Love in the Time of Temerity

Chapter 15: A Recognition

I don't believe there's much to say. Gloria vs. Marnie continues. Chapter 15 is here!

Chapter 15

A Recognition

Marnie's Toxtricity descended, the orange glow of the Power-Up Punch trailing behind its body. From where she sat, Astrid could see Gloria's brain working furiously for a way to stop Marnie from continuing her upper hand. No one said a word, which felt unusual in and of itself from the array she had with her. Not Kahili nor Clemont, or even Seamus were commenting. Ash was shouting cheers with Pikachu, but Astrid hardly counted those as advice or analysis.

Yet when Toxtricity's fingers twitched, Astrid could tell that Gloria had already figured it out.

"Toxtricity, Flail!" she shouted, her clenched jaw showcased on the screens by one of the Rotom Drones. Marnie's Toxtricity was almost there, the fist just inches from striking.

Gloria's proved to be faster, his whole body wreathed in red before he struck his full weight against the ground. His legs flew up, striking Marnie's Toxtricity. It flew backwards, hitting the ground and springing on to all flours, glaring and hissing at its opponent while Gloria's lizard stood.

Better yet, Astrid saw the glint in Gloria's eye. "Marnie hasn't cracked her yet."

"Stored Power!"

"Tearful Look!" Gloria was quick on the draw, and before Marnie's Toxtricity could begin to manifest the purple glow, Gloria's had begun to cry. At least in some respect. It was enough that the height of the glow reduced significantly before it fired. "Dodge, and into Poison Jab!"

"Tox!" Toxtricity hunkered down on all fours, himself, the beam shooting over his head with less strength than before. He continued to crawl that way until he was close to Marnie's Toxtricity. Reaching it, he sprang up with a Poison Jab that clocked Marnie's lizard in the chin.

"Power-Up Punch!" The two Toxtricity soon both flung their fists out. They made contact before their other fists came sailing out to meet. It became a flurry of swift punches, each trying to land a hit on the other. There was no doubt Marnie was trying to regain her advantage, as evidenced by the Power-Up Punch coming from underneath.

"Hit it down!" Gloria's Toxtricity struck downward as the Power-Up Punch came for him. He overshot, purposely, and struck at his opponent's elbow. It left Marnie's wide open for the haymaker of Poison Jab to strike across its face, and then its chest. The Poison Jab pummeled all over the Toxtricity's prone body before sending it flying skyward with a single uppercut. "Overdrive!"

"Toxiiiiiii!" Toxtricity planted down, making one giant strum on his protrusions. It blasted out, powered up by the Punk Rock and consuming Marnie's Pokémon with accuracy. The shriek from the guitar sound was enough that Piers was silenced, dropping his microphone, while Ash and Pikachu tossed their fists up with a cheer.

Marnie's Toxtricity hit the ground.

"And it's down!" Kalas cried. The crowd threw their hands into the air, while Astrid let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Gloria cinches the first half of this semifinal battle with an Overdrive! We now take an intermission for the field to be changed out."

"Nerve-wracking...and I thought your League in Alola was tense."

"Gloria's quite a bit less...experienced," Astrid reminded Seamus, but she didn't say any further disparaging things. "Though Marnie's no different. What was it Magnolia said? Eat, live and breathe battling?"

"She'll be fine," Ash said, sitting back with a proud grin on his face. "Gloria knows her Pokémon better than anyone. Marnie might still have some tricks up her sleeve, but I'm sure that she'll find a way to pull out the win."