The forest arena buzzed with excitement as Nosepass and Cacnea faced off in the center of the battlefield, both Pokémon showing signs of wear but neither willing to back down. The crowd leaned forward in anticipation, their cheers and murmurs blending with the rustling leaves of the surrounding forest.
Mathias clenched his fists, his voice steady and commanding. "Nosepass, push through! Use Rock Throw again, but aim to block Cacnea's movement this time!"
Nosepass let out a low rumble as it stomped the ground, dislodging a large chunk of rock. With a forceful jerk of its body, it hurled the rock not directly at Cacnea, but to the ground near it, the impact creating debris and dust that obscured the Grass-type's view.
Cedric's sharp eyes caught the tactic and he acted quickly. "Cacnea, stay mobile! Jump and use Pin Missile!"
Cacnea leapt into the air, avoiding the dust cloud and firing a rapid volley of sharp needles at Nosepass. The projectiles rained down, but Nosepass stood firm, its Harden-enhanced defenses absorbing most of the damage.
"Lets go, Nosepass!" Mathias called. "Power up and use Zap Cannon!"
A surprisingly large amount of energy began to accumulate. A large ball of electricity soon formed before it shot out flying toward Cacnea.
Cedric's voice rang out before the attack could connect "Cacnea, sidestep then get in close and counter with Needle Arm!"
Cacnea darted to the side just as Nosepass's attack barreled past. It spun quickly, its arm glowing green and needles extending outward. The Needle Arm connected solidly with Nosepass's side, causing the Rock-type to stumble.
But Mathias wasn't done yet. "Shake it off, Nosepass! Use Lock-on to corner it!"
Nosepass planted itself firmly on the battlefield, its magnetic energy radiating outward. A glowing barrier of energy sprang up around the arena, boxing in Cacnea and preventing it from dodging freely. The crowd gasped as they watched the clever maneuver.
Cedric's eyes narrowed. "Clever move, but we're not done yet! Cacnea, go for Leech Seed again!"
Cacnea fired another set of seeds at Nosepass, and the vines from the first Leech Seed attack writhed to life again, continuing to sap energy from the Rock-type and transfer it back to Cacnea. The Grass-type visibly perked up, its stamina recovering slightly.
The crowd cheered for Cacnea's resilience, but Mathias wasn't ready to give up. He steadied himself and called out, "Nosepass, one more push! Use Bpdy Slam with everything you've got!"
Nosepass gathered its strength, its body trembling slightly under the strain, and charged forward with incredible force.
Cedric's eyes widened. "Cacnea, counter with Needle Arm! No holding back!"
Cacnea charged to meet Nosepass, its arm glowing brightly as it prepared its attack. The two Pokémon collided in the center of the battlefield with an ear-splitting crash, sending up a cloud of dust that obscured the view.
The audience held their breath, waiting to see which Pokémon would emerge victorious. As the dust settled, the scene became clear.
Nosepass was stuggling on the ground, panting heavily, its rock-like skin dulled. Cacnea stood above it, its own body shaking but still upright showing visible signs of exhaustion, yet it stood strong. The rock-type tried to stand but its legs gave out and it slumped to the ground, unable to continue.
Daniel stepped forward, raising his hand to signal the end of the match. "Nosepass is unable to battle! Cacnea is the winner!"
The crowd erupted into applause and cheers, many standing to clap for both trainers and their Pokémon. Cedric knelt down, his face breaking into a wide smile as he placed a hand on Cacnea's side. "We did it, buddy. You were amazing out there."
Mathias approached Nosepass, kneeling beside his partner with a look of admiration. "You were incredible. I couldn't have asked for a better partner, I'm proud of you."
Daniel addressed the crowd, his voice cutting through the noise. "Let's hear it for both trainers and their Pokémon! This was a battle of strategy, resilience, and heart, where everyone gave it their all!"
The crowd roared again, their excitement carrying through the forest.
~~~
While the inhabitants of Nahir were enjoying the spectacle, back in the Kingdom of Luthadel, The Court Magician was currently in a place that, although it appeared to be a normal woodworking shop, it was actually a base of operations for for a criminal group. While they didn't have a "clean" reputaion, this group would be willing to complete just about any task as long as the price was right.
Victor had been a magician for as long as he could remember. Ever since his talent in sorcery had been discovered as a child, he'd had everything he could ever want handed to him on a silver platter. Whether it be money, books, artifacts, or resources, he had it all.
But now, after secretly asking the King to demand some of those beasts from this "Daniel," he had been refused. "You've seen, as well as I have the capabilities of these creatures, and how they all follow that man. I will not jeopardize this kingdom's relationship with him over something like this. I'm sorry Victor, but that's final."
That had been the King's response to the Mage's request. Fuming on the inside, yet appearing to accept it calmly on the outside, Victor left the King and headed straight here.
After ensuring he wasn't being followed, he went inside the "shop." Soon he was greeted by a stern man at the front desk who simply raised his eyebrows in mild surprise before nodding and reaching under his desk. What appeared to be a finely crafted, large wooden bear that was attached to the wall, suddenly split open right down the middle revealing a spiraling staircase behind it.
Victor began his decent, paying no mind to the sound of the entrance closing behind him. After quite a long decent, he reached the bottom and came upon a small, dimly lit room.
The room had two torches, each on opposite walls. A metal door opposite him with a unique design gave off a mysterious feeling. Other than that, it was completely empty and encased in cave walls, a clear sign that he was now underground.
Walking forward, he prepared to knock but before he could, a slit in the door was pulled open just enough to see eyes through an all white mask, behind the door.
"Information or task?" The voice behind the door was short and monotone. "Task," Victor replied, already aware of how they handled things here. He pulled out an unmarked letter he had made earlier explaining what he wanted in detail. Seeing this, the man slid a box open on the door. After depositing the letter, the box was promptly retrieved.
After a moment of silence, the masked man spoke again, his voice never changing. "Form of payment?" "Gold," the Magician replied immediately. "Special requirements?" "It's all written down but I'll reiterate, the creatures must be taken alive and after the King has visited in a few days time. He mustn't be there. I will not risk his involvement." Victor responded seriously.