James Davy

Pokémon Hoenn: α and Ω

"Night Daze!" Zoro conjured a dome of darkness and the attacks soon met in the middle. It was a literal battle between light and darkness as each attack tried to overpower the other.

Pokémon Hoenn: α and Ω

Well, they are common gym types. I don't believe we'll get another new type as we already had one recently and whenever types get added, a new Eeveelution is added and a gym will have the newly-added type. Beyond the original three Eeveelutions, new ones have been added in the even-numbered generations.

For what I predict, we'll get at least 130 new Pokémon (including Magearna) and few (if any) new mechanics since we're going into an odd-numbered generation. My logic can be broken down as follows:

• Generation I (The Colour Generation):
  • The cornerstone of the franchise with 151 Pokémon
• Generation II (The Metal Generation):
  • 100 new Pokémon including two new Eeveelutions and new pre/post-evolutions of existing Pokémon
  • Genders for most Pokémon (outside of the Nidoran evolution line)
  • The Dark and Steel types
  • Proper STAB moves for the Dragon type
  • Happiness as a mechanic
  • Multi-form Pokémon
  • Time sensitive events
• Generation III (The Gemstone Generation):
  • 135 new Pokémon with new, but fewer pre/post-evolutions of existing Pokémon
  • Special abilities
  • Double battles (the anime showed a few precursors of this mechanic)
  • Pokémon Contests
  • The first re-releases of old games with current-generation battle mechanics
• Generation IV:
  • 107 new Pokémon including two new Eeveelutions and new pre/post-evolutions of existing Pokémon (the most yet)
  • The Physical/Special split (changing the paradigm of battles from there on)
• Generation V:
  • 156 new Pokémon (the most introduced so far)
  • Hidden abilities
  • Trading and battling over Wi-Fi
  • Region maps no longer showing orthogonal routes
  • Triple battles
  • Rotation battles
  • Inverse battles
  • Two sequel games instead of one
• Generation VI:
  • 72 new Pokémon including one new Eeveelution (the fewest yet)
  • The Fairy type
  • Affection (or bonding) as a new mechanic
  • Mega Evolution, causing a power creep
  • Primal Reversion
  • Sky battles
  • No sequel games (we expected a Pokémon Z after Corocoro revealed the new Zygarde forms)

I've grown to like the new starters with the possible exception of Popplio—I consider it similar to Oshawott. Owlett is so darn cute and Litten looks like it doesn't care in the slightest (that's in a category of cool).

Pokémon Hoenn: α and Ω

"Zoro, give Blissey a nasty Kalos Taunting!" The Zoroark sprung into action and with his outrageous Kalos accent, gave Blissey an earful. The hearts shattered while some of the audience burst into laughter at the silly act Zoro was putting on.

Pokémon Hoenn: α and Ω

"Make like a ninja and Fling!" Zoro dropped his counter shield and rather than try to evade the notes, he caught them, infused them with dark energy so they looked like note-printed shuriken and threw them back at a greater velocity.

Pokémon Hoenn: α and Ω

"Counter Shield!" Using a combination of Night Daze and Incinerate, Zoro conjured a shield of fire and darkness to try and counter whatever attack was coming his way.

Pokémon Hoenn: α and Ω

"Zoro, I choose you!" Shiranui tossed a Great Ball and it opened to reveal his Zoroark.

Pokémon Hoenn: α and Ω

Shiranui remembered the eye juggling from the time he and Liam sheltered in a haunted house south of Laverre City. It was soon time for him to face Drew. "Go Roserade!" Several petals flew out of Roserade's Poké Ball and coalesced into the Roserade Shiranui was up against.
"Zoro, I choose you!" From Zoro's Great Ball, lots of little red, blue, yellow, white and orange petals flew around and coalesced into a Florges. The timer started and the battle was on.
"Roserade, start with Grassy Terrain!"
"Zoro, Springtime Petal Dance!" Roserade covered the stage in grass and Zoro conjured an illusion of a forest of cherry blossom trees, adding an illusory Petal Dance in the form of pink and white petals floating about. The audience reacted with awe when they saw the display and Drew lost some points.
"Roserade, Magical Leaf!"
"Zoro, Protect!" Castle walls rose out of the ground as part of the scenery bordering the whole contest hall as Roserade sent two iridescent leaves flying. The leaves tried to slash the petals, but it was to no avail as the petals were illusions. They zeroed in on Zoro afterwards, but the crafty Zoroark shifted into a Shield Forme Aegislash and blocked the leaves, costing Drew more points.
"Roserade, Energy Ball!"
"Zoro, Double Team!" Lots of Sheld Forme Aegislash appeared in various places. Some were the copies produced from the move, some were illusions and one was the real Zoro. Roserade threw an Energy Ball at one of the Aegislash and scored a lucky hit, causing Zoro to lose his Aegislash guise and costing Shiranui some points.
"Roserade, Sweet Scent!"
"Zoro, Taunt!" Zoro disappeared and was soon spotted peering over one of the castle walls. Putting on an outrageous Kalos accent, the Zoroark delivered a nasty taunting that only Roserade could understand and finished it by blowing a few Razz Berries. A good percentage of the audience erupted into laughter from that move and Roserade was furious while Drew lost more points. Time ticked into the final minute.
"Roserade, Magical Leaf!"
"Zoro, Night Slash!" Zoro leaped high into the air and zeroed in on Roserade with claws glowing a darkly colour. Roserade threw more leaves and both attacks landed. A cloud of dust obscured the Pokémon and both coordinators lost points. Time had expired before the dust cloud could clear and Shiranui was deemed a clear winner.

"I knew watching that movie with you was a good idea," Shiranui commented to Zoro.

Pokémon Hoenn: α and Ω

"Our next contestant is #13! From Ecruteak City in Johto, Champion Shiranui Tsukiko!" The audience cheered as Shiranui walked out carrying what looked like an ancient scroll, but was in actuality a prop. He opened the scroll and started reciting what was written on it. "私は古代な守護霊呼びます。ゴルーグは起きて。" A dark illusory fissure opened up on the stage floor and a Golurk (Zoro in disguise) slowly rose out of it. The audience was awestruck when they saw the ancient guardian. "Shadow Ball, Night Shade and then Fling!" A shadow Ball was conjured and Zoro used an illusory Night Shade to make the ball look like something evil. He then used Fling to send it flying and the dark Shadow Ball soon started ricocheting around the stage. "Hang on, you're not the ancient guardian!" said Shiranui, throwing some play acting into the appeal, "Reveal your true form!" Zoro dropped his Golurk guise and put his speed to work dodging the dark Shadow Ball. "I should have known it was you, Zoro," Shiranui continued, feigning disappointment, "Use Night Slash!" Zoro stood his ground and as the dark Shadow Ball bounced towards the Zoroark from above, Zoro slashed it and the ball exploded into dark sparkles.

"Now that is a performance worthy of Poké Star Studios."
"Zoroark are remarkable!"
"Your Zoroark is very well trained."

10
9
8

Shiranui noticed his total score was equal to Liam's.

Pokémon Hoenn: α and Ω

With the training complete, Shiranui registered as well and was soon in the green room donning his midnight blue ninja outfit.

Pokémon Hoenn: α and Ω

Shiranui was helping Zoro practice his illusions. Thanks to some help from some of his other teammates in the form of providing visual aids, the Zoroark was able to pull off convincing illusions of moves he couldn't naturally use, one of which was a convincing Fire Blast illusion thanks to Higitsune's help. Shiranui knew the illusory moves were mostly for the contests, but he did have a few thoughts of using the odd illusory move to keep his opponents on their toes.