in the air, leaving the arena and cleaning is well, but creating what looked like a real-life twister, but wasn't harming anybody. "Sss . . . "

In the crowd, May's hair was swaying with the wind from the appeal. "That is so
good . . . makes me feel so warm and fuzzy in a cool way . . . "

"So amazing." announced Vivian. "But harmless. What ill the judgees think?"

Gala gave 8.7. "Great control!"

Sukizo gave 9.0. "Looks dangerous, but safe!"

Sharmin gave 9.0. "A great use of nature!"

The overhead score was 27 on the monitor.

"A good, solid score!" said Vivian. "Next up . . . "

In the crowd, Drew had an impressed look on his face. "Nice job . . . for a beginner."

Moments flashed with appeals of other Pokemon on stage performing all of their respective appeals.








After more appeals with other Pokemon and their Coordinators passed on, with them getting scores low like 10 to 20 as they didn't actively coorporate with their appealing Pokemon,Vivian continued to announce on the stage. "Now we're up to contestant number 9, our famous professor here in the Zuki region, professor Sap!" announced Vivian. Everybody clapped for her.

Professor Sap walked on stage with her hair swaying with the gentle wind brewing in the arena. "Go Bevadam!" she threw a PokeBall that released her big and strong beaver Pokemon. Like Rick ,she threw a huge wood block in the air, shaped like a cube that was probably meant to be in that shape when it was cut down. "Use you Woody Chomp and form you-know-who!"

"Bevadam!" the Pokemon said excitedly, then began to carve out the wood. After a few moments later, Professor Sap, her husband Syrus, and Rick was formed.

"What an artistic move!" commented Gala. "That would look good on my front porch!" she gave Sap a 10.

"Simply remarkable!" complimented Sukizo, giving Sap a 10. "Just remarkable!"

"Great use of nature!" stated Sharmin, also giving a 10. "Not a waste at all."

"Sap gets a perfect score!" Vivian announced, with the 30 showing on the overhead board, impressing the spectators. "Next up is contestant number 10, professor Sap's husband from here in Maple Town, Syrus!"

Syrus walked on stage, waving his hand at the audience until he got to the center. "Go Shiftry, and make me proud"

he released his PokeBall that released the wily grass and dark with top-white-fur, brown under-the-belt and sandals for feet Pokemon. "Shiftry!" it did a backflip before it landed on the stage.

"A great entrance!" announced Vivian, "Good start."

"Double Team into Razor Wind!" ordered Syrus. "Make me proud!"

The Shiftry split into six copies, with the doubles slightly transparent and without a shadow in the overhead sun in a circle formation. They held their fan-leaves for hands out and began blowing wind, causing a white tornado with colorful fall leaves flying as the twister rose in speed, causing a massive wind that was felt throughout the audience and well-controlled not to hurt anybody.

"A creative use of nature." commented Sharmin, giving a 10 as a score.

"Simply remarkable!" Sukizo gave a 8.

"Nothing better than a nice summer breeze," said Gala, giving a 9.

"And Syrus' final score is 27," announced Vivian. "A good solid score! Next up . . . "








As the contest continued on, May steeped down from the spectator seats and was amazed at the high scores that Sap, Syrus, and Rick got in the first round and was wondering if she could match up to that good skill. "I hope that my Combusken can stand a chance against them . . . they seem like such good coordinators, and this is only my first Pokemon Contest in this country!"

"Next up is contestant number 18," announced Vivian. "The mysterious rock-hard Orc!"

Drew noticed and remembered that name. "Orc . . . the one that I faced when I was back on that ship a little while ago . . . he is here."

Orc, with his tan skin and rock-solid body, came onto the stage, causing mild tremors as he approached the center arena. "Rock on, Sharpinail!" He released his Pokemon out.

Sharpinail with its jaggered-rock body and nails as feet appeared onto the field with a determined face that didn't look dangerous. "Sharpen!"

"Rock Slide into Swords Dance!" ordered Orc. "Rock on and win!"

Sharpinal jumped up and down, almost destroying the stage as rocks from above fell in the direction of the arena. While in midair, Sharpinail's sharp arms transformed into a rock sword and broke all of the rocks, turning them into gravel and falling onto the stage without damaging it one bit.

"Time to clean up this mess," said Orc. "Use your Spinning Sword!"

Sharpinail's sword span like a baton in a skillful manner, making all of the gravel caused from the attack fly at the excited crowd, but high enough so that nobody could get hurt, flying outside the entrance and onto the sidewalk, making the stage clean without anything on it as before.

"I thought that it was going to hit me," said Gala, giving an 8.5. "But that amazing accuracy was cool, and yeah, that makes all the difference."

"Amazing, remarkable, but risky!" Sukizo gave 8.5 as well. "I like that!"

"Nice use of non-living nature," Sharmin gave 9.5. "Rock on? That sounds so very
. . . yeah."

"Orc gets a 26.5!" announced Vivian with the score showing on the overhead board. "A good solid, rocky score! Next up is contestant number 19. The lodge-loving Woody-Woody Two-Shoes! Weird name . . . whatever. Come on stage!"

Woody Two-Shoes came on stage with his long, pointy nose and oversized shoes. "That was so offensive that it's scary!" he yelled at Vivian. "Who cares? You think that what I'm going to do on stage is weird? Here it is!" He threw a PokeBall that released out Woodnose. "This is going to be nice!"

Woodnose had a long, red nose with sleepy eyes, no legs, a woody-body, and big ree lips, short arms, giving it an appearance that looked like dead wood. "Woody."

"Dulp yourself and make a nose sword formation!" ordered Woody.

Woodnose made 9 small, blue-green colored bushes materialize from the wooden surface of the arena, which were actually Bushose, the pre-evolved form of Woodnose.. The bushes had no mouth, purple and blue eyes that was in a dizzying spiral, and a long yellow nose. They had no emotion. " . . . zzzzzzzzz . . . " the Pokemon's noses extended and they all touched each other at the top, like when warriors clash their swords together in honor before battling, but with much more than usual in this crowded appeal, with Woodnose in the middle of the crowd.

"Now use your nosey beam!" ordered Woody Two-Shoes.

The Pokemon's interconnected noses released a large green beam with different shades into the sky above with a dazzling shine to it, creating a green glow that could be seen a distance from the park. After a feew moments, the magnificent beam nulled and the copies fadede away slowly, ending the appeal. The people in the crowd were mesmerized with the control of the attack.

Woody Two-Shoes came on stage, with him and his Pokemon giving a bow. "Now that's the way that you do it." He walked out of stage before knowing what his score is.

"Gives me the creeps," Gala gave an 8.2. "But it looks so cool!"

"Remarkable and surprising!" Sukizo gave 9.1. "Nice pattern."

"Nature is so wonderful . . . " Sharmin gave a 10. Fun times . . . "

"And Woody whatever gets 27.3; a good solid score," Vivian got the creeps all of a sudden on her face. "Next up on contestant number 20 . . . is the scary Harley! One of the known coordinators for making scary and startling appeals with a sadistic personaility . . . I love this guy!"

Harley walked out on stage with his Cacturne outfit, with a black cape as an additional, while waving to the audience with a joyous face. "Thank you! Thank you all! I'm so happy to be here today." Harley took out a PokeBall.

May and Drew were frowning at Harley after putting them into so much trouble before they made it to the region by the people that he hired, which made their appeal earlier in the contest already.

Harley threw the PokeBall. "Allow me to introduce, Rafflsite!" the PokeBall released the Pokemon onto the field.

Rafflsite had huge, gothic purple petals with strange patterns on them, with the face in the middle having an expression so terrifying that even by looking at it from a distance would give you the creeps. Being a petal lying down, it didn't have any legs, but did have small, black arms that were on the side of it. "Raffsss . . . "

"Petal Dance!" ordered Harley. "Make the crowd happy!"

Rafflsite began spinning while still on the ground, like a CD while it is being played, showing a blur of purple shades moving. Evil, dark purple petals with a violet aura flowed out which flew above the crowds, causing a lavender smell throughout the air that when sniffed, smelled like the darkness of night with nobody around. The crowd reached their noses out to sniff the beautiful aroma.

Sharmin was impressed. "Nature at nighttime!"

May and Drew's face smiled as they sniffed the petals, forgeting that the person that was pulling off this appeal was Harley.

"That smells so good . . . " May said softly. "I wish that this would last longer."

"You're right," said Sukizo. "Simply remarkable!"

"Feels like I'm on vacation . . . " said Gala softly. "Wish it was real . . . "

Drew, for once, was also mesmerized by the smell. He was closing his eyes and relaxing back on his seat. "For once, you're right May"

"This happy-go-lucky appeal is starting to get on my nerves," snickered Harley. "Too boring and making people happy isn't something that I would want to do . . . making them yell in agony would be better." Harley pointed at Rafflsite. "I think that it's time that you give the crowd something to really sniff at! Use Bitter Scent!"

"Raflsite!' the parasite petal Pokemon stopped unleashing its evil, yer elegant petals and began releasing a purple gas from its petal with a purple color, approaching the crowd as they watch with surprise of what they are about to face.

When the smell got to May, she was astonished. "Hey what the f*** is this sh**?!"

"You better not talk -- " the smell got to Drew. "You're right. This oversize Pokemon is releasing some sh***y smell!"

The crowd all covered their noses with either their fingers or their shirts in agony as they tried their best to avoid the putrid smell that became stronger and stronger as moments passed in the park. Soon the smell got outside of the location and people that were walking in the street were also noticing the horrible smell.

Sharmin was coughing. "The bad sides of nature . . . "

Sukizo was covering his face with his bunny-shirt. "I have allergies!"

Gala had a noseplug on herself. "This DOES NOT seem like a good vacation!"

Harley was enjoying the smell with a satisfied look on his face, as if he wanted the crowd to suffer like this. "Exactly what I wanted to happen." he smelled the poisonous scent even more. "I think that it's time to stop now."

"Raflss . . . " the parasite plant stopped releasing the gas, and settled down with an emotionless look.

Vivian rose up. "Harley and his Rafflsite sure have given us a big fart today!" she pointed to the panel of judges. "Now what will our judges think of this surprising, yet effective appeal?"

It took them a few seconds, but Gala, Sukizo, and Sharmin all put 10 on their counter, awarding Harley with a 30 and showing it on the overhead counter.

May was astonished. "But why?"

Drew wasn't, though. "You'll see."

"And the judges have decided to give Harley and his Rafflsite a perfect score!" announced Vivian as she approached to Gala, the head judge. "Why have you decided to give Harley this great score?"

"Because it was the last thing that the crowd and us, the judges, could have expected from anybody," explained Gala. "Sure I might not want to get that when I'm on my next vacation, but the originality and the daring of the trainer and Pokemon is something that seperates him or her from another Pokemon Coordinator."

Harley walked offstage with a proud look on his face. "Yep. I knew that I would be able to get a perfect score," when he was offstage, he walked to where his two workers were, on the front row of the audience.








After more contest appeals pasted, with the below-average scores as usual, it was Drew's turn, as he was contestant number 29 before May and her Pokemon.

Drew walked on stage, with his eyes closed in a confident look and his hands in his pocket. When he made it to the center, he took out a PokeBall and threw it without saying a word, releasing out his Flygon onto the field.

"Flygon!" the green mystic, Dragon and Flying with red goggles roared.

In the crowd, May was watching excitedly. "Go Drew!"

"Make a Sandstorm and then go into it!" ordered Drew.

The mystic Pokemon flapped its wings, creating a sand tornado that rose from the ground, soaring high into the air, then walked into the center of the twister. While it was in it, it seemed to be nothing but a green and red blur.

"Flygon has enveloped itself into a Sand Tomb with wonderous beauty!" announced Vivian. "What will he use to finish this amazing appeal off?"

Drew chuckled. "Use your Desert Song!"

Flyong closed its eyes and began singing a song that was so soft, yet a volume loud enough to be heard from far away. "Flygon . . . " it had a surround effect.

"That sounds so cool . . . " complimented May. "I wish that I could sing like that Flygon someday . . . "

The song became softer and softer, and the tornado dwindled and dwindled, with the crowd relaxing upon the sound of the song that they didn't realize anything that was going on stage. After a few moments, Flygon reappeared with an stand of elegance.

"Now what will the judges think of this ear-warming performance?" asked Vivian.

"Brilliant use of Flygon's desert Pokemon legend," complimented Sharmin, giving Drew a 10 on her counter. "As the information states in the PokeDex."

"Simply remarkable!' Sukizo gave a 9. "Just remarkable!"

"The desert isn't somewhere that I would want to chill out in," Gala gave a 9 on her counter. "But that windy appearance might just change my mind!"

"And Drew gets a 28, a good solid score!" announced Vivian as the score showed overhead on the screen. "We're getting ready for the closing of the Appeal Round of Maple Town's Pokemon Contest! Please welcome contestant number 30, May!"

May walked at a rather quick rate on stage, walking past Drew without saying any words as she did so. When she got on stage, she sent out a PokeBall. "Go Combusken!"

The PokeBall released the Fire and Fighting young fowl Pokemon. "Combusken!" it said in a raspy and determined voice.

"Flamethrower into the air and use Red Hot Kick afterwards!" ordered May. "Make a meteor shower!"

Combusken shot a Flamethrower into the air, then it jumped to the top of it with amazing leaping skills. It's feet then glowed red, kicking down the flame and making fiery sparks fly like cotton as it went back down to the stage, scorching the wooden arena and setting it on fire.

Vivian ran off the stage, avoiding the flames. "What will May do to complete this appeal and hopefully get rid of these flames?"

"Use your 10-duple Kick!" ordered May. "Put out those flames!"

Combusken ran at all of the spots on stage at a speed so quick, that it made copies of itself, with each of them kicking at the fire and putting it out. "Combusken!" it yelled in a voice that sounded as if there were many in the room. The 10 young fowl Pokemon all jumped in the air, disappearing and reuniting as one in mid-air. It then returned to the stage after the performance.

Vivian ran back onto the stage. "What a magnificent performance! And we didn't even have to get a new stage!"

"Don't play with fire," warned Sharmin, giving an 8. "But in this case, it turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself!"

"Remarkable ending," complimented Sukizo, giving a 9. "We don't have to buy a new stage for Maple Town!"

"I would love to vacation during winter in a place that hot!" explained Gala, giving 1 9.5 on her counter. "Red hot is passion of fire!"

"And May gets a 26.5, a good way to end the appeal round!" the overhead board displayed her score. "And that's the end of the first round . . . who will make it to the second round and get ready for the Contest Battles?"

May walked offstage.







After a few moments, Vivian went back on stage with an excited look on her face, the look that told people that she was going to announce who made it to the next round and who didn't. "I know that all of you coordinators are eager to know who made it, so will you all pleaase look at the screen and see if you have made it or not. Good luck to you all and may the best trainer win!"

All of the Pokemon Coordinators clenched their fists, looking at the screen with hopes of making it to the next round of Contest Battles.

Harley smirked. "I know that I'm going to, after all, I got a perfect score!"

Drew and May also looked confident.

Vivian was pointing to the overhead. "And the battling Coordinators are . . . "

The screen showed eight mugshots, and sounds of disapointment were heard from many, since they didn't pass the Appeal Round.
It was:

May vs Rick

Drew vs Orc

Sap vs Woody

Syrus vs Harley

May was excited that she passed the round. "Yay! I made it!" she screamed as if this was her first Pokemon Contest.

"You won't be there for long," commented Drew. "You're facing Rick, the person that beat me, which means that he's going to beat you."

Sap and Syrus came over, with their son walking with them as well.

"So we all made it, right?" Syrus said. "This is going to be nice. Too bad that you're facing my son, May. He's going to beat you out."

"Good luck to all of you!" Sap bidded, smiling. "Hope we face each other."

Rick had a serious face on. "So you're the one that's facing me?" he said at May. "Good luck and may the best trainer win."

May blushed. "You know, I have to say that he's kind of cute! Maybe I should go and ask him out on a date after I kick his behind . . . "

Drew blushed as well. "Not as much as I am! And what makes you think that you have even the slightest chance of beating this guy? He beat me without my Pokemon landing even on hit on that Sharpoile of his!"

"Because I'm not you!" replied May. "You May have lost to him, but that was your fault and nobody elses.

"I love seeing determination from young trainers," said Sap. "I hope that the both of you win this Pokemon Contest."

Syrus spoke up. "You better wach out- Don't forget that underestimating your opponent will cause your downfall in the end!"

May tripped over a small rock that was on the park's landscape.
They all laughed at May's silliness, but in a friendly way, with hopes of winning the Pokemon Contest Battle round..

"Now this is going to be a a good one," stated Sap and Syrus in unison.

[Torchic23]

Good chapter once again. May's appeal sounded pretty cool, Harley's was well.....a Harley preformence, and Drew's was my favorite, that combination was pretty cool, or it at least sounded cool. I do hope May beats Ricky even though she has been lazy, the guy needs a reality check, he's not the best in the world. Anyhow, can't wait for the next chapter!

[Harley Scarow]

Thanks for the comments, Torchic23.
Harley is good when it comes to making gothic Contest Appeals, don't you think? Like the time when he made his Cacturne use Bullet Seed to make a skull, get his Banette to use Thunder on itself, and get his Ariados to use Spider Web to wrap itself in a cocoon.

In the talent shows that I enter, I like to do things like that to myself . . . did I ever mention to you that I'm a sadistic person? Anyways, the thing that you've been waiting for, with even more cool things happening during the Contest Battles: Maple Town Contest- Part 2!

__________________________________________________________________________________________


May, Drew, and all of the other contestants, including professor Sap, her husband Syrus, and their son Rick, are in the waitingroom of the hall as they prepare for the upcoming Contest Battles that they are about to commence in, as they have all made it past the Appeal Round stage with flying colors. As an exception, the waitingroom for the Maple Town Pokemon Contest is outside in the brilliance of nature with beautiful fall leaves decorating where they stand and some shades next to the gate of Syrup Park for those that want to escape the sun, which was mildly up right now in an amount that was soothing and didn't require shading.

May had an excited face yet nervous one, with her hands shaking as she looked at the screen showing who she and the other passing Pokemon Coordinators would face in the next round. "I can't believe that I have to face Rick already . . . I wonder if I'll be able to stand a chance against him . . . he did so good in the first round and the night before yesterday, Drew told me that Rick managed to beat him," her face turned into an optimistic one. "Nah . . . of course I'll be able to beat that cute little guy! Just because Drew wasn't able to beat him doesn't mean that I can't; after all, we're two trainers that have almost equal skill."

Rick was listening to the low-spoken words that May said, and had a slightly red face of rising blush with his hands in the pockets of his red blazer as he slowly appoached May, still managing to have a serious look on his face as he did so. His blue eyes glistered as he walked towards him and his hair slightly flying from the gentle fall wind. When he got to May, he stopped blushing and put on a serious face. "So you're the one that I'm going to be facing in the next round, are you? I saw you and you were pretty good when you made your Contest Appeal in the first round, even though that one seemed risky and careless, you managed to make it through to the end. Your name is May, right?"

As Rick's surprising blushing faded away slowly as he waited for May to talk, May's increased as her face became more and more red, and showing it even more as she tipped her two feet back and forth, putting her hands behind her back and making Drew look at her with a look of worry that she might flirt with Rick instead of him. "Yeah, my name is May. You were pretty good when you made your Contest Appeal in the first round, too. Good for being the first contestant, at least. What do you mean that I was being all that risky and careless during my appeal? If you ask me, I did just as good as you and I deserved maybe the score that you got."

"I think that you're the kind of trainer that needs to get out of my way, May, since you're only a little obstacle on my way of defeating him," replied Rick rudely, forcing a smirk on his face as he said those words and pointing at an astonished May with his index finger. "I won't even break a sweat beating you in the next round, May, so move out of my way," Rick walked passed May in a way that almost hit her, missing by an inch.

May was surprised at the way that Rick acted towards her after that friendly greeting that he gave her the first moment that he talked to her. "Well I can't wait until I beat the blue pants off you, you little jerk!" she yelled at the trainer walking away. "You think that you can do any better? If you think so, then you have a lot of thinking to do in a contest and about talking to a nice person like me!" Rick was out of sight when May said those words and it seemed as if she was yelling to herself in a silly way. May calmed down and talked silently to herself. "It doesn't matter. As long as I beat him, or Drew does, I don't really care."








A few minutes have passed since the announcement of the pairings of who will be in the Contest Battles of the second round, and after the surprising discussion that May and Rick had a few minutes ago. Many people that got up so that they can use the bathroom or get some refreshments during the short intermission returned to their long wooden seats with a look of anticipation on their face, anxious to see the upcoming battles on the center stage made out of wood with leaking syrup on one of the nearby maple trees that gave the town its gentle name. A soft wind with gentle leaves flew from one of the many trees that were behind the spectator area protected by a gate and slightly dangled the hair of everybody that was in the location.

Vivian, with a revealing blue swimsuit on and a matching swim cap, carrying a microphone in her hand with a look of excitment of what she will announce next in the Pokemon Contest, ran on stage in a girly gait with her hands making rushing poses as she did so and the microphone swinging in a way that looked like the leaves on one of the nearby trees that were about to fall off any second. When she got to the center stage, she held the microphone next to her red lips as she began to announce. "Thank you all for waiting and I hope that all of you have enjoyed the dazzling Contest Appeals that you have seen earlier in the beautiful Syrup Park and its glorious nature! Allow me to announce the set of Pokemon Coordinators that will be battling in the first battle of the second round, May and Rick, the firey young and talented trainers!"

May and Rick were already on the stage in their respective spaces, with May staring a look on Rick showing that she didn't get over how Rick treated her a little while back, and Rick staring at her with a look thinking that May deserved it, even though May did nothing to get that kind of respect from him. The crowd was cheering for these two trainers, with chants of "May" and "Rick" in the air as if they have either known them for a long time.

"I'm going to get you back for how you acted towards me earlier, Rick, so don't think that I'm going to be going easy on you during this match, okay?" May took out a red and white PokeBall from her knapsack with a look of determination on her face as she threw the PokeBall, kicking her feet back and her bandana flying back as she did so. "Go Combusken! Teach his Pokemon a lesson to keep!"

The PokeBall released a red laser of energy that sent out the Fire and Fighting type young fowl Pokemon, with sharp claws and toenails, knees that were pumped up, and lips that looked like it just ate something spicy but didn't react to it in any way. It had its left knee down on the floor and its two sharp claws crossed on top of each other, with the right one on top of the left one in a serious stance. It stood up, uncrossed its arms and jolted its arms down in a look of determination of what Pokemon Rick would send out for it to face in this Contest Battle. "Combusken! Combusken!"

"I'm not even going to waste my breath on you, May; I'm only here so that I can face him," Rick pointed at Drew with his index finger in a demanding way, with Drew looking back at a look of seriousness with his arms across his lavender blazer and black undershirt. "You're only here so that I can get some practice before I battle him, so don't think that I consider you someone important or anything, okay? Say goodbye . . . go Sharpoile!" Rick also threw a PokeBall onto the center of the field.

The PokeBall released his Sharpoile, with a sinister look on its face with small fangs hanging out that looked big from a distance, reptile thin yellow eyes that shifted as it entered the field into ghastly glowing red, sharp nails and toenails for something that size, and its known tail looking like two daggers that was ready to stab somebody as they glowed in the sun overhead, and having a dark-orange body with scales to finish off the Dragon and Sharp type characteristics that it had. Its tail was wagging, with metal clashing sounds as it hissed in a way that sounded as if it was ready to murder someone. "Shar . . . sha . . . shh . . . sss . . . "

Vivian rose up with excitement. "Who will win this battle?" she showed her hand at May. "Will it be May and her Combusken?" she showed her hand at Rick next. "Or will it be Rick and his Sharpoile? Let the battle begin with these two Pokemon!" she pointed to the overhead screen, showing May with an optimistic smile and Rick with a serious look, and the timer beginning at five minutes before walking off the field for the battle.

"No time to waste," said Rick. "Sharpoile, use your Tail Whirlwind and blow that bird away!"

Sharpoile immediately spun its tail with blinding speed before May and her Combusken could notice anything, and generated a gust of wind that was bigger than the small Pokemon at Combusken, blowing it away and nearly hitting May, but managed to jump and land before it did so.

"You think that trying to hit me with my own Pokemon's going to help you?" yelled May as her points dropped by 10%. "Use your Sky Uppercut!"

Combusken's sharp claws glowed, followed by the first half of its arms as it jumped into the air, landed back down, and attempted to hit Sharpoile, which used both of its razor-sharp tails to counteract its arms as if they were hands themselves. "Combusken!"

"You think that head-on attacks are going to help?" Rick smirked as May lost 5% of her points. "Use your Tail Blade attack, Sharpoile!"

"Sss . . . " the sinister Pokemon obeyed as its silver tail glowed and became a shining white, jumping in the air at a speed that looked as if it teleported and coming down behind Combusken and hitting it in the back without the young fowl Pokemon even noticing that it snuck to the back of it. It dashed back to where it was before with the glow fading and Combusken getting back up on its feet, as May lost another 10%.

Drew was in the front-row of the crowd, looking at May at a look that he didn't care of her performance but inside worrying about her. I hope that you win, May . . . or at least if you learn from this loss.

The battle continued with May making the next move. "Combusken, use your Fire Spin on that moving reptile!" You want a non-contact attack? Well you got one so here it comes!

Combusken charged a growing and burning fireball in its mouth, and when it became big enough, launched at Sharpoile with speed and encasing it with a flames that became a burning tower of fire surrounded with decoration rings that circled as the attack did. "Combusken!"

Vivian ran next to the tower of flame, with her eyes having the reflection of the flame and glowing with excitement and not fear that she was next to it. "What beauty from a Fire Spin as Rick's points drop 20%!"

Rick was surprised that May was able to pull that off on his small but speedy Pokemon. "That was a pretty good trick that you did there . . . use your Quick Attack to get out of there in style!"

"Sss . . . " its body jumped onto the unsharp ends of its two razor-tails and it launched itself in the upward direction with a white streak behind it, then landing on the wooden arena, escaping the flames and breaking some of the wood as it landed. The Fire Spin ceased and embers were created on top of the wood that began to spread and surround Sharpoile and Combusken, with them both in worry.

May was worried that Combusken would get hurt; even though it was a fire type, being trapped in a rising flame with its opponent wouldn't help. "Oh no!"

Vivian ran away from the embers that were about to burn the tip of her blue swimsuit. " . . . whew . . . that was a close one!" she wiped some sweat off her face. "May loses 15% for not caring about the aftermath of her attack and Rick loses 20% for the same reason and for being at the end of that attack, with two minutes running on the clock, and both of their scores tied with both trainers having 60% left!"

Rick was confident. "Use your Double Tail Blade attack, Sharpoile and wipe it out!"

"Sharp . . . sss . . . " the sinister Pokemon held its two sharp tails up in a threatening way and charged at Combusken quickly. Combusken defended itself when Sharpoile got to it with its two hands, using the talons as little swords and deflecting the hit off, but couldn't resist the rest of the attack as Sharpoile pressured more and more; both Pokemon blew back in opposite directions hitting the flames.

"From both sides tieing and getting hit by the flames, both trainers lose 40% of their points, leaving at a love score of 20%!" announced Vivian. "One minute left!"

May was insulted that Vivian used the word 'love'. "You better not say that again . . . use your Slash!"

Combusken charged at the Pokemon, with Sharpoile retailiating by holding its tail up and using it to block the attack, with both sides left with 10% of the score.

"I think that it's time to kill this pattern," declared Rick. "Use your Knight Dulpication!"

In the crowd, Drew had a worried look on his face, as this was the move that was used so that he lost. "Watch out May!"

Sharpoile quickly dropped its two swords-for-tails and they materialized into two more Sharpoile, each with the same sinister look on their face and the same murderous hiss. "Sharp . . . shh . . . sss . . . " all three held their blades out in a furious charge, and Combusken, confused by their blinding speed, couldn't do anything about the attack that was about to hit it. It was slashed by six blades with blinding fury, jolting up and down as it was attacked from all directions and not able to do a thing about it. May's points dropped to zero when Combusken fell, with squiggles on its face showing that it was unable to battle.

May ran over to her Combusken with a shocked look on her face, holding her fainted Pokemon in her hand and moving her hands at it to comfort it. "Are you okay, Combusken . . . too bad . . . we lost . . . "

"Combusken . . . " it moaned in a weak, raspy voice that sounded as if it didn't live up to what it was supposed to do during the battle.

"It's okay," said May. "You deserve a nice long rest," May took out Combusken's PokeBall and the red laser returned it, with May putting it back on her knapsack.

May and Rick left the arena, with neither saying a word to each other and Vivian went back on the stage, ready to announce the next battle. "That was a great and intense battle between these two red hot trainers as Rick advances to the second round! The next battle will be the calm, cool, and collected Drew against the rock hard Orc for the second battle!"

Drew with a confident look as his green hair and purple blazer flew mildly as a gentle wind blew by in his trainer's box. Orc, big and literally as hard as a rock, came onto the field causing tremors as he walked and crushed stems and stones on the path that he walked. When they were both in their respective corners, they looked at each other with a look ready for battle as they both have faced each other during the terror of S.S Atlanta earlier when Harley and Orc were destroying the ship, reducing it and the many passengers to rubble and May and Drew being one of the few to survive the crash. They also said with honor on that day that they would face each other in a battle during the next Pokemon Contest, which is this one, in one not because of anger or money, but a fair one.

Drew threw his PokeBall without saying anything, releasing his green, mystic Dragon and Flying type Pokemon with a red visor and different patterns of blue on it, flapping its wings as it was sent from its PokeBall in midair and gently landing on the field, causing a slight thumping sound as it did so on the wooden arena.

"Go RockBall!" yelled Orc, taking out a unique PokeBall that wasn't quite the regular red and white one, but rather looking like a gray-stone PokeBall with the same pattern on it and rigid appearence as he threw it in the air, releasing his Shapinail; the Rock and Sharp nail Pokemon had sharp craters for a body, legs that kept going thinner until it was as sharp as nails finishing the feet with what seemed like hooves of steel, and a face that looked like something that would rather relax in the summer park than battle another Pokemon in any kind of competition.

Drew, making sure that he would get the first move in this battle, didn't hesitate to attack. "Use your Dragonbreath, Flygon!"

Flygon charged a green ball of fire in its mouth that had similar shading to the green on its body and released it at the Sharpinail that seemed in be immobile. Sharpinail dodged the attack by using its steel-sharp feet to slide out of the way, making a screeching sound on the wood that made some of the members of the audience cover their ears as the sound rose and rose. Drew lost 5% of his Contest Points for missing and Flygon continued to attack, each missing and Sharpinal causing constant screeching sounds that made May, Sap, and Syrus cover their ears, but Rick with a serious look on his face that he didn't mind the piercing sound, and looked at Drew in a way that he is expecting something. Drew lost more points and was left with 85% left, but Orc lost 5% for only dodging and not doing anything back.

"You think that a move like that is going to stop my Pokemon?" Orc pointed his hard finger at Flygon. "Use your Rock Slide with a footing screech!"

"Sharpinail!" the pointy nail Pokemon began spinning its steel feet, and the sound of screeching occured once again with rising pain as it became more and more quick, making Drew lose 5% of his points since his Flygon was startled by the sound. Rocks began falling from the sky, and Flygon in its dizzy state from the sound flew randomly, and dodged all of the big rocks that targeted it in the air with impeccable luck, regaining its stance as it landed on the arena with the rocks falling and some of them causing potholes in the wooden floor as it wasn't able to withstand the weight. Orc lost 10% for all of the rocks missing.

During the previous attack, Vivian got close to the action and was dodging the rocks as they fell as if she was in the battle herself, and managed to make it to the edge of the field, putting her microphone to her mouth in sweating excitement of the battle. "This battle is sure getting good, with neither side giving up on their powerful attacks! Who will win in the three minutes left in this Contest Battle?"

"Use your Dragon Burst!" ordered Drew.

"Use your Hyper Beam!" ordered Orc.

Both Pokemon obeyed as Flygon charged a yellow electric burst and red fire flame in its mouth that increased in size as moments passed, with Sharpinail clashing its hands shaped like swords together and charging a white ball of energy that also grew in appearence. When both attacks were big enough, their respective trainers looked at the opposite Pokemon with thoughts that they would win, and both attacks were unleashed with speed and fury as they both collided in midair, red and yellow on one side, and shining white as the swords unleashed a white beam. Both Drew and Orc lost 10% of their points simutaneously as the attack kept going, with neither giving up, and both of them dropping their points until both sides had 35% of their points left. Flygon was standing after the attack stopped, still with bruises, when both Pokemon ran out of energy; Sharpinail was blown back slightly as Dragon Burst was an attack that managed to do so.

Why did my Pokemon get blown back and his didn't?! thought Orc. Both attacks were unleashed at the same time and hit at the same rate! "Tell me how your Pokemon managed to pull that off!" having been blown back more, Orc lost 10% of his points.

"That's because my attack was more powerful," answered Drew as the timer showed one minute left. "As you can see, your Sharpinail is a Rock type Pokemon, and it used a Normal one, which doesn't give it the extra boost, even though Hyper Beam's Base Power is 150 and that is higher than my Flygon's Dragon Burst, which is only a flame of 120 Base Power."

"So how can a 120 Base Power beat a 150 one?" asked Orc. "You're doing the math wrong!"

"That's because my Flygon, being a Ground type, also with Dragon type characteristics, can have its Dragon type move's power multiplied by 1.5 the regular amount, adding up to 160, higher than 150. All it takes is STAB, or Same Type Attack Power."

The timer on the overhead ran out, and with Drew at 35% points and Orc at 25% left. The screen showed Drew and his Flygon with the word "winner" next to it.

Orc walked over to the center of the stage, with Drew doing so as well. "That was a good battle," Orc replied, shaking hands with Drew willingly. "See ya," they both walked off stage with Drew having a surprised look of how a villian could act like that, Harley angry in the crowd that an evil guy would have sportsmanship, and the rest of the crowd cheering over the performance including May, Sap, and Syrus; Rick was staring at Drew in an unsurprising look.

[Torchic23]

I don't know how you manage to write such good chapters in such short time, but anyways, the battle is getting good, I can't wait to see who wins it!

[Harley Scarow]

After a few moments passed, Vivian went back to the center of the now scorched stage, with some of the smoke of the battle left but quickly vanished. She held the microphone to her mouth and spoke, "We're now in the second half of the first round! The next battle will be our relaxed Professor Sap against the "long nosed" Woody-Woody Two-Shoes . . . what a stupid name! I'll just call you two-shoes . . . "

Sap and Two-Shoes were on the center arena, holding their PokeBalls out. May getting ready while Two-Shoes makes annoyed remarks at Vivian for insulting his name, like "Shut up, hag," "Underpaid announcer," and "very *friendly* person . . . pregnant dog . . . Prostitute!"

"You do have a weird name, you know that?" remarked Sap. "Not like you can do anything about it anyways, so you better get into court after this and change all that."

Woody shook his hands in anger. "What do you think that you're talking about, you stupid little hag?!" he began making rude imitations of Professor Sap, like pretending to wear glasses and making girly movements. "Look at me! I'm a lowlife professor that doesn't go out much! I love Pokemon and I think that they're good friends and not tools for getting what you want! When my Pokemon are down, I believe that they can get up so that they can continue battling for me because we believe in each other deep down inside!" he stopped imitating the honorable professor, and put on a disgruntled look. "That's you! You better cut off the nuts if you want to face me and win! Now lets go!" he threw a PokeBall that released his Woodnose.

"You have no idea what the meaning of care and friendship is, Woody . . . " she threw her PokeBall that released Bevadam into the center of the field. "You're the lowlife for working for the same kind as Harley, after all. You're in no position to be calling anybody that. Now lets test your Pokemon's strength and I can show you that you're wrong in every sense of the word."

Woodnose was a brown log with droopy eyes and a long nose, looking as if it wasn't ready for battle as the body motion and heartrate seemed to be very low. Bevadam was a large, brown beaver with a lot of logs for a tail, the same way that a Sceptile had many pointy leaves for its tail. With one side looking excited for battle, and the other one looking ready to have a nap.

"Begin!" Vivian announced, with the timer on the overhead beginning with 5 minutes and showing their mugshots along with their respective Pokemon.

"Use Tail Ram attack!" ordered Sap.

Bevadam's large, dark-brown tail glowed black, and it charged into the air, ready to ram down on Woodnose, which at the present moment, wasn't doing anything to stop the attack. When it got all the way down, a dark-green bush appeared with cute eyes and a large nose, appearing to be more active than the Woodnose itself, blocked the tail and disappeared without the defending Pokemon being touched by one hit. Green shreds of the destroyed bush littered the battling field, and gave Sap a look of shock, but not surprise, as she has faced that attack before when she was on the deserted island with May and Drew. More copies of similar looking bushes appeared around Bevadam, making it look in different directions and preparing to defend.

"Sap loses 10% for having her attack blocked," announced Vivian. "And Woodnose didn't even move one bit!" she walked over, nearing some of the dark-green bush, almost touching it before she annouced again. "What will Two-Shoes get these . . . cute little green bushes to do and how will they affect the battle?"

Woody had an angered look on his face again. "What do you think that you're doing calling me that name again? What kind of announcer are you?! The name is Woody-Woddy Two-Shoes and if I have to tattoo it into your heads by myself, then I will!" he turned his head over to the field again. "Now my Bushose, use your Nose Stacker on that Bevadam by ganging up on it."

The Bushose fakes's noses began charging up a green energy on the spot, and Bevadam had a look of fear on it. With the Bushose and a look of feeling, but deep down having even less emotion than the Woodnose already has since they were fakes after all, unleashed a glowing green brown nose that charged up into the air and clashed at each other at the pitch of the attack, forming a cage that was made of noses for bars that had Bevadam with a look of fear on its face. More Bushoses appeared and began attacking the trapped Pokemon through the small gaps of the cage, avoiding the many other Bushoses that were supporting the bars with great accuracy, but missing Bevadam once the brown stick got inside the glowing cage.

"Sap loses 30% of her points for letting the Bushoses get in control of her Pokemon and Two-Shoes loses 10% for having the extra Pokemon miss the attack, announced Vivian. "Since this is a Pokemon Contest Battle, everything must be done perfectly, even when you get your opponents into a tight spot, and with three minutes left, both Two-Shoes is showing Accuracy that seems to be repelled by Sap's Evasion!"

Sap, thinking voiceover. I can't believe that I could let my Pokemon get trapped like this . . . Sap looked at the bars of the cages closely with her Pokemon looking calm as it used its large tail to constantly dodge attacks made by the other Bushoses, leaping in the air and not hitting the cage bars. I think that I have to destroy the bars in order for my Pokemon to get out of this situation . . . this isn't a real prison, so destroying branches should be easy, and having them be fake branches should make the job even easier. "Use your Wood Tail so that you can destroy all of the brown-branch bars and get out of that weak excuse for a cage!" the idea put a look of shock on Woody's face as he knew this would work for Sap and Bevadam.

Bevadam, still using its tail to leap distances into the air to dodge the Bushoses, and having its opponent miss many more times cost its opponent another 10% of the points, landed down as another branch charged at it. Instead of vaulting itself into the air and dodging the attack this time, it held its rather large tail made out of logs in front of it, and the nose rushed at the board and was destroyed by the tail, causing a loud crunching sound and crushing it to pieces. The other Bushoses, having no mind of their own as the other ones supporting the cage, continued to attack with their noses and were destroyed on contact. Breaking wood dropped down to the ground and were deleted as the Woodnose and the fakes were Virtual-type computer viruses.

Woody looked at his falling Pokemon with disaster. "What in the WORLD do you think that you Pokemon are doing?! Don't you get the plan that geeky professor and her oversized rodent made up for you?! Didn't you see one of your dumb and mindless fools get destroyed because he was too idiotic to stop the attack? I don't know why I even bother trying to help any of you in this battle."

"That's why you and your Pokemon are losing right now," said Sap. "For one thing, the real Pokemon that you have is nothing but a computer virus and that means that it has no will of its own -- it just follows orders from its dumb master. You think that those annoying copies are anything smarter? I've seen and faced all of your moves when we were back on that island." That guy knows nothing when it comes to making your Pokemon love you . . . that's why HE'S losing right here, right now.

Bevadam destroyed all of the copies that weren't making the cage, and then its tail stopped glowing. In a few moments, the large tail's logs became filled with dark spikes that decorated it like ninja stars, and it ran with speed rather quick for its size. The Bushose that were supporting the cage didn't attack the impending Pokemon, having no minds of their own and were simply stationed there for one purpose, having Bevadam smash all of them and destroying the glowing green noses, with them blowing up afterwards, but not in an explosion that was big enough to hurt the attacking Pokemon. All of the copies were destroyed and the rude and large nosed with a now red face trainer lost 20% of his points for carelessness.

"Time to use your secret weapon!" declared Woody. "Use your Bamboo Sword and rip that oversized rodent to pieces!"

The Woodnose's eyes suddenly opened up in a fearful shock to anyone that sees it, and it's left arm suddenly glowed a dark-green. After a few moments, the left arm was severed from the rest of its body and floated in the air, shaping itself into a wooden sword that had a sharp edge like an ax, with the fingers of the dispatched arms being the part that you hold it with. A painful sight that didn't seem to harm the using Pokemon at all, as the left arm was held by Woodnose, and it grew brown legs that were surrounded with dark-green roots that seemed to rise up from the wooden arena, breaking some of it and surrounding the Pokemon with ivy that shaped into legs and had rose thorns for its feet. Now able to stand, the Pokemon charged at Bevadam blindlessly, but accurately, landing a clean sweep on the large brown beaver and putting a look of astonishment on the fallen Pokemon and the professor, even though Sap already seen this attack when they were back on the island, it was nulled when Harley made a foolish move that cost them the battle.

"Are you okay?" asked Sap to her damaged Pokemon, and the attack that it just received from a weapon that didn't look dangerous but turned out to be harmful cost them 20% of their points, dropping it to 40% left. "Try to stand up, and then you can try to break that sword using Iron Tail!"

The fallen Pokemon slowly got up, and the Woodnose came up to it in surprising speed compared to what it was like before it transformed into a standing creature, holding the bamboo sword next to Bevadam and preparing to strike again. Bevadam managed to get up in time and dodge that attack in perfect last-second move, then returning down in an aerial dash with its tail glowing a powerful silver, smashing the bamboo sword and making remdants of its pieces clatter to the ground, shattering like like glass. The Woodnose, having an unknown look on its face, as it has always been in any situation, has cost its trainer 10% of his contest points and the left arm regenerating after the arm has been severed from the attack.

Woody chuckled, not caring about what has just happened with his contest points. "You think that a horrible appearence like that can stop my Pokemon? Well then I think that you're wrong, since Woodnose is very ambidexious with its body."

The unfazed Woodnose suddenly closed its empty eyes, and its hideous toes curled up, signing for an upcoming attack. It began materializing shadows from underneath it that began to grow, expanding into larger shades and growing in a matter that looked like you were downloading something, with scattered pixels forming together making three copies of Woodnose. The newly made Pokemon were the same as Woodnose before they began their transformation into the one with a bamboo sword, then in a few moments underwent the drastic change into the dangerous one, leaving a look of shock in the judge's face and having Vivian move back from the attack as they grew into Pokemon that looked like the original, but seemed to have a more empty shade than the real Pokemon had. As an added bonus, the newly made Pokemon didn't have their left arm become a sword to be held by the other, but each had two swords for a total of eight threatening ones.

Sap was shocked. "Look out! That thing is more mobile then we think that it is!"

The Pokemon slashed with a total of eight swords, with Bevadam using its tail to dodge the first six, which were the fakes made by the real one, costing Woody 10% of his points for having lack of accuracy. But then when it seemed like the attack was over, the real one appeared and slashed Bevadam twice, costing Sap 20% points lost for the damage and lack of evasiveness. Now Sap had 20% left and Woody had 40% left.

Sap had an idea, and pointed to Woody. "If you're going to use swords to try and take me down, then so am I! Bevadam, use your Log Slasher attack and cut that Pokemon down to size!"

"Bevadam!" the big brown beaver growled. It got up after it was hit and then prepared to unleash its next attack, which involved taking the sharp logs that were as its tail and removing them from the main body, holding them as swords. From that point, they seemed like burned cinder or a black sword that has been in the experience of battle for a long time, as the dark color unleashed a glowing shine that came from the sun. To every spectator in the arena's surprise, the sword began glowing burning red, like a campfire when you tell stories, causing small embers to spark from the sword and Woody having a worried look that his Pokemon is going to lose. The beaver than slashed the sword at the ground, setting the wooden arena on fire and spreading over to the fake Pokemon, destroying them and causing Woody 20% as they were incinerated like trees in a burning forest caused by careless humans.

Woody had an angry look on his face as his points dropped to 20%, matching his opponent's score and the field having one Pokemon on each side as the fire blazed in anger. "What do you think that you're doing, beating my Pokemon like that? Well if you think that making this into a 'fair' one on one battle is going to work, then you're right . . . but I have one last shot to take down you, the geek, and your Pokemon, the polluted rodent that shouldn't be here on the field in the first place, and make my way up to Harley!" he laughed, with an insane thought that he was going to win and not expecting what is going to happen in the next round of battle on the burning red field, which has gone through many challenges today already, becoming more and more scorched as moments passed during the battle. "Ready? Use your Woody Nose attack!"

The emotionless Pokemon charged up a green energy, one that looked bigger than before as this would be the final move of the battle as thirty seconds and counting were on the clock, and the spectators a look of anticipation. Bevadam, however, was also holding its Log Sword up in a determined stance, and it caused more embers that were soon drained up by the sword, making it an even darker red that became as big and glowed with passion as moments passed. When both attacks were charged up, Vivian looked at the two attacks with amazement as they were both released from the respective Pokemon, clashing in the middle as Bevadam released a fire beam and Woodnose charged its nose into the center. Bevadam's fire managed to continue on, attacking the defending nose like when electricity travels through a wire, leading up to the empty Pokemon and burning it as if it was a dish in a campfire.

"What an attack!" commented Vivian. "It looks like the winner of this battle is already decided."

After the smoke cleared up, with some of the members of the audience holding their shirts on their faces to avoid inhaling the gas, and others tipping their heads toward in hope; revealed a singed Woodnose as the eyes became a burned black, its nose dark-gray, and the body black as ash, finished with smoke coming out of it like a campfire's logs that have just been put out with forced water. Woody-Woody Two-Shoes lost ALL of his contest points, followed by a battle out from each of the judges, making him angry and run up to his defeated Pokemon with a lack of words, kicking it into the air with shreds of its body flying out before his PokeBall's red laser returned it back before it could be completely destroyed. He left the stage with no words, and Harley smirking at him for his loss at professor Sap. The professor soon left the field as well, with a look of victory as the overhead screen showed her mugshot and Bevadam with the words "victory!" on it.

[Torchic23]

Good chapter, I don't think I spotted any mistakes, keep writing and I'll keep reading! ^^

[Harley Scarow]

Vivian, with her microphone swinging in the air, looking as if it was about to be thrown at the audience carelessly as she ran over to the scorched field without caring about some of the dust from the smoke that was there a little bit ago going on her slippers. The crowd was laughing under their breath as some of the dust on the field swept on her legs, which was quickly removed when she reached down to brush it off. She held the microphone to her mouth and announced. "That was a good battle that we have seen, right? Well we have one more to finish off the first round of the Contest Battles for Maple Town's competition, so hang on to your seats as the ruthless Syrus goes up against the dark and scary Harley in this next battle!"

Harley, with his clothes dressed like a Cacturne and wearing a black cape full of ego, walked out to the field with the cape shielding his face in a mysterious way that seemed to prove that he was showing off as he walked in his usual girly way. Syrus, wearing his gray sweater and the usual blue jeans, walked out to the field's trainer box as well in a tough way that inverted Harley's girlish way.

Harley was making poses with the cape that he was wearing, like swinging back and forth with the cape flying in the smooth air, holding it on his face and showing it to the crowd in a look that seemed like the goth in a movie, and jumping in the air in the way that the superhero of a movie would do before he would land in front of the bad guy, even though he is usually the one that gives other trainers a hard time with his endless antics. After all of that showing off, he threw the cape in the air, landing to the bottom of the stage three feet down, revealing his open stomach and his left hand in a female pose by his side. "So what do you think of that performance, people? I'm sure that you like it and I'm even more sure that you other Coordinators will love that I'm going to whoop all of your asses! What do you think of that, Syrus? I'm afraid that you're not going to the second round like that wife of yours is!"

Syrus shook his head and had his eyes clothes in a confident way that Harley was wrong with those words. "I know that I'm not going to lose to someone like you." He pointed over to Harley in a rude and demanding way. "You're going to go down, just like the other cronies that you hired to make May, Drew, and my darling wife go ballistic on their way to this town. Don't even think that someone that fights dirty like you can go and expect to beat someone that fights fair like me." As he said those words, Sap was looking at him nicely, agreeing with the statement that he said to Harley and thinking back of when she beat Woody-Woody Two-Shoes on that island, and again when she faced him on the center stage. Syrus smiled back at Sap.

Vivian ran out of the field, with the microphone swinging again in the way that seemed rather dangerous if there was someone in the way that she was running. "So the trash talking has started already! Please direct your eyes to the stage as this next battle begins to determine who makes it to the second round!" she pointed at the overhead score projector, which lighted up and showed the mugshots of Harley and Syrus, the Contest Points, and the timer starting at five minutes. "Begin!"

Syrus threw his Poke Ball in a determined way, while Harley threw his in the girly way, kissing it before he did so. Syrus' Poke Ball revealed Shiftry, the Grass and Dark Wily Pokemon that had white fur on the top and brown wood on the bottom, with yellow eyes, white teeth, a nose that looked like a branch, and feet that resembled rectangular slippers that made it look like a standing bird from far away. Harley's Poke Ball sent out his Rafflsite, the Grass, Poison, and Virus Parasite Pokemon that seemed to be a flat plant with huge purple petals and a face that was in the middle with an empty expression, with stems and roots hanging out below it to make it look like a plant that was dug up carelessly and put on land, except that it was living in dark state.

Without having any hesitation, Syrus ordered right away. "Use your Slicing Fan, Shiftry! Slash that oversized plant!"

Shiftry, with its sharp green leaves for hands, rushed over to the immobile petal with a white and brown streak behind, and slashed the Pokémon, costing Harley 10% of his points for not reacting to the speedy attack, and also tossing the Pokémon into the air without any sense of attacking back. After a few moments passed, the Rafflisite flew back down to the wooden arena with many roots scattered around, having no damaged appearence whatsoever but an empty look that seemed like it wasn't living.

Harley chuckled, with a look as if nothing has happened to his Grass and Virus Pokémon. "You think that something like that is good enough to take down my little cute Pokémon? You just fell into my trap!" Harley pointed at Shiftry, in a way that seemed as if the battle was over, even though only 30 seconds have passed so far on the clock. "Get that Pokémon for what it just did to you with that pathetic attack! Use your Parasite Root to make that moving fuzzball wish that it was dead!"

The Rafflsite, without moving its purple and rather large body, had the many roots that were scattered around it when it fell from the sky shake as if they were alive themselves, and suddenly glowed a bright green that caused purple spikes to pierce from the ground and attack Shiftry with ends that seemed as if they could chop down solid wood. The defending Pokémon jumped and evaded the first few roots, which caused Harley to lose 5% of his points, but the multiplying plants began to grow and grow, surrounding Shiftry in a stance that would spell doom. Shiftry, using its green leaves to attack the roots, failed and costed Syrus 5% worth of points, and it seemed as if attacking the plants caused them to attack more, as they began constricting the struggling wily Pokémon like a snake on a log touched by a foolish traveler. Shiftry was moving in an uncomfortable state to escape, losing points as it did so. Syrus had 80% left of the points from the start when the constricting nulled for a moment.

Syrus, looking at the clock with a worried look that something like this has happened so early in the battle, as only one minute has passed so far, came up with an idea. "Shiftry, use your Woody Nose to break the roots with its piercing edge! That should be able to cut down those annoying things! Remember when you helped me in the garden the other day?" Syrus had a flashback of when he was in the garden of his home, with his Shiftry using its fan leaves to cut some of the hard and tough weeds, but to no avail. Then it used its sharp nose to slice them, which made Syrus at that time have a surprised and proud look that his Pokémon would do something after one idea has failed, but would try again with another attack to help him.

Back in the battle, after Syrus pictured that scene, Shiftry's nose enlargened into what looked like a pole, then shot directly to some of the roots that were in front of it, and managed to destroy that part which was rather large, costing Harley 10% of his points. That part quickly regenerated and attempted to attack Shiftry again, only to get sliced over and over until it gave up on that moment, allowing Shiftry to escape, jumping in the air in a free state and getting ready to slice up the Rafflsite that was in charge of unleashing all of these attacks. When Shiftry rushed over to the seemingly immobile Pokémon, it seemed as if it would land a clear blow, but all of a sudden the many roots that were sliced down by Shiftry fused together and formed a wall of roots, stopping the wily Pokémon in its tracks before it could get tangled by the multiplying plants like before and retracting its nose before that could get attack, for it has to save it in perfect condition in order to defend itself if something like that ever happens to it again during this battle.

Harley laughed. "Do you really think that the little fuzzball like that can stop a beautiful Pokémon like mines? If you do, then I'm afraid that you better get your head checked because that moving hairball isn't going to be getting anywhere from the way that you're attacking it. As a matter of fact, thanks to those vines, I'm going to pernamently cripple it!"

"I don't think that you know this already, but my Pokémon has more tricks up its sleeve than that," said Syrus. "I'm sure that you know that Shiftry is a good Pokémon to have by your side when it comes to cutting down oversized plants, and I have to say something about your oversized Pokémon . . . that thing is no exception." Syrus pointed over to his Shiftry, which at the time is waiting to be asked what to do from Syrus, since there roots in its way, it couldn't simply walk over it without getting tangled and losing points like it did before. "Shiftry, I know that you can do this. You're good when it comes to cutting down anything, after all! Now use your Razor Wind and cut that Pokémon down to size!"

Shiftry's body stood rather still, without moving an inch, but the sharp, green leaves that it had for hands began charging with a white wind, until sharp razors from the air seemed to be slicing the naturistic wall in front of it. At first, it seemed as if nothing was happening to the natural shield, but after a few moments it started to collaspe when a small crack was hacked in the middle, and some wind sliced through that one which caused an even bigger hole, with some of the passing razors going for Harley's Pokémon, and Harley getting annoyed that his Pokémon wasn't the kind that could move as he lost 10% of his points with his hands shaking in anger of what he was witnessing. More moments passed, and the entire wall collasped, like a powerful saw cutting through solid wood, the wall crumbled with endless roots and leaves littering the ground as Harley's Pokémon was behind the huge pit, and Syrus had a confident look that all that happened in the battle was over as Harley lost another 10%.

"I think that it's time for your Pokémon to go and take a shower!" taunted Harley. "It already stinks in the way that it's battling so far and you better not think that the smell is going to be getting any better, so you better cover your nose as your Pokémon gets worse and worse! Let's play dirty . . . Rafflsite, I can't believe that you could let that hairball make me lose so many points . . . here's your time to redeem yourself in this battle and teach that Pokémon a lesson! Use your Bitter Scent!"

Vivian as usual was running around the field with her swinging microphone, had a flashback of what has happened earlier in the preliminary appeal round of when Harley was performing his appeal with Rafflsite. The thought of that made her cover her nose in fear of what the judges, her, and the audience would experience next, as she recalled that appeal may have earned him a perfect score for seemingly endless originality and courage, but also made everybody cry in agony as their noses were punished while he was on stage. She ran off the stage and stood next to the judges, taking out a tissue out of nowhere and covering her nose from it, with the judges that were around her using shielding as they have did in the first round to protect them from what they have experienced earlier as well.

Syrus had a worried look on his face, knowing that since this is a smelling attack, it can't be dodged in any physical way since it will penetrate the noses of anybody in the location. Shiftry slashed the Pokémon, with to no avail, but the attack seemed to have activated the Pokémon, as many of its petals spun like a disk and began to release a glowing, dark purple color gas into the air, and quickly spread around the field which caused Vivian and the judges to shield themselves, then the audience with Sap having a terrified look that since this could hurt the spectators, who knows what will happen on stage? Shiftry attempted to shield itself with the green leaves, but to no avail as the smell got the worse of it, causing it to fall back and lose 10% worth of points. When it got back up again, a powerful stream seemed to be coming from the opponent Pokémon, blowing it in the air and upom landing lost 10% more while it had difficulty breathing on the ground, as the gas was relentless and continued on with everlasting suffering.

Harley laughed, inhaling the gas in a way that seemed as if he was sniffing drugs, and even took some of the small flying liquids that were floating in the air from the attack and licked it, with a sadistic look on his face, but one that showed that he enjoyed it, and caused a disgusted look on some of the faces of the audience; Syrus was too bust thinking with a terrified look of how he and his Pokémon would get out of this to look at the horrible antics that Harley is doing right now, as Harley laughs in a demented way at the timer as it reaches 2:30, and Syrus' points dropping quickly as time passed, increasing the rate of laughter to an insane state. "I can't believe that one small attack would be able to do so much to your Pokémon like that! I never thought that I would see a Pokémon so pathetic! Especially one that is meant to be quick and take its opponents out quickly without getting damaged at all!" Harley laughed wildly again as his points remained at 65% while Syrus' points were only 30% now.

Shiftry struggled to get up, with its teeth and eyes shaking with damage from the gas as it did so, and legs trembling in a way that appeared as if they were about to fall back any second, barely able to walk from the dangerous smell of the gas and the poison that it could do to any Pokémon on the field. As it struggled to walk, Rafflsite was in a state that seemed as if it was just sent into battle, as there were no bruise marks on it at all, while the relentless gas seemed to become physical and take damage on Shiftry even though it wasn't solid. When it got over to the immobile Pokémon, as if able to read Syrus' mind and knowing what to do even without being told what to do so, slashed the purple Pokémon while it was still releasing the gas and lifting it into the air with force that seemed as if it was a brand new Pokémon ready to battle and not in pain like it was right now, causing an astonished look on his face as the screen showed him losing 15% of his points, reducing the total to 50% and also having only one and half minutes left on the clock.

Harley looked at Syrus with the look of death, with his mouth having a hankerchief in it as he growled and then spit it out, and Vivian finally leaving the judge's sides as he got more and more red at his opponent. "What in the world do you think that you're doing to my wonderful and pretty Pokémon, you little moving fuzzball for a Pokémon?! You're supposed to be dead from the poison that my Pokémon released on you . . . you must be some kind of stupid Pokémon . . . a Grass type being able to stand up to a Poison type attack . . . I say that the thing was just luck that let you get through that!" he pointed to Syrus sternly with his left index finger. "You must have had something to do with this! You must have cheated to get out of this!"

"I had nothing to do with the way that my Pokémon made it out of there and managed to slash that Pokémon of yours into next week," replied Syrus. "I don't know if you're used to your friends saying this to you, but it takes trust and friendship in order to win a Pokémon Battle, even when one side seems all hopeless. Believing in your Pokémon and believing in yourself is what you need to win in a battle, wheather it be a Contest Battle, a Pokémon Battle, or even a street fight. But then again, I shouldn't even waste my breath on you telling you all this. Because I don't even think that you have any friends, considering the way that you treat the way that the people that work for you in sweat and blood get disrespected in the end anyways."

Harley chuckled. "Heh heh heh . . . Syrus . . . that has got to be one of the corniest things that I have ever heard in my entire life, for crying out loud!" he began laughing as if nothing has happened so far during the battle. "Pokémon are nothing but tools to use in battle and tools to get what you want in life, that's why the world created them to begin with. If that wasn't the main reason, then why would we even be battling on stage right now? You wouldn't try to beat my Pokémon and that worthless piece of s*** that you have on the field can hardly breathe, let alone stand. And I think that all of that gas that my Pokémon released earlier is starting to get to your head; you can hardly even think yourself, considering what has happened!" he turned his head to the center of the field after those words. "Now lets get to the situation at hand. Use your Slicing Petals!"

Syrus had a determined look. "You've been through this before many times in this battle. You know what to do."

Rafflsite managed to regain its stance, as usual, having the zombie look on its face as the huge petals around it began to spin at a drilling speed, and a slice of wind with a piercing sound slashed through the air and attempted to hit Shiftry. Closing its eyes, it held out its left leaf, and the slicing wind was reflected by the fan as the wily Pokémon opened its eyes in rapid speed and ran the opposite direction that the wind was, slicing through the attack and getting up to the immobile Pokémon, slashing it with rapid speed and turning the attack against it. Harley's points were reduced by 5% twice for being hit two times, and had an angry look, but still confident that he had a trick up his sleeve to win this battle as he smirked after that, and the flying plant fell back to the ground with many roots scattering.

Harley laughed as if his Pokémon didn't take any damage. "You think that you're pretty cool, playing catch with my Pokémon like that, right? Well I'm afraid to say that . . . funtime's over and it's time for you to put away the toys! Rafflsite, use your Ingrain attack and let's have some fun ourselves! I'm afraid that it's my turn to have some fun because it's almost game over."

The parasite Pokémon got hit again directly, causing Harley to lose 10 more points and reducing the total of his to 30%. When it landed back down, it shot out some roots that pierced the wooden floor with the many plants that were scattered around it earlier being soaked into the ground as well. Some of the plants that it had on its body were sliced off during Shiftry's attack and they attached back on Rafflsite as if they were machine parts, and then it began glowing a green. Shiftry attacked it with the sharp fan, but the glow seemed to deflect the attack, knocking Shiftry back and costing Syrus 5% worth of points, reducing his total to 25%. The parasite Pokémon began attaching itself onto Shiftry like earlier before, and energy seemed to be draining from the struggling Pokémon as small orbs of green light traveled through the roots as an aura that was cast on Shiftry when the Rafflsite attached the roots on to it seemed to be darkening with every passing second. Syrus lost 1% at a time during this attack, stopping at 20% when the vines released for that turn.

Syrus had a shocked look on his face as sweat dripped down his neck, with a worried look that he was going to lose. "How did you get Ingrain to drain the energy of my Pokémon like that? That attack is only supposed to drain the natural energies of things lying underground so you better explain yourself on how you did that before I make you!"

Harley chuckled. "You are such a slow person that I find it unbelievable that you would be living with a talented Pokémon Professor like your wife. There are a few reasons why. For one thing, the natural energies under here suck so I decided to take the life force of another being, that being Shiftry. Another one is because Rafflsite is a parasite Pokémon and I think that's going to make all of the difference to you, since they drain the living force of anything that is around it, and that includes living Pokémon that make good meals! But then again, why would I expect you to know something like that? You're only a wannabe that wants to show off here . . . you're not serious about Pokémon Contests . . . look at this . . . "

The timer ran out, making a loud beeping sound and Vivian ran on to the center stage to announce the winner of the battle, still coughing a little from the gas that Rafflsite has released earlier. "Looks like this battle has been decided! Harley has 30% of his points left while Syrus only has 20% of his points left. So the winner of this battle by a nose is . . . Harley and his Rafflsite! This battle sure has been a dirty one, but the intensity between these two trainers sure is something to remember, as Shiftry tried its best to win over the tricky Rafflsite!" she pointed to the screen again, with the battle results fading away and four mugshots appearing. "These trainers will be the ones to go to the second round! And the pairings are . . . Rick vs. Drew and Sap vs. Harley in the next set of rounds!"

Both trainers on the stage returned their respective Pokémon back to their Poké Balls. Harley walked off stage, laughing insanely and looking at his minions Orc and Woody in a disappointing way, since they didn't make it to the second round. Syrus walked out with a disappointed look on his face that he lost, but a happy one knowing that he was in a good battle with his Pokémon, which fought hard to the end and never gave up even when things looked tough. When he got to the bottom of the steps that led to the stage, May, Drew, Sap, and Rick were there to greet him from the tough battle, with his wife holding him. Coughing from the battle, he fainted on Sap's arms and she held him tightly with a feeling of love. May, Drew, and Rick looked along with May in thought cheering for Drew, and Rick and Drew contemplating thoughts on the next battle that they will face on the second stage, as this will be the rematch of another battle that they have had another day before.

[Read]

Short chapter, but it seems to be ok to me. Sorry to say that anything you write in the next 3 days I probably won't get a chance to read, I'll be away from the internet during that time. I love how you described Harley's moves as "girlish" it's a very good description

[maybeautifly]

May's increased as her face became more and more red, and showing it even more as she tipped her two feet back and forth, putting her hands behind her back and making Drew look at her with a look of worry that she might flirt with Rick instead of him.

XD I'm going to die of laughter. I like your other chapters as well. They have good battle description and...the thought of Harley doing that little dance thing made me laugh. Espically about the hero thingy.

[Torchic23]

Read said:

Short chapter, but it seems to be ok to me. Sorry to say that anything you write in the next 3 days I probably won't get a chance to read, I'll be away from the internet during that time. I love how you described Harley's moves as "girlish" it's a very good description

'Scuse me, that was my post I forgot to log in before posting ^^;

[Harley Scarow]

After a few moments passed from the end of the first round, the battling competitors Drew and Rick were already on the field, with Drew's green hair and Rick's brown hair swaying in the wind as they stared at each other with thoughts of the battle that they will face together, as they have did so before with Drew the loser for once to the battling Rick. Both trainers were similar size and they wore practically the same clothes, except Drew had a purple blazer with black as the inside shirt while Rick wore a red blazer with the same dark inside.

May was closing her eyes in an excited and happy comical way that her friend, Drew was about to battle on stage, with words of support so that he can win this one. "Go Drew! You can do this! Beat that guy into next week!" she yelled happily as she looked at Drew while standing and cheering as if the battle was already going on in an intense matter, which caused people around her to look at her in a way that would be embarassing, but May didn't notice them, which made Drew sweatdrop at that sight that May wasn't going to stop. She turned over to Rick and clapped at him. "Go Rick! I hope that you win too! After that, we can go out on a date together. Both of you guys rock and I have to say that we can do a threesome!"

Drew looked at May with sweatdrops running down his face. "What do you think that you're doing, May? You're cheering for him or something? You're acting like you know this guy for a long time when you two never even talked face to face!" he looked at Rick with a smirk. "Don't think that you're going to be laying a hand on her, you . . . "

"Oh no, you don't have to worry about me doing anything to that sl*tty female of yours Drew, not at all would I want to go out with something that looks like a Slugma!" taunted Rick. "But if I win, then it looks like I have no choice but to go out with her! Oh well . . . looks like you can't participate. Might as well give up now and keep your dignity before the battle!"

Vivian announced, "The trash talking has begun, which means that the first match of the semi-finals will begin!" The counter on top glowed, showing Drew and Rick's face on it with the Contest Points and the timer on at 5 minutes. "Let's make this battle a good one between these two cuties! And now come on people, let the battle begin!"

Without any words, Drew and Rick both threw their respective Poké Balls onto the field, which released their Pokémon. Drew's Dragon and Ground Mystic Pokémon with a body with many green tones for patterns, transparent red goggles that shielded its eyes as its wings flapped dust when it arrived on the field, a tail with many spear shaped shapes, and dark-green hair that swayed in the wind as it arrived on the stage. Rick's Sharpoile with a sinister look on its face with small fangs hanging out that looked big from a distance, reptile thin yellow eyes that shifted as it entered the field into ghastly glowing red, sharp nails and toenails for something that size, and its known tail looking like two daggers that was ready to stab somebody as they glowed in the sun overhead, and having a dark-orange body with scales to finish off the Dragon and Sharp type characteristics that it had. Its tail was wagging, with metal clashing sounds as it hissed.

Drew, with thoughts of speed as he learned from the last battle, quickly called out his attack to the mystic Pokémon, which responded by nodding its dragon head. "Flygon, use your Dragon Blast on that Sharpoile and do it fast!"

Flygon, charging up a green energy ball that looked like many storms were stored inside it, grew bigger and bigger until it was the size of a basketball. On Sharpoile's side, Rick had a lazy and thingyy face while his Pokémon yawned as if the attack wasn't going to hit the small Pokémon. When the attack was unleashed, it released a ball of pure green energy that traveled at rapid speed, screeching on the wooden floor as it went, until it landed on Sharpoile in a blow that looked as if it was surely knocked out for the count, as the body's shadow could still be seen from the green mist of the attack. Drew and his Flygon looked closely at the gas and after a few moments, it vaporized and they both had a shocked look on their faces, as Sharpoile wasn't damaged at all, but rather chuckled as if it enjoyed the attack.

"You think that an obvious attack like that is going to be able to stop me and my Pokémon?" taunted Rick, as Drew lost 10% of his points for getting his attack repeled by Rick's Pokémon. "If you want to win this battle, then you better get serious about who you're facing and step up your game." he stared at Sharpoile. "That was a good one, now let's make this one, a quick one. Use your Double Dagger!"

Drew noticed that May had a worried look in her face, and decided to show one that gave the idea that he wasn't ready to go down after one attack. Let's see what I can do. Flygon is able to fly thanks to the Levitate ability, but Sharpoile has no aerial characteristics, so this one should be simple. thought Drew as the attack got closer and closer to being unleashed as the sinister Sharpoile's tails glowed and shined in the sun like a mirror's burning reflection. "Use your Fly attack!"

Flygon obeyed, flapping its green-centered wings with red edges and causing some of the dust on the field to spray around as it quickly flew into the air. Sharpoile began running rather quickly, and then vaulted into the air with rapid jumping skills, and the surprised Flygon flew back to the ground with soaring speed, but gravity pulls its job as Sharpoile slashed Flygon twice with its double-metal-tail as it did so, causing Drew to lose 10% of his contest points twice. Flygon, with its wing damaged from the blow, had the pattern messed up as it tried to land, but failing to do so as it couldn't make it on its feet; crashing to the ground and causing a smog of brown dust to surround the Pokémon as Drew looked in horror that he wasn't able to score anything so far in the contest battle, losing another 10%.

"Are you okay, Flygon?" asked Drew as his damaged Pokémon struggled to get up, shaking as it did so and its eyes angry with the transparent red goggles more darker than usual, pointing a look of anger towards the other Pokémon. "I know that you can do this, Flygon. I don't think that my orders are helping this battle in any way, so you can take the lead for the rest of this battle. I trust you Flygon, and I know that you can do this without having any help from me."

In the audience, May had a look of surprise as Drew said those words, and was bewildered that Drew would say words like that, since he was never the kind of person that did so. Drew really did take my advice when we were back there in the house. I think that he's going to become even more . . . than just . . . he's such a cool guy, and I bet that he thinks I don't even know something like that. May stood up and held both of her hands to the cheeks of her mouth in a way that would project her voice throughout the field. "Go Drew! You can do this!" she kept yelling chants like "You're the best", "Let's go Drew, let's go!", and "That's the way to do it!" as if she was an entire cheerleading squad behind him, which caused a lot of people around her to mumble about the way that she was acting.

Without having any directions from Drew, Flygon flew in the air with speed and charged up its wings with rising speed, while the defending compact dragon charged up its two sharp tails again in an attempt to make another attack. The small Pokémon charged up, and Flygon unleashed a Double Dragon Tornado that spread out like a laser and attacked both the seperated tails that were charging, making Sharpoile flinch and Rick losing 20% of his points to 90 with the red and orange blast, continuing to follow the small Pokémon as it landed on the ground with its attack canceled; Sharpoile teleported quickly around the field as the two tornados homed in the field, with speed so quick that it seemed like a blur, costing Drew 5% of his points for missing until it managed to hit the panicking Pokémon with both tornados, costing Rick 20%.

Drew had a proud look that his Pokémon was able to cost Rick more points than he lost. I'm impressed with the way that my Flygon can manage to battle an operated Pokémon on its own. Then again, he is raised to be able to fit any situation, and is one that I can trust. Things like this make me wonder why I always act the way that I do anyways.

Rick began to crack an irritated look on his face, but not one too harsh that he didn't trust the power of his Pokémon. "You're not going to let that oversized, evolved, and higher-leveled Pokémon take advantage of you like that, are you? As you can see, it has no operator at this point, so we might as well beat the brawns for brains Pokémon and get this one over with." I'm surprised that any Pokémon can get away with doing something like this against one of mines, and not only that, but this one can manage to do so without any help from its Trainer! This Drew surely does live up to the legends that people all over the world know and keep, but I'm here to take that away. "I think that you know what to do . . . if that thing's going to be using double-attacks, then we might as well use triple-attacks!"

Drew had a look of shock on his face, as he could tell what attack this one was going to be without even knowing the name. This is the one that he used to beat me before. And the one that he used to beat May in the first round of battles in this Pokémon Contests . . . should I have Flygon . . . no. I have to let it do this on its own. It's been doing better in the battle so far without any of my commands, so giving it some isn't going to work in any way. I have to honor my words. "Flygon, do whatever you can so that you can dodge this attack! I believe in you. The same way that you and all of my other Pokémon believe in me for advice whenever we battle. Now make this one to remember and take that thing down once and for all!"

May was pleasantly surprised at Drew. That guy sure has turned over a whole new leaf. He doesn't just go for the direct facts when battling anymore. He actually believes in his Pokémon with faith now. Something that is more important than winning or any of that other crap. No wonder . . . so lucky to be traveling with someone . . . so . . . CUTE! "Go Drew!"

Sharpoile shook itself, looking as if it was about to fart, when the two daggers dropped onto the wooden arena as if they were poop that was just released, except this time it was sharp metal, which made a loud clanging sound as it jittered on the brown field, with the gleaming sun glowing on the silvery metal. The metal began to glow with increasing itensity, a glittery silver that sparkled in the eyes of Drew, Sap, Syrus, and May as they watched the center stage, and began to form two other shadows on the ground that were shaped as Sharpoile was. They materialized like black paper lifted up from a table, and gained color that resembled Sharpoile's orangeish color, but more pale and empty than the original one. This caused Flygon to gulp down a little, as the Sharpoile began to attack; the fakes spliting the one dagger for each into two for one. They began slicing rapidly, each of them going from a different direction and slashing Flygon as the tails twirled like two knives ready to kill or butcher something, and hit the poor mystic Pokémon rapidly to make Drew lose from 65% to 35% as six hits costed five points each.

Drew with a stoic look, stared at his Pokémon hopefully. I know that you have the skill, and the power to make it out of this situation. I believe in you. he looked at Flygon, then the dragon nodded as if it was able to read Drew's mind. Drew focused his eyes after turning for Sharpoile to wonder what can happen to it from his loyal Pokémon.

The next few slashes missed Flygon, causing Rick to lose 5% for doing so and reducing his points to 55%. The Flygon continued dodging the rapid Pokémon, and when it got to the edge of the field, vaulted itself high into the air and tricking the two copies to rushing off the field, where they were startled and couldn't attack back, as Flygon's wings both glowed silver (Steel Wing) and sent out a wave of energy from the charging flaps that slashed through the fakes and destroyed them both, costing Rick to lose 10% for each in respective order and blowing his points to tie up to what Drew has presently, 35%. The two sharp tails dropped from the copies and teleported themselves back to the original Pokémon, whom is undamaged at all and is about to be attacked by the Flygon with a charged up Red Laser from the glowing visors that released the energy, but missed as the small Dragon moved with speed originating from rage, costing Drew 5 points to 30%. Flygon was fazed by the speed and couldn't move.

Rick chuckled, "You know, you're the only person so far that I have battled in any competition that has been able to give me a run for my money. This may seem like a thingyy comment, but you know what I'm saying is true, right?" he laughed mildly, which annoyed May in the stands and put a puzzling look on his parent's face. "I see that you're having a good time here while we're battling in this good match." he pointed up to the counter, which showed only one minute left before the match was over and counting down. "But as life goes and as we all know, all good things must come to an end. And the end for you and your Pokémon is about to be here as if you were just one in my way, but dreams of battling you have been realized."

Flygon began charging a green aura DragonBreath in his mouth, while Sharpoile began using the daggers as if they were whips with large metal in the end to attack. DragonBreath and Sharp Tail hit and missed continuously, costing Drew and Rick 5 points at a time slowly and slowly, until Sharpoile managed to hit the Flygon twice, smacking two fives at once and smashing Drew's points lower than Rick's. Flygon managed to keep attacking with Double Gusts, which also reduced five points from Rick twice, until both scores were the same, with only 5% left in both of the score counters, impressing the judges. Both Pokémon stared at each other in the sudden death situation that was about to happen, and only thirty seconds on the clock.

"This is getting to be one of the closest matches that I have ever seen in a Pokémon Contest!" announced Vivian. "Who will win? Who will win? The rest is up to these two Pokémon Trainers that are well-known across the country!"

"One more," said Drew.

"One more," repeated Rick.

Flygon began charging up Dragon Blast attack as an orange and yellow ball was enlargened in its mouth as time went, making all of the people of the audience mumble about who would be the winner of this round. Sharpoile put on a look of worry as if it knew that it was going to die from this attack, but then sinisterly chuckled, making Drew alert to what would happen soon. Drew and Rick both had a stern look on their faces as Flygon got ready to attack with Dragon Blast.

Drew stared around and had a terrified look, Oh no! This is bad . . . I can't believe that this would happen! "Flygon, watch out for it!"

"Heh heh heh . . . " grinned Rick. "You got it!"

Flygon released the Dragon Blast attack, which shot out a supercharged fireball that rushed up to the petit Pokémon. Suddenly, all one two of the steel tails that were left from when the fake Sharpoiles were destroyed were lifted into the air as if telekinesis was being performed on them, and it appeared right in front of Flygon's attack! The shard casted a reflection of Flygon on it and that attack hit the two shards, mirroring back a powerful blast that looked like two Dragon Blasts back at the frozen Flygon, hitting it with intense force and it struggling to escape from the dragon flames surrounding it and burning it. After a few moments, the flames vanished and Flygon lost all of its points, fainted with closed, shaking eyes.

The clock ran out and battle out was also performed as the judges put Xs on their counters, and Drew also having zero points left as he ran over to his defeated Pokémon with a face that looked like it was about to burst into tears. He kneeled down at his damaged Pokémon and softly touched it with his gentle hands. "Are you okay, Flygon? That was a great battle that you gave me. One of the best that you have given me . . . ever! You deserve a nice long rest. Thank you for giving a great performance like that. You deserve it." Drew took out his Poké Ball and returned the Dragon and Flying Mystic Flygon back inside, with gentle eyes before it went inside. "I guess that even after getting this far, I still have a lot to learn."

May ran over to where Drew was after he walked out of the stage and onto where the spectators were. "I feel so sorry that you weren't able to win that battle. Is your Flygon alright? Does it need anything?" That was so close! I can't believe that Drew, I mean Drew, wasn't able to win something like that. Rick must have cheated somehow. That's the only way that someone could have been able to beat him with a lower-leveled, unevolved, and smaller Pokémon!

Drew smiled at those words, "You don't have to feel sorry for me, May. I had . . . now what did you call it? . . . fun . . . yeah. I had fun during the battle, and I was glad that I was able to bond with my Pokémon like that. It really gave me a chance to let Flygon express himself during battle. But I think that changing too much is unhealthy for me. I need to slow the thing down a little bit . . . "

May smiled with her eyes closed in joy. "Those words were so . . . me! I guess that you're learning from the master!" May went next to Drew and gave him a gentle and light hug, making Drew blush a little before he slowly pryed May off his body, as she would hug it forever. "Aww . . . your soft skin is sooo nice! I wish that I could get some of that nice and cool and so-on skin!"

"What?!" yelled Drew in a surprising voice, but not one that indicated that he was angry or such. "I know that it's interesting, but you have to learn how to give me some personal space, you know!" his voice lowered into what was the volume of a whisper, but didn't have any rasp, "Thanks May . . . for letting me open up to who I really should be."

"You're welcome!" said May. "Anytime!"

[Torchic23]

Ooooo! That's my favorite part of your whole story so far! We have jealousy! It's perfect, you're not rushing and yet you still make it seem as though Drew likes May, I love the hints! Yup, this is my favorite so far, I can't wait to read about the battle!

[Harley Scarow]

The last battle of the semi-finals had Harley and Professor Sap on the field, with Harley making his usual showoff movements, examples being gay-armsies, blowing kisses, and crying without any purpose. Sap stared at Harley, having a curious look as she blinked many times; Harley was on the floor rolling around as if he was in a pile of leaves, and almost fell off the field before he rolled back the other way. Many people in the crowd were either laughing or disgusted at the way that Harley was acting, and Sap began to get slightly annoyed by the antics. He stood up and jumped up and down on the field, with the look of a spoiled three-year-old on his face, looking as if he wanted some candy, milk, or a toy from his parent or another person.

"What in the world do you think that you're doing, acting like some kind of girl before a battle with me, making a complete waste and fool of yourself?" asked Sap. "This is supposed to be a Pokémon Contest. You're not supposed to be the one that acts out the entire battle for people that are expecting beautful appeals. Don't bore me to death with the dumb moves that you've done before you battled my husband in the first round, because I can assure you that they won't work on me for all that I can say. You're supposed to have your Pokémon do that for you as you compete in the battle, the one being against me! And I'm going to get back at you for what you did to him and what you made him go through!"

Harley felt insulted and yelled out loud, "You dare to think that the way that I'm acting like now isn't of wonderful and pure magnificent, mortal? You show no sense of originality and ways of expression yourself in a way that you would like and what other people would enjoy watching as I make super-cool poses that they would never be able to make!" some of the members of the crowded began booing towards Harley for saying such a rude remark like that, others laughed that he wasn't saying anything true. "Well then I shall destroy you in front of me and feed you to the Sckows right now, because they are so much cooler than you or your friends. Do you really want me to do something that evil and cool to you right here and right now, do you, do you?"

Sap had a wonderous yet creeped look on her face and asked, while the people in the crowd stopped laughing and booing at the ranting Harley on stage. "What in the Pokémon World are the 'Sckows'? I thought that the name of the group that you are in charge of is called the Scarows, and I have to say that's a name that sounds kind of weird if you, or anybody else in this crowd would ask me. If you're not able to say the name of the gang that you have and you made, then I'm afraid that I have to say that you're one sad person in every sense of the word. Wait . . . let me take those words back. You're already a sad person to the eyes of everyone in this crowd in every sense of the word. There. I corrected myself."

Harley chuckled, with the members of the crowd making the sound that kids would make when they're in school or somewhere outside when one of them says a diss to the other person that greatly impacts and embarasses that person. Harley then opened his eyes widely and lectured Sap in a sly voice that sounded as if it was something obvious, what he was going to say, and swung his long, purple hair around. "I think that you should be happy that you never met any of the Skrows yet. You, May and Drew went up against two of my big minions so far, but you may have noticed that there was no support in the battles, meaning that was the main reason why they lost to me all this time. Or it could be the fact that they were utterly pathetic."

Vivian ran out onto the stage, with her usual look of carelessness as she held her microphone dangerously out and made hollow panel sounds as she walked onto the wooden field. "The trash talking has already begun and the battle hasn't even started yet! This match will decide who will go to the final round of this Pokémon Contest, going up against the winner of the last battle, Rick, and ending this round!" she pointed over to the overhead projector above her as it lit up, showing the five minutes, a girly picture of Harley, and a stern yet happy look on Sap. "Let's make this battle a good one and the next battle a better matchup!" she ran out of the field. "Now if all of us in this battle are ready, let the battle begin!"

Harley took out his Poké Ball flavored with the green shades and dark spikes of a Cacturne, and it released a green beam that sent out the flat, purple, and empty-faced Rafflsite onto the middle of the field, releasing a slight scent of discomfort to the people of the crowd in a gaze that would seem as if it was dead. Having no emotion, it didn't say anything, but slightly tilted its petals in a soft manner as the gentle wind floating was the only thing that made it show some signs of life. Some of the black dots that were located as a pattern on the edge of it shifted color slightly as the rays of the sun reflected on the glow, making it shine and the dust visible rather than just smell, and Harley sniffing the scent as if it was a drug.

Professor Sap threw her regular red and white Poké Ball, landing and releasing a red beam of energy that sent out her Bevadam, the Water and Wood type Pokémon that resembled a large, dark-brown beaver with many logs as its tail. It made a loud noise as it landed, with many of the logs on its tail making a crackling sound as part of the field slightly tingled as it did so. It's nails were a healthy silver and it was kind of bulky, but with eyes that it was a kind Pokémon that was ready for an honorable battle. The smell that was released slightly from the opposing Pokémon didn't seem to damage or affect it in anyway, as it took its left foot, raised it, and stomped it back on the ground like a sumo wrestler ready for a battle with an opposing one.

Professor Sap thought, I can't make the same mistakes that happened the last time I saw my husband battle and lose like that, so I'm going to have to wait for a little while before I make my move just in case, so that I can see what he's going to do and counteract that one. All of the moves that he did from the Appeal Round and last round had some kind of creepy feeling to it and I don't want my Pokémon to experience something like that. But I wonder if that thing is going to be moving at all, considering the way that it has been acting so strangely in all of the battles that I've seen it be in so far. she turned her head directly to the battle. "So, Harley. Normally it's lady's first, but why don't I let you make the next move? Just to make sure that the slow Pokémon doesn't get overwhelmed by my big and strong one."

In the crowd, Drew had a worried look on his face that the move that she just did might be a bad one. I doubt that something like this would work, because stalling too long during a Contest Battle is bound to make sure that you lose points along the way, as it shows no reaction and trust between Pokémon. But lets wait and see if she has some method to recooperate after they both lose points from pulling off a stunt like this. The wind slowly dangled Drew's beautiful green hair, and May came closer to him by three centimeters, making him move out of the way in a look of discomfort. "Can you give me some space, May. I always let you do whatever you want, but a person has to get some distance from another one, even from a friend like you."

May laughed a little. I think that he's just saying that to me for the sake of saying that to me. He knows that me getting closer to him like this isn't what he wants to think, so I better cover this entire thing up. "Sorry, Drew." she moved the same distance back. "It's just that, the person that's sitting next to me now won't move so you get the idea why I'm doing that."

Drew had jotted eyes. "What in the world are you talking about? There's nobody sitting next to you so I have no idea why you would want to get so close to me." he pointed at the empty seat that was next to May, with a look that he just proved something to her, even though that was a small subject. I have to somehow cover this one up before I get into trouble with her!

Back on the center stage, the judges were having their hands on their heads, and kneeling down on the scoring desks with a look of boredom as Vivian ran out to the stage, with the same annoyed look that they had as one minute was already shaved off the clock. Even her microphone dangling was weaker than what it was before as she went onto the dry stage. "What a . . . how can I say this one . . . a unique and fun battle that this one has turned out so far! I hope that these two competitors better go and do something before . . . what can I say again . . . ?" she thought with her finger on her chin. "Yeah . . . before I knock them out myself and face Rick in the last battle! Now let's make thing one a good one . . . I said that before, right . . . ?"

Drew looked at the scoreboard with focusing eyes as he saw that both Sap and Harley lost points slowly, with a message on the center reading "Contest Point reduction penalty for stalling during a battle". He thought to himself, Yep, I was right. I knew that something like this would happen to anybody that was stalling the other person during a battle. Now I have to hope that Sap has some kind of plan in order to get the parasite Pokémon and take it down before it can do some trick on the Bevadam. he tilted his head and looked at the scoreboard again, with both Coordinators having only 50% of the total points left and two minutes having already chipped off from the original five. Whatever she's thinking about, it better work.

Sap had a shocked look on her face as she looked at the scoreboard, while Harley was laughing his head off that Sap would have a reaction like that. She turned over to Harley's direction and began yelling at him, "What in the world are you laughing at, you crazy? You lost as many points as I lost so you shouldn't be going nuts like that. The difference is that in the end, I'm going to win because my Pokémon is quicker than yours and more powerful that it. Normally, it's lady's first, but because of you and your . . . ways . . . I say that you should go and make one before you cost both of us even more points than we have already lost, okay you person man?" she tilted her glasses after what she just yelled to Harley.

Harley continued laughing, but slowly settled down as the image on his face turned to one that showed he was annoyed by Sap's words, and twisted his purple hair around a bit as he stared at the two Pokémon and said, "Do you really think that I give a d**n about the stupid words that you're saying right now? A battle is a battle, no matter how boring or stupid you think the thing is, even though this one is as dumb as you are! I don't think that you're realizing the brilliant strategy that I'm currently putting up against your Pokémon! It's going to make sure that you go to hell." he looked at his Pokémon and smiled an evil look. "If you want some action in this here battle so much, then I'll give it to you! Rafflsite, use your Smog attack!"

Vivian was lying down on the ground, yawning from the boredom that she and the other judges experienced during the so-far tedious battle. "Finally something good's going to happen in this battle . . . " she yawned again. rubbed her eyes, and opened them widely as if she just realized something and quickly got on her feet with her hands brushing her long legs from some of the sand dust that collected on them. "Did that guy just say Smog attack?! This isn't going to be a good thing . . . " she ran by the judges and began announcing in her usual perky, yet worried way. "I'm afraid that Harley's Pokémon is here to give us another noseful, people, so watch out for what's going to happen next! I would advise that you people use a set of noseplugs, though!"

The purple and emotionless Rafflsite's eyes opened widely as if a magical force somehow sparked instant life into it, as it was bulging out with red veins on the white part and the petals shaking an immense force, opening up some of the gaps inside of it as if it was artillery ready for battle against an invading army. It shook like a dog getting its tail pulled and released a dangerous purple gas that had violet drops of rain, appearing as if they were from the dangerous Poison-type attack Sludge Bomb, as it scattered across the field and the fog of darkness shielding the sludges as it traveled across the field. A horrific smell could be sniffed from around the field, with the center arena at the worst condition with the impending gas traveling to where Sap was standing and making her cough intensely while her Bevadam tried running away from the putrid poison, but failed when the speed of it became quicker and quicker.

Bevadam struggled as the Smog choked it like poison-filled hands materializing from dust, and struggled to look at its trainer as she was coughing intensely from the poison. "Beva . . . " the poor big brown beaver Pokémon made attempts to walk over to the wheezing trainer, while having Harley snicker at the condition that it was in when it looked as if it was about to fall onto the ground and die from the sudden attack. It did fall onto the wooden ground, and Harley snickered even more, and as if that somehow gave confidence and willing for it to regain strength, it got back up with a loud grunt, arriving at its trainer's side and patting her on the back to void the increasing rate of coughing. They both smiled at each other, even though the score counter showed to them that they lost 20% of points, reducing their total down to 30 as they didn't care about what happened.

Sao began to talk to Bevadam, "I know that you're worried about me, and I greatly appreciate your concern and love for that, but you have to get back into the fight and keep the idea of the battle in your mind. After all, he's the one that plotted the entire thing on the island where you came from, remember? You're such a great and loyal Pokémon, and you know that I will always be loyal to you whenever and whatever it counts. It doesn't matter if that oversized Pokémon he has can poison our bodies, internally and externally. What matters is that he can't ever poison our hearts and minds." she patted the listening Pokémon. "Now get back in there and do your best my friend; don't let anything there stop you from giving it your all!"

Vivian, even though she was coughing from the spreading gas that began to pollute the air of the crowd, and even the atmosphere of the people on the streets, stood up and began to say a few words, "What words of encouragement have we heard today from the great professor!" she said as she coughed as some of the people in the crowd were. "Even through all of the things that have happened so far whenever Harley was on stage, she can still manage to keep her cool in the midst of a battle and not have to worry about the conditions, which is something that every single successful Coordinator must keep in mind whenever he or she is competing with others, or battling life. It's all the same, dudes and dudlets!"

Harley was laughing at the words that Sap was saying. "I can't believe that I can even say this, but that is one of the most corniest things that I have ever heard!" he laughed his trademark style. "The funny thing is that it came out even more cornball than that stupid husband of yours that I fought in the first round of this competition!" he laughed again. "Haven't you ever learned that crap like that doesn't get you anywhere that you want in life, you corny loser of a scientist? All that it takes is for you to get what you want for the last time that I can even remind someone about that. But at the meantime, Rafflsite, why don't you kick up the gas and give these pathetic Coordinators something to remember about?!"

The power and smell of the gas increased in a great difference as the putridness became worse and worse while time was passing, causing Sap to cough again and her Pokémon being too worried about itself this time so that it can help out its suffering trainer. Bevadam began to wheeze, and points dropped by 5% as it continued on without having any idea of what was happening. Soon, it made a shocking movement as if it was choking on something and began gagging, with its eyes in an appearence that seemed as if it would pop out at any moment and arms on the neck trying to remove whatever was stuck in its throat. It began jumping in an attempt to do so, and to no avail, it fell onto the ground with a look of lack of air on its face.

Sap was astonished at the sight that she was barely able to see, as she had to look through the dark, purple mist so that she could see anything, with her hands over part of her face to protect herself from the itensifying poison, and her eyes in a stern look trying to figure out her Pokémon's reaction. She coughed as she talked these words, "I . . . I . . . can't believe that this is happening . . . I can barely see a thing, and if I can't, then how will my Bevadam be able to manage along the way in this battle right now . . . ?" she closed her eyes and coughed intensely, struggling to look at the scene again. When she saw Harley laughing, she yelled at him, "What do you think that you're laughing at, you demented man?! And you better tell me how a Smog attack is able to choke my Pokémon as if it ate something dangerous! It's only supposed to make the Pokémon suffocate, not give it a poisonous meal!"

Harley laughed, and a few globs of dark, purple acid flew in the air, which he snatched with his hands and put the blob in his mouth, licking his lips and savoring the taste of it as he had an even more demented look on his face. "I thought that you of all people would know the answer to the question that you just asked me, professor. As you can see, this is a Contest Battle, not just a regular old battle that many pathetic people compete in. That means I can do whatever I want with the attacks that I unleash upon you, including mixing attacks with others! My Rafflsite is specially designed to release poisonous spit blobs whenever it uses an attack like this, so there you have it. However, I say that the Bevadam that you have has bad taste, since that gumdrop tasted perfectly well to me!"

Sap stepped back a little, with her hands covering her glasses as she did so in a way that seemed she was even more frightened of the demented Harley than before. This guy is more nuts than I thought that he could be. I know that a person with a sadistic mind would use combination attacks like this, but loving the poisonous taste of something that would be able to kill a Pokémon is just plain sick. I don't even think that this guy even goes into the human category! She looked at her suffering Pokémon and sweated of worry. I don't think that my Pokémon is able to continue on this battle . . . maybe I should . . . Sap raised her hand high in the air. "I know that this might be a bad idea, but I QUIT this battle! I forfeit!"

Vivian had a look of surprise on her face. "Are you sure that you want to do something like this, professor Sap? There's still a chance that you might be able to turn the tables in this Contest Battle. You might want to reconsider this, do you?" Vivian saw that Sap's decision was decided, and jolted her hands high in the air for a signal. "I'm sorry to have to say this folks, but the renowned professor Sap has forfeited this battle, thus handing the final round entry to the devious Harley and his Rafflsite!" as she said those words, yelling of "boo", "this sucks!", and "don't do this!" rushed through the crowd. "The next battle of this unfortunate result will be Harley vs. Rick for the match to get the Maple Town ribbon, which will be taking place at 3:00PM!"

Sap returned her Pokémon back into its Poké Ball, with a look that seemed as if a river of tears were going to flow down her pale and poisoned face, staring at the Poké Ball with a weak smile and silently said to herself, "I know that you tried your best to win this battle for me, and I greatly appreciate you doing something like that for me and not giving up the battle even when you could have. But there are some things that are more important to me than a victory and a chance at getting a ribbon." Some tears rained down her face. "You know what that is, right? You're more important to me than that - much more important than anything I could think of." As she walked down the steps that led down to the audience weakly, she almost fell. Attempting to try again, she fainted, with her husband and son quickly grabbing her before she actually hit the ground.

Harley, chuckling on stage as he walked down the steps of the other side, yelled out, "Oh no! Your Pokémon lost! I feel so sorry for you because you fought in such a great battle but had to leave in an honorable way in the end! . . . Not! You are such a pathetic and corny loser, you know that? I can't believe that you would bail out on your Pokémon like that, even if it looks like you're going to lose. Nah nah nah nah nah! The thing is that, you just messed up your son as well, because he's going down for the count in the next battle. First I took down your dumb husband, then you, now it's going to be your son. Your family tree's going down for the count and there's nothing that you're going to be able to do about it!"

Rick, holding his defeated mother, slowly handed her over to Syrus as he rose up and stood up for himself and his family, with a look of determination getting ready for the words that he was about to say to the delirious Harley after the gay just got his victory over the unpredicable forfeit, "You may have been able to take down my mom and my dad, but that doesn't mean that you're going to be able to take me down! Third time's the charm and I have to say that lady luck is going to be on my side today as I win my third ribbon to get to the festival of this country, leaving you in a state that will teach you a lesson not to mess with my family and ever have the guts to show your face in Maple Town ever again! Time to battle!"

[Torchic23]

I liked the finished Drew/Rick battle, I was disappointed that Rick didn't go after May, remember the deal they made at the beginning of the battle? Well, Harley/Sap's battle should be good too....

[Harley Scarow]

Well I was planning to make something like that happen a little bit later in the story, if you get where I'm getting at. It's never good to slap it in, like the way that some dumb shows on Kids WB always do, and those kinds will overwhelm the channel later. First, I want to make Rick more developed, then things can start to get more interesting. I'm not sure if making May somewhat "cheat" on Drew is a good thing . . . maybe it can be an entire arc, one where all of the people can see that something like this can happen in real life and May can learn a lesson!

By the way, I was copying and pasting all of the stories that I have wrote so far onto the Microsoft Word stuff, and I found out that they turn out to be, like, over 85 pages! Some people say that having a lot of pages is a good thing but I really go against that. For one thing, it's quality over quantity; another is that printer-friendly stuff is usually preferred more. One of my teachers, Ms. Johnston, said I should make a short novel out of this . . . ? I should wait.

[Torchic23]

I'm not saying you should have May actually cheat on Drew, but Rick should at least say something about it. It could add to his character, showing that he doesn't forget deals and such, but it's your story and your choice so I don't plan to interfere

You should turn it into a novel, it's an awsome story!

[Harley Scarow]

Here is Harley's Rafflsia that I scratch sprited:

[Torchic23]

Great! You finished! I'll read the river thingy when I finally get done with school stuff. I'm sorry I've been so inactive, school takes a lot of my time unfortunatly...

[Harley Scarow]

Me too. Two more exams and a double project and I'm outta middle school and making my way into high!