Even after the dramatic shift in battlefield, the Metang seemed determined to obliterate the intruders without taking further damage. Taking the Bide had been an egregious oversight; not one more strike would mar the Iron Claw Pokemon's victory. With an ominous hum, the Metang floated backward as Jingle used several support moves, protecting his improvised team from status. Abruptly, the Metang found itself unable to retreat further, as a swirl of pink energy wreathed it before focusing on a single point, forming a keyhole symbol. Jingle retreated, and as the Metang watched candidly, Jess stepped up to the plate. Before she declared an attack, however, a terrified cry rang out from the creeping shadows in the general area behind the cave-dweller. Possessed by a sort of tranquil fury to find its complete analysis and control of the situation infringed upon by an unforeseen wildcard, the Metang whirled to look. Its daunting red eyes penetrated the darkness, revealing the cowering, haggard shape of a Nidoran. The Metang's steely shoulders slumped a slight degree in relief. This runt was no threat. It pivoted back around to face its three opponents as Jess bellowed [i]"Confusion!"[/i]

The Metang neither attempted to block or dodge the energy wave, simply floating in the air and sponging the hit. When the wave subsided, the Metang remained totally unmoved. Venge gulped audibly during the tense second that followed. He was hastily searching for chinks in his enemy's metallic armor when he noticed that the Metang's eyes, previously so mechanically steady, were wavering somewhat. Finally its eyes blipped, as if there was some sort of glitch in its system, and the Metang began to wobble in the air. It looked...confused.

Confusion did not lower its resolve to pummel Jess, Venge, and Jingle into submission. If anything, it seemed angrier than before. With a grinding rumble it charged toward the closest Pokemon, Jess, and its arm once again sizzled with the power of a meteor. However, the Iron Claw Pokemon's trajectory was a little off, and rather than smiting Jess with cosmic might it instead rammed its dominant arm into the solid rock of the cave floor with the force of a small bomb. The misspent energy burst, damaging the Metang and, if she had not thought to get far enough away, Jess as well. A shrieking groan, like a sheet of steel being ripped apart, resounded from the helpless, agonized creature as it sought to free its arm. By incredible luck, the Metang had hurt itself in its own (already unlikely) confusion, leaving a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the gathered Pokemon to either attempt to finish it off or flee. In a few seconds it would be able to wrench its trapped limb from the ground with a mighty tug; the trio would have to act fast.

Venge certainly did. Having been too concentrated on the Metang to pay much attention to do anything else, he didn't realize there was another Pokemon in this chamber that needed help. He did his best to heed Jingle's idea of 'attacking', which for Venge consisted of waddling right up to the enraged Metang and using Encore again. Colorful bursts of confetti around the cavedweller only befuddled it more, but Venge had a plan: since he figured that Meteor Mash was a physical attack, causing it to be used over and over again would mean he could use Counter as much as he pleased to return some heavy damage. He only hoped he could survive that first hit to take his revenge.