Bang! Bang!
The exchange between Sirfetch'd and Vigoroth was relentless. Attack met defense; blow followed blow. The ground groaned and shattered into jagged fragments under the sheer kinetic force of their duel.
As the seconds ticked by, the toxicity within Vigoroth finally reached a critical threshold. Its face deepened into a bruised purple, and thick beads of sweat drenched its fur. Its frantic movements began to lag. Simultaneously, Sirfetch'd began to retreat from its "Darkened" state, its chest heaving as the strain took its toll. Both Pokémon were now gasping for air, their stamina nearly depleted.
"Sirfetch'd, use Double Team!"
With a sharp Gaa!, a dozen Sirfetch'd manifested across the arena. They raised their leeks in unison, lunging toward the faltering Vigoroth.
"Don't panic, Vigoroth! Only one is real. Focus! Scent the air and find the true one!" Norman commanded, his voice steady despite the tension.
Vigoroth's nose twitched as it filtered out the illusions. Pinpointing the source of the battle-crazed aura, it gathered its remaining strength for a desperate Counter. But as its claws tore through the target, it realized with horror that it had struck a mere afterimage.
The true Sirfetch'd erupted from beneath the earth! It used its leek to launch Vigoroth into the air, followed by a flurry of rapid-fire strikes that looked like a peacock fanning its feathers. Each hit landed with pinpoint precision on Vigoroth's pressure points. The white ape fell from the sky, incapacitated before it even hit the ground.
As Sirfetch'd stood over its fallen foe, its own energy finally gave out.
"Well played, Gym Leader Norman. Your Vigoroth is truly a nightmare to deal with," Feng Che said, recalling his exhausted bird. "I'll be switching to my next partner."
Feng Che released Decidueye, while Norman countered with Spinda.
The Drunken Dance vs. The Archer
Spinda looked like a large, clumsy plush toy with erratic red spots. It swayed and stumbled with a "Dizzy Dance" rhythm that made it almost impossible to aim at.
"Decidueye, stay sharp. This Spinda is much stronger than it looks," Feng Che warned. "Watch out for its Dizzy Dance and Teeter Dance."
Norman's Spinda was a master of confusion. It used its stumbling movements not just to distract, but to evade attacks with a fluidity that defied physics.
"Decidueye, use Leafage!"
Decidueye pulled back its wing-bow, firing a flurry of sharpened feathers.
"Spinda, dance!"
Spinda wobbled and leaned like a child about to fall, letting the feathers whistle past its ears to bury themselves in the dirt. Decidueye continued its barrage, but Spinda's erratic movements kept it safe, even as the field became littered with green feathers.
Wait, Norman thought, scanning the ground. The movement range is getting smaller. The feathers were acting as a fence, pinning Spinda into a tight corner.
"Spinda, use Odor Sleuth, then follow up with Dizzy Punch!"
Spinda lunged forward, its fuzzy fist glowing with white light as it aimed for Decidueye. But just as the blow was about to land, Decidueye vanished into the shadows of the feathers on the ground.
"I see," Norman muttered. "You scattered those feathers so Decidueye could use Shadow Sneak to travel between their shadows. Clever, but it won't save you. Spinda, stomp the ground!"
Spinda slammed its fists into the earth, creating a shockwave that sent the feathers flying into the air. A literal rain of green down obscured the field.
"Spinda, Flamethrower!"
Spinda spun in a circle, exhaling a vortex of fire that incinerated the airborne feathers in an instant. "Haha! The shadows are gone, Feng Che. Now where will your owl hide?"
"Exactly where I want it to be," Feng Che replied calmly. "Decidueye, Spirit Shackle!"
Spirit Shackle works similarly to Gengar's Shadow Stitch—it pins the opponent's shadow to the ground, locking them in place.
"Quick, Spinda! Fire at your own shadow!"
Norman realized the trap too late. Before Spinda could react, its body stiffened. A single arrow, fired with lethal precision from the darkness, struck Spinda square between the eyes. The plush-like Pokémon collapsed instantly.
"I grew careless," Norman sighed, recalling Spinda. "Now... meet my strongest partner. Come forth, Slaking!"
The massive Slaking emerged—a titan resembling a cross between a gorilla and a sloth. It lounged on the ground, seemingly lazy, but it was actually a coiled spring of immense power.
"This is a legendary Slaking," Feng Che observed. "But it has already fought twice today. It hasn't had time to rest and accumulate its full energy."
A Slaking's power comes from periods of "loafing around" to build up kinetic force. Norman's Slaking was a beast, but even it had limits.
"Mr. Norman, your Slaking isn't at its peak after those battles. I suggest we postpone this. Let's find another time to duel when your partner is fully rested."
Feng Che looked at Norman, offering a respectful out.