Bat, Cobra, and Rhino (Underground Gauntlet) [F]

[Venominon]

With his recent Pokemon capture mission a rousing success, many people might think that Venom's work in the Goldenrod Tunnel was done, but they'd be wrong. Before bidding a not so fond farewell to this pit of filth, the ninja still had one more thing to take care of. During his time in Goldenrod City's underground, he had heard rumors of something called the Underground Gauntlet, as well as the prizes waiting at the end for anyone who could complete it. Naturally, Venom and his Pokemon were intrigued, but they all knew that this wouldn't be easy. In fact, this may very well turn out to be Team Toxic's toughest challenge yet. However, like every other challenge they've faced so far, they'd meet this one head on and give it their best shot.

Following the rumors he had heard, Venom found his way to the site of the gauntlet, taking a giant deep breath before stepping foot inside. As soon as he did, the Poison type trainer took a quick look around at the five trainers he'd be facing in this challenge, able to tell right away that they were no pushovers. At least not compared to the trainers he had been battling up to this point. Nevertheless, Venom refused to back down, staying strong as he made his opening statement. "I assume you're the five trainers who make up the Underground Gauntlet I've heard so much about, correct? If so, I'd like to try my hand at your challenge. So, who's first?" As usual, Venom got straight to the point, as he and his Pokemon were already raring to go.

Of course, Venom had also heard about the rules for this gauntlet in advance, so he knew that he'd only be able to use three of his Pokemon during said gauntlet. In preparation for this, Venom thought long and hard about which of his Pokemon he should choose, and after running numerous scenarios through his head, he believed that he had come up with the best team of three possible. Crobat, Arbok, and Nidoking. Additionally, he had also given each of them a hold item that would help them during battle and made sure to stock up on healing items. He just hoped that it would all be enough. Venom had faith in his beloved Pokemon, choosing his first Pokeball of the three while he waited for his first opponent to reveal themselves to him.

OOC: Before this challenge officially begins, I'd like to make a few changes to Venom's party. First of all, I'd like to place his Ivysaur in his PC, and withdraw Arbok in his place. Secondly, I'd like to give Venom's Black Sludge to Nidoking, his Quick Claw to Arbok, and his Darkium Z to Crobat. With that, Team Toxic is ready to take on the Underground Gauntlet! Wish them luck, everyone!

[Tarlar]

The Gauntlet was a shady place, a place for trainers to test their pokemon against others in a setting where you didn't have too many rules or someone worrying about where you got the pokemon from. A lot of shady people met in this shady ally to settle scores or to earn some street credits among the others who were desiring such things.
There were also a lot of not so shady people who just didn't judge others and saw it as a great place to get a break from the everyday, and funny enough a lot of those people really focused hard on succeeding there and therefore became some of the strongest.

As Venom ventured in the direction of the Gauntlet, the sounds of roaring, shouting and cheering people could be heard muffled and he just had to follow the sounds to find the ill hidden entrance to the place. In a dead end of the tunnel, a smaller tunnel lead into the darkness, it smelled damp and moldy and was surprisingly deep, the noises just became louder the closer he came and as he stepped into what mostly looked like a cave carved out of the rock, he saw the gauntlet in front of him.
Hopefully he didn't have any stage fright since the place was packed!

"WHAT?! I CAN'T HEAR YOU," the man Venom addressed shouted back but then didn't pay him any more attention as the battle in the ring was getting close to its end, a golduck was facing a Metang and was doing surprisingly well.
"GO FOR THE EYE! THE EYE!" The man screamed at the fighting pokemon where the Metang just dodged a headbutt from the water type.
Someone grabbed Venom's arm and pulled him closer, it was a punk girl who wore contacts so her eyes were slits and when she grinned it turned out all her teeth were filed pointy. She pulled him close enough to be able to half shout into his ear.
"You want to compete?" She waited a moment for his confirmation, "Come with me!"
She would more or less drag him along to one side, where some organizers stood. She pulled in one person's arm and said something to their ear while pointing at Venom, the person looked at Venom and nodded and turned their attention to someone else who was watching the current battle.
"Good Luck," The girl shouted to Venom as she walked past him again, flashing him a grin.

"AAAAAND GOLDUCK COMES OUT VICTORIOUS!" The man whom the person had talked to, then announced with a booming voice, he had no trouble reaching the whole place without a microphone. Complains and cheers mingled as the pokemon were recalled to make space for the next battle.
"AND WE ARE JUMPING STRAIGHT INTO THE NEXT BATTLE SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE A CHALLENGER!" The announcer boomed and the room chattered wtih excitement, the Announcer pointed at Venom and everybody's eyes turned to him.
"FRESH FROM ECRUTEAK, HAVING TRAINED UNDER MORTY HIMSELF WE HAVE PURPLE SNAKE! HIS POKEMON ARE VILE AND FEROSIOUS, WHO DARES TEST THEIR SKILL AGAINST HIM?!" The Announcer shouted and cheers followed excitedly as people began to look around to see who dared to step up. The Announcer gestured for Venom to step forward and enter the ring.

A man with a hardhat, one of the group of five Venom had attempted to address when he arrived, although not the one who had briefly answered him, watched Venom thoughtfully and then stepped into the ring at the opposite side. The crowd roared as they clearly knew him.
"AND WE HAVE A CHALLENGER!" The Announcer screamed to be heard over the noise, "RELIABLE ROBERT WHO CAN BOTH FIX YOUR PIPE AND TOSS YOUR POKEMON INTO THE DISCARD BIN, THIS IS GOING TO BE A BATTLE OF THE AGES!"
Robert gave Venom a nod and flung a pokeball high up in the air, it split open at the top and a magneton popped out flashing which made the crowd cheer. Robert caught the pokeball as it fell down again and looked expectantly at Venom.
"AND ROBERT HAS CHOSEN HIS HARD HITTING MAGNETON, HOW IS PURPLE SNAKE GOING TO COUNTER THAT?" The Announcer shouted to keep the excitement going, although that wasn't really necessary.

Venominon has entered the Gauntlet!


Worker Robert challenges you and sends out his Magneton [Lv 20] for the 1st. Round!

[Venominon]

Considering how shady the gauntlet was, Venom was a bit surprised by how much cheering he heard coming from it during his approach, and how many people he saw upon his arrival. Everything else was unsurprising to the ninja though. The location, the types of people he saw, the various odors drifting through the air, etc. And although he wasn't quite used to battling in front of so many people just yet, Venom didn't have even the smallest amount of stage fright. Still, he did worry that all the constant shouting of the onlookers might make it hard for him to focus, or even make it harder for his Pokemon to hear his commands during battle. Be that as it may, he had come this far, and he certainly wasn't about to turn around and leave without even trying.

Having not expected so many people or so much noise, Venom was also unsurprised when his opening statement went unheard by most of the other humans in the area, but it still caused him to look and feel rather exasperated. However, that emotion didn't last long, as Venom's attention was immediately drawn to the only person who seemed to actually hear what he had to say. Before he could object to her physical contact, the Poison type trainer was taken aback by the punk girl's appearance. As strange as it may have seemed to outsiders, her eyes and fangs reminded Venom of, well, himself. Particularly how his own eyes and teeth looked whenever he got angry or intense. Once again, this emotion didn't last long, as Venom regained his composure a few seconds after hearing her question, and quickly gave her his answer.

"Yes. I heard there was a rare TM here, and this seemed like a good place to demonstrate Team Toxic's power to the people of Johto." The purple-haired trainer answered her confidently, along with a nod and a brief explanation of his motives. After that, not really having a choice in the matter, Venom followed her lead, as she dragged him off to Arceus only knows where. Once she finally stopped, Venom watched with one eyebrow raised, as the punk girl passed a message along to some other shady-looking characters. Still refusing to back down, the ninja waited for their "system" to take effect, watching the current battle while he did. Once again, Venom wasn't really surprised by how they did battle down here, but he was at least a little disgusted by it, mentally noting to keep his wits about him during his own battles.

Not long after that, Venom watched and listened as the punk girl wished him good luck and took her leave, only giving Venom enough time to offer her a quick bow of thanks in return. While he didn't exactly approve of their methods, he was still grateful for her help at least. The Poison type trainer quickly raised his head after that though, as all eyes fell on him, making him a bit uncomfortable right away, but still not nearly enough to make him retreat. This discomfort quickly turned into even more exasperation though, as the announcer got Venom's origin completely wrong, and insulted his beloved Poison type Pokemon to boot. Even though Venom wanted to object right then and there, he quickly decided that it would be a waste of breath, with the announcer's booming voice and all the cheers filling the room and drowning out his own. So, after letting out a sigh and pinching the bridge of his nose, Venom made his way down to the ring, and began preparing himself for his first opponent.

Once his opponent appeared, Venom immediately looked them over, as well as their Pokemon of choice, narrowing his eyes into a glare as soon as he saw that it was a Steel type. "A Steel type, huh? Very well then. Nidoking, let's show these punks what Team Toxic is made of!" As he yelled his out, Venom grabbed and tossed his first Pokeball onto the battlefield, sending his reliable Drill Pokemon into the fray. And even though Nidoking was surprised by the sheer number of onlookers himself, he still made sure to make a big entrance, growling and stomping his powerful feet on the ground. "As you command, master! Leave the first victory to me!" Without missing a beat, Venom called for Nidoking's newest attack, knowing that it would definitely make an impression on the Magnet Pokemon, its trainer, and everyone else here.

"Don't give it a chance to attack, Nidoking! Send that Steel type packing with your Bulldoze attack!" Even though Venom knew that most, if not all of Magneton's attacks wouldn't be very effective against a Ground type like Nidoking, he still didn't want to let his battle drag on any longer than absolutely necessary. As strong as his Pokemon were, they still had four more trainers and Pokemon to deal with after this one. With that in mind, now was definitely not the time to play around. Not that Venom ever did that, of course. "This one's all mine! I hope you're ready for this, Magneton!" Once more, the Poison/Ground type stomped his mighty feet on the ground, but with much more force this time, causing a powerful shockwave that shook the entire tunnel and everyone in it.

[Avalon]

As the Nidoking emerged in the Gauntlet, the crowd let out into a mixture of cheers and jeers. Many were excited just to see such a strong Pokemon out and ready to participate in the Gauntlet, but just as many had seemingly decided that Venom and the rest of Team Toxic were to be the heels of this little tournament. Robert, for his part, seemed unfazed by the choice in Pokemon. This was a bad match-up given Nidoking's grounded nature, but it was still one that he thought he could pull out a win from with the right strategy.

But then again, everyone had a strategy until they got punched in the mouth. Nidoking began his attack, stomping and shaking the ground around them. The tunnel's walls remained strong, unmoving from the onslaught, but the ground itself shook and quaked underfoot for everyone. The crowd that had amassed had to steady themselves, gripping onto whatever they could to prevent themselves from falling down. Robert fell to one knee from the force of the vibrations, and even Magneton seemed rattled by the shaking and quaking, swaying unsteadily through the air. "AND THE PURPLE SNAKE'S FEROCIOUS NIDOKING STARTS OFF WITH A STRONG ATTACK ON THE ARENA ITSELF! HOW WILL RELIABLE ROBERT RESPOND?!"

However, the slightly carved out rocky nature of this tunnel's extension was not as entirely stable as it might have first appeared, as the quaking caused some rocks to fall from the ceiling, landing upon and striking the Magneton's body. From the swaying damage caused by the vibrations and the rocks, Magneton collapses, its eye changing from irises to a swirling pattern. Robert sighed, retrieving a Poke Ball from his tool belt and recalling the unconscious Magneton into its home. He gave Venom a tip of the hard-hat, as a gesture of good will. Sometimes you won, and sometimes you lose. No point in belly-aching or dwelling on it for too long. Robert turned on his heel, joining back in with the crowd either to spectate or get back to work.

The crowd was stunned, seeing their friend and frequent competitor bested in such short order. "AND RELIABLE ROBERT WAS BESTED IN A SINGLE MOVE! THE WINNER IS PURPLE SNAKE AND HIS NIDOKING!" The announcer, wherever they were, said with a tone that implied they were surprised. Many of them had expected little from 'Purple Snake', but now he had beaten one of the regulars. They weren't sure whether to cheer for a strategically-sound victory, or to boo him for the battle being far too brief.

"BUT PURPLE SNAKE ISN'T DONE JUST YET! SEEMS OUR NEW CHALLENGER HAS EARNED THE ATTENTION OF ANOTHER REGULAR! THE BLOODTHIRSTY BUSINESSMAN, THE MERCHANT OF PAIN: PETE!" Before Venom or Nidoking had any real chance to process his victory, a new figure emerged from the crowd to great applause. Despite the grandiose introduction, the man was much more plain: a tall and lanky man, with slicked back black hair and an immaculate suit. A nervous look came across his face as he entered the arena.

"P-pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Snake. You made my brother-in-law look pretty bad in that last fight, so I'm gonna have to avenge him," the man said sheepishly, retrieving a Poke Ball from the inner pocket of his suit jacket. He let the ball fly, releasing his Pokemon of choice. A set of mole-like heads emerged, glaring at Venom and Nidoking both. "THE BLOODTHIRSTY BUSINESSMAN HAS CHOSEN HIS PARTNER: DUGTRIO! HOW WILL PURPLE SNAKE HANDLE THIS DEVELOPMENT?!"

Nidoking won the first round and gained 1000 EXP! Current EXP: (1432/2437)


Clerk Pete has challenged you to Round 2 and sends out his Dugtrio (Level 21)!

[Venominon]

Just as Venom had predicted, one super effective hit was all it took to KO the Magnet Pokemon, much to his and Nidoking's pleasure. Venom gained a new smirk upon his face, letting out a few hissing noises at the same time, while Nidoking stomped his powerful feet on the ground a few more times, letting out some very loud calls that only Venom could actually understand. "Oh yeah! Did you all see that?! No Steel type can stop us! We're Team Toxic!" Clearly, the poisonous rhinoceros was very proud of his victory, and his trainer was very proud of him. Even though he was never really one for theatrics, the ninja gave his Pokemon companion a nod, then addressed him in a tone that reflected his renewed pride. "Indeed. Very well put, Nidoking. But don't celebrate too much. We still have four more to go."

Venom reminded the Drill Pokemon, making another prediction as he watched his opponent vacate the arena. "And since these people know that we specialize in Poison types, they'll likely come at us with a Ground or Psychic type next, since Steel has already proven ineffective against us." The Poison type trainer said to himself, but didn't lose his smirk, having already prepared countermeasures to deal with any Ground or Psychic type Pokemon that might show up. Many people probably failed to notice this, but Venom's constant announcements of his specialty type was actually part of his strategy. If everyone knew that Venom only trained Poison type Pokemon, then of course other trainers would choose to battle him with Ground, Psychic, or Steel types. However, since Venom always saw this coming, he was more than prepared for it. Every. Single. Time.

That said, some things did still surprise the ninja. Like his next opponent for example. As soon as Venom noticed the businessman enter the arena, he immediately lost his smirk, in favor of a more puzzled facial expression. With one eyebrow raised, the snake-eyed trainer listened to the nervous man's opening statement, taking notice of how nervous he was right away. However, the thing that really caught the attention of both Venom and Nidoking was the businessman's Pokemon of choice. And even in the face, or rather faces, of this three-headed Mole Pokemon, Venom's smirk returned mere seconds later, as his prediction once again came to fruition. "So, first a Steel type, and now a Ground type? How very predictable. Looks like it's time for the Ground type plan. Nidoking, return for now."

After calling Nidoking back to his Great Ball, Venom quickly exchanged it for a Dusk Ball, activating the spherical device and throwing it onto the battlefield. "It's your turn now, Crobat! Let's get Team Toxic another win!" From the shadowy energy of the green and black orb, the fully evolved Bat Pokemon emerged, spreading his four wings and flying high above his ground-bound foe. Unfortunately, all the loud screaming from the crowd was an immediate assault on Crobat's sensitive ears, causing him to wince in pain, but not enough pain to make him fall to the ground. "Gah! What the heck?! Where are we, master?! It's so loud in here!" Once again, Venom lost his smirk, apologizing and bowing his head to his airborne friend right away.

"I'm sorry, Crobat, but this is the moment we talked about during our strategy meeting. Granted, I didn't know there would be this many people here, but I need your help now. So please, lend me your power, my friend." Thankfully, the sound of his trainer's voice reached Crobat over all the screams and shouts, as he slowly but surely regained his composure and eyed his opponent below him. "Very well. You know I would never let you down, master. If it's for Team Toxic, I'll gladly give it my all." From there, the purple-haired trainer raised his head, regained his smirk once more, and proceeded with his Ground type battle plan. "Okay then, just like we planned, Crobat! Start off with Bite, then right into Wing Attack!" Using his immense speed, Crobat swooped down right at Dugtrio with his fangs bared, hoping to make the Mole Pokemon flinch before delivering what would hopefully be the final blow of round two.

OOC: Running Shoes used. By the way, am I only allowed to use the Running Shoes once during the entire gauntlet? Or can I use them once per battle during the gauntlet? Just wanna be sure before I decide to use them a second time in this thread. Thanks.

[Tiki]

The Crobat fluttered around the arena, trying to find the right time to bite down this little mole family. The Announcer and the crowd cheered as the battle began. "WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT! THE CROBAT HAS A POWERFUL POINT TO SHOW! WHAT WOULD PETE DO?"

Pete politely smiled, and it was hard to tell if it was genuine or like a business man type of fake smile, as if he had something else in his head. He waited until the Crobat dove down and got close, then he finally gave his command. "Dugtrio, use Sucker Punch!" The ground type cried out, and flung a decent sized rock that smacked right in front of the Crobat's face. (Because Nintnedo never revealed if Dugtrio had hands or paws.) The hit knocked back the Crobat a little in the air, but he regained his balance and took a bite out of two of the three Dugtrio, making them cry out in pain.

Then, the Crobat circled around as his wings glowed white in preparation for a Wing Attack. He's a fast one, as he seemed to be flying from one end of the arena to another in a blink of an eye. Pete looked up at the Crobat for a second, then back back down toward his Dugtrio. There was not much time to deliberate, but he really did not have much option here. "Give it another Sucker Punch!"

When Crobat finally dove down, Dugtrio stared at it until their distance narrowed again. Then, it faked a sucker punch, which caused the flying rat to angled itself as a reaction. The second time, the Dugtrio finally toss a chunk of rock at the Crobat's direction again, hitting it in the face. The Announcer chimed in to comment that. "WORD! LOOK AT THAT SUCKER PUNCH! CROBAT NEEDS TO WATCH HIS OUTLOOK!"

Crobat wasn't done though, as after that smack, his wings was still glowing, and he resumed flying toward the Dugtrio for a full on Wing Attack. The Dugtrio looked dizzy for a bit before passing out, looking unconscious. "ANOTHER WIN FOR PURRRPLE SNAKE!"-- The crowd cheered loudly. "IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S EXCELLED WITH HIS POISON TYPE!" Pete thanked his Pokemon, and retreated until the next opponent showed up.

A man with grey facial hair and a green beret and green pants and brown leather suspender over his white button up shirt appeared. His clothes looked a bit stained with some paint if one were to looked closely. "Snakey Boy, you had bested my nephew, and I will express my anger with my Pokemon! " He spoke sternly and authoritatively. He sent out his Xatu, with her wings folded. She stared at Venom to see what would be her next action.

"ANGRY ARTIST HAS CHOSEN HIS XAAATUUUU!" The announcer paused dramatically. "HOW WILL PURPLE SNAKE ASSESS HIS NEXT POKEMON?!"

---

Crobat gained 50*21= 1050 experience for winning! (1499/2437)
Crobat is the most happy boy!



Artist Pierre sent out his (Level 22) Xatu!

OOC:
Nidoking and Crobat used
Crobat HP 66/94 from the two sucker punches.

gonna let an admin answer that question but I think it's okay?
Guide Gents's thread only says once per battle, and you have a few battles here in gauntlet
It's per battle

EDIT:
Venominon just letting you know that you can thank a mod for a post (or previous posts too!) in the moderator reward thread.

[Venominon]

Admittedly, neither Venom nor Crobat had expected Sucker Punch of all moves, especially from a Pokemon with no arms. Still, this proved to be a minor annoyance at best, as Crobat won the second battle for Team Toxic. Once that battle was done, both trainer and Pokemon took the time waiting for their third opponent to show up to catch their breath and recompose themselves. Even though they won with relative ease, Crobat had still taken damage, and in a challenge like this one, that could spell disaster for them further down the line. That being said, Venom had plenty of healing items on standby, as well as a secret weapon, which he was carefully waiting for the perfect opportunity to use. This particular secret weapon could only be used once during this entire challenge, so the ninja had to make absolutely sure that he didn't waste it.

A few minutes after the businessman left the arena, an artist took his place, looking and sounding to be far more confident than the last trainer was. Venom took note of this right away, but much like the previous round, the real eye catcher was the artist's Pokemon of choice. First, a Steel type, then a Ground type, and now a Psychic type. Xatu, the Mystic Pokemon. Even though he planned for this, the Poison type trainer had to wonder if this was a mere coincidence, or if this whole challenge had been rigged against him. Either way, both the artist's anger and the threat of his Psychic type Pokemon failed to intimidate Venom. Rather, the ninja just smirked, withdrawing a certain item from his pocket and equipping it to his right wrist.

"Crobat, it's time." Those were the only words Venom spoke to the Bat Pokemon, as the object on his wrist shined even in the faintest of light. Upon hearing those words, Crobat gasped, looking to his trainer with building excitement all over his face, as well as some disbelief. "...No way...Don't tease me, master...We're really gonna use it?" Still smirking, Venom held up his right wrist, showing the item he had equipped to it to his companion, as he gave him a verbal answer along with it. "Yes. The time has finally come. These humans think a Psychic type Pokemon can stop us, but they no idea how wrong they are. Let's show them Team Toxic's true power, Crobat."

The item in question was the Z-Ring that Venom got for completing the Alola trial a while back, and resting comfortably on top of the Z-Ring was the Darkium Z he got from completing yet another Alola trial. As soon as he saw those two items together, Crobat's excitement erupted, causing him to gain a great big smile upon his face, as he flapped his wings much faster, flying all around the air above the battlefield. "Alright! It's here at last! This is such an honor, master! I'm ready!" Naturally, Venom was happy to see his friend so happy, waiting patiently for the Poison/Flying type to truly be ready and regain his composure before making use of the Alolan treasures. While he did, Venom faced the crowd, held his Z-Ring up high, and made a proud declaration to all who were present. "Behold! Not Steel! Not Ground! Not even Psychic can stop us! And we won't stop until the world sees the true power of the Poison type! We are Team Toxic! And we will never quit until our dream is fulfilled!"

At almost the exact moment Venom finished his declaration, Crobat regained his composure, and both of them turned back towards the artist and his Xatu. With that, they wasted no further time, and Venom activated the Z-Ring and Z-Crystal, taking his starting stance. After obtaining a Z-Ring, Venom spent hours researching the proper poses needed to perform Z-moves for each type of Z-Crystal. And his posing must've been perfect, as the crystal reacted to it right away, giving off immense energy, which grew more and more with each movement the ninja made. "In the name of Team Toxic, all Poison type Pokemon everywhere, and myself, Venominon Ouroboros, I call upon the power of Alola! Please grant us your power and bring us victory in this battle! Help us show the world the true potential of all Poison type Pokemon!"

Venom finished posing for the Dark type Z-move, and all the energy he had been building up flowed straight into Crobat, filling him to the brim, as the Dark type symbol appeared directly in front of him for a brief moment. "Yes! I can feel it! The energy! It's incredible! I've never felt anything like it before!" Crobat declared in a very loud and excited tone of voice, as the energy grew even stronger still, radiating from his entire body. "Go now, Crobat! Black Hole Eclipse!" Venom's order was the final step needed to unleash all that stockpiled energy, and Crobat carried it out without even the smallest moment of hesitation. The entire room grew darker, as a huge black hole appeared directly above the Bat Pokemon, sucking in all kinds of debris and trash that had been littered around the room. "Eat this, Psychic type! This is Team Toxic's power for the future of all Poison types!" Having made his final declaration, Crobat sent the black hole flying right at Xatu, not holding anything back.

OOC: Darkium Z used. Also, thanks, Tiki.

[Avalon]

Pierre stood tall as he sent out his oddly-colored yet majestic bird to fight against the poisonous bat. He did raise an eyebrow at the various gestures and poses struck by Venom, and even the crowd began to wonder what was going on. Was Purple Snake finally getting into the rhythm of their little show and had decided to play his part? Had the stress of performing in front of an audience finally gotten to him? It was unclear to most in the crowd, though there was at least one tourist in the audience excitedly slapping the shoulder of the person in front of him. "A Z-Move! He's about to do a Z-Move!"

"PURPLE SNAKE HAS TAKEN ON AN ODD POSE AND GIVEN AN OUTSTANDING MONOLOGUE! BUT HOW WILL THIS HELP HIM OVERCOME SUCH A STEEP TYPE DISAD-OH SWEET ARCEUS, WHAT IS THAT?" the announcer trailed off from his usual commentary as Crobat began to seemingly manifest a void of darkness itself in between his wings. The vortex grew, sucking in more and more of the light in the tunnel as the air itself began to take on a certain weight from the force of the black hole. Pierre grimaced, seeing the mighty attack begin to form by Crobat's body.

"Xatu, give it a-" Faster than Pierre could give the command to use its Psychic powers or before it even could, the black hole was launched at Xatu, the darkness consuming the bird and bombarding its body within the vortex. None could see what was properly happening within the black hole, though after a few moments the darkness finally subsided and Xatu's bruised body fell to the ground. Pierre's mouth was agape as he recalled his Pokemon and fled from the arena, too irate for even a single word.

"UNBELIEVABLE! WITH THAT SHOW OF STRENGTH, PURPLE SNAKE HAS BESTED ANOTHER OF OUR CHAMPIONS IN A SINGLE MOVE! HE COULD GO ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP!" the announcer called out. The crowd now began to cheer on Venom, amazed by the sight that they had just been shown. Z-Moves were a rather rare commodity in Johto, after all. This was likely the first time most of them had even seen such a thing before. "CAN ANYONE STOP PURPLE SNAKE'S CLIMB TO FAME? PERHAPS IT'LL BE THIS MAN..."

"IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE? THOSE WORDS ARE USUALLY THE KIND OF THING THAT MAKE YOU FEEL SAFE, BUT NOT WITH THIS MEDICINE MAN! HE'LL BEAT YOU DOWN, THEN HEAL YOU UP! DOCTOR DAMAGE HIMSELF!" entering the arena next was a man dressed in medical scrubs, his face covered by a surgical mask. He eyed Venom curiously, clearing his own throat before continuing.

"Dad was so proud of that Xatu and the art they made together...They've been so close, ever since he retired to become a painter. I'll have to beat you down stat, then I can go take a look at Xatu and the others," said the Doctor, releasing a Heal Ball from his surgical glove-covered hands. Out from it emerged a rotund creature clutching an egg: a Chansey, whom waved excitedly at the crowd and at Venom, seemingly unaware of the situation that it had found itself it.

---

Crobat gained 50*22= 1100 experience for winning! Crobat is now Level 29! (162/2611)
Crobat is an even happier most happy boy!


Doctor Brad is up next! He's sent out his Chansey (Level 23)

((OOC: Nidoking and Crobat used
Crobat HP 66/94 from the two sucker punches.))

[Venominon]

Team Toxic had done it. They had finally used their first Z-move, and it left quite the impression on Venom, Crobat, the audience, and even the arena itself. For a full three minutes after Black Hole Eclipse made contact with Xatu, silence had fallen over the underground fight club for what was probably the first time since its founding. And although it wasn't nearly as shocking as the Z-move itself, all the people present for this challenge had just witnessed a team of Poison type Pokemon best all three of their biggest weaknesses in battle. Steel, Ground, and finally Psychic. With that, Venom hoped that these people were finally starting to get his message.

Of course, using a Z-move for the first time didn't come without consequences, as both Venom and Crobat were left winded, taking the several minutes of silence to catch as much of their breath as they could. Crobat could barely stay airborne, and Venom almost fell to one knee, but managed to stay on his feet and keep on smirking. Naturally, he was very pleased with the results of his underground gauntlet challenge so far and wasn't anywhere close to done. No matter how drained he felt at that point. However, it was very clear that Team Toxic's next opponent wasn't going to make this next battle easy for them. Unlike all of their previous foes, Venom wasn't expecting a Chansey of all Pokemon, and it was clear as day that Crobat was in no shape for another battle.

"...Now it's a Normal type, huh?...Chansey may have a lot of stamina...but its defenses are weak." The ninja managed to say in between his deep breaths, knowing from his many hours of research that even though Chansey's HP was very high, its defense left a lot to be desired. This was likely the Egg Pokemon's one and only weakness that could be exploited, apart from its weakness to Fighting type moves, of course. Then, just as Venom was starting to formulate a strategy in his head, one of his Pokeballs opened up all on its own, catching even the ninja by surprise. The Pokeball in question belonged to a very familiar, and very powerful, poisonous rhino, appearing back on the battlefield right beside his winded comrade. And from the look in his eyes, as well as the tone of his voice, this Poison type Pokemon was more than ready to tag back into this fight.

"That was quite the performance, Crobat. It'll be tough to follow that, but I'll take it from here. Tag out and get some rest." Nidoking said to Crobat, as he stomped out in front of him, pounding his fists together and locking eyes with his latest adversary. A few seconds after that, Venom and Crobat finally managed to get their breathing back under control, and Crobat smiled at Nidoking, responding to his words and gesture in a grateful tone. "This one's all yours then. Thank you, brother." Venom smiled at this too, very happy and proud to see such comraderie between his beloved Pokemon, as he called Crobat back to his Dusk Ball for a well-deserved break.

"Thank you too, Crobat. You carried out your part of the plan perfectly." Venom spoke to the Bat Pokemon inside the Dusk Ball, then placed it back into his bag and turned his gaze back towards the battlefield and his loyal Drill Pokemon. "Even though I didn't call for you, I believe you made the right call, Nidoking. No one hits harder on Team Toxic than you, my friend. Now, let's see what all that raw power can do to this Chansey's stamina. Use Double Kick back-to-back!" As luck would have it, Nidoking possessed the very type of move needed to combat the doctor's egg-shaped assistant, and he was more than happy to pick up where Crobat left off. "You got it, master! This'll be our fourth victory!" Letting out a loud battle cry, Nidoking charged straight for Chansey, filling up his mighty legs with as much energy as he could during his approach.

OOC: Running Shoes used.

[Avalon]

"AND PURPLE SNAKE'S NIDOKING HAS RETURNED TO THE FIELD! WHAT DEVIOUS STRATEGY DOES THIS POISONOUS HEEL HAVE IN MIND FOR OUR DEAR DOCTOR'S CHANSEY?" the announcer continued, trying to hype the crowd up even more. With each Trainer bested and each Pokemon that fell, Venom was beginning to attract more and more fans and followers in the crowd, especially after something as spectacular and showy as that Z-Move had been. It was clear that 'Purple Snake' was no ordinary trainer, and not someone who had just stumbled into a run of good fortune. Team Toxic was really something to be marveled at.

"I have just the thing for your Nidoking. Chansey, prescribe them an Ice Beam!" the Doctor said confidently, ignoring the crowds. Earlier, he and his companions had been the talk of the town. Robert, Brad, Pete, and Pierre were among the best this gauntlet had to offer, they were supposed to be the ones drawing in the crowds. Not this snake guy; why was he even called Purple Snake, he didn't even use any snakes! It was a mockery of the little sport that they had invented for themselves down here.

Nidoking emerged, charging at the Chansey as she began manifesting a small core of icy blue energy between her nubby hands. Nidoking reared up one of his massive legs, slamming the now glowing appendage into the side of Chansey's egg-like body. Chansey lost her concentration, the icy energy fading from between her hands as the Nidoking once again reared back, releasing a second kick. This time the kick landed on the center mass, with enough extra force that it knocked the Egg Pokemon back. She cluttered to the ground, landing in front of the Doctor, completely unconscious. The Doctor was so stunned that his mouth, beneath the surgical mask, sat agape. The mask was even starting to slide down his face from the sweat caused by his sudden embarassment. Brad recalled Chansey and paused, as if to say something, before running off. "This isn't over! We'll be back for our rematch, Purple Snake!"

With that, Brad ran from the ring, ears burning bright red as he ran from the scene of his defeat. The crowd was erupting into cheers at the display of strength; sure, some were still disappointed that the fight had been a brief one, but it was still something special seeing four Trainers in a row get taken out one after another with minimal effort. The announcer seemed just as surprised as the crowd, continuing from before. "PURPLE SNAKE HAS BEATEN ANOTHER OF OUR GREATEST TRAINERS! THERE'S ONLY ONE MAN WHO HAS A CHANCE OF STOPPING HIM FROM ASCENDING TO THE TOP! OUR CHAMPION OF THE UNDERGROUND GAUNTLET, THE MAN WHO TAKES OUT THE TRASH AND CLEANS UP YOUR ACT! CHRIS THE CLEANER!"

The last of the Gauntlet's Trainers that emerged was a different one; an elderly fellow in a worker's uniform, a mop bucket and cleaning supplies being dragged behind him. The man smiled at Venom, waving cheerfully. "Let's put on a good show, yeah? I'm actually that artist's brother's former roommate. So you know what that makes us? Absolutely nothing!" the Janitor laughed, a deep belly laugh that fit his jovial nature. "They take this way too seriously, if you ask me. I just want a chance to battle some good Trainers. So let's not disappoint each other."

The Janitor released a ball from his work belt, releasing a massive jellyfish-like creature onto the field. Tentacruel let out a cry, its tendrils wriggling around and its massive horn raising up in an aggressive manner. "AND CHRIS THE CLEANER HAS SENT OUT HIS TENTACRUEL! CLEARLY HE HAS SOME KIND OF STRATEGY IN MIND FOR THE PURPLE SNAKE'S NIDOKING! WHAT WILL PURPLE SNAKE DO NOW?!"

Nidoking gains 1150 exp! Level up to Level 29! (145/2611)

---

Janitor Chris has sent out his Tentacruel (Level 24)!
What will Venom do now?

Mod Notes: Crobat & Nidoking used. Crobat HP 66/94 from the two sucker punches.
One Double Kick was enough, Running Shoes not used, Nidoking at max HP.

[Venominon]

Immediately after the doctor's Chansey fell to the ground and didn't get back up, Venom and Nidoking were left completely flabbergasted. So much so that they had gone utterly deaf to the sounds of both the announcer's voice and all the cheers that erupted from the crowd. Neither of them had expected that battle to be nearly as easy as it was. And while the end result wasn't unwelcome, it did take them a few minutes to regain their senses. But once those senses returned, it was Nidoking that spoke up first, stomping his mighty feet on the ground one more time, flexing his muscles, and making a very proud declaration to the crowd, even if they couldn't understand him. "Is that all you got?! Is it?! I expected way more out of a place like this! Well, I'm still ready for more! So, who's next?!"

The Drill Pokemon goaded their foes into sending out their fifth and final trainer, hoping that this one would provide more of a challenge to him. Meanwhile, Venom regained his composure a little after Nidoking did, and immediately felt more than a little confident about their chances of winning himself. The ninja didn't wish to sound cocky or anything, but the gauntlet only had one more trainer and Pokemon to challenge them with, and Venom still had all three of his Pokemon ready to go. True, Crobat was injured, but he still had plenty of fight left in him. Plus, Nidoking hadn't even gotten a single scratch so far, and Arbok hadn't even battled yet. Team Toxic's victory was all but assured at this point, but as much as Nidoking wanted to keep battling, Venom quickly made the decision to keep things fair and let Arbok have some fun as well.

"Sorry, Nidoking, but would you mind coming back for now? Arbok still hasn't gotten to battle yet, and this is the last one. Whoever comes out next, just leave it to her. Please." Venom spoke to his companion in a sympathetic tone of voice, knowing that it's been a while since Arbok's last battle, and that she'd be disappointed if they won but she didn't get a chance to help out at all. Fortunately, just like always, the sound of his trainer's voice was all it took to calm Nidoking down, as he turned to face said trainer afterward. The Poison/Ground type knew this about his serpentine teammate as well and didn't wish to do anything that would upset her. So, even though he knew that he'd have to wait for another day to fight again, the poisonous rhino gave his trainer a nod, as well as a response.

"Of course, master. I understand. If anyone can finish this for Team Toxic, Arbok can. I know she won't let us down." Nidoking spoke with plenty of confidence in his voice, to which Venom smiled and nodded, never once losing his faith in any of his beloved Poison type Pokemon. "You and I both know that very well. Thanks, Nidoking. You did an amazing job. Now, take a break." The Poison type trainer called Nidoking back to his Great Ball, then quickly exchanged it for a Pokeball from his bag, pressing the button on it and making it bigger. Even though Venom didn't approve of the nickname he had been given after entering the Underground Gauntlet, Purple Snake, everyone watching this next and final battle was about to see that that nickname was actually a rather appropriate choice.

"It's finally your turn! Time to battle, Arbok! Just one more to go and Team Toxic will claim victory in this challenge! So, let's go!" With one good toss, Venom unleashed the first Pokemon he had ever captured upon the battlefield, and she was more than ready for her turn. "AHHHHHH! Finally! I was beginning to think that Crobat and Nidoking were gonna hog all the good times for themselves. All these screaming humans are kind of annoying, but I'll still do my best for you, master." The Cobra Pokemon smiled at Venom, very happy to be battling with him again after such a long time. And Venom smiled right back at her, feeling the exact same way.

"Yeah, sorry about that, Arbok. But you remember the plan, don't you? It's all gone well so far. All that remains is for you to play your part and get us our final win." Arbok needed no further explanation, nodding at Venom, then turning to face their final opponent with her fangs bared and ready to strike. Granted, both Venom and Arbok were a little surprised to see that their final opponent was a janitor, who caused the poisonous pair to cringe with his incredibly bad joke. However, the next words that came from the cleaner's mouth were ones that Venom could actually respect, to a certain extent. Still, it wasn't until said cleaner sent out his own Pokemon that Venom finally spoke to him, running right over to his Tentacruel with a big smile on his face and sparkles in his eyes.

"Ah! A Tentacruel?! What a treat to see one up on dry land! Does this mean that you're a Poison type trainer like myself?! Well, you've got good taste! I'll give you that! Your Tentacruel is amazing! Out of its natural element, but still looking so strong and confident!" Lost in his Poison type fanboy mode, Venom talked in a very fast tone, filled with excitement, not even the slightest bit bothered by how many people were watching him do this. Fortunately, he had Arbok to pull him back to his side of the arena, and back to reality as well. Being that she loved her trainer more than anything else, she always got rather jealous whenever she saw him gushing over other Poison type Pokemon, glaring as she extended her tail towards Venom, wrapped it around him, pulled him back over to her side, and placed him back in his position before letting him go.

"Focus, master! We've got a battle to win! And that means taking those two down!" If she wasn't motived before, she definitely was now, determined to knock her fellow Poison type out of this battle as quickly and ruthlessly as possible. After shaking his head, taking a deep breath, and blushing slightly, Venom returned to his senses, then quickly bowed to Arbok in an apologetic way, before raising his head and refocusing himself on the battle at hand. "Sorry about that, Arbok. You know you'll always hold a special place in my heart. Now then, let's end this so we can get to training the new recruits. Use Dig, then right into Crunch!" Arbok wasted absolutely no time in carrying out her orders, tunneling her way underground, which was really impressive, considering they were already underground, then waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

OOC: I guess I miscalculated last time. -Shrug- Meh. Oh well. Running Shoes used this time instead. Although, I'm not entirely sure if that works, since Arbok's first move is Dig here. If it does work, then it'll actually be three rounds. One for burrowing underground, one for the actual Dig attack, then one more for the Crunch attack. But if it doesn't, then we can always finish up this battle in the next post. Thank you.

[Tiki]

Chris listened to Venom's babble fanatically about his Tentacruel. He began laughing at this unusual response to his Pokemon. "This is the first time I heard someone ecstatic about my Tentacruel. Haha." He paused to catch a breath. "It's uncommon to see a Tentacruel on land, but it's not impossible. They can waddle on land quite decently for a short period of time."

The Tentacruel held up a few appendages cheerfully, as it wasn't usually praised. "It looks like Tentacruel liked your compliments too! Maybe you'll find him more amazing in action. Tentacruel, start with a Water Pulse!" The duo type Pokemon switched to a battle position with its appendages down, and turned toward the Arbok before aiming his beak at the purple snake. The poisonous mollusk fired a blast of pulsing water at high speed, hitting Arbok right in the hood. The serpent shook off the water and dove down toward the underground with powerful forces.

"WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT! CHRIS IS WETTING THE FLOOR BEFORE SWEEPING!" The announcer hollered, making more puns.

"I am surprise your Arbok can dig through the floor. I thought it's some quite sturdy tiles." The janitor commented. He was surprised the Arbok can dig through the floor, not that the Arbok knew dig. "The Arbok can come out any moment now, use Water Pulse when you see it!"

The squid was either turning its body or moving its eyeballs to predict where the Arbok could come up next. However, it misjudged and fired a Water Pulse at the ground. Then, as if immediately knowing that the Tentacruel misjudged its prediction, Arbok came up from the ground and smacked the Tentacruel with her body and some rocks and dirt she picked up along the way from the surprise attack. Arbok wanted to go for a Crunch like her trainer instructed, but that tunnel digging underground was more work than she thought, and she needed to rest herself a little bit.

"IT LOOKS LIKE MISTER CLEAN HAS A TOUGH STAIN TO CLEAN! WHAT WILL HE DO NEXT?" the announcer cannot stopped making puns.

🏗️🏗️Gauntlet Battle!🏗️🏗️

---

Weather: Clear

[attr="class","qkt-bkgd"]

[attr="class","qkt-wild-pkmn"]
Tentacruel LV 24
HP 19% [15/79]

[attr="class","qkt-wild-imgbox"]

[attr="class","qkt-pkmn-img"]

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-pkmn"]
Arbok LV 28
HP 80% [64/80]
"You're not a bird."

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-imgbox"]

[attr="class","qkt-pkmn-img"]

Tentacruel [Liquid Ooze: Status, Attack -1
Arbok [Intimidate]: Status

SP60 Tentacruel used Water Pulse!
SP58 Arbok used Dig! Arbok is underground!

SP60 Tentacruel used Water Pulse! It missed!
SP58 Arbok used Dig!


OOC:
The way the running shoes guide is read, It means opponent gets two turns. Dig is a two turn move so I just used running shoes on this

[Venominon]

Much like the nerd he battled not too long ago, Venom was pleased to have met another Poison type specialist like himself and was even more pleased to see that his Tentacruel appreciated the praise he gave it. Most people and Pokemon found his Poison type fanboy mode to be nothing but strange, so this was a welcome change of pace for the ninja. Of course, Arbok was anything but pleased, as her jealousy grew, and she quickly lashed out at the Jellyfish Pokemon. "Hey, put those tentacles down, you squishy punk! He's my master!" The Cobra Pokemon said with a very audible hiss, spreading her hood as wide as she could, making full use of her ability, Intimidate. Even so, it was clear that Venom loved her very much, as he did all his Poison type Pokemon companions.

In any case, the battle proceeded from there, with Arbok doing everything in her power to knock her foe out in a single round, just as Nidoking and Crobat had done in both of their respective battles up to this point. Unfortunately, Chris and Tentacruel quickly proved that they truly were the best trainer and Pokemon pair that this gauntlet had to offer. Tentacruel withstood Arbok's super effective strike, but not without sustaining a very big hit, looking to be on his last legs, metaphorically speaking. Still, Venom had a bit more praise to offer the Poison/Water type, as well as its trainer. "Just as I thought. Your Tentacruel truly is an amazing specimen. Of course, I'd expect no less from a fellow Poison type trainer. I do wish that this could last a bit longer, but I'm afraid I have other places to be. And it looks like one more attack be all she wrote for you and your Tentacruel."

And by "she", Venom meant Arbok, as she was already poised for her next attack, glaring right at her squishy opponent with her fangs bared. "I'd say that's enough talking, master. Let's end this. We have newbies still waiting to be trained, don't we?" Arbok reminded her trainer, not that he needed it, still looking forward to training up his newly caught Poison type Pokemon very much. "There's no way I could ever forget about something like that, Arbok. But I do see your point. So, now that you've had a moment to catch your breath, use Crunch attack and end this challenge once and for all!" With her commands issued, Arbok lunged straight for the janitor's Tentacruel with her jaws opened wide, ready to nail the final blow of this entire challenge. And even though she was fully capable of taking another Water Pulse, both she and Venom still hoped that the Quick Claw he gave her would kick in and make it so that she didn't have to.

OOC: Ah, I see. No matter. This post should finish this battle up, nonetheless.

[Caramell 🍬]

Janitor Chris could tell that the battle wasn’t going in his favor. He studied his large jellyfish as it flopped a bit on the ground, using his tentacles as legs to hoist himself up in the air. Truth be told, his Poison Type Pokemon made his regular day job cleaning up the long corridors and hallways of various tunnels and buildings a breeze. “I’m proud of you, Tentacruel! Even if we don’t win this, know that I’ll never stop believing in your prowess!” Chris praised his gigantic jellyfish, who beamed up and smiled back at his trainer. “A little known fact that most of society overlooks is how well Poison Type Pokemon can really help you clean up an area. Most people assume they’re the cause of the mess and not the solution to it, though.”

When Venominon praised Chris’ Tentacruel, the older man smiled brightly. It was one thing to have any old person compliment his Pokemon. Though most always did it in a backhand sort of way. In this case, Chris could tell that the compliment his Pokemon was receiving was genuine and from someone who knew a thing or two about Poison Types. “Your Arbok is nothing short of amazing in her own right. I suspect that powerful Dig of hers is something you trained her to do? Amazing work from a skilled trainer, no doubt. But we’ll have to show you we’re not down to the count yet. Tentacruel use another Water Pulse and quick!” The crowd cheered from the sidelines with most of them rooting for Chris. A few shouted the odd insults towards Venom’s direction that were typical of a crowd shouting at a newcomer in a battling match. They all just wanted their guy to win, after all.

“WE’RE DOWN TO THE WIRE FOLKS! WILL PURPLE SNAKE MAKE IT OUT ALIVE? CHRIS’ TENTACRUEL IS HOLDING IN THERE LIKE THE CHAMP WE KNOW HE IS!” Arbok slithered across the grounds as her sharp fangs seemed to glisten under the harsh artificial lighting. Though Tentacruel fired away with long streams of water propelling from his mouth in every direction, something about the long snake seemed to make her appear as though she were faster than her opponent. Within a second’s notice, Arbok leaped at her opponent with her mouth wide open and her fangs unfolded, only to sink them into the top of Tentacruel’s bright red gem. The large jellyfish howled in pain before collapsing in a single heap on the ground.

“SIMPLY AMAZING! IT’S LIKE NOTHING WE’VE EVER SEEN HERE BEFORE FOLKS! PURPLE SNAKE HAS WON! OUR UNDEFEATED CHRIS THE AMAZING HAS BEEN DEFEATED! THERE’S A NEW VICTOR IN TOWN!” And soon after announcing the rest of the details and such over the loud speaker like a child who rambled on-and-on about everything they saw, the speaker would plop out of their hideaway spot to walk up to Venom with a few items in their hands. “As the new reigning champ in our tunnels, you get this coveted Nugget and powerful TM: Drain Punch. Are you considering joining the gauntlet yourself? What’s next on your road to success, young man?”

🏗️🏗️Gauntlet Battle!🏗️🏗️

---

Weather: Clear

[attr="class","qkt-bkgd"]

[attr="class","qkt-wild-pkmn"]
Tentacruel LV 24
HP 0% [0/79]

[attr="class","qkt-wild-imgbox"]

[attr="class","qkt-pkmn-img"]

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-pkmn"]
Arbok LV 28
HP 80% [64/80]
"Gottem!"

[attr="class","qkt-trainer-imgbox"]

[attr="class","qkt-pkmn-img"]

Tentacruel [Liquid Ooze]: Status, Attack -1
Arbok [Intimidate] : Status

SP58+ Arbok used Crunch!
SP60 Tentacruel fainted!

Arbok gained 1200 EXP (1773/2437) and is at max happiness.


Venom was given x1 Nugget & x1 TM60: Drain Punch for winning.

---

Mod Notes: There's been some confusion with Running Shoes. They are 2 moves and not 2 turns based. 2-turn moves like Dig just makes it a bit more confusing overall since Guide Gent equates 2 moves to 2 turns. The main How Battle & Exp Works thread is a bit more straightforward that it's specifically for 2 moves. I've returned use of your Running Shoes to you for this battle whether or not you need it to finish.

[Venominon]

No one knew the true power of Poison type Pokemon better than Venom. Most people just assumed that they were the cause of all the filth and pollution that befell certain areas, since so many of them lived there. However, the reality was that Poison types were actually very diligent cleaners who took great care of whatever home they called their own. So, hearing that a fellow human understood this as well caused Venom to smile, responding to Chris' words with a tone of gratitude and respect, which was very rare for the purple-haired trainer. "You know, despite this rather unsightly location, I've encountered two fellow Poison type trainers since arriving here. It makes me happy to know that there are others in this world who see the true power of Poison type Pokemon. You have my thanks, Chris."

Venom offered the janitor a bow of gratitude after finishing his statement, beginning to think that maybe there was hope for the big city known as Goldenrod after all. Be that as it may, the ninja had vowed to never throw a battle for any reason. No matter how much he respected his current adversary, he and the rest of Team Toxic came to this rather unsavory location to win, and that's exactly what they were going to do. Putting all of his training to good use, Venom entered a state of pure focus, drowning out all of the loud noises around him. The shouting of the announcer, the insults the crowd threw at him, and even the sounds of his own breathing. In Venom's world, everything was silent and dead calm. Like a crystal-clear lake in the middle of a forest.

This feeling of total calm was channeled over to Arbok as well, and the Cobra Pokemon put it to good use, tapping into the power of the Quick Claw her master had given her. Then, in a flash, it was all over, and silence had once again fallen over the entire tunnel. Team Toxic had done it. They overcame every single obstacle that was thrown at them, and not only gained a great deal of experience, but the prizes they came for as well. And even though the crowd had started to cheer for them, Venom and Arbok still refused to acknowledge them, as Arbok turned to face her master, and they both smiled at each other. As the reality of their triumph sunk in, Arbok slithered right over to Venom, then he embraced her, gently rubbing the top of her head and planting a single kiss on her snout.

"Thank you so much, Arbok. You, Crobat, and Nidoking really came through today, and I'm very proud of all of you. You're the best." Venom's tone was filled with happiness, pride, and love, causing Arbok to blush, thoroughly enjoying this moment with her beloved master. "Awww, master. It was nothing really. Those battles weren't all that tough, and we only followed your instructions. We couldn't have asked for a better trainer." Arbok's tone of voice was more or less the same as Venom's, and her words made him blush a little too. The two finally separated when the announcer finally came out of hiding and presented them with their rewards, which Venom was quick to claim and place into his bag. But before leaving the battle arena, he had one more thing to say, since the announcer asked him a question and all.

"As much as I appreciate the prizes and the offer, I'll pass. You see, I have bigger dreams in mind than simply settling down in a place like this." Venom answered the announcer, then turned to face the crowd and spoke up for the rest of his speech. "People of Goldenrod City, heed my words! I've defeated all five of your gauntlet trainers, and I did it with Poison type Pokemon! I can only hope that this has taught you all to respect Poison types a bit more as a result! And if it hasn't, then just wait! One day, you'll all hear word of a new champion of Johto and Kanto! The king of poisonous snakes and leader of Team Toxic! Venominon Ouroboros! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some new recruits to train! Farewell!" With his speech complete, Venom made full use of his ninja training once more, throwing some smoke pellets on the ground in front of him. When the smoke finally cleared away, both Venom and Arbok were gone, leaving only a Poison type symbol etched into the arena floor in their place.

OOC: That's what I thought, but I didn't wanna ruffle any feathers. Besides, it's not like it matter anymore anyway. Venom has claimed victory, and now he's off on his next objective. Still, thanks for the info and the mod work, Caramell 🍬. I appreciate them both.