---

Cillian Quinn's first match of the day is super ironic and pretty damned funny.

Chu-e struts into this little specialty arena his own way. He's already had a few battles by now, a few wins and a few losses, but seeing the ticket for Liam King is still pretty funny. Guess they should have expected it to happen eventually. His own attire is as flamboyant as ever- strawberry earrings, strawberry necklace, strawberry shirt, strawberry candy. Gavin, though, would be able to recognize a few spots of makeup hiding scars. They knew each other like that.

"You gonna come over here and smack it for me, hot stuff?" He practically sing-songs in return, putting on a bit of a show of his own. While 'Ji-Hoon Ki' was more similar a person to 'Chu-e Choi' than Gavin's own alter ego, there were still a few quirks. He winked Gavin and blew him a kiss, with strawberry flavored chapstick for those inclined to know, as he tossed out three Love Balls.

An Alolan Ninetails, Galarian Rapidash, and a Shiny Kantonian Meowth all burst forth.

Cain, the Ninetails, was out front. Thankfully for him, his Snow Cloak made it easier for him to blend in with the Hail and made it easier for him harder to hit.

"Get 'em, Cain!" The Ninetails shakes himself lunging, psychic energy crackling off his body as he attempts to give the Arctovish a splitting headache with an Extrasensory.

---

- Chu-e's Outfit
- A. Ninetails is out front
- A. Ninetails Evasion is raised thanks to Snow Cloak
- Used Extrasensory on Arctovish

"Mm, keep that up and maybe I will."

His grin broadens into something less sharp, more playful. He mimes snatching the kiss from the air, fist against his chest as he fans himself with the other hand.

Arctovish moans as a psychic headache kicks in, but the fossilized fish does not move. A shimmering AURORA VEIL fans out through the hailstorm, partially obscuring its bulky frame much as the Snow Cloak had done for Ninetales.

With mouth agape, Arctovish crunches hail between its jaws like icecubes.

---

Hail continues to fall! [2/5]
Arctovish is in the front!
Arctovish used Aurora Veil, upping evasion in a hailstorm! [1/5]
Slush Rush boosts speed in a hailstorm! Ice Body recovers HP each turn in a hailstorm!

Chu-e leaned over, bracing his hands on his knees. If he were a cute girl, this would be a prime 'tits out' type pose. While his tits might have been showing, sadly he wasn't a cute girl and this had less of an effect. (Possibly even less of an effect on Cillian Quinn, given the circumstances here.)

"Only if you win, sugar tits!" Man, the word 'tits' has been written in this post a whole lot. What's wrong with me? Anyway.

Chu-e rubs his chin, as if deep in thought, a drawn out hum leaving him. He snaps and Cain leaps back. The mechanism on the specialty machine for this battle whirs with a push of a button, the Ninetails sliding out of the field and the Meowth sliding in. Her ears folded down from the pelting of the ice but she puffed herself up, anyway. This thing was a big fish and she was gonna eat it.

Chu-e tapped his piercing and winked, Sugar glowing brightly as sudden energy was released. When it faded she was longer and larger, a very fine specimen for a feline. Her claws were popped from one front paw and she lunged, an Ariel Ace slice heading for the fishie.

---

- Chu-e swapped Ninetails for Meowth
- Meowth Mega Evolved! [1/3]
- Meowth Hurt my Hail
- Meowth used Ariel Ace

It takes a considerable amount of effort not to laugh.

"Don't threaten me with a good time, now."

Gavin clicks his tongue, hoping for Arctovish to dodge thanks to its boosted speed and evasion, but the swift claws of the feline cleave through ice and snow to score against the fossil's broad flank in spite of its best efforts.

Unfortunate.

Another click and Arctovish snaps at the long cat with its PSYCHIC FANGS.

---

Hail continues to fall! [3/5]
Aurora Veil ups evasion in a hailstorm! [2/5]
Slush Rush boosts speed in a hailstorm! Ice Body recovers HP each turn in a hailstorm!
Arctovish is in the front!
Arctovish used Psychic Fangs

A super dramatic battle had taken place, two of both Cillian Quinn's and Chu-e's pokemon falling. The hail had long covered the ground in an icy slush, many spectators having moved away. Those who remained, though, had eventually seen what power that two Underboss going on it could hold- at least in a limited capacity.

Sugar was the last one standing, having long reverted back from her Mega form and small body panting. The Arctovish seemed like it would never fall, having stood tall this entire match as it chewed on the falling ice to keep invigorated.

A sharp whistle from Chu-e and Sugar's ears pricked.

Her eyes glowed before the vague form of a Machamp appeared behind her. Rushing forward, she put all she had into her last attack- a lucky roll of a Dynamic Punch, the power borrowed from one of Chu-e's other pokemon with her Assist.

The fist slammed down.

"You got this, girl!"

---

- Sugar used Assist!
- Sugar used Dynamic Punch!

The battlefield has grown cold, icy. Hoennian natives shiver in their summer clothes and retreat to the warmth of the overhead sun but Gavin is in his element, cool air a welcome caress against exposed skin.

His Arctovish, too, has thrived.

Its dumb gaping mouth that renders it unable to survive unassisted has proved instrumental in collecting the hail raining down from above, chunks of ice crunched in its maw. ICE BODY sees it recover health as it frequently PROTECTS itself from devastating attacks.

This time, however—

He sees the Machamp's ethereal silhouette, clicks his tongue, but they'd already used PROTECT last round... so this time, the punch shatters the meek barrier before it can form and smacks straight into the fossil fish's jaw.

It falls, and the hail stops.

"Damn good fight, Ki. Shame about my loss, guess you'll need to get your kicks elsewhere."

He grins, canines flashing.

Chu-e calls back Sugar after giving her a little congratulatory cheer, knowing the Meowth needed to rest.

Cillian Quinn isn't getting away from his that easy, though.

He marks it as a 'Win' for him as he saunters over, around the mostly-mush field to to the man himself.

"You're not getting away that easy, cutie!" He winks before he takes his arm, tugging Gavin a little closer.

"Let's go talk somewhere more private." He grins and one of the few audience members hoots.

Someone hoots as Chu-e Choi takes Gavin's arm.

He flutters a hand over his chest, dramatic.

"Well, lucky me! Afraid this won't be a spectator match."

He flashes a grin to the few remaining onlookers before following Chu-e to whatever private destination he deemed fit for conversation.

The act is upheld until they're certain they're alone.

This vending machine overhang is far enough from the crowd to be private, partly hidden in the shadow of a beach-side restaurant. It also has a bench, which Chu-e sinks down on after grabbing a Caffiene-Free Dr. Pika from one of the machines. It's not as private as they're both used to but it's good enough.

"Man, I'm pooped. How many matches you still got today?"

Gavin opts for a can of Charja Cola. Blame Zac Ramsay.

He sits down on the bench and cracks it open, making a face at the carbonation as he takes his first sip. He's not much of a soda drinker, preferring water above all else for hydration and tea for the taste, but the chill is refreshing against the relentless heat.

"Too many," he grumbles.

He's never enjoyed Pokemon battles for sport, not in the way he enjoys a good fistfight.

"I'd sit the whole thing out if I could get away with it."

"I'm using it as a chance to test out some of my less-trained pokemon." Not all of them would have the same blind devotion as his Delphox had. Still, pushing them might get them close to that godliness.

"If I don't collapse by the time this is over I'll count myself lucky. My joints are already getting sore." And he had to act like his peppy 'League' persona all day. Fuck him. "At least it's just one day. I might stay at home tomorrow, though."

Which meant he wouldn't be on the Sub unless he was requested to be there.

"Mhm, same. Don't use Frosmoth or Bronzong much."

Arctovish, though, was a staple among his team and frequently sighted bobbing around whatever ocean depths the Rocket sub had sunk to. The stupid creature couldn't feed itself but it was tough as nails and more than worth the upkeep.

He grimaces with sympathy for Chu-e's pain.

"You should. I'll make sure no one sinks us, don't worry."

His humour doesn't detract from how furious he'd been at the time; Chu-e Choi had been recovering from his encounter with Genesect and the death of his Delphox, at the time, but likely recalled Gavin's terse ranting in their meetings afterwards.

"Same with my Ninetails. Meowth has been on a few missions with me and Rapidash is one of my Gym pokemon, though." Between the three of them, his Rapidash was probably the strongest. Sugar was kind of spoiled and very clever but lacked some power due to only being a kitten. At least she could Mega evolve as she had.

"Me and Clayton are going to try and hunt it again soon. We can't leave that purple bitch on the loose for long." Thankfully, that would end well enough. Just a few more wounds for Chu-e. Nothing unusual at this point. He practically attracted damage.