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[Odd's Team
Affonnoso the Male Duskull - Levitate ~ No Item
Thing the (Male?) Shuppet - Frisk ~ No Item
Entr'Acte the Male Shadow Honedge - No Guard ~ No Item]

With Entr'Acte infected as he was, Odd could only hope that the living blade would listen to him. "Entr'Acte, use Night Slash." He directed, pointing to Audrey.

"Hooooone." The Sword Pokemon growled out before it's body began to seep Shadow infected chi into the air. The Trainers and Pokemon alike on the field would feel themselves in the grip of fear, paralyzed by it and unable to recall their Pokemon or run away. Shadow Hold. The infected Pokemon had taken it's current position on the field and decided that it's prey would not escape, even in the black smoke that obscured it's vision now.

Keiko took a step back, her anger replaced by abstract fear. Not only was she unable to help Beck, but now... "Wh... wh-what's wrong with your Pokemon?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Entr'Acte has been infected with the Shadow Virus," I told Keiko, having studied the subject after seeing the Shadow-infected Pokemon that the Silver Snatcher used against us. "Given Sub's involvement in this leg of the battle, Odd likely is trying to use battling to purify his Honedge of the virus. Sub used an Immunizer, so none of your pokemon can be infected by the virus. Just treat this like a normal battle, and follow Allen's advice. Honedge is normally a Ghost/Steel type, so Audrey's Normal-type and Fairy-type moves won't be effective. Swich her out for Natalia, who will still be at a disadvantage, but not as badly as Audrey."

"Okay," Keiko nodded, too fearful to comment on my ability to talk for long periods of time. "Come back, Audrey!"

The red beam of the Pokeball could not penetrate the fog of Shadow Hold, however. "Crap," I sighed. "You'll have to rely on Audrey's Fairy-type moves. They won't be very effective, but at least they'll do damage. Ghosts are immune to Normal-type moves."

"Oh, man," Keiko whined, feeling very unsure of herself. "Um... Ooh! Try using Misty Terrain, Audrey!"

"Audino!" Audrey cheered, using Misty terrain to cover the Battlefield in Fairy-type energy. It wasn't strong enough to cancel out Shadow Hold as she hoped, but at least she could prevent other status effects from being inflicted.

[Odd's Team
Affonnoso the Male Duskull - Levitate ~ No Item
Thing the (Male?) Shuppet - Frisk ~ No Item
Entr'Acte the Male Shadow Honedge - No Guard ~ No Item]

Shadow Meter: [|||-------] (3/10)

Odd had hoped this wouldn't be the case and was glad for Sub to have been on hand with the Immunizer for this. He figured this wouldn't be enough to purify the Honedge completely but a battle like this should help to get a lot of the Shadow Virus neutralized. "Entr'Acte! I said use Night Slash." He repeated his previous attack command, once more aiming at Audrey. Between the Smoke Screen and the Misty Terrain, it was hard to see but for Entr'Acte that meant nothing as the blade Pokemon relinquished it's hold upon it's own scabbard and flew through the black-and-pink minefield of the battle, blade entrenched in a deep, black aura, darkness and evil intent radiating from the virus-infused attack.

While Odd couldn't see the Fire Spin at first, he saw it for a brief instant when Entr'Acte first entered the field of smoke and mist before the hole the Sword Pokemon had pierced in the veil sealed itself up. Entr'Acte was going to soar right through it on his way to attack Audrey. He wanted to warn his Pokemon but now that he had started the attack, Entr'Acte wouldn't bother listening again. He was lucky the Ghost had listened in the first place this time. He heard the metallic screech as is partner pierced the spiraling wall of flames, considering for a moment that he should end this and just recall his Pokemon but he couldn't just do that. If he didn't allow him to battle, nothing would come of it and he would never manage to purify him. So he kept quiet and simply hoped his friend wouldn't sustain serious injuries during this. All during these thought, Entr'Acte made it through the smoke and drew himself back like a mighty claymore, blackened blade drawn high as he came down upon Audrey with a powerful swing, releasing the pent up Dark chi in his blade in a physical lash against the part-time Fairy.There could be no escape from this.

Keiko was freaked out a bit when a black blade rose from the darkness of the battlefield and struck Audrey, who tried to grab at the blade to prevent the hit. Audrey's hand slipped through Entr'acte, however, causing the attack to hit successfully.

"Audrey! Are you okay!?" Keiko shouted, only to see Audrey a second later standing upright.

"She's fine!" I told Keiko. "Focus on the fight!" As it turned out, I was getting rather invested in it, myself.

"Right. Use Disarming Voice, Audrey! Attack its emotions!"

That's quite the strategy," I thought to myself as Audrey sang to Entr'acte, summoning Fairy-type energy at the Honedge. A move designed to attack someone's emotions might help loosen a virus designed to shut emotions away. Although I realized that there was a good chance that Honedge wouldn't be affected by it at all due to the virus, but as Disarming Voice was Audrey's only damaging Fairy-type move, it was worth trying. Keiko and I only hoped that it was worth the risk.

[Odd's Team
Affonnoso the Male Duskull - Levitate ~ No Item
Thing the (Male?) Shuppet - Frisk ~ No Item
Entr'Acte the Male Shadow Honedge - No Guard ~ No Item]

Shadow Meter: [|||-------] (3/10)

Entr'Acte wouldn't find himself trapped within the primary fire of Zest's Fire Spin but, instead, he was engulfed in a sort of "personal hell", flames from the towering inferno clinging to his metallic body like some kind of incendiary glue, spiraling around him while he hung in the air, as if they were alive.

"Entr'Acte! Use Shadow Claw!" Odd called to his partner, pointing toward Zest. Audrey wouldn't be hurt by the Ghost-type move but Zest most certainly would be hurt by it.

"I can't have more than three minutes now...."

The channeler muttered to himself as Entr'Acte followed through with the orders given. Coating his bladed body with a shadow purple aura, he raced toward the falling Zest, throwing his body between the fire duck and Murkrow, vivid violet blades appearing before him like long scratch marks in the air. If Zest fell into them, it was going to hurt. A lot, most likely.

In the meantime, however, the virus-infested blade shrugged off the emotional damage from Audrey's vocal attack. The Fairy chi infused into her voice would do some damage on it's own but the core of it wouldn't be so effective just now. Entr'Acte was far too lost in the Shadow Virus' grip.

"This isn't working," I sighed as Entr'acte all but shrugged off Audrey's attack. "Keiko, have Allen focus his Magby's Fire-type attacks on Entr'acte. Audrey just can't do enough damage to justify having her worry about it. Have her focus on Rein's Murkrow instead. That way, you can make use of Audrey's Physical Attack stat."

"I guess it's no use," Keiko said in agreement. "Audrey, don't worry about Entr'acte for now. Teach that Murkrow some manners!"

"Audi...." Audrey called out with a nod before rushing toward Murkrow and slapping it like crazy via Doubleslap. "No no no no no no no-"

[Odd's Team
Affonnoso the Male Duskull - Levitate ~ No Item
Thing the (Male?) Shuppet - Frisk ~ No Item
Entr'Acte the Male Shadow Honedge - No Guard ~ No Item]

Shadow Meter: [|||-------] (3/10)

This was it. It had to be. One final attack. That was all he had the remaining time for before that Joy Scent wore off. If this didn't end the battle, he was done. There would be no more chances. "Entr'Acte! Sacred Sword!"

YES! Now that was an attack that the sword Pokemon could get behind. Absolute devastation in the guise of benevolence. The blade took Zest's attack and, despite wanting to suck the life force from the little lava duck, he chose instead to focus on filling his blade with holy power. The Magby latched onto him was certainly annoying but, with the Virus running rampant through his body, it left him little concern for the flames now dousing his metallic body. While this would normally have ended this battle for him ages ago, the Shadow Virus made normal Pokemon attack largely ineffective. Only other Shadow attacks would be truly effective.

After a moment of focusing power, Entr'Acte swung his scabbard at Zest to knock her off him, drawing back as his blade extended, coated in Fighting chi. As he swung forward, he cut through the Dark Pulse that had come flying toward him, tainting the Fighting chi with the Dark energy. Entr'Acte was starting to feel the damage at last as it all built up even as he swung his engorged blade, intending to strike Zest and send her flying toward Audrey. Regardless of whether he hit his target or not, Odd would recall the Pokemon after the attack .

"I'm done! I don't have any time left for this to keep going." He announced as he stowed the Pokeball away.