A few days ago...

“Same rules as always. Six on six, five switches each,” Hope said, serving as a referee. “You both know how this works, so I'll keep it quick. Send out your Pokémon, give everyone a moment to prepare, and then we’ll start the match.”

A girl across from me nodded when I nodded too. She wore a dark, patchwork dress and had messy purple hair that curled up at its ends. On one arm was an ancient, gold band that sat with a distinct contrast from the rest of her outfit. Acerola might have looked like a girl that lived in the wilderness, but her team was strong enough to be considered elite, and she carried the potential of being one of the founding members of Alola’s first Elite Four.

I was here to battle and test her for that role. Both of us sent our first Pokémon out.

“Mawile!”

“Froslass!”

Mawile appeared with a clattering thud, her secondary jaw large enough to almost shake the ground. Across from her, a feminine Pokémon floated in the air, its body making it appear as if it were wearing a kimono that waved in a nonexistent breeze. That Pokémon—Froslass—put on a show of being shy, lifting up a sleeved hand to cover the lower half of its face. It smiled at Mawile by curving up the corners of its eyes, but Mawile responded by merely grinding together her jaw’s knife-sized teeth.

Hope spoke up once both sides seemed ready.

“Begin!” she shouted.

Mawile began to run right away. I shouted for a Stealth Rock as she did, but strangely, Acerola said nothing at all. Instead, her Froslass acted on its own, giggling at Mawile, as if amused, before any smallest piece of Stealth Rock could be launched forward.

The reaction to that laugh didn’t mean Mawile stopped, but the attack she initially used changed. In her run, the stones forming on her jaws hardened and grew before being flicked forward as part of a Stone Edge rather than a Stealth Rock. The Froslass was forced to split apart in many Double Team copies to dodge, and Mawile looked around with maddened eyes, intent on attacking rather than setting up the entry hazard like we planned.

From the enraged look on Mawile’s face, I easily recognized the move Froslass had used:

Taunt.

Acerola saw our strategy coming. It’s good she was prepared, but we won’t be able to use any more utility moves.

Goaded by the Taunt, Mawile continued to attack. She released another Stone Edge that hit nothing as copies from the Double Team quickly encircled her.

“Prepare it again. Stand still and ready yourself,” I said, already changing my plans.

Meanwhile, Acerola shouted, “Shadow Ball!”

In accordance with those orders, Froslass brought its arms forward to conjure a darkened sphere. Every single copy of the icy-cold ghost mimicked that same action, making it hard to tell which attack was actually real.

Except, despite being surrounded, Mawile did as I asked and didn't run. She made no moves to dodge or block, and she stood completely still to let the Shadow Ball slam into her side, just past her jaws. Taking that hit, however, let her reflexively lash out in the direction she was struck, and an impossibly fast Stone Edge flew through the air.

Froslass cried out in pain, taking super effective damage from the Rock Type move.

“Good. Now move in,” I said.

Mawile ran, and Froslass was unable to recover in time to escape. Truth be told, this match was highly weighted in our favor given the difference in strength. Acerola was not in a position to take frequent, high-level challenges, and those that would normally go out of the way to battle Trial Captains tended to skip her given her apparent young age. Her team had the strength but not the experience, and that was made clear when Mawile reached the Froslass and bit down with a Crunch whose Dark Type energy prevented the ghost from escaping.

Yet, despite that lack of experience, the cat-like smile that appeared on the girl’s face told me she was aware of that difference and intended to bridge the gap.

“It’s tiii-iiime.” The young girl’s sing-song voice made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Froslass’s eyes shot open, and the demure demeanor it adopted before was replaced by madness and a too-wide smile.

It plunged its arms into Mawile’s jaws and wrenched them open.

Mawile fought through and finished biting down.

The super effective Crunch caused Froslass to let out a howl of pain, and then so did Mawile.

Only a second later, both Pokémon fainted at the very same time.

“Froslass always takes out her foes like that,” Acerola said, giggling as she returned her lead team member. “I like sending her out first because no one expects a Destiny Bond that early. And then even when my opponent knows its coming, it means they try that much harder to avoid it—and still fail! She’s a master of it. Everyone faints. Just. Like. That.”

Her grin was not a grin someone her age should have been able to make. I shivered. This was a trainer who lived and breathed the Ghost Type.

Still, despite my relative unease, this was only the first of many knockouts. It ruined my plans of an eventual Mega Evolution, but not everything could go perfectly in a match. I returned Mawile, praised her for a job well done, and Acerola and I readied the Pokéballs containing the team members that would be sent out next.

“Just so you know, Froslass can learn Spikes as an Egg Move. With enough training, your Pokémon can learn it, and setting it up in the beginning could give you a slight advantage for the rest of the battle.”

Acerola’s eyes widened, and her mouth made an “O” shape on her face.

“Really? Thanks for the information! I’ll make sure she learns that before our next fight!”

We sent out our Pokémon before Hope could chide us for stalling.

“Florges!” I called out.

Unlike me, Acerola was silent yet again when she sent out her next Pokémon. At first, it was as if an inanimate anchor had suddenly appeared on the ground. This anchor was covered in rust, and seaweed hung slack off of half of its body. Not just that, a broken, old-fashioned, nautical wheel stuck to its back, making it look even more than nothing more than a pile of salvaged junk.

Except, this mess was her Pokémon: Dhelmise, a Ghost and Grass Type.

(I ignored Hope’s muffled whine of jealousy. Of course, the Grass Type specialist would recognize this species and want one of her own.)

“Go for Sunny Day and Misty Terrain,” I said. “Set the field up in our favor.”

A pulse of pink and a raise of her hands saw Florges causing mist to drift out from the ground and a fiery sphere to hang in the air. Her opponent—the “inanimate” anchor—did not move in the slightest and continued to lay on the ground, unbothered.

Curious at Acerola’s strategy, I didn’t give Florges any further commands—I didn’t need to. If our opponent refused to move, Florges knew how to take advantage of that. Silently, she built up Calm Mind after Calm Mind as we waited to see what exactly the Dhelmise would do to attack.

Except, it didn’t.

Nothing changed on the field as we watched and waited. Ghost Types were masters at lying in wait, so it was likely planning something. Despite keeping an eye out for even the slightest of suspicious shadows, nothing stood out to me. I genuinely could not tell what Acerola was doing as nothing changed on the battlefield.

Florges was able to stack up Calm Mind the six full times, though.

“Acerola, if you don't—”

“I know,” the young girl said, interrupting Hope.

My eyes narrowed further.

I really don’t get it. What's her plan?

Turns out, Dhelmise specifically had its back against the ground for a reason. By keeping so still on the battlefield floor, it blocked out the view of the hole it was making underground.

Chains erupted from the earth. Despite all the focus Calm Mind granted, Florges was still caught by surprise. The chaotic, metal tendrils reached up into the air and yanked her right to the floor. She had enough benefits from the focus of Calm Mind to stop her from crying out in pain, but the Steel Type move had hurt. Not just that, it continued to squeeze her body and keep her stuck in place.

“Anchor Shot,” I said, identifying the attack. “Dhelmise’s signature move. It's a Steel Type attack, but Dhelmise’s ability, Steelworker, lets it use Steel Type moves with the same strength as if it were a Steel Type.”

Acerola giggled.

“You got it!” she said cheerfully. “And you so politely waited long enough for Dhelmise to build up their chains, too!”

“I wanted to see your plan. This battle is a test for the Elite Four, after all,” I replied, eyes still locked on the battlefield.

Dhelmise left the ground to finally reveal how it had managed this. Extending out of its back was the start of chains of Anchor Shot, having been sent to dig under the ground the entire time we were waiting.

“I guess this was a clever trick, but it’s too slow,” I said, analyzing the strategy while also stalling to give Florges a chance to escape. “It only worked because I’m testing you and wanted to see what would happen. You wouldn't be able to pull this off against anyone else.”

“But we pulled it off, didn’t we?” she replied.

Honestly, fair point.

“We’re going to win this battle, Alex,” Acerola continued. “Doesn’t matter how, but we are. With Florges locked down, we just have to finish her off. Dhelmise! Pull her in!”

For all the control Calm Mind brought, it did little to help Florges minimize the damage she suffered from physical moves. The initial impact had been super effective, and while the damage from the continued squeezing was negligible, it still hurt her and prevented me from switching to a different Pokémon.

“Power Whip!” Acerola shouted out.

Unfortunately, as Dhelmise took so long to land its attack, both the Misty Terrain and Sunny day had already worn off. Due to that, Florges’s Synthesis would not heal her anywhere as much as it could.

The chains went taut as the wheel on Dhelmise’s body spun, reeling them back like the line of a fishing rod. They tore up through the ground and yanked Florges through the air. This time, she actually let out a yelp at the surprise movement as Dhelmise angled itself to the side to whip out its next attack.

The second she was within range, it snapped forward, causing the seaweed hanging off of its body to snap towards Florges. Thankfully, a Protect negated the damage, but Dhelmise didn’t seem to mind given that it could just start readying itself for the next use a second later.

Florges might be tied up, but it was a mistake to bring her so close. Two can play at this game.

“Wrap it!” I yelled.

Florges might have been suffering from the Steel Type Anchor Shot, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t move. Before the second Power Whip went off, braided grass shot out of the ground and pulled Dhelmise towards the earth. The move Florges used, Grass Knot, yanked it out of the air and tied it to the floor, preventing any further movement from the anchor itself. Not just that, but normally, Anchor Shot was meant to prevent any opponents of the foe from switching out while the user was in battle. In this case, Florges’s Calm Mind had been brought to such a level that she tugged, wiggled, and managed to pull free, using Dhelmise’s surprise to finagle a way out.

I didn’t wait. Florges was immediately sucked back into her Heal Ball and my next Pokémon hit the field.

“Ice Spinner!”

Azumarill appeared with the momentum of a spinning top right as Dhelmise tore free thanks to Florges’s sudden disappearance. It took to the air as Azumarill carved a frozen path over the field, moving just fast enough to strike the base of Dhelmise’s anchor form.

It was super effective; Dhelmise cried out in pain.

Reflexively, an Anchor Shot whipped forward—after all, Dhelmise had already extended its chains. However, Azumarill was part Water Type, which resisted Steel Type moves. This attack hit her like any other neutrally-effective attack, and she had more than enough energy to strike Dhelmise two more times, causing it to fall to the floor, fainted.

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Once again, I was reminded of our difference in strength.

Returning her Pokémon, a few sad chuckles left Acerola’s throat. Similarly, a few chuckles came from Azumarill, but they sounded more like growls than anything else. Acerola eyed Azumarill with that and carefully made her next selection.

Once more a Pokémon appeared on the field, but this time, it seemed to rise out of the earth. The ground collected itself into the shape of a sandcastle, which had windows for eyes and a wide, open entrance for a mouth.

“Palossand,” Acerola named.

I gave the first order of this match-up right away.

“Liquidation,” I said.

Sure, this was another overpowering, super effective move, but the Ground Type Palossand would have a counter to most Water Type attacks. An Aqua Jet brought Azumarill forward, and she punched with a super effective Liquidation. When she pulled back then released a second Liquidation punch, she found that the strike was met with significantly more resistance than before.

“Water Compaction,” I said, naming Palossand’s ability.

Acerola nodded her head.

Water Compaction didn’t provide an immunity, but it meant that any Water Type moves would greatly strengthen Palossand’s defense. After all, while Palossand was normally a shaped mass of beach sand, each splash of water made that sand stick together and become even harder to smash than before.

In other words, I kept Azumarill out to test both her strength and Palossand’s enhanced defenses. Other opponents might have been subjected to more movement, but a grin appeared on Azumarill’s face as she met with an opponent that took her attacks and turned them to its advantage.

Strike after strike, Azumarill laid into her foe, and strike after strike, Palossand’s body was strengthened by the water. She attacked fast enough that Palossand was already crumbling along one of its walls, but then it revealed that it was more than just the sandcastle itself. Specifically, it was a ghost possessing that sandcastle, and its influence extended out a full yard past what was its obvious, main body.

A pit, not unlike those Trapinch make to trap prey, bent downwards and caused Azumarill to slide in. The shape of the sandcastle itself transformed to become a wide, gaping maw that stretched over Azumarill’s head and utterly devoured her.

The field fell into silence. No Pokémon was present on the surface. Neither Acerola nor I were able to give any commands, and the only noise was Azumarill’s continued battle underground.

One thump.

A second.

Weak shockwaves pulsed through the ground as Azumarill did not relent in her attacks.

A third thump, but this one came out much slower than before. The fourth took even long to ring out after that, and the fifth might not have happened at all.

Slowly, Azumarill’s buried efforts reduced in fervor and came to a halt. The ground was completely still for what felt like a long time.

Palossand raised itself out of the ground, shaking but still managing to reform as a completely soaked-through sandcastle. It looked inflated, and its mouth opened up. With a burp, Azumarill flopped out. She didn't move, having somehow lost a fight.

I was briefly speechless. The last time Azumarill was knocked out was against Cynthia herself.

“I... Huh.” I struggled to find any words, and off to the side, it looked like both Hope and Lillie were struggling to react as well. “I really didn't expect Azumarill to faint here like that.”

Hope must have not, either, as she took several full seconds to call out that my Pokémon had fainted and had lost her match.

Acerola just seemed extremely pleased.

“It doesn’t matter how strong a Pokémon is. Palossand can consume anything,” she said. “Sand Tomb traps a Pokémon, and Shore Up ensures he has the energy to keep them down. Combined, he can bypass any defenses due to one single fact.”

“And what fact is that?” I asked.

A single laugh, as if she had just finished telling a joke.

“Almost all Pokémon need to breathe.”

Ah, that would do it.

Azumarill had fainted via lack of oxygen rather than being worn down by Palossand’s attacks. It was a legal strategy in battle, but only technically so. Acerola had definitely used that fact to her advantage, as if Palossand hadn’t started this strategy with Sand Tomb—a legal Pokémon move—she would have been immediately disqualified from the match.

I couldn’t be too upset at that clever strategy, even with how narrowly it had come to falling over an edge. In other words, Acerola had behaved exactly as I would have expected a Ghost Type specialist to behave. I returned my Pokémon, silently considering the implications of Acerola’s technique, then sent out the next Pokémon to continue the match.

“Ninetales,” I said.

Hope called for the match to resume.

“Freeze Dry,” I followed that up.

And that was the end of this match-up.

Not only was Ninetales significantly faster than the stuck-in-place Palossand, but Palossand was also completely soaked with water. Combined with its Ground Type weakness to Ice Type moves, Freeze Dry might as well have been super effective twice over. The one attack was able to finish it off, especially with the damage it already sustained in the process of suffocating Azumarill.

Acerola nervously licked her lips as Palossand became a sculpture of ice. Only two of my Pokémon had fainted so far, both to tricks rather than full strategies. As if to point out she needed to focus on the fight, Ninetales let out a proud chuff and trotted in place before sitting down. She licked at her paw. Acerola stared.

Ninetales is going to be so smug about this. She didn't even bother to call out her snowstorm.

Eyes flicking about, Acerola ended up humming a faint lullaby as she seemed to get lost in thought. The melody echoed around the mostly empty battlefield, creating a strange noise that caused goosebumps to form on my arms.

When she sent out her next Pokémon, I was thankful.

“Banette,” she said.

While this wasn’t the individual I was familiar with, it was still a species I was familiar with. Banette appeared as an almost inanimate doll, slumped on the ground, with a zippered-shut mouth locked into a permanent grin.

“Shadow Sneak,” Acerola ordered when the match resumed.

“Confuse Ray!” I called out, hoping to throw off our foe.

Ninetales started by immediately conjuring her snow, plunging the field into dim light thanks to the weather blocking out the sun. Banette took advantage of that and sunk into the ground, and Ninetales chose to step back and hide to try to avoid any incoming attacks.

I immediately took exception to that. In any other situation, I would have supported her hiding, but here, I very much doubted Banette needed a direct line of sight to detect her.

“Aurora Veil! Quick!”

A glowing shield was conjured an inch away Ninetales's fur. Her position was immediately revealed, but the area around her was covered in iridescent hues as a result. My eyes snapped to where she stood, and right away, I saw a shadow shoot over the floor, climb up her leg, and stop right on her back.

Banette began to emerge, claws held up high for a sneak attack that Ninetales was yet to notice.

“Dark Pulse!”

I supposed I could have called for Dazzling Gleam, but I knew Dark Pulse was super effective and struck all around her, anyway. However, when I called for the move, it did the opposite to what I expected: Banette pushed through and clutched Ninetales’s fur to not get knocked off.

The start of a Blizzard swirled around her as she finally felt her foe’s position, but Banette was clever, and used its position on Ninetales’s back to whisper its misgivings into Ninetales’s pointed ears. She went still, as if shocked, and her ears went back as a growl left her throat.

Without me ordering it, the Blizzard was canceled as Ninetales used Dark Pulse once again. Banette, now significantly worse off, continued to whisper, and I didn’t fail to notice how the Dark Pulse seemed weaker than before.

“It’s not Taunt, but it’s something else,” I mumbled.

Ninetales was winning, but it didn’t feel like we were winning overall. There was something Banette was doing, and my unfamiliarity with the move was making me stall.

Then, when the third Dark Pulse failed to be used, I snapped my fingers in realization.

“Spite!” I identified.

Oh.

Spite was not good news.

Spite was a move that laced a Pokémon’s words with Ghost Type energy. It was a grudge that drained away the energy available for one specific attack.

In this case, it was wearing down Dark Pulse, Ninetales’s sole super effective attack against Ghost Types. As more and more Spites were spat into Ninetales’s ears, I figured out Banette’s strategy:

It wanted to wear her down to the point of being unable to do anything but Struggle to battle.

“Urgh. Use Dazzling Gleam!” I shouted, hoping the strong Fairy Type attack would finish Banette off.

As the light rapidly built for Ninetales to burst, Acerola was quick to offer a counter strategy of her own.

“Will-o-Wisp!”

Two things happened very quickly: first, Banette managed to conjure several wisps of light that pressed down into Ninetales’s fur and burned it black. Second, Ninetales exploded with light, and the attack was more than strong enough to finally knock Banette off and take it out.

When the Ghost Type fell to the ground, I had to question what its purpose in the overall match was. It had hardly done anything outside of making Dark Pulse unusable and burning Ninetales.

Except, that was enough, wasn’t it? Independently, that might not have been much, but Ninetales’s burn meant she wouldn’t be able to stay out for too long before succumbing to her injuries. Not just that, but by removing Dark Pulse from play, Ninetales didn’t have any surprise super effective attacks to use against her foes.

I can’t tell if this is clever or not. We’ll know by the end of the match.

I was starting to notice a pattern. After almost every Pokémon Acerola sent out, I found myself switching to someone else.

When Banette was returned, so was Ninetales, and Acerola and I both sent out fresh, new Pokémon.

“Drifblim.”

“Altaria.”

There was something about the tone of Acerola’s voice that told me she was greatly amused by our battle so far.

For this match specifically, we had somehow both sent out Flying Type Pokémon. The battle would enter the air, and I was excited to see what kind of aerial maneuvers a battle against a true, flying Ghost Type would bring.

Except, that kind of match never happened.

Acerola’s strategy with Drifblim turned out to be a gamble. While the ground was soaked through and torn up from that Anchor Shot from earlier, the sky was completely clear. She tried to fill it with the smoky energy of Ominous Wind, fishing for the secondary, omni-boost the move sometimes brought. Altaria’s Cloud Nine did help him slightly ward off the effects (it certainly warded off Ninetales’s snow), but the wind was wide enough that he was always struck whenever Drifblim used it.

The problem with this match was that Drifblim never got off the boost Ominous wind would have brought. Even more, Altaria accidentally stumbled into a surprise vulnerability in Drifblim’s method of flight. See, Hyper Voice was ineffective, so he was forced to resort to both Flamethrower and Ice Beam to use against Drifblim. Upon using them, it quickly became obvious that the hot air balloon Pokémon was rather vulnerable to changes in temperature while in flight.

The end result was Altaria spamming his two attacks, causing Drifblim to be flung about thanks to the temperature differentials. Ice Beam caused Drifblim to be yanked up and down, up and down, up and down, like some kind of beach ball toy, until finally—

“Explosion!”

And despite the power contained within Drifblim’s final gambit, Altaria pulled himself in and let a Cotton Guard's fluff absorb most of the incoming damage.

It was the most one-sided match so far, and that was with Banette’s lack of damage against Ninetales.

“That wasn’t very fun,” Acerola said, puffing her cheeks. “Drifblim was supposed to do more than that.”

I shrugged.

“Sorry. Ominous Wind only rarely enhances its user. My Togekiss has been using Ancient Power for a long time—which should carry the same boosting effect— and I’ve only seen an omni-boost maybe once or twice.”

My words made Acerola sigh as the girl put her Pokémon's Pokéball in a hidden pocket on her dress. The current standing was four against one. Only Mawile and Azumarill had fainted, yet Acerola was on the last member of her team.

Except, now that I think about it, she's not in too bad of a place, is she? My two physical Pokémon have fainted, leaving me with less options to counter any strong, up close opponents. Ninetales is unable to use Dark Pulse, Florges is extremely injured, and as “easy” as Drifblim was, Altaria used a lot of his moves. He's tired after that fight.

I narrowed my eyes and looked at Acerola more carefully. She casually knocked her knuckles against her cheek, and I could swear I saw the faintest of grins.

“Oh, well. I guess I'll send out my last Pokémon.”

That—!

I shook my head, exasperated and amused.

I have to give it to her, it’s a clever strategy. This whole time, she's been trying to lead us on and weaken us to let her final team member sweep.

The clues all fell together in my mind as I watched carefully for what Pokémon would appear on the field. So many potential Ghost Types could spell our doom, but I thought I was ready. Yet, when the actual Pokémon appeared, I froze. My heart raced, and it was only thanks to spending time with the newest member of my team that I stopped a shiver from going down my spine.

Acerola’s final Pokémon was big, large, and had a head all too small for its body. Its proportions were just as grotesque as they were familiar. The faded cloth that covered it looked tattered while deep red eyes stared out.

“Let's do this, Mimikyu!” Acerola shouted, cheering on the Totem Pokémon that sat on the field.

This wasn’t just any Totem Pokémon, too. She had sent out the same Totem Mimikyu that Lillie and I had faced back at the old, abandoned Megamart, which caused horrific memories to play in my mind, flashing me back to that terrifying experience.

I have Mimikyu with me now. He made sure nothing in the Megamart was too bad. I have experience training a Ghost Type, and I know there’s nothing to be afraid of. This is just a Pokémon, Alex, and we can beat it. Recognize that.

Briefly rubbing my face, I felt a bit better and wholly focused on the match. Sure, the Totem Mimikyu was a terrifying powerful opponent immune to both Normal and Dragon Type moves, but Altaria still had access to other Types of attacks. We still had a strong chance to win.

But then Acerola danced.

And I knew what that meant.

It wasn't the Ghost Type dance I would have expected. Instead, it was a variant of the Fairy Type one I had learned all the way back on Melemele Island. Acerola brought her hands forward together, and she went through all of the motions, ending by flapping her hands at her sides in imitation of the wings of a butterfly.

“Alright, Mimikyu! Let’s Snuggle Forever!” she called out.

Oh. That’s so much worse.

This wasn't just a Z-Move. This was Mimikyu’s exclusive Z-Move, one that required not a Fairy Z-Crystal, but something called a Mimikium-Z.

The already oversized Mimikyu grew even larger, and it shifted around to let its eyes—its real eyes—track Altaria as he flew through the air.

“You have to run!” I yelled at the top of my lungs.

It didn't matter. In this field, space was limited. As Altaria tried to fly away, the Totem Mimikyu glowed with a visible aura, and then it leaped with the bottom of its disguise held wide.

Two red eyes flashed. Its cloth stretched Altaria in the air. He squawked out of fear before being utterly consumed. When the Mimikyu landed, its insides jostled around for a full half minute before letting Altaria pop out from underneath with a nasty burp.

(Acerola gave her Pokémon a thumbs-up in support.)

Released from Mimikyu’s body, Altaria fainted. Heck, he had fainted before being unceremoniously dumped on the ground. Given this attack was a Fairy Type Z-move, it was especially effective against the sole Dragon Type on my team.

“I...”

I couldn’t bring myself to speak any words after witnessing that. It was simply too much.

“Scary, right?” Acerola asked with a smile.

I slowly nodded my head. Both Hope and Lillie stared blankly at the field.

Given the team members I had left, neither Ninetales nor Florges were a good match-up for Acerola's final Pokémon. Weighing my options, I sent out the sole other Pokémon I had left.

Whimsicott appeared in the air.

“Taunt it. Mimikyu is at his strongest when he buffs himself up, and we can’t let Acerola’s Mimikyu do the same,” I said.

Meanwhile, Acerola only said one word.

“Protect.”

My brow furrowed at her command as Whimsicott began listing off insults. Yes, the Totem Mimikyu heard what he said, but no, it did not become enraged by the Taunt. Instead, Protect saved it from that insidious energy that would have tricked it into attacking. Protect stopped the effect, and then it shoved a claw into the ground.

Whimsicott used Taunt again, only for a second Protect to stop him. He took a breath to prepare himself, and that was when Acerola’s Mimikyu moved.

The Swords Dance came out far quicker than either of us expected. That deep breath? Whimsicott made it purposefully loud to try to bait out this move. Except, it had already properly set itself up to use it, dragging its claw over the floor to help sharpen its claw. Less than a second passed before Whimsicott was able to land his third Taunt, and within that second Mimikyu already managed to make its future attacks stronger by twofold.

My eyes snapped to Acerola. The girl smiled, apparently satisfied.

All of this for that one moment, huh?

“Alright, Mimikyu! Time to sweep!” she called out.

The cry that came from under the Totem Pokémon was not the high-pitched sound I was used to but a low, gurgling noise that echoed around the field.

The Shadow Sneak that followed was impossibly fast, and Whimsicott just barely had enough time to pull off a chunk of fluff for Substitute. However, the Totem's claws tore right through. With its boost empowering its already powerful attacks, we were on a timer. If we weren’t clever, Acerola’s match-long set-up would mean the Totem Mimikyu could carve through the rest of my team.

But that was only the case if we didn’t fight back.

If we're going to be put on a timer, then Acerola should be put on one as well.

“Toxic!” I shouted, ordering the one move that was the bane of all sweepers.

Acerola's expression was completely unreadable. After all, it had taken Whimsicott so long to figure it out that the move hardly showed up in any previous, recorded battles.

The next time the Totem Mimikyu struck, Whimsicott let the attack land. The Shadow Claw was painful, but, with a splatter, poisonous gunk sprayed out where it struck and splashed across the Mimikyu's face.

I couldn’t help but to grin as I saw the cloth become discolored. Underneath, the oversized Pokémon briefly lurched as the badly poisoned condition settled in.

“Withdraw your Pokémon. This match is sealed,” I said.

“Not yet! If we're fast enough...!”

Another Slash failed to take out Whimsicott thanks to a fast Protect, but the third strike finally finished the job. I returned Whimsicott and sent out my final Pokémon, going fast enough so I couldn’t be criticized for purposefully waiting around while her Pokémon was poisoned.

Ninetales might have been burned, but a Pokémon suffering from Toxic would always faint before a burned Pokémon.

“Full evasion,” I said. “Don't let it hit you even a single time.”

And it was over. Snow began to fall over the field, and the area was cast into dim light once more. This time, she was much more aware of the potential for her foe to sneak up to her within this shade, and she did not fall to a Shadow Sneak a second time.

For all the speed the Totem Pokémon had, it could not catch up to a properly used Agility. Then, to make matters worse, a Confuse Ray layered illusions over the Totem Mimikyu’s senses, causing it to strike out at nothing at all several times, repeatedly.

“It’s over,” I repeated. “Withdraw your Pokémon before it succumbs to its poison.”

“No! Mimikyu can still win. Just one attack, just one attack and—”

The overweight Mimikyu burped and wobbled where it stood. It was seconds away from fainting, and Acerola stopped herself, sniffed, then grabbed her Pokéball. Each and every slight movement from the Totem Pokémon took great effort, and any attempts to follow Ninetales forced it to use its full focus.

“I just wanted to win,” Acerola whispered.

“You were very close. I’ve been nothing but impressed the whole way through.”

Just like that, Acerola came to her senses and returned her Pokémon, pausing the effects of poison early. That was a mark in her favor as she returned it to its ball, and as I looked to Hope, she nodded. Both of us had high praise for what we had seen in this fight.

Acerola knew how to train Ghost Type Pokémon, but she needed more hands-on practice against tough foes. If she was the island’s Kahuna, she would have been a major threat. But, as it stood, she only ever had a chance to battle against Elite Trainers that went out of their way to take on Trial Captains—something few ever did.

I knew it wouldn’t take long at all for her to become a proper member of the region’s future Elite Four, she just needed practice. Considering her age, she had enormous potential for growth and her affinity for Ghost Types would help with the development of Alola’s Pokémon League.

(I knew from personal experience that they were great for intelligence, after all.)

So, with Acerola’s test concluded, and with our impending reports for Professor Kukui on the mind, it was time to move on.