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The knowledge that Stormy had of Olivia Abbiati was almost non-existent. Given that Stormy wasn't well-versed in political agendas, or worried much at all for that matter, about the council's personal life - she hadn't inquired about Olivia at all. Kim was tightlipped and indifferent and Fernando was just indifferent. 'It didn't concern her', was usually along the lines of what he said.[break][break]

Regardless, Stormy would recognise Olivia only because of their past and brief interaction beforehand. She spots the woman sitting on one of the slabs.[break][break]

"Tired already? The battle hasn't even begun yet, Miss Abbiati."[break][break]

Stormy's skin glows with warmth and sweat from a day spent outside in the heat and humidity. Despite this, she doesn't appear at all fazed or tired. Her eyes remain bright and alert, waiting.[break][break]

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Stormy watches the other woman calmly as she speaks. With a glance over her shoulder, she breathes a deep sigh, holding onto it in the pit of her stomach before letting it go. With a subtle nod, she turns back to Olivia.[break][break]

"It's simple, but it's beautiful."[break][break]

Olivia gets to her feet to move past her and the brunette moves a step to get out of her way. The battlefield awaits and she eventually makes her way across it in preparation for their battle.[break][break]

"I'm nothing special, I'm just another stepping stone to the Champion seat. I accept double battles to test the vice and strength of two Pokemon at a time. If you can't control both at the same time, you aren't going to beat me."[break][break]

But she could see the strength in Olivia - she was more than capable of taking her badge today. [break][break]

With a flick of her wrist, she releases two of her Pokemon: Arcanine and Donphan.[break][break]

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Stormy watches both of Olivia's Pokemon breach the battlefield. Their blue scales and blue skin shimmer with damp as they take their first steps. It doesn't surprise her and it doesn't intimidate her, because she knows better than to express any indication of weakness. But the fact remains that she's at a considerable disadvantage.[break][break]

But it wasn't about disadvantage, it's how you handled your Pokemon. She had been under worse odds in several missions she had been involved with.[break][break]

Courtesy of the woman's Vaporeon, rain clouds form over their heads and rain begins to fall in thick drops. It splashes against the ground and soaks it almost instantly. Steam rises from the springs surrounding them, making it hotter and more humid. The stickiness of the air is suffocating, but Stormy is used to it.[break][break]

Olivia speaks and Stormy's gaze remains trained on her Pokemon as both Arcanine and Donphan take a heavy step into the torrent of weather. The brutes thick fur is tousled as he bends his neck to growl. [break][break]

"And what, pray tell, are his thoughts on you, Miss Abbiati?"[break][break]

At the sound of her voice, Donphan tucks herself into a ball to steel forward in a

defense curl and rollout

, aimed directly for the Vaporeon. The slickness of the rain unintentionally speeds up her momentum, spraying water along each side of her. She takes the

scald

, but the speed of her incoming attack helps to deflect the pain and the

scald

sprays off her back.[break][break]

Arcanine has already sprinted forward, paws slapping the ground with each impact as he lends a

helping hand

to his partner, helping to guide her effectively and expertly. His

agility

helps to act as a distraction as he darts in and out, blocking the view of his incoming partner. The two of them are a blur on the battlefield.[break][break]

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Donphan's objective wasn't necessarily to always hit her target - merely to keep on moving. With her built up momentum, she could very easily take out anything in her path.[break][break]

It was, of course, a disappointment when the future sight caught word of her intentions and redirected her. The psychic energy crashes against her mind but, thankfully, there isn't much to her brain capacity or train of thought. Momentarily disturbed, the Donphan continues to rollout, spraying damp earth and debris in her wake.[break][break]

Unfortunately, it also did not take long for Olivia's Pokemon to dominate the field and lather it in obstacles only they were experts in navigating. [break][break]

Arcanine's paws squelch mud between his claws, his fur now heavy with humidity and rain. He was uncomfortable and uneasy.[break][break]

Stormy's eyes revert back to Olivia only temporarily as the woman continues her plight against her brother.[break][break]

"Are you? Fernando is not often wrong, even if I disagree with him."[break][break]

Arcanine witnesses a flash of blue in between the thick haze that surrounds both himself and his partner. The incoming aqua tail is nearly missed by both of Stormy's Pokemon.[break][break]

"Defensive stance, redirect the attack!"[break][break]

Donphan comes to a screeching halt as the aqua tail bears down on her. Arcanine means to intervene with a roar, using his voice as a wave of noise to distract and disorient the Azumarill. [break][break]

The elephant, however, has tilted herself so that she may clench tighter into another defense curl, before her body rapidly spins. Upon impact, her rough body would almost certain inflict damage upon her opponent despite the aqua tail. [break][break]

Water sprays in all directions as the water-type move meets the rapid spin.[break][break]

Stormy glances back at Olivia, visibly unsure what to make of her pointed and forward questions.[break][break]

"I know virtually nothing about you, Miss Abbiati."[break][break]

And then the Arcanine breaks formation to intercept and protect the Donphan. Fire spills from his maw like a flamethrower as he draws closer, fanning the area as he sets down his stance as Donphan's protector.[break][break]

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And then suddenly, panic. [break][break]

Donphan discovers that her body is melded to the ground, frozen to the surface. It's rough and jagged and she feels her breath slow. She can't move, she is rooted, her momentum lost.[break][break]

The remainder of the flames from Arcanine's flamethrower barely scratch the surface before he is pulled away, tackled to the ground with a play rough and aqua tail. The beast snarls, teeth snapping in the air as he aims to tear the Pokemon from his body. Should paws find purchase, he would use his immense size and desperation to fling the Azumarill away and break contact.[break][break]

And then he would once again bear straight for his companion, blasting over the ice path that seizes Donphan in an intense flare blitz.[break][break]

He collides with the Donphan and likely steps over the Vaporeon that had conveniently disappeared into the water. But the force of his attack is enough to both melt and set the Pokemon back onto her feet. It's enough momentum for her to conjure an earthquake, to rattle and break the earth that the Vaporeon has used for her benefit.[break][break]

Without hesitating, the Donphan then begins to bulldoze her way forward and directly for the hopefully still recovering Azumarill. If the Vaporeon was in her path then so be it, two birds one stone.[break][break]

Arcanine's heavy paws keep time with Donphan's as he lends a helping hand.[break][break]

"Is there anything I need to know?"[break][break]

Olivia mentions Balder's ceremony and she thinks back on it, but she hadn't really stayed long.[break][break]

"I was in Sootopolis for Balder, yes. It was a memorable event."[break][break]

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Arcanine's footsteps fumble courtesy of the earthquake. The ground continues to shake and tremble, cracking and breaking underfoot. It's unstable and reckless, threatening to swallow everyone whole.[break][break]

It's because of his fragile footing that he narrowly misses being tackled to the ground by the Vaporeon's last resort. As the sleek water-type sails over his broad shoulders, Arcanine finds his face buried in the mud.[break][break]

Meanwhile, it seems the Azumarill had managed to bounce her way out of Donphan's path. As the stocky elephant pushes the earth from her bulldoze into an incredible heaping mountain, she'd back up and shake herself off. The rain was starting to lessen, and the dampness swallowed by the impossible heat of Lavaridge's climate once again.[break][break]

Olivia continues to speak, however, but her tone or choice of words strikes a chord in the younger woman when addressing herself and FERNANDO SILPH. Her hand raises and both Arcanine and Donphan look to their master expectantly.[break][break]

"Is it your intention to insult me, Olivia? I live under no one's shadow except my own. The news eats up gossip like it's their last supper - I would not consider it a blessing of any kind. Fernando's power and success was earned, so I'm not sure why you're so hard-pressed to insult my family."[break][break]

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[break]

Disbelief and a quiet anger burns in the young woman's eyes. The councilwoman's scoff almost echoes in her mind like a slap in the face. [break][break]

Donphan crumbles under the weight of the future sight and bounce, unwilling to put herself at risk of disobeying her master. Stormy had paused the match to exchange words more accurately with the woman, but it seemed the courtesy had not been extended back.[break][break]

Before any more of the woman's Pokemon's attacks could finish, they are quickly interrupted by Arcanine's burst of agility as he avoids the leaping frog and roars a warning. His intentions are clear: the battle is over.[break][break]

"I'm not sure what it is you're insinuating, Miss Abbiati, but I do not approve. You have a lot of gall to come into my home and attempt to slander my family. I sense jealousy and personal strife, and that sort of insecurity does not belong in my gym."[break][break]

Arcanine has since returned to her side, while Donphan remains lying down. The woman's fingers bury themself in the legendary dog's hair along his brow, taking time to scratch behind the beast's ear.[break][break]

"I believe that, if you can't get a word in with him, it's for good reason. Now then, I do believe this battle is over, Miss Abbiati. The exit is that way."[break][break]

Despite how flustered she is beneath the surface, Stormy manages to keep her calm. If she had learned anything from Fernando, she had learned how hard she could fight to maintain composure. A beam of light returns the fainted Donphan.[break][break]