013 // video/action for Violet!
[ Who has two thumbs and is getting his poor ass kicked for at least the third time in as many days?
That's right, it's Falkner. This battle is brought to you by Tempest, the Riolu perched on the stands over there, for those who are present and can see him. Those who are watching vicariously through video might be alerted to the cameraman's identity by his occasional quiet chanting when waiting for an attack to land.
Quistis stands on her side of the arena with a whip in hand. She works comfortably with it, and offers no verbal cues to her Pokémon - they respond readily to the whip crack, and they seem to know what to do.
The first round is pitiful - with a ten-level difference in power, Quistis' Skarmory takes Falkner's Noctowl apart with little trouble and hardly a scratch on him. He doesn't seem too enthusiastic about winning so easily, though.
King is recalled and replaced with Blitz, who, as of this week, is a stomping, trumpeting Ampharos. (Yes. She trumpets.) Blitz faces off against Falkner's Honchkrow with fervor, and takes great pleasure in knocking it out of the air again and again with devastating Electric attacks. This round, too, is less than thrilling, though Blitz seems massively pleased with herself, bleating gleefully over the fallen Honchkrow before Quistis calls her back, too.
It's the final round that merits attention: a pair of glowering Pidgeots.
Quistis' Aero spends the first few minutes of the match swooping high above his opponent, sailing clear of any incoming attacks with relative ease. This lasts only until Falkner, tiring of Quistis and her team's lofty games, puts his Pidgeot on the offensive. ]
Pidgeot, use Fly!
[ Even from a distance, you can see Quistis smile as the whip cracks in the air again.
Aero lets himself drop below his adversary, turning onto his back to deliver a powerful Gust attack. Pidgeot is sent tumbling from the air, though it rights itself before it crashes and comes sailing back up quickly, claws out, to strike Aero full in the back.
They exchange blows, grappling in the air, until Aero manages to break free. As they circle one another, wheeling and shrieking angrily, Quistis' whip cracks again. Aero cuts across to strike, faster than the camera can track, and veers away instantly. ]
Roost!
[ And that, ladies and gents, is what Quistis didn't plan for.
For every attack Aero gets in while Pidgeot is preparing Fly, he gets it back just as hard in retaliation. For every extra assault he launches, Pidgeot needs just a second to recover the damage he's done.
When it becomes apparent that Aero won't be able to finish this, Quistis reluctantly returns him to his ball. Falkner chuckles, sounding more pleased than malicious. He's probably just happy not to have lost yet. ]
This is the resplendent power of flight!
[ Quistis had another ball in hand when he spoke, but on his words, she switches it for a different one. Her Skarmory reappears, and the aerial battle resumes.
The difference is that, while a Skarmory is easily outmaneuvered by a Pidgeot, Pidgeot's devastating Fly attack isn't so devastating to King. He takes each hit like a champ and comes back for more; half of Pidgeot's strikes simply glance off his steel hide, and it's easy to imagine that he barely feels them.
At last, Pidgeot gets too far away from King, allowing the larger bird one solid blow, which throws it solidly into the ground. King lands beside the unmoving bird and folds his wings solemnly. ]
Argh... my dad's cherished bird Pokémon.... [ Notice how he doesn't look surprised? ] ... I suppose you won. This is yours. [ He offers up the badge, which Quistis comes forward to accept with a gracious dip of her head. ]
Your birds aren't half-bad. It's nice to find someone else who recognizes their majesty.
[ Quistis smiles. ] I hope my Pidgeot can become half as excellent as yours.
... Thank you.
Here. [ He hands over a shining disc, which Quistis takes with interest. ] TM51, Roost. With this, he might be.
[ Battle over, Tempest runs to join his trainer, 'Gear held over his head. ]
That's right, it's Falkner. This battle is brought to you by Tempest, the Riolu perched on the stands over there, for those who are present and can see him. Those who are watching vicariously through video might be alerted to the cameraman's identity by his occasional quiet chanting when waiting for an attack to land.
Quistis stands on her side of the arena with a whip in hand. She works comfortably with it, and offers no verbal cues to her Pokémon - they respond readily to the whip crack, and they seem to know what to do.
The first round is pitiful - with a ten-level difference in power, Quistis' Skarmory takes Falkner's Noctowl apart with little trouble and hardly a scratch on him. He doesn't seem too enthusiastic about winning so easily, though.
King is recalled and replaced with Blitz, who, as of this week, is a stomping, trumpeting Ampharos. (Yes. She trumpets.) Blitz faces off against Falkner's Honchkrow with fervor, and takes great pleasure in knocking it out of the air again and again with devastating Electric attacks. This round, too, is less than thrilling, though Blitz seems massively pleased with herself, bleating gleefully over the fallen Honchkrow before Quistis calls her back, too.
It's the final round that merits attention: a pair of glowering Pidgeots.
Quistis' Aero spends the first few minutes of the match swooping high above his opponent, sailing clear of any incoming attacks with relative ease. This lasts only until Falkner, tiring of Quistis and her team's lofty games, puts his Pidgeot on the offensive. ]
Pidgeot, use Fly!
[ Even from a distance, you can see Quistis smile as the whip cracks in the air again.
Aero lets himself drop below his adversary, turning onto his back to deliver a powerful Gust attack. Pidgeot is sent tumbling from the air, though it rights itself before it crashes and comes sailing back up quickly, claws out, to strike Aero full in the back.
They exchange blows, grappling in the air, until Aero manages to break free. As they circle one another, wheeling and shrieking angrily, Quistis' whip cracks again. Aero cuts across to strike, faster than the camera can track, and veers away instantly. ]
Roost!
[ And that, ladies and gents, is what Quistis didn't plan for.
For every attack Aero gets in while Pidgeot is preparing Fly, he gets it back just as hard in retaliation. For every extra assault he launches, Pidgeot needs just a second to recover the damage he's done.
When it becomes apparent that Aero won't be able to finish this, Quistis reluctantly returns him to his ball. Falkner chuckles, sounding more pleased than malicious. He's probably just happy not to have lost yet. ]
This is the resplendent power of flight!
[ Quistis had another ball in hand when he spoke, but on his words, she switches it for a different one. Her Skarmory reappears, and the aerial battle resumes.
The difference is that, while a Skarmory is easily outmaneuvered by a Pidgeot, Pidgeot's devastating Fly attack isn't so devastating to King. He takes each hit like a champ and comes back for more; half of Pidgeot's strikes simply glance off his steel hide, and it's easy to imagine that he barely feels them.
At last, Pidgeot gets too far away from King, allowing the larger bird one solid blow, which throws it solidly into the ground. King lands beside the unmoving bird and folds his wings solemnly. ]
Argh... my dad's cherished bird Pokémon.... [ Notice how he doesn't look surprised? ] ... I suppose you won. This is yours. [ He offers up the badge, which Quistis comes forward to accept with a gracious dip of her head. ]
Your birds aren't half-bad. It's nice to find someone else who recognizes their majesty.
[ Quistis smiles. ] I hope my Pidgeot can become half as excellent as yours.
... Thank you.
Here. [ He hands over a shining disc, which Quistis takes with interest. ] TM51, Roost. With this, he might be.
[ Battle over, Tempest runs to join his trainer, 'Gear held over his head. ]