LOG 84: A Simple Game of Coin Flip!

They cheered his name. Logan wiped off his sweat and waited for Grimsley to make an appearance at the other side of the arena.

While Dawn was at her bathroom break, I decided to call Virgo. The light's getting worse on my Zekrom stone and if this thing randomly summons in front of everyone, I'm dead done.

"What's happening? Results?"

"Be patient! I'm not finished yet."

"Huh? I called you an hour or so ago!"

"Got distracted. Ye know, you could watch these... Ouch!"

"Anything alright?"

"Call you back. My laptop's heating." She declined the call rapidly.

Grimsley is a tall, slender man, with black pointy hair and light blue eyes.

Charming and mysterious, Grimsley displays similar behavior to that of an upper class gentleman. However his rather snide smile and scheming posture may indicate that he is somewhat of a schemer among his cohorts.

Since he was born in a fallen noble family, he has bad gambling habits, and regards life as a gamble. However, he prefers movesets that give him safety and a bigger advantage according to Dawn.

It was the third round of the twentieth segment. The audience are eager to know if Logan would succeed or not. He's up against dark types. As someone who handles one, it'd be a great idea to learn from Grimsley as well.

Grimsley appraoched the battlefield.

"Man oh man... A lot of toughies today! Challengers coming one right after another. Well, no matter. I am Grimsley of the Elite Four, and I will fulfill my duty to be your opponent."

Logan planned to stick with Leafeon. On the other hand, the elite sent out his Krookodile, a red-striped ferocious Pokemon with two dotted pupils. Its three claws were sharper than my Absol's.

The referee waves the second white flag. The battle commenced.

Grimsley opened up with Foul Play. Leafeon was surrounded with black mist, enclosing around it bit by bit.

"Leafeon, Leaf Blade! Try to get yourself out of there!"

Leafeon tried crawling out but it was useless - too late because it had been enveloped fully by the move. We couldn't see what was happening inside but by the looks of the scream, it was horrendously painful right there.

"No. No! Come on, Leafeon can't lose just like that!" Dawn was eager for it to win.

"Proceed with Outrage, Krookodile!"

<Krookodile!>The already beast became much more terrible. Once the mist had flown off, Leafeon scarred with abundant red, Krookodile made itself angry and chomped on Logan's Pokemon.

It was like a gang beating up a six year old child until it could no longer grasp air. That's what it looks like to me and now that makes me wonder, do other Pokemon feel the same when my Absol does that to them?

Leafeon time's had ended, leaving Logan with only two Pokemon left - Lucario and Gallade.

"Six against two?" Dawn's voice was scratchy.

"Out of nowhere, a miracle would probably happen." I said. "This league truly tests the strength, doesn't it? What happens if Logan loses?"

"Well, since he has all eight badges, he could try another go next year. That's the perks of participating as a trainer in this region. Hmm... A comeback would be nice."

"Ah, you're losing hope aren't ya?"

"No, no. I just imagine smoky stuff--"

Dawn froze.

"Wow. You're mind's silly. I meant stuff like smoke as props and there he is glaring as he marches to the main gate once more saying, 'I am vengeance'! Get it?"

"Oh. You read comics?"

"Yes, yes, I do."

Logan chose Lucario next against Krookodile. Grimsley changed and went ahead to use Liepard, the cruel Pokemon.

"Lucario, Sword Dance!"

<Lucar!>

"Heh, watch your back. Burning Jealousy!"

"Huh?"

That look in Logan's face. It was obvious he was uncertain of what move Grimsley just commanded. Burning Jealousy? Neither I nor Dawn had heard of that move. We had to consult the Pokedex because of this.

[Hits all opponents, and burns any that have had their stats boosted.]

"Since Sword Dance increased Lucario's attack... Then that means..."

"I'm afraid you're right, Luna."

Lucario was burned right off the start. It was a tactic of the elite to have a system of give and take. In exchange for power, the foe's life must shorten quicker than average.

"Doesn't matter! We can handle this! Lucario, Bone Rush!"

Liepard countered the move by swinging it back to Lucario with its tail. Lucario was sucessful to get the bone back. They played er... Table Bones! For about five moves. For sure, Grimsley was relying on Lucario's burning status. Lucario decided to do a change.

"Liepard, Night Slash!"

<Lie!>said that alluring voice.

"Copy Cat!"

<Lucario!>

Lucario copied the move and hit Liepard on the chin before Liepard landed its attack. The foe was sent back at Grimsley's side.

<Lu... Lucar>Lucario suddenly slouched in front of the audience. It was further weakening due to its status effect.

"Liepard, attract!"

<Liepard!>Liepard winked. Not only did Logan have a burning Pokemon to take care of, a foe, but also a Pokemon who had fallen in love with the other side!

Lucario refused to follow any commandments proposed by its trainer, giving way for Liepard to slash and dice until its foe had fallen hard.

Logan was left with one against six. It was still a vast number.

"I'm counting on you, Gallade!"

Though being the last, Gallade's confidence was high.

<Gall!>

"Lie-- Huh?"

He disappeared in a flash. Liepard didn't know where to look. The only thing the foe felt was air and the displeasing feeling in it guts.

<Gallade!>Gallade struck the head with a powerful Aerial Ace. Talk about revenge, now Grimsley's got a confused Pokemon to deal with.

"Gallade and I have been training since the beginning! We're not settling for a defeat. Hypnosis!"

The foe Liepard fell asleep. The audience who was starting to admire Logan clapped once more for him.

Dawn was excited. She could feel Logan could win the entire match with just a Gallade. I thought the same.

"Logan thought Gallade Hypnosis. How cool is that?" I said on my mind after he couldn't do it when we last met at Jenny's island.

"Gr! Return at once, Liepard. Do not disappoint me, Krookodile!"

First blink, Gallade was there, the second, it was behind. Krookodile was immediately met with a powerful chop on the tail. That was only the launch. Close Combat was followed next and advanced with Hypnosis when Krookodile couldn't attack because of paralysis dealt from the previous. His last move to end Krookodile without touching Gallade one bit was Dream Eater.

Aware Logan's Gallade had Dream Eater, Grimsley was frightened to send out Liepard so he went his ace, Bisharp!

<Bish! Bish!> There was vigor in those words.

Gallade tried to do his trick but something else happened. His speed had decrease by a ton. He may have caused a lot of damage to Grimsley's Krookodile, but he had to sacrifice his energy for the sake of that.

His perspiration was in the heaviest I've seen! It restored the worry in all of us.

"Guillotine!"

"Gui what now?" I said.

"Guillotine. I encountered one of those moves before. They're a one hit K.O bunch! Gallade could easily dodge if it weren't for his declining speed."

"Dodge it! I know you can!"

<Ga~> Gallade moved. It was more of a stroll down the park but luckily he was able to dodge the attack.

Bisharp followed with leer. Not only did it lower his defense, but also sent the Gallade and his brittle legs to clash against the wall. He soon fell off and Bisharp did another Leer. A stone above him collapsed and landed on Gallade's back, gluing his body to the floor as he struggled to find a way out.

"Come on! Lift it, I know you can!" Logan encouraged Gallade.

"This is your turn. Guillotine!"

"I see. He used Bisharp's leer to paralyze the foe in a different way. In this, Gallade is disabled from dodging a really easy move to dodge."

"Righty-right!" Dawn said.