Perhaps because they both carried themselves with a certain regal air, Kirlia and Tsareena seemed to bristle the moment their eyes met.
"Reflect — block the attack."
"Kirlia!"
A translucent barrier rose in front of Kirlia, intercepting Tsareena's charge cleanly.
In a real Pokémon battle, Reflect works somewhat differently than its simplified game counterpart. Rather than just reducing physical damage broadly, it acts as a direct physical barrier — while its counterpart, Light Screen, serves the same function against special attacks.
"Use that as a springboard — Trop Kick!"
At Gianna's command, Tsareena planted a foot hard against the Reflect barrier and pushed off, launching herself high into the air. She wasn't going for High Jump Kick — instead, a dense Grass-type energy gathered at her raised foot as she descended.
The kick came down aimed squarely at Kirlia.
Trop Kick — a powerful kick infused with tropical energy that lowers the target's Attack by one stage.
Tsareena's Fighting-type moves would only deal a fraction of their normal damage to Kirlia, so she defaulted to Trop Kick — a Grass-type signature move of the Bounsweet line, and one that hit without the Fighting-type's disadvantage.
"Confusion — hold her there."
Kirlia watched the incoming kick, and in the same instant, an invisible wave of Psychic energy swept outward and caught Tsareena mid-air, stopping her completely.
Even with more than ten levels between them, Kirlia's Psychic ability was powerful enough that a Pokémon at the professional stage couldn't simply push through it.
"Throw her down, then Shadow Sneak."
Kirlia directed Tsareena downward with a controlled burst of Confusion, while dark energy gathered in her free hand. Shadow Sneak followed immediately — it looked like she intended to finish the exchange then and there.
But Tsareena wasn't Gianna's final Pokémon for nothing.
"Tsareena — use Rapid Spin to redirect the fall, then Razor Leaf."
Tsareena twisted sharply in midair the moment she heard the call, using Rapid Spin's momentum to adjust her body and absorb the impact of the slam. She landed far better than she should have, then immediately flung a volley of sharp leaves in Kirlia's direction.
Bang—
The Shadow Sneak and the Razor Leaf collided in midair and burst apart.
"She's quick," David said, genuinely impressed. The recovery had been smooth from start to finish — the kind of execution that only came from extensive training.
"Tsareena — Teeter Dance."
Tsareena's body began to sway in an irregular rhythm, sending invisible pulses rippling outward with each movement. Left unchecked, it would leave Kirlia confused in moments.
"That won't work on Kirlia, though."
"Kirlia — Misty Terrain."
Kirlia raised one hand lightly, and a soft pink mist spread across the entire arena in seconds.
Misty Terrain — prevents status conditions from being inflicted on grounded Pokémon. Also halves the power of Dragon-type moves.
Tsareena's Teeter Dance had no path forward. The confusion it would have caused simply couldn't take hold.
"Dazzling Gleam!"
Gianna responded before the terrain had fully settled. Tsareena launched a Dazzling Gleam — a Fairy-type special attack — and under the boost of Misty Terrain, it accelerated noticeably beyond its usual speed.
David's expression went a little odd.
She's using Fairy-type moves against Kirlia... and my own Misty Terrain is making it faster. That's a bit much.
"Kirlia — Teleport!"
Kirlia heard the command and stepped out of the path of the Dazzling Gleam without urgency, reappearing a short distance away as if she had simply taken a casual step.
From that point on, Tsareena pressed forward again and again — and each time, Kirlia slipped away through Teleport. At one point, Tsareena came close enough to nearly reach her, and Kirlia turned back with a small smile before disappearing again.
For a Pokémon with Kirlia's mastery of Teleport, a battle where neither side had an overwhelming power advantage was almost impossible to lose through direct attacks. Unless her stamina was drained completely, or the opponent forced her into a wide-area attack she couldn't dodge — she simply couldn't be pinned down.
And stamina wasn't a concern. Even back when Kirlia was a Ralts at the Normal stage, she had used Teleport repeatedly without trouble. Using it on her own now barely registered as an expense.
"This isn't working." Gianna studied the field, watching another of Tsareena's approaches dissolve into empty air. "Her Teleport control is too precise."
Tsareena had been provoked. Several clean dodges — and that smile — had worn through her patience.
"Tsareena — Leaf Storm. Cover the whole field."
Tsareena didn't hesitate. A sweeping torrent of leaves erupted outward, filling the arena from one wall to the other.
Leaf Storm was a move that saw limited use in battles precisely because of its cost — after using it, the user's Special Attack dropped sharply. For most Pokémon that was a serious drawback. For Tsareena, who relied primarily on physical attacks, that penalty mattered far less. It was a calculated trade.
"Protect!"
There was no room to Teleport out of something that covered the whole field. Kirlia raised a Protect and weathered the storm.
"Encore — and go in with Trop Kick while the Protect is on cooldown!"
The moment Leaf Storm ended, Tsareena was already moving. She leapt forward and brought Trop Kick down on Kirlia before she could reset her defense.
"Take it — use Confusion to brace yourself, then Hypnosis at close range!"
Gianna's expression tightened. "That's not good."
Kirlia absorbed the kick without trying to dodge it. The impact landed — but Kirlia was already steadying herself through Confusion, using the moment of contact to close the remaining distance between them. At point-blank range, she locked eyes with Tsareena.
Hypnosis.
Tsareena's eyes drooped and closed.
"Let's end it — Dream Eater."
Kirlia's expression settled into something quiet and composed. Dream Eater reached into Tsareena's sleep and drained away the last of her stamina in one clean motion.
Tsareena sank to the ground. The battle was over.