[attr="class","matias"]a few days ago it was tapu koko with Eva Morales; now, heatran with Laurence Anderson. he stands at the peak of mount chimney, heat blazing all around him as he waits for the other. there's uncertainty in whether the head ranger would actually show.

to his surprise, he does.

"lars!"

matias approaches the entrance, waves the guards aside, and beckons for lars to enter.

"come, come. been well, i hope?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Laurence Anderson

[attr="class","matias"]lars' struggling disposition is amusing, he decides, as he takes a step closer to the other to give him a strong pat on the back.

"bothered? not really. this is pretty normal."

it isn't, but he's used to shrugging off danger.

he laughs when lars discards his shirt. for the sake of the other, and for whatever solidarity the two of them share, he discards his shirt, too, and tosses it to the side for later.

peering over, he asks a leading question:

"but i imagine it's worse for you, isn't it?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Laurence Anderson

[attr="class","matias"]from within the deep pool of orange and red, balls of LAVA PLUME spit out, soaring through the air right towards them.

his hand smacks against a holster on his thigh and what comes after is instantaneous. the PROTECT forms even before the cloyster's finished materializing. lava impacts, splatters, and slides to the ground, sizzling.

the cloyster's recalled.

"i think it's ready."

[attr="class","noodles"]Laurence Anderson

[attr="class","matias"]bellowing heat and smoke, the heatran rises to the surface, announcing its presence in a violent manner. he can't be too mad at it; it was an impressive entrance.

his eyes flick up to the field of STEALTH ROCKS. it limits their options, inevitably making their battle more difficult.

but it's what they're here for, isn't it?

"let's have some fun, lars."

a charizard emerges from a pokeball, immediately slamming into one of the STEALTH ROCKS. it cracks under the pressure, crumbling to the ground, leaving the charizard bruised right from the get go. it roars, shrugging off the pain.

"extreme conditioning, ash. you ready?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Laurence Anderson

[attr="class","matias"]storm clouds quickly form above them before cracking, rain pouring from the RAIN DANCE. his eyes glance up, observing, then closes as water rushes down his face.

"i'm sure we'll be fine."

briefly, he thinks back to their battle with tapu koko. it had rained then, too, but it didn't deter charizard's resolve. this won't be any different.

before he can say anything else, STONE EDGES shoot from the ground, bursting free. charizard drifts off to the side, barely avoiding one, before being quickly forced to redirect back, avoiding another. it roars, then flies higher up.

through the rain, matias looks to his partner.

"we can keep it busy while your swampert attacks."

the ground rumbles and again, STONE EDGES burst. charizard's high enough to easily avoid most of them.

[attr="class","noodles"]Laurence Anderson

[attr="class","matias"]"tch."

there's nothing matias can do but watch the STONE EDGES burst free, shooting up towards charizard who continues to evade them. but he can tell charizard's growing weary and tired from having to evade so often in such a short span of time.

incoming!

HEAVY SLAM collides against PROTECT — the sheer impact of it sends a surge of energy, dispersing rain in a short area around them for moments.

"it's HEAVY SLAM. don't get hit by it."

if heatran's refusing to fall for charizard's taunts, they'd have to get up close. charizard seems to realize as much and redirects in the air, soaring down to drag a SLASH across heatran's lava-hot skin.

[attr="class","noodles"]Laurence Anderson

[attr="class","matias"]the EARTH QUAKES under the pressure from both sides. matias struggles to find his balance, lowering to a knee to wait it out.

RAIN turns to HAIL, calling for a shift in the battle.

matias peers up, grinning.

"about time."

charizard continues its assault, relentless in the way it flies back and forth, reaching close to SLASH away at heatran.

"show me articuno's power, lars!"

[attr="class","noodles"]Laurence Anderson