[center] [color=8dc73f][h1]Deneb Astrologian[/h1][/color] [h2][color=8dc73f]v[/color][color=00aeef]s[/color][/h2] [h1][color=00aeef]Lan Sohai[/color][/h1][/center]
[center] [h2][color=8dc73f]Mesalon Gym[/color][/h2][/center]
[@OtomostheCrazy] [@Heckno12]

Deneb had been standing there, staring at the Gym’s entrance for quite a while. For what reason, barely anyone would know. With an expressionless face, no one truly understood just what it was the child was intending to do...Edea, however, didn’t care. She knew her trainer wanted to challenge the gym, but she didn’t care about whether or not he was nervous, he was taking forever! So she had to do what had to be done: She pushed him in.

Pokémon only have four moves to use in battle, but that didn’t mean they were unable to do anything related. Take for instance, Tackle. With what she’d learned Edea should not know that move, and yet here she was, charging through the Gym doors with Deneb on her front as the target.

Lan had expected more of Rheese's group to challenge him before the day was out, but quite a different person burst into the arena - or rather, was pushed in by a Maractus, the Pokemon clearly much more enthusiastic about a gym battle than the trainer was. The monk stood up and bowed his head, facing the challenger, a child with desert robes and an expressionless stare.

Students leaned forward, anticipating another battle, but Lan remained where he was. [color=00aeef]"If you're ready,"[/color] he said gently, [color=00aeef]"then take your place."[/color] Maybe the child was nervous, maybe he just wasn't interested in battling, or maybe he was thinking through a strategy - with that blank expression, it was difficult to tell what he was planning on.

Deneb stood up from the sudden tackle his pokemon had given him, and then stared at the Gym leader for a moment. He turned to Edea, who shook her head and pointed toward their opponent. Deneb nodded and lifted his arm. From a hidden pocket in his sleeve, a pokeball rolled into his hand, and then grew to normal size. He tossed it forward, and from it came the Helioptile that he had caught before. 

"[color=8dc73f]Gym Leader...[/color]"

Deneb's voice was like his expression, almost nonexistent. It was monotone, and off-putting to the normal person.

"[color=8dc73f]We challenge you.[/color]"

Challengers were usually more passionate than this, especially trainers as young as this boy, but Lan gave a nod of acceptance. Holding up a Pokeball of his own, he pressed the button. [color=00aeef]"Furfrou, begin."[/color] The poodle Pokemon appeared, sizing up the opponent.

[color=00aeef]"Start with Toxic."[/color] At Lan's command, the Furfrou leapt forward and shook, poisonous spores flying from its thick coat of fur and settling all over the Helioptile.

Deneb showed no reaction to the starting move, but Helioptile started panicking, trying to brush off the spores that hit it, and blow away the ones that had yet to land. It only made things worse for itself as it flailed about, catching more. It began to feel the poison working. It felt drained...

"[color=8dc73f]Helioptile.[/color]"

Suddenly the pokemon stopped and looked at its trainer. It wasn't a calming sight to look at the expressionless boy, but it did realign its attention, and allowed it to focus.

"[color=8dc73f]Charge.[/color]"

It suffered through the sting of the poison, and began to charge up enough for electric sparks to come off of it.

[color=00aeef]"Not a bad opening strategy,"[/color] Lan said as the Helioptile began charging electricity. Even if this boy seemed rather blase about Pokemon battles, at least it meant he could keep a level head throughout them, an important skill for a trainer.

[color=00aeef]"Furfrou."[/color] The monk turned his attention back to his canine Pokemon, who remained in fighting stance, undeterred by the sparks. [color=00aeef]"Secret Power."[/color]

Despite the Helioptile's increased resistance to special attacks, the energy blast swept it back.

"[color=8dc73f]Thundershock.[/color]"

Despite the blast of energy slamming right into it, Helioptile weathered it. Following its trainer's command, it released the charged electrical power in the form of a strengthened thundershock.

The dog skidded back with a yelp, twitching and swaying, but had enough strength to follow its trainer's command and retaliate with another Secret Power. At first, it seemed as if the energy blasts and the poison might be enough to wear the Helioptile down. One more Thundershock, though, was all it took for the Furfrou to collapse.

Lan recalled the fainted Pokemon, then held out another Pokeball. [color=00aeef]"Munchlax."[/color] At the press of a button, the chubby teal Pokemon appeared in the Furfrou's place. The challenger had already proven himself capable of countering special moves. Now to see if he could do the same for physical ones.

Helioptile was not doing so good. All it could do was take down one pokemon that wasn't even going for it directly. The poison was taking a huge toll on its body, but it managed to at least attempt to take on the Munchlax with a tail whip. Being a wild pokemon yet to be truly tamed, it did this of its own volition, rather than the direction of his trainer, and this was bad idea, as the munchlax only hit it once with a Chip Away to knock it out cold. Deneb showed no emotion as he returned the pokemon. Truthfully, he was concerned and thankful for its efforts, but he could not show this in any physical way.

He looked to Edea, who was hopping in place, ready to rumble. He nodded, and she jumped in, a grin on her own face.

"[color=8dc73f]Cotton Guard.[/color]"

Immediately, Edea began dancing about in some strange, chaotically random way, but from her body, a fluffy substance quickly puffed out...

[color=00aeef]"Chip Away,"[/color] Lan commmanded, but the cotton covering the Maractus softened the blow from the Munchlax. Recalling the Pokemon for now, Lan looked across the arena at Deneb.

[color=00aeef]"I see you're prepared for energy and physical attacks alike,"[/color] he commented, [color=00aeef]"even if your Pokemon do need to be trained to wait for commands."[/color] He took another Pokeball and let out a Doduo, its two sets of eyes fixed on the Maractus.

[color=00aeef]"Aerial Ace."[/color] Rushing forward in a blur, the bird jabbed with both its beaks at the Grass type.

On any normal occasion attacks like Peck would be super effective against grass-types like Edea. It still was in this case, but whatever damage the man had been expecting to inflict upon her was greatly lessened by the cotton. This was was the way Deneb and Edea fought: Nullification. Whether it was minimizing injuries sustained from the incoming attacks or simply reversing the damage, Edea and  Deneb had prepared to create a strategy with what they had. Deneb in particular needed to do this. He had no aspirations to pursue a title. He simply needs something that would help him, and Edea was going to help him whether he wants her help or not.

"[color=8dc73f]Cotton Guard again.[/color]"

Edea complied, and even more fluffy material sprouted from her, creating a sort of soft armor that one could sleep on as if it was a pillow.

The cotton absorbed most of the otherwise super effective attack. Even though he was losing, Lan couldn't help but smile a little. This was the technique he often used with his Furfrou, nullifying damage and then wearing the opponent down. Strategy was an important thing to use, for seasoned and beginner trainers alike.

[color=00aeef]"Use another Aerial Ace,"[/color] he called. The Doduo charged again, raising its heads as if to try and pierce through all that fluffy armour.

As it may prove to show, Deneb isn’t always in control over his Pokémon during battles. For the most part, he directs what move and when, but there will always be a few moments where his team acts on their own. Sometimes it’s out of excitement, sometimes it’s out of necessity. This time is the former.

Edea is spontaneous, excitable, prone to overreaction, and hyperactive most of the time. It would be lying, however, to say that she couldn’t be sadistic at times. This is such a time. A gleam was in her eyes, hidden within the fluff of her defense, her body’s needles began to harden and stick out. She was preparing a Spiky Shield, in order to prove just how fruitless physical attacks can be against her.

Deneb saw the gleam in her eyes, and trusted her judgement. Edea usually has good ideas, so he’ll let her do what she wants for now.

Lan watched as the Maractus acted independently of her trainer, jutting out needles through the cotton shield. Instead of doing any damage to the Grass type, the Doduo squawked and reeled back.

[color=00aeef]"Getting your Pokemon to listen is something you still need to work on,"[/color] the monk advised, [color=00aeef]"but that's another useful defensive technique."[/color]

What the boy needed to learn, though, was that the technique wouldn't always be reliable. Knowing that Spiky Shield was likely to fail if used in succession, Lan gave the command for another Aerial Ace.

Deneb watched as Edea took another hit from the bird Pokémon. There was nothing else left to do but the strategy that they’ve relied on up to this point.

"[color=8dc73f]Edea.[/color]"

Edea kept her focus on blocking any other attack that might happen to her, but listened for her trainer.

"[color=8dc73f]Heal.[/color]"

The Maractus adopted a devious grin, before pointing her arm toward the bird. Her eyes glinted and looked as if they flowed as a sort of energy shot forth and connected with her target. She planned to drain it if it’s energy, and take it for herself.

An attack such as Mega Drain would usually do little damage to a Flying type, but as soon as it hit, the Doduo stumbled, heads drooping. It stood up to the move just enough to strike back as Lan commanded, but the next energy wave proved too much. The bird tottered on its long legs, then collapsed.

Recalling the fainted Pokemon, Lan sent out his last team member still capable of battling. [color=00aeef]"Munchlax. Your turn again."[/color] The much physically tougher Normal type waddled forward, ready to resume fighting.

That was to be expected. At this point, Deneb figured that munchlax and Doduo wouldn’t be able to do much to Edea that can’t be reversed, so all he was thinking about was how to make this go a little faster...so he told Edea to use Growth once. It didn’t do much normally, but it would do enough.

"[color=8dc73f]It is time for this to end.[/color]"

The Munchlax looked up as Edea grew to twice her regular size. Even though both Lan and his Pokemon kept their usual level-headed focus, the outcome was clear from the moment the Maractus raised her arms, draining green orbs of light from the Normal type's body. Not even eating a Sitrus Berry in between attacks was enough for Munchlax to withstand the enhanced Mega Drain moves. He tottered backwards, then crumpled to the ground.

As the referee announced Deneb the winner, Lan calmly returned Munchlax and approached the victorious trainer. Despite his loss, he smiled, handing over a badge.

[color=00aeef]"You already know some techniques that will take you far if you build on them,"[/color] he said, [color=00aeef]"although I advise that you train your Pokemon to listen to you, and that you don't rely too much on high levels, particularly of a single one. Nonetheless, consider this badge earned, as well as a TM of your choice."[/color]

He went and picked out four discs from a storage box, then presented them to Deneb, the names and effects written on the cases. Hidden Power, Double Team, Swagger, and Round.

Edea ran over to Deneb, and grabbed her maracas. She began to celebrate her victory as her trainer listened to the Gym Leader. The words of wisdom were appreciated, but that appreciation was not shown. Instead, Deneb spoke in response.

“[color=8dc73f]If it will provide me the money I need, then I will use your advice.[/color]”

With that, he took the TM Round and made to leave.

[hr]
[color=orchid][center][h1]Sophia Danvers[/h1]
[h3]Mesalon Gym[/h3][/center][/color]
[@fer1323] [@Heckno12]

As soon as Sophia entered the arena, she stopped in her tracks, nearly causing Amber to crash into her. She stared as the trainer in front of her - that kid who couldn't be any older than twelve - coolly accepted a badge, then headed towards the exit. 

[color=orchid]"What? B-But how?"[/color] she blurted. A freaking CHILD had done what she couldn't. A tremor rippled through her, not just from anger, but a sense of utter helplessness like water closing in over her head. She recalled her mother's words from the first day... as well as Oscar's from just now, and the surreal seeming chain of events. Letting her own Pokemon go berserk. That crazed Aerodactyl. Rheese lying unconscious. Hammer's threats. The swarm of bats. She should be the most able out of everyone to deal with all this... and to help. As well as letting her family down, was she going to let everyone else down?

A hand - Amber's - settled on her shoulder, the fossil enthusiast leading her to the spectator's seats as the other two women followed. Sophia wanted to pull away. She shouldn't need comfort. She shouldn't need to be treated like a kid. She cringed, but didn't shrink from the gesture. Instead, she trudged to the nearest chair and flopped down into it, waiting for Oscar to appear and start his challenge.

Leaning forward, she gripped the ruffles of her skirt, not from frustration this time. More like... tension? Of course the Jangmo-o's wellbeing rested on the outcome, but were there other reasons why it mattered? Why couldn't she feel the same resentment towards Oscar that she'd felt towards the kid? Fantoccino wasn't even out, but Sophia remained aware of the feelings that he'd brought to her attention, that grew keener by the second.

[color=orchid]"Time for that smartass to back up all those words of wisdom,"[/color] she muttered, [color=orchid]"and... I'm sure he can."[/color]

[hider=Notes]
[b]Pokemon Party:[/b] Gothita "Lacey" lv14, Purrloin "Grimalkin" lv13, Staryu "Arcturus" lv13, Darumaka "Lumas" lv11, Shuppet "Fantoccino" lv11, Bronzor "Clarus" lv11
[b]Pokemon in PC:[/b]
[b]Inventory:[/b] Pokeball x1, TM33 (Reflect), Oran Berry x3[/hider]