the abbiati family has an interesting background that most might not know about. ever since the coronation he's been investigating, researching into her family and their connection not only to sootopolis but to the region. she's certainly caught his attention, though it might not be the right kind of attention.

he's suspicious, cautious, as one should be during times like these.

a devon assistant will eventually call out to miss abbiati and direct her to the elevator that has been programmed to take her to a designated floor. the doors slide shut and after a fair few seconds, they slide open again somewhere in the middle of the high-rise building.

miss abbiati will be met with the sight of an open training ground with various parts designed to fit different environments; some favor water-types while others might favor fighting-types. in the middle of the large space stands alexander and his heracross, who looked to be in the middle of training.

the champion turns, eyes slightly widening.

"miss abbiati! lovely to see you." 

he starts approaching her.

"to what do i owe the pleasure?"

Olivia Abbiati

he raises an eyebrow, cautiously curious. "is that so? i suppose word spreads fast. in any case, i would be happy to accept your challenge." at that, heracross nods as well and assumes her position on the battlefield before them.

"no odd rules or trials. i like to keep things simple. but one versus one is a bit too simple. let us do a two versus two double-battle." 

he fishes out another pokeball but holds it, not releasing his choice just yet. he glances at her as he speaks.

"i must warn you, miss abbiati, that you might leave disappointed. however intrigued you may be, you must understand that this is a gym battle. if you are here to gauge my abilities as you might have done with councilman silph, then you will not leave with much." 

he doesn't need to say it, but fighting a gym battle and fighting to survive are two very different things. as someone who's done both, he knows the distinction very well.

regardless, he breaks into a smile and gestures her onto the battlefield.

"so! what will your two choices be?"

Olivia Abbiati

her question might not have been rhetorical but he treats it as one. she seems smart enough to understand the nature of politics; she might be leader of sootopolis but there are those who do not follow her. some prefer a native, like stone.

she releases her two choices in vaporeon and azumarill and he eyes them warily, sizes them up. she says she's here for a gym challenge but they both know she's here for more than that. but he won't give it to her. she'll see what he wants her to see.

he releases his choice in seviper who takes her place next to heracross. the poison-type SWORD DANCES in preparation before COILING around heracross' body, holding on as heracross jolts forward. 

the bug-type sends a NIGHT SLASH flying towards vaporeon before turning to AERIAL ACE the azumarill.

Olivia Abbiati

a black HAZE fills the battlefield, clouding their vision but more importantly resetting the prior preparations seviper had done. as annoying as it is, the lack of vision also works in their favor. the RAIN DANCE however is just simply annoying.

stormy clouds loom overhead as the battle rages on. heracross' attacks miss but that is to be expected. the azumarill BOUNCES high up but it will only prove to be its demise. vaporeon melts into the water but that too will prove not to be effective.

seviper's GLARE can pierce through anything. she targets the hidden vaporeon and waits for an opportunity, arming herself with another SWORDS DANCE.

heracross sends NIGHT SLASHES up at the azumarill in the air but her true intentions are to gauge its position and movement. she prepares to dodge.

"have you taken my words to heart, then? are you here to seek a friend, an ally?" he returns her tease with his own. despite the battle raging on between them, his gaze stays relatively fixed on her.

"be honest with me, abbiati. why are you here?"

Olivia Abbiati

"are you?" 

she continues and he listens. there is no reason for hostility for they are on the same side; the side that wants peace and civility for the region. or at least he hopes they are.

"your words imply that i am actively trying to hide when the truth is far from it. i try to be as transparent as i can with my actions. it just so happens that a foreigner appointed as leader of one of the largest cities in hoenn makes for a better story." 

the same as silph; he almost laughs. instead, he shakes his head.

"councilman silph and i may share similarities but i assure you we are vastly different. he seeks power above all else, whereas i seek only one thing." 

he pauses.

"peace." 

the GLARE never stops; it shifts from the water to the azumarill who now stands before them. if their opponents aren't going on the offense then there's no reason for them to. heracross sends another NIGHT SLASH at the azumarill before leaping backwards, seviper still wrapped around her.

the poison-type prepares another SWORDS DANCE.

Olivia Abbiati

"then it appears we have something in common after all." 

she speaks of peace within the league and he cannot help but wonder if she knows that right now she is the main cause of internal strife within the organization. there has always been a divide, a separation but it has never been more evident, perhaps sparked by her recent coronation.

"but be careful, miss abbiati. by opposing councilman silph you have placed yourself in a very precarious situation. if i was any wiser i would think you were here today not to seek an ally for peace, but for your war against him." 

she is mistaken to think that he'd be her champion. it may not look like he's a player in their little game but alexander plays his cards very close to his chest. with the spotlight off of him it makes things so much easier. 

the QUICK ATTACK hits heracross but she stands strong. she hears the whistle and notices how the AQUA RING moves and so she knows what's coming. she sends a NIGHT SLASH right down the middle of the HYDRO PUMP; the dark-attack by itself would not have been enough but there's something else that goes against the current.

seviper has uncoiled herself and lunged forward, tail-first and boosted by a SWORDS DANCE for a POISON JAB on the azumarill.

Olivia Abbiati

he doesn't need her to confirm it because he already knows: they have more in common than what he cares to admit. a shared enemy, a common goal, those two things should have been enough to unite them under the same banner. but yet it isn't.

she speaks of their families and he agrees, but doesn't nod at any given time. he simply plays the part and listens, watching her as she speaks.

QUICK ATTACK battles POISON JAB but the latter will come out on top due to the multiple SWORD DANCES. the seviper tenses under the impact, bracing herself for the counter. an AURORA BEAM shoots out at her, hitting her precisely. the ice-attack does enough to slow her movements enough to make her reconsider an immediate counter, so she reCOILS herself back onto heracross.

the fighting-bug swings her horn down for an AERIAL ACE on the azumarill, taking advantage of the distraction provided.

"do you genuinely think peace can be achieved without war?" 

his eyes narrow slightly, gauging.

"i think you and i both know the reality of the world we live in."

Olivia Abbiati