My Name is Marcus: Dark Times

XI. Infestation - Payback

"Umbreon!?", Weston called out in confusion. "No data I collected made any mention of an Umbreon!"

"Hey, Marcus", Hop asked, "isn't that...?"

Marcus nodded in affirmation.

Umbreon made a slight wince as the poison from Toxic Spikes streamed upward into her body before quickly shaking off any sign of weakness, standing proud and fearless before her insectoid opponent. Her red eyes focused intently on her foe, boasting a crimson leer that seemed to glow with unflinching fearlessness - certainly a far cry from the once-timid Umbreon who hid in fear behind Marcus's leg at the sight of a Yamper.

"Whoa", Hop remarked, "I don't think I've ever seen Umbreon look like that before."

"Well, you know", Marcus replied with a smirk, "she's always been very protective over her trainer."

This is unexpected, Weston thought to himself. I have no intel on this Umbreon or the strategies Marnie will employ with her...

He shot a fierce look forward. "We'll just have to shut her down before she can even have a chance. Volcarona, Fire Spin!"

Volcarona let in a deep inhale, releasing it from its mouth as a stream of flame aimed at Umbreon's feet. The flame set the ground around her ablaze in a perfect circle before pluming upward into a tall inferno vortex.

Marnie grit her teeth. Not yet.

Weston chuckled. "Perfectly immobilized! Volcarona, follow suit with Leech Life!"

Volcarona began to fly towards the trapped Umbreon with his fangs bared, preparing to strike.

Now, Marnie thought to herself. "Umbreon, Dig!"

Without missing a beat, Umbreon dove into the dirt beneath her feet, escaping both the entrapment of Fire Spin and Volcarona's charge. The flaming vortex dissipated with no sign of Umbreon anywhere.

Weston tensed up. "Stay sharp, Volcarona! Umbreon could come out from anywhere!"

Almost as if on cue, Umbreon emerged swiftly from directly beneath Volcarona, striking him head-first in the abdomen with the force of a cannonball. Volcarona launched backwards into a series of backwards somersaults in the air before narrowly managing to regain control over his momentum.

Weston cringed - he was being kept on his toes now. "Counter with Hurricane!", he shouted.

As Volcarona recovered in the air, it quickly began beating its wings as quickly and as heavily as possible, stirring up a massive vortex of air that shot forward at a rapid speed. Umbreon found herself unable to escape the oncoming funnel as it engulfed her, spinning her round and round as it sent her higher and higher into the sky.

Marnie remained intently focused. "Hang tough, use Shadow Ball", she shouted without hesitation.

Umbreon was thrown violently to the top of the Hurricane by the ascending air current, but refused to let any damage she might have taken slow her reaction down. She quickly found her balance in the air as she concentrated a dense amount of ghostly energy into an orb at her mouth before firing it with remarkable speed and accuracy. The Shadow Ball slammed hard into Volcarona, the ensuing explosion knocking him backward once again as he struggled to maintain his control in the air. As the attack struck its target, Umbreon performed a front flip in the air before safely landing on her feet with confidence, grace, and style. Whatever damage she'd taken so far didn't seem to phase her.

Weston grit his teeth, beginning to lose his patience. "This has gone on long enough", he said with a scowl. "Volcarona, Fire Blast!"

"This is it, Umbreon", Marnie called out. "Get in close!"