The Tale of Seven: The Summon of Sorrow

[Rikugurl]

"DODGE IT!" The order was delivered across the arena but Kemina already knew it well. The stones came flying at her but with her speed, the rocks whizzed by the time they hooked in and tried to nick her. Wind was summoned again to help protect her, her tengu-geta like feet making clacking sounds on the arena. Gunnar too was watching closely at the pokemon then at Terra then back to the scene. They were both up to something and for once, Gunnar was starting to lose his edge; afraid and anxious to see what Terra was going to do. He wasn't as certain when to call the next attack but he did so when they were 20 feet away.

"USE GRASS KNOT NOW THEN BLOW BACK IN A CURVE!"

Wooden feet suddenly pushed down hard into the ground, nearly planting herself there before a green aura wrapped around her then forced down through her legs. Just as it disappeared, she pushed her arms forward and with a powerful gust of wind, blew herself back to a safer distance. Not only did she blow herself back, the wind was powerful enough to make Rampardos uneasy on his feet. As he tried to catch his bearings, two green roots shot out from under it and wrapped around it's ankles. It caught the pokemon off guard and it tripped.

"NOW USE RAZOR LEAF!" Sharp leaves were quickly expelled towards the dinosaur; now clearly missing it's skull.

[Reno]

"Raaa!!!" Rampardos cried as he fell backwards, landing on his back with a tremendous noise, the arena actually shaking.

Terra smirked when he heard the grass knot making his Pokemon go down, nodding - a nice plan. Very nice. But it wouldn't beat his plan. He watched the sharp leaves fly for the fallen dinosaur, and smiled. "Rampardos.... focus blast and get yourself free!"

The dinosaur raised his head and opened his mouth, a white ball of energy forming before being shot out right for the leaves. acting somewhat like a defensive shield as they barreled right into them, scattering and destroying them before it continued to fly for the grass type. Gunnar had no problem telling Kemina to dodge, and she did so artfully, and the blast hit the ground rising dust.

It cleared quickly... only to reveal Terra's side of the field empty, the vines that had once knotted the rock-type now ripped apart about the field. It baffled Gunnar as he and Shiftry looked around.
"Blizzard." Came the fateful call from the victorious trainer.
And finally Gunnar looked up, seeing Rampardos - who must of jumped - high overhead. his mouth opened and the attack came down, making the entire arena below a winter typhoon. No matter how fast Kemina was she couldn't escape when there was no where to go!

[Rikugurl]

"HAHA!!" Gunnar cried in victory, only moving his weight a little as the whole arena shook from the fall. He knew he could do it! But quickly, he remembered what his dad had told him about getting to confident. He heard another attack being called quickly and called Kemina to dodge it just as fast.
Even though Roxel was HATING the fact that Gunnar was a great pokemon trainer, he was awed with how skilled he seemed to be. His rival was only a bit older than he was... and yet so much greater.

In the greenhouse, lips parted for just a moment, the girl feeling the rumble as well. Bonnie knew that rumble rather well. Rampardos must of fallen somehow. He was still a klutz on his feet no matter how much her dad trained him. He was especially a hazard when his offspring were born. The little sheep and dinos had to run for their lives from his big feet when their big daddy came to see them!
Slowly, she looked back up at the girl was was sitting on her lap as they lounged in some green ferns, away from sight. "Heh, maybe he'll finally lose again." Her voice was shot against Roxy's lips before they pressed together again.

Wooden feet hit the ground hard from the dodge, the wicked pokemon panting some from the blast... only to glance around, wondering where her opponent went.
"Huh?" Gunnar too started to glance around, unaware of how wicked the other pokemon truly was.
"Where did it go? That pokemon is huge! How could it's just disapp---" Roxel was cut off mid sentence when an order out of no where was called. Everyone suddenly looked up, seeing the huge, wingless pokemon fall back down to earth, blasting snow and ice below him.

"Kemina! Use Endure!"
Wooden arms wrapped around herself and she closed her golden eyes tight as the cold whipped around her, the cold snipping at her wooden body. She started to shiver, losing strength but was able to hold her ground until the miniature storm ended. The stadium shook again when Rampardos landed, knocking Kamina to the ground. The grass/dark pokemon panted, only having an ounce of strength left in her. There was silence that rang through the area... of a moment.
"WHOOOOOO!!" Roxel cheered, suddenly getting smacked again.
"TOR!" Melody glared up at Lucina, puffing out her chest. She didn't like when she hit her master! If she could only flame her hair...

"Good job, Kemina..." Gunnar put softly before he reached for her pokeball and called her back. That was something his mother taught him. Keep cool and calm when he loses a battle or he'll look like a jackass and fool like his dad.
The boy stood there for a bit, thinking over his next choice. He now knew three of his opponents attacks and would have to quickly think up a new strategy. This was starting not to look good... but he couldn't throw in the towel. He grabbed another pokeball before throwing it out into the ring. "Go Lairon!"

[Reno]

Lucina frowned watching Kemina go down. No way! She'd seen Kemina take down fire types before!
"Come on Gunnar you can still win!!"
"Man, uncle Terra is good..." Tensai mumbled, surprised. Rampardos had hardly taken a scratch! Bonnie certainly hadn't been exaggerating when she said her dad kicked butt.
"Veee!" Moxley said, hunkering down some from the cold, nuzzling up against Melody who was significantly warmer. After the blizzard attack the temperature had gone down about 20 degrees!
Sanyi sighed, leaning back against the benches, looking a bit bored. "I wish he had chosen Flygon instead."
"Ah come on Sanyi, this is exciting!"
"I suppose..."

"Raaa!" The dinosaur cheered happily as the Pokemon was recalled, knowing he had won. He stomped back over to the other end of the ring so he could face the next one, making his trainer have to grip onto the bars so he didn't fall over. A little more graceful, Houndoom howled happily.
"Hooooow!" Of course it was so terrifying Terra had to clamp his muzzle shut. He straightened, looking at the other as he made his second decision, his ego a little deflated.

He smiled when the steel-rock type appeared. "Ah, a good choice." He commended, knowing Rampardos was weak against steel and their similar rock types would put them at about even - then against Lairon was weak against fighting moves. But Gunnar knew Rampardos knew focus blast.

Hopefully he wasn't simply thinking by type advantages.
"Raaa...." The red eyes narrowed and looked back at his master as if to say - 'can I eat him?'
The brunette rolled his eyes. "Concentrate Rampardos!"
"Paaar..." The dinosaur looked upon the smaller one. He was so tiny...

The ground was still snowy, making both of them shift on their feet. Terra made the first call. "Focus blast!" Not one that was really surprising, the dinosaur opening his mouth and the powerful attack flying for the little Pokemon.

[Rikugurl]

Gunnar was hoping his pokemon's size in the snow would play as an advantage, shining off the steel plate the pokemon wore while blending in with his dark colored underbelly that mocked the stadium floor. Teeth pushed down hard while eyes narrowed, hearing the powerful attack being ordered. Just as Rampardos opened his mouth and piled up the energy, Gunnar called out his first order of the second round. "Use Dig!"
"LAIRON!"
The small pokemon jumped as far as it could before putting all its weight into the ground, digging a hole just in time for the blast to hit a protective invisible shield. It was implanted since Terra's battles could become dangerous and the Tellus family really had no wishes in being sued for injuries!

Everyone watched as Rampardos looked at the ground, probably trying to pick up where the steel pokemon was burrowing. Even though it was much cooler inside the stadium, Gunnar ran his arm over his brow, whipping off some sweat.
"I've never seen him so nervous before~" Roxel taunted, his eyes glued onto his rival than the attack... in which he missed Lairon resurface.

"Quick, use Double Team and Water Pulse!"
Behind the dinosaur, about eight new Lairons appeared and all opened their mouth, firing rings of water at their opponent.

[Reno]

"He's not nervous!" Lucina snapped to Roxel, "He never gets nervous! He's an Almasy!"
Tensai smiled, shaking his head when he heard that. Yeah right. Gunnar was practically shaking!
"You got something to say short-stuff?!"
"Nope, not a thing!"

A brown eyebrow rose hearing the first attack and he grinned. Beside him, shaking with suddenly excitement, Houndoom's tongue lolled out. It had been awhile since he'd seen that move. "Now this is more like it!"

"Raaa...." Rampardos scoffed, wishing his master wasn't a gym leader because it was almost like a law he had to compliment his opponents. His red eyes searched around, wishing he was a ground type like Terra 2 who could feel the vibrations in the ground so clearly. The Pachycephalosaurus was given quite a surprise though when the next two moves were called in quick succession. "Raaa!!" He cried, feeling the water hit his back, making hims stumble forward. Ugh, water! It had been his undoing against Vaporeon. But he and Terra had worked on that.

"Rampardos, about face and blizzard!" The great creature turned around to bravely face the water and opened his mouth, the powerful icy stream turning the water into icicles in minutes before jumping and hitting the Lairons, turning all but one into a haze of nothingness. The ground shook as the frozen water streams hit the arena floor.

[Rikugurl]

A green and blue eye looked around, the young teen finally realizing something. His sister and Bonnie were no where to be seen! They were missing an awesome battle that Gunnar was LOSING! Once again, he missed an amazing attack and the other Lairons were suddenly gone. "Damn! I missed it!" He frowned but quickly covered his mouth, realizing he said a swear. Oh wait! No parents!

Gunnar growled again as he saw the mirages disappearing nearly as soon as they came up. This still wasn't going to stop him. He still knew this pokemon was top heavy. "Use Dig again and rear!"
The Iron Armor pokemon quickly jumped, burrowing back into the hole it once made. Again, everyone was on the edge of their seat, waiting to see where the pokemon would pop up from the ground. And what did rear mean?
They quickly found out when the small steel pokemon came out from the ground right behind the dinosaur.

"Iron Tail!"
"LAIR!!"
The pokemon pulled up it's small tail but it started to glow before plowing into the Ramardos's ankles.

[Reno]

"Well pay attention!" Lucina snapped from behind him almost like a teacher would. She would be the scariest teacher in the world. Of course everyone's attention went a bit off balance... when Rampardos did as well!

"RAAAAAAAM!" The poor dinosaur cried as he fell on the ground, the shake bad enough both trainers on the stage had to catch themselves on the bars and Houndoom had a struggle just keeping on his feet. On the bleachers the four cried in surprise, Tensai holding onto Moxley tightly as they almost fell right out of their seats!

Red eyes blinking, looking up at the bright, artificial lights of the ceiling, realizing he was on his back. "PAAAAAARDOS!" He yelled in anger his tail smacking into the ground and making it shake more. Terra sighed, knowing the other was throwing a tantrum like a cranidos! "Ramprdos just get up."

"Par, ra, ra, pardos!" The other grumbled sulkingly, turning onto his stomach and using his feet to get up, turning around to face the little Lairon again. He snarled in fury and without an order being given suddenly curled his tail around some of the iced-up water guns behind him and tossed them towards Lairon. There was a little cry from the Pokemon, able to dodge but just barely, four of them sticking up right from the ground now.
Terra blinked, and then grinned, his Pokemon giving him a great idea as he lifted another icicle. "Rampardos, throw them into the holes!"
The dinosaur paused, but nodded and with some accurate swings the remaining four icicles flew through the air, landing into the holes like great trees. The battlefield was now so different...

"Good... now chase after that Lairon!"
"Ra!" The dinosaur laughed, grinning quite cruelly as he suddenly rushed after the little steel type, the whole ground shaking like an earthquake. Lairon wasn't a fast Pokemon... but he started to run best he could as the Rampardos charged, using the icicles to dodge around and hopefully slow down the other - what no one expected was...

"Barrel right through them!"
"PARDOS!" The dinosaur lowered his strong head and smashed into the ice making them shatter. Four times this happened, each icicle being broken onto the ground getting ever closer to little Lairon until Gunnar ordered just the attack Terra wanted him too. Dig.
"PAAAR!" Rampardos sped right over the hole and came to a stop, but Terra was smiling.
"Let's shake this battle up. Rampardos, quickly focus blast at each hole!" Four powerful balls flew across the stadium, hitting each hole where the dig attack had been used previously... and the ice it had been at... melted and filled them with water.
"Now... head smash right at the ground."
"RAAAA!" A glowing blew head comically smashed right into the ground.

In the green room...
"Waaah!" Lucina cried as she and Bonnie fell over one another, the whole area shaking. "What is that?! An earthquake!"
The other woman just grumbled, saying her dad was going in over his head.

Rampardos lifted his head and shook it, grinning as his attack did the trick the ground having broken under the corrosion of ice and water. Where the holes had been were now streams of water like a river - but even better because there were so many in such a small place one of them had criss-crossed... and flooded Lairon straight out!

[Rikugurl]

"DIG!" Gunnar cried in panic as he saw the bulky brute go right after his small pokemon. He thought this was a battle! Terra was trying to KILL his pokemon! The panicked little pokemon jumped then plowed right down into the ground again, trying to get away. Now he knew what Rampardos's children felt like... and the dinosaur only wanted to nuzzle them!

As he crawled his way through the ground, he made soft little noises of fright. With Gunnar as his master, he never had to worry but this... THIS WAS NUTS!
He paused, his hard claws stopping as he heard a sudden sound and---"ROOOOOOOOON!!!" He cried, getting pushed back out the way he came by water. He flew into the air, flailed a bit before falling back down and making the stadium rumble again as he crashed into the ground. He may of been small but he sure was heavy. This time, the pokemon has swirls in his eyes.
"Ut... Lairon!" Gunnar frowned, grabbing his pokeball before calling back his second pokemon.

"YES! TWO DOWN! What are you gonna do now, big shot? Can't---WHACK OW!" Roxel cried, rubbing a large soar on his back as small waterfalls fell from his eyes. He was just cheering that his rival was getting his ASS KICKED!
Melody shook her head, a small droplet running down her face from her master's reaction before she snapped into attention, seeing that Gunnar was thinking about his next choice.
The young boy didn't look very happy at all. Her eyes became dark as he looked across the broken stadium at the gym leader. he had put one of his pokemon in real danger and that wasn't cool with him at all.

"Alright. You wanna pick on small pokemon? Two can play at that game." He gripped a pokeball tightly before throwing it out into the beaten arena. The ball hit the snowy ground and popped open, a blue flash of energy revealing a much larger pokemon that Rampardos.
"TYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYRRR!!!"
The Tyranitar roared, shattering what was left of the ice.

[Reno]

"Raaa..." The dinosaur growled to the other, large one. A T-Rex eh?

"Now now, I wouldn't put anyone in danger. It's my job as a trainer to ensure the safety of both mine and my opponent's Pokemon and Lairon are very strong Pokemon that can easily free themselves from even hard rocks like granite if need be. This battle field isn't even a tenth of that strength." Terra reassured even as he saw the trainer's next choice. He pointed to the ground. "Besides, using dig weakens the ground because you create tunnels - the smaller the area the more close together the tunnels are or even criss-cross. And using dig never goes lower then two feet underneath the ground depending on the Pokemon. Ice and water corrode the ground further and weaken it more so that a strong attack like earthquake can break it apart. I know this trick... because it was used against me once a long time ago."

"Honeytail, dig and use ice beam under there!"
"Skuu!" The little purple Pokemon cried, and disappeared under the earth. Moments later he appeared at the green giant's left side.
"Across his shell!" Honeytail quickly ran across his shell.
"Tooor!"
"Giga drain hurry!" Terra called, watching the green vines shoot from the rocks but missed Honeytail as she went under ground. Twice more this happened, the skunk jumping on top of a tree but by the time leaf storm was called already gone under the earth.
The third time he burst out Sora grabbed her Pokeball, "Good, return!"
"The hell are you doing?! Playing merry-go-round?"
"Nope..." Sora grinned and grabbed the third pokeball on his belt. "Let's go Arcy!"
The motherly tiger dog appeared, smiling at her opponent. "Take down!"
"Arr!"
"Frenzy plant!"
"Extreme speed!" The two trainers were really going at it, each move competitive and quickly thought but Torterra's slowness made the vines that erupted from the ground too slow, missing the tiger dog by a mile as she completed her first attack, jumping and slamming onto the dog's shell.

Suddenly there was a ferocious earthquake... as the ground underneath gave way!
"TOOOOR!" The poor Pokemon cried as he fell into a big hole full of ice, the dog jumped away to face him. He was trapped.
"Now Arcanine, fire blast!"

Terra opened his eyes from the memory, looking at his opponent. "As a trainer, you must always be aware of your battleground and the changes your Pokemon's attacks make to the it to battle effectively. You need to learn from your battles kid, or you'll never be a good trainer."

"Raaa...." Rampardos stomped back over to his trainer's side, wishing he told him all this AFTER the battle. Because now the land was half water. HE HATED WATER!

[Rikugurl]

"My arceus, he talks a lot..." Roxel rolled his eyes, most of what Terra was saying going over his head and smacked Lucina who smacked him back. "OUCH!" He growled at her as she told him that his lack of brains cells is what makes him such a horrible trainer. Of course he can't be good unless he learns. But that too went over the fire haired boy, looking back at the scene. Gunnar wasn't one for patients but Roxe was shocked that he didn't tell Terra to shut the hell up like he always said to him. Instead, Gunnar gave a shallow nod, glancing up at the large pokemon who was eying the water as well. She didn't like water either.

He looked back across the battle field and coughed some. "I understand... maybe I have permission to choose another Pokemon? I wasn't... really thinking clearly when I called her. If it's against the rules then---" He was cut off, the tanned gym leader saying it was alright just this time that he could switch. He had frightened his young opponent and being one of the only trainers who gave a challenge, he knew it was an easy slip.

Gunnaer quickly grabbed her pokeball, suddenly recalling her back. He reached for a new pokeball and enlarged it, tapping the bottom to make it open and a shot of energy beamed up into the sky. A roar filled the arena as a flying pokemon swooped around his side of the stadium. Gunnar already knew he lost... since there was no way he could defeat this pokemon and two more after it with just one. How was anyone suppose to beat this guy!? He should really be in the Elite Four. Ever since Terra became the last gym leader to beat, a lot of people in the Sinnoh thought twice of becoming a trainer... which was a bit saddening. The goal of getting that 8th badge was nearly impossible now.

Gunnar sighed, shaking his head from his thoughts. "Salvador, use Rain Dance!" The dragon roared again before flying in a loop, clouds that came out of no where suddenly collection over the ceiling of the stadium.

"UGH! I don't have an umbrella!" Roxel suddenly whined.
"CHIC!"

[Reno]

"Hmm... it's fine I'll agree to it. I'll take it as an admission that you're learning." Terra grinned, "Besides, I'm always interested in making a battle more enjoyable."

"Roxel be respectful," Tensai hissed beside him, rather enraptured by his uncle's words. He never thought of it like that before! Oh sure, his dad taught him about using the stage to his advantage - it was one of Sora's greatest specialties. It lead him to victories against Metagross, Torterra - even Lopunny and Scizor. But he never really... put the mechanics with the practice. It was like... being a surgeon and suddenly learning medicine. It was... cool.

But not only did he perk up, so did Sanyi... when Gunnar made his new choice. "Wow! Will you look at that!" He said in excitement, practically bouncing out of his seat at the site of the dragon-type. Now this was something to see!

Lucina gave a grin, and asked, just to get Roxel's riles up since he certainly didn't appreciate his cousin's praise. "You like him?"
"He's awesome!"
That was enough and Roxel started to growl. "Xel cool it!"
"But Gunnar's a jerk!"
"Yeah but that was before you told me he had a dragon Pokemon!"
And behind them the blonde smiled even more. "You knooow I have a dragon type too."
"Really?!" Sanyi really was out of his seat, scrambling up next to her, totally switching sides on them. "Who?"
"A Dragonair."
Tensai sighed, knowing now that Sanyi was hooked and Roxel was steamed so much his brains were probably over-cooked.

But luckily, the suddenly rain cooled him down fast!

"Raaa........" Came a low growl as a torrent poured down. What? He had to deal with water in the ground and from the sky?!
It was a good move but his master already knew how to counter-act it. In a move he once used long ago against Vaporeon... and once at a Christmas party thanks to the whining and begging of one young brunette, He called the order. "Blizzard at the sky."

The attack rained up... and snow floated down.

[Rikugurl]

"Stupid girls... always messing with guys heads.... guys are so gullible..." Roxel grumbled as he heard all the yap about dragons behind him, trying to ignore it the best he could. Of course, rain falling down on him got him preoccupied. "UGH! I SPENT AN HOUR ON MY HAIR THIS MORNING!" He whined some more, quickly pulling Torchic into his jacket to keep her from the water... and then... it was snowing. "WHOA! AWESOME!"
"yuwhic....worwor!"
"Oh, sorry~" He let Melody out again who hopped to the edge of his bony legs and fluttered her little wings at the sight of the snow. It was rather peculiar really... because Melody was much like Flareon. She LOVED snow!

The dragon roared as his rainy day turned into a blizzard. He didn't like snow that much. "Forget it! Use Hyrdo Pump!"
Red wings beat, bringing the dragon up high. His mouth opened, his stomach starting to bloat from the attack before a powerful gush of water shot down at the dinosaur. Gunnar could already guess that Terra was going to call for Blizzard again so... "CHARGE!"
Still using hydro pump, the dragon swooped down, heading right for the dinosaur. Sure enough, Blizzard was called and the stream of water froze, stretching all the way up back to Sal. "Close your mouth and use Steel Wing double time!"

Another roar echoed through the stadium as the dragon's red wings glowed and hit the frozen water, shattering it into small shards that fluttered back down into Rampardos's face. Slightly distracted, the graceful dragon cork screwed down, it's wing glowing again before cutting into the dinosaur's back.

[Reno]

"That's something you really shouldn't admit!" The boy next to him said when he heard just how long Roxel spent beautifying himself. Seriously? An hour?! "Wow!" Tensai chuckled, his hair starting to become white from the falling flakes. It was kind of pleasant. But what was happening on the arena, now that really got some attention!

Because Salvador the Salamance was getting the upper hand, the attacks happening so fast the slow dinosaur couldn't of counter attacked. Rampardos stumbled forward instead narrowing missing the edge of the water. Terra quirked a smile, finding the other was seeing through his strategy now. Good. Though he had made more where that came from. His eyes narrowed some in concern though when he heard a crack, the ground breaking under heavy feet and his dinosaur began to fall backwards right towards the water. If he landed, the mud underneath would cause him to get stuck.

He never let it happen, snapping up the Pokeball and recalling the dinosaur without a word. Salamence, Gunnar - hell the whole arena, was shocked into silence. Until...

"WHOO GO GUNNAR!" Lucina cried.
"Oh yeah that's how a dragon Pokemon does it!" Sanyi cheered with her. That of course earned some bitching from Roxel about how he shouldn't cheer for him and of course the blue-haired male had to say he was cheering for the Pokemon not him.

Terra glanced at the strange cheering squad and rose an eyebrow before rolling his eyes. "Children." He grumbled before holding out the Pokeball to his Houndoom. The dog wagged his tail, picking it up carefully in his teeth before leaving the stadium, knowing he was to deposit Rampardos back into the greenhouse for a good rest. Terra knew better then to stretch the poor Pokemon's limitations; another thing a trainer should always be aware of.

It had been a long time since he had to recall his first Pokemon. not unheard of, but hey, he was given Gunnar a little boost in confidence even if the way he lost was probably sheer luck and accident, not pure intent. "Very good Gunnar." Terra smirked, reaching for his second Pokemon.
And Sanyi was cheering again when he saw the choice.
"Alright Flygon let's go!"
The young dragon appeared with a flutter of music. "Flllly!" Again, it wasn't his original Flygon - but Sir bites-a-lot. Terra had chose him because he knew the other male had a Salamence considering he came to his gym riding on one.

[Rikugurl]

"W-what!?" Gunnar called in shock when he saw a flash of energy and the large pokemon was gone. He... he won a battle!? He was about to jump for joy but that wasn't so cool... so he coughed and shifted a bit, trying to hide his excited smile. "Great job, Sal!" He called up to his dragon friend who was swooping around in his own little victory dance. Sal still was strong but when they heard the song of the other dragon, he knew this was going to be tough to beat. If three of his pokemon had to take down one... he still really didn't have a chance.

Multicolor eyes looked up, seeing the flying dragons watch each other closely from different parts of the arena. Now THIS was going to be entertaining!

"Sal! Fly around it and baffle it with Twister!"
The red winged dragon roared as it quickly flew over, making sure to keep his distance from the other before flapping his wings harder. It caused little tornadoes to form and shoot right at the other flying opponent.