Almost no one noticed the Koffing that hovered out from behind the head of Raikou’s float. Almost. However, just as it puffed itself up to release its Sludge attack, Jingle caught a glimpse of it. [color=ffa07a][b][i]Look out![/i][/b][/color] she shouted to Lucas, launching a Confusion attack that intercepted the rocketing Sludge. Though her psychic powers would not suffice to stop the Sludge completely, they could at least slow its progress and grant the precious needed moments for Lucas to avoid the sneak attack.


The avatar of Lugia whirled around as the voice rang in his mind, his fingers suddenly splayed for an ice beam that never came. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw what exactly was headed for him and the avatar flung himself to the ground all too late: the bottom length of his hair became drenched in the purple sludge. Almost immediately the bile rose in the back of his throat, as the overwhelming stench of the Koffing’s sludge infused itself around him. 


With a quivering breath, Lucas tried to still his mind as he rose on trembling legs. While he found his balance, Jingle flew forward, using Wrap to bind the Koffing, then plummeting toward the ground as if to slam it. Unfortunately, the Koffing saw through her plan and began to spin violently.


Jingle’s grip was far from strong enough, and she unwound from around the Poison-Type, being flung high into the air. Continuing to whirl around like a top, the Koffing bowled toward Lucas with an unorthodox form of Tackle.


Cerulean eyes narrowed in cold fury at the approaching attack, and Lucas’s mind found the Koffing’s own. Lucas waited until the last possible moment to step away, hands extended to take the blow of the Tackle. He grunted as the Koffing slammed into him, but his hand found purchase on the pokemon’s form: it was all the time Lucas needed for an Extrasensory to pierce the Koffing’s mental barrier. The pokemon recoiled as if struck, and Lugia’s avatar raised the Koffing above his head and slammed it into the concrete.


Lucas spared a glance for the still shaken Chimeco as she drifted down, and took his eyes off of the bouncing Koffing for a fatal few seconds. [color=2e3192]“Are you alright, little one?” [/color] He asked, through their connection.


[color=ffa07a][b][i]“A little uneasy after that, but I’ll--KAZE!!!”[/i][/b][/color] she shouted as the purple kickball of a pokemon bounced toward the unconscious avatar, glowing with the same light as the others that had self-destructed.


Lucas’s eyes snapped back to his quarry, his face the color of ash as he realized what would occur.


[i][color=2e3192]‘Stupid…’[/color][/i] the man swore to himself as he attempted to sprint forward, the blue aether of Dragon Rush springing his step. The Koffing’s glow grew brighter. [i]Bounce]/i]. Another few feet towards the unconscious boy.

[i][color=2e3192]‘I am so stupid… forgive me, oh Arceus forgive me…’[/color][/i] Lucas pleaded as each second ticked by as an eternity. His feet pounded the concrete, fissures erupting with each step as he sought to gain the lead.

Now time to kick it away. Another bounce. The glow’s crescendo.

[color=2e3192][i]‘...give me this…’[/i][/color]

In the moment before her vision was clouded by smoke and fire, Jingle could have sworn she saw a pair of great silver wings wrap around Kaze’s still form as Lucas, the avatar of Lugia, threw himself upon the boy.

And then he knew no more.