Team Aqua's Beatdown Royal, by Marcus "Lionheart" Raj/ Australian Nationals 2004 Team Aqua's beatdown Royal By Marcus Raj 15 years old Essendon, Australia Monday, December 6, 2004 2004 Australian Pokemon Nationals 26 Competitors To start, this report may be rather late, but it is in memory of a great store, which has closed down. Absolute Games, which held the Australian 2004 Pokemon Nationals. This is what you would call a killer deck... It was a rather cold sunday morning, and I had to wake up at 6:00a.m. I was rushed to make it to the Pokemon nationals, because i was afraid of being so late, eventhough the Tournamnet started an hour late. I had to catch the train from Essendon Station, to Elsternwick, in which from there, it was a long, freezing 45 minute walk. When i reached Absolute Games, it was from there on that i had to concentrate. At 10:00am, the 2004 Australian Nationals began, and this is the deck I was playing with... Pokemon x 22 Team Aqua's Walrein x 1 (EX:AM) Team Aqua's Sealeo x 2 (EX:AM) (The Rare Ones) Team Aqua's Spheal x 3 (EX:AM) Team Aqua's Carvanha x 3 (EX:AM) Team Aqua's Sharpedo x 2 (EX:AM) (single element ones) Team Aqua's Poochyena x 4 (EX:AM) Team Aqua's Mightyena x 3 (EX:AM) (Aqua Call Ones) Team Aqua's Kyogre x 4 (EX:AM) Trainer Cards x 12 Switch x 1 Tam Aqua Schemer x 4 Team Aqua Ball x 4 Archie x 1 Energy Cards x 28 Darkness Energy x 2 (EX:RS) Water Energy x 26 The First round wasn't a big success, but things started to look up from thereafter. Before top 16, I was ranked in 11th place, thus i just made it into the Top 16. In the top 16, I faced a Garde Deck, which was easily beaten, eventhough it absolutly destroyed me in round 4. In the top 8, I faced off against a Grass/Electric Pokemon Ex deck, which in the end, i just managed to prevail over. My next opponent was a girl from sydney, who, from what I heard, was cheating by drawing extra cards.She was running a deck named "c'mon baby, light my fire". 23 other competitors and 10 bystanders warned me, to watch her deck. When the battle began, i managed to start strong with my Kyogres and Walrein coming out in the first three turns, I managed to take out all of her basic Pokemon and take the first game. The second game was pretty much the same, especially after I managed to find a fatal flaw in her deck, which involbed her Team Aqua's Manectric, and her other pokemon in play, including that ever-so-powerful, Blaziken EX. Without her "DRAWING" ability, she seemed like nothing. I made it to the top 2... My opponent in this match, was running a Wailord EX/Swalot deck, which I lost against. you see, during the middle of our first game, another judge came in and overuled the original judge, so now, there was a time limit! The new judge didn't specify how long the time limit was, but I know she had it in for me. My opponent was in the lead my 1 prize card, and it was 3 to 4. I had damage his Wailord EX beyond repair, and they were fresh for the killing, both of them. As soon as I drew my Walrein, which would have won me the match when i evolved my pumped up Sealeo, she called Time. I lost the second game, because I drew all low HP pokemon, against his Wailord EX. The funny thing is, my opponent and the judge who declared time, were friends. in the end, I came second. I was happy with that, but first would've been better... Marcus Raj (I will not give my e-mail for privacy reasons)