Incineroar stared Ting-Lu down with the hungry intensity of a predator sizing up its next meal.
Ting-Lu actually recoiled.
For one ridiculous moment, it looked as though some ancient prey instinct had awakened deep inside it, convincing it that it was just an ordinary deer staring down a hungry tiger.
Predator and prey.
The food chain had apparently followed them onto the battlefield.
...
"Ting-Lu, don't be afraid."
"Use Earthquake!"
Asher noticed the hesitation and quickly steadied his Pokémon.
"Mooo..."
Ting-Lu let out a low, rumbling moo and forced down its fear. Ochre Ground-type energy began gathering around its body.
Before it could stomp, Blaze spoke.
"Incineroar, remind it what happens when a deer meets a tiger."
"Fake Out."
A grin tugged at Blaze's mouth.
"RRAAGH!"
Incineroar vanished in a blur and appeared directly in front of Ting-Lu.
Ting-Lu barely had time to register the enormous tiger in its face before—
SMACK!
Incineroar slapped it across the cheek.
The sound itself was not especially loud, but to Ting-Lu it might as well have been thunder.
The Earthquake never even got started.
Ting-Lu just stood there, stunned.
Fake Out could hit plenty of places. For some reason, though, Pokémon loved using it on the face.
Apparently, humans did not have a monopoly on humiliating someone with a slap.
"Incineroar, Fire Punch!"
"GRRRAAH!"
Flames wrapped around Incineroar's fist as it drove a blazing punch toward Ting-Lu.
"Ting-Lu, Protect!"
Asher reacted at once.
Ting-Lu snapped out of its daze and threw up a transparent barrier.
BOOM!
Fire Punch crashed into Protect hard enough to make the barrier shudder. Cracks of light rippled across its surface, but it held.
Barely.
"Ting-Lu, Earthquake again!"
Asher's eyes sharpened.
Time to gamble on that thirty-percent chance one more time.
"MOOOO!"
Dense Ground-type energy surged around Ting-Lu as it slammed a hoof into the field.
RUMBLE!
A massive fissure ripped across the battlefield toward Incineroar, splitting the ground open like a bottomless abyss.
One bad step and the match would be over.
Blaze smiled.
"You really think that's going to work twice?"
"Incineroar—Flare Blitz! Full power!"
"ROOOAR!"
Dark-red flames erupted across Incineroar's body until the tiger was completely engulfed.
Then it launched itself forward.
The blazing Incineroar cleared the fissure in a single leap and came crashing down on Ting-Lu like a meteor.
BOOM!
"MOOOO!"
The impact blasted Ting-Lu more than ten meters across the field.
Its huge body hit the ground hard enough to carve out a crater, spraying broken stone and dust in every direction. By the time the smoke began to clear, black scorch marks covered its body.
Ting-Lu lay motionless at the bottom of the crater, spirals filling its eyes.
It was unable to battle.
"Ting-Lu is unable to battle! All six of Asher's Pokémon are down!"
The referee raised his flag.
"The winner is Blaze!"
The arena erupted.
"Our second match is officially over, and Blaze takes the win!"
High above the field, Kenny practically shouted into the microphone.
"Let's hear it for Blaze as he advances to the next round!"
"And give Asher some applause too! Tough loss, but keep training and come back stronger!"
Thunderous clapping and cheers rolled through the stands.
"Blaze! Blaze! The one true flame!"
"Blaze, marry me!"
"You're the best! I love you!"
"Blaze, you're so damn hot! Make me your princess—who cares if I'm a guy?!"
...
Blaze's fans completely lost it.
Shrieks echoed through the arena, with more than a few people acting like they were ready to start a family with him on the spot.