My Name is Marcus: Dark Times

IX. Infestation - No Place for Weakness

In a flash, Weston's next Pokeball was skybound. "Scolipede, prepare for combat!"

Scolipede stood tall and proud, an adamant tower of poisonous spines and chitin that cast a looming shadow across the pitch. His deep yellow eyes looked down upon his adversaries - as condescending of a stare as one from his trainer.

Marnie could tell from Scolipede's presence on the field alone that this battle was about to get much more intense. "Toxicroak", she called, "you good for another spat?"

Toxicroak turned back to Marnie with fiercely determined eyes and gave a thumb's up - she had no intention of backing down.

Marnie nodded with a small smile. "Alright, good", she replied. "Let's send 'em reelin'."

"A Poison-Type against a Poison-Type, huh?", Piers began. "That seems a bit of a strange choice."

"Maybe Weston's running out of options?", Hop suggested. "Maybe all he can do is try to defend against Toxicroak's attacks?"

No, Marcus thought. There's something cooking in that bug-brain of his...

"Scolipede, use Megahorn!", Weston ordered with a grin.

Scolipede wasted no time rushing in, charging with the horns on its head pointed outward like a pair of massive spears.

"Plant firm and grab it by the horns, Toxicroak", Marnie shouted.

Toxicroak rooted itself to the ground and extended its arms outward as it prepared to intercept the charging Scolipede.

The force behind Scolipede's charge was enough to push Toxicroak back from its original position on the field, causing her to slide across the dirt as she struggled to keep her grip and push against his Megahorn. However, through sheer determination and a monstrous display of brute strength, Toxicroak managed to stop Scolipede dead in his tracks.

Weston grit his teeth.

"Drain Punch, Toxicroak", Marnie called.

Toxicroak released the grip of her right hand from Scolipede's horn, quickly wound back, and uppercut Scolipede in the chin as hard as she could, sending him back onto his hind legs. Toxicroak felt her energy being slightly restored as the attack made fierce contact.

Weston's scowl quickly turned to a mischievous grin. "Earthquake, now!"

Scolipede recovered his balance and shifted his weight back forward, slamming its front legs onto the ground with such force that the earth itself began to quake. The vibrations were so fierce that they could even be felt among the audience - the pitch began to crack into plates as large chunks of earth broke apart and jutted upwards from the impact - and Toxicroak was at ground-zero.

"Toxicroak!", Marnie cried. She could do nothing but watch as the violent shaking of the earth beneath her feet tossed Toxicroak around like a ragdoll, sending her bouncing off of rocks in every direction until she finally collapsed face-first on the dirt.

"I'm certain I can't speak for you, Marnie", Weston sneered, "but that felt incredibly satisfying from where I'm standing."

Toxicroak lay on the ground, trembling from the pain as she slowly began forcing herself back up to her feet.

"If you won't move, then we will", Weston declared. "Scolipede, Toxic Spikes!"

A glint of aggression ignited in Scolipede's eye - the time was now. The many spines protruding from his carapace began to glow purple before Scolipede tensed all of the muscles in his body, launching the glowing barbs like missiles into the air. All around the two Pokemon, the Toxic Spikes began to descend upon the pitch, seeping beneath the surface of the earth and littering it with a potent poison.