Forest Clearing – Temporary Battle Arena
The wind held its breath as two Pokémon faced each other in the dappled sunlight.
On the left, Scizor, his crimson body gleaming, his wings twitching as he hovered just inches off the ground. His claws clicked once—calm, focused.
On the right, Espeon, perfectly poised, tail flicking in slow, calculated sways. Its violet eyes never blinked.
This was more than a battle.
It was a duel between philosophies.
Giselle raised her hand in flawless form, her voice clear and crisp.
"Espeon — Calm Mind, double stack.
—control the tempo."
Espeon glowed with pale violet light, the air around it shimmering as its mind sharpened, its power doubling behind an unbroken stillness.
Skylar responded with a nod.
"Scizor — Agility, shift left pattern.
—feel her rhythm."
Scizor blurred sideways, barely visible to the eye, circling with short, explosive bursts of motion that carved grooves into the forest floor.
First strike.
Giselle's voice snapped like a whip.
"Shadow Ball — spiral arc!"
The sphere formed in an instant and flew—not in a straight line, but spiraling wide, curving with precision meant to bait dodges.
Skylar didn't flinch.
"Jump. Close the distance."
Scizor launched himself skyward, letting the Shadow Ball pass under his feet, and shot downward toward Espeon like a bullet.
But Giselle had predicted it.
"Psybeam! 45-degree rise, right pivot!"
The beam fired diagonally.
Espeon spun cleanly out of the way.
The beam struck Scizor mid-dive — a glancing blow, but one that threw off his angle.
He hit the ground hard, skidding backward.
Giselle smiled.
"Your Scizor is fast," she said smoothly."But predictable."
Skylar gave a small shrug.
"Then predict this. Feint — reverse pattern, stagger!"
Scizor rushed again—but this time, halfway through the charge, his body blurred in a jagged zigzag, stopping and feinting left—
Then coming in from the right.
Espeon turned too late.
Scizor's claw slammed into its side — not a clean strike, but a heavy, armor-piercing blow that made the psychic Pokémon stagger.
Dust flew.
The forest floor trembled.
Giselle's jaw tightened.
"Recover! Then Mirror Coat!"
Espeon's body shimmered.
The bruise on its flank faded quickly—then its coat began glowing faintly with psychic energy, preparing to reflect any direct assault.
Skylar's eyes narrowed.
So… no brute force.
He called out sharply.
"Swords Dance — bait distance."
Scizor slowed.
Raised his arms.
Spun his body into a blur of deadly red energy, raising his attack.
He didn't approach — just watched, moving in a loose orbit, wings twitching.
Giselle smirked.
"Afraid to attack now?"
Skylar shook his head. "Not afraid. Just waiting for the illusion to break."
She frowned slightly.
Was he bluffing?
No. He was reading.
Studying.
Her Espeon's breathing.
Its posture.
It was subtle… but the Mirror Coat energy wasn't stable.
"It's starting to fray," Skylar realized."That Reflect technique isn't infinite."
He took a step forward.
"Scizor — Bullet Punch. Spiral angle. Go."
Scizor vanished.
And reappeared — mid-spin.
His claw blurred — spinning around Espeon in a cyclone.
He wasn't aiming directly.
He was circling, pressuring, fainting—
Until Mirror Coat flickered out—
And in that instant—
Strike.
Scizor's fist connected cleanly with Espeon's shoulder.
The sound was sharp, metallic.
Espeon flew back, struck a tree.
It got up slowly.
Shaking.
Eyes focused but wavering.
Giselle narrowed her eyes.
Her voice dropped.
"…Espeon. Future Sight. Then stand your ground."
Skylar's head tilted.
Interesting.
She was delaying, trying to lure him into the timing of Future Sight.
He smiled.
So he'd play it patient.
For nearly twenty seconds, the two Pokémon circled.
Breathing.
Calculating.
Measuring.
Waiting.
Then—
"Iron Head!" Skylar shouted.
Giselle countered instantly.
"Psychic — full redirect!"
Scizor lunged—
And was caught mid-air, frozen by a wave of violet light.
His body trembled.
The attack stopped cold.
Then—
From the sky—
Future Sight struck.
A psychic explosion engulfed the battlefield, centered on Scizor.
Dust. Force. Wind.
Silence.
As it cleared, Scizor was on one knee.
His claws dug into the earth.
Damaged.
But not defeated.
Across from him—
Espeon trembled.
Its psychic glow was flickering.
Both Pokémon were at their limits.
Giselle clenched her fists.
"This ends now," she hissed.
Skylar raised an eyebrow.
"It does."
His voice was calm.
Steady.
Like stone.
"Double Team. Then finish it with X-Scissor."
Scizor split into three blurs.
Espeon tried to track—her eyes darted between them—
Too slow.
Too much pressure.
The real Scizor appeared behind her—
And slashed in a perfect X across her back.
Espeon collapsed.
Unconscious.
The referee—Lucario, acting as neutral observer—nodded and raised one paw.
"Victory… Scizor."
Giselle's world paused.
For the first time in years—
She'd lost a one-on-one engagement.
She blinked at her fainted partner.
Then slowly looked at Skylar.
He didn't gloat.
He didn't speak.
He just gently nodded.
"You still want to go on?" he asked quietly.
Giselle's jaw tightened.
She returned Espeon to its ball.
And drew the second.
Her eyes gleamed again with pride.
"I said two-on-two."
And released her next Pokémon.
Gallade.
Skylar exhaled.
Then turned to Gardevoir.
"You're up."