SO SHE THINKS SHE CAN WIN...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
"hopes up? me? never."
[break][break]

he was warming up the the cold-woman, admittedly. but, still, he wouldn't let his guard down so easily. he had a feeling lulu thrived on those with weak wills.
[break][break]

"mm, ye think so?"
[break][break]

he didn't believe her. not in the slightest.
[break][break]

"my eyes must'a been lyin', then."
[break][break]

he drowns his preceding chuckle in alcohol, the corner of his eyes lingering on the woman for a moment longer, before returning back to the action.
[break][break]

lucario felt a sudden surge in the creatures aura — like an overwhelming calm in a storm — but was helpless to react in time. in the midst of his CLOSE COMBAT, the blaziken was easily able to knock aside one of his blows, and return an even more powerful one to his midsection. the impact sent painful vibrations through his body, centered right in the midst of his core and beneath his blond-fur. it forced him back a half-a-dozen steps, his paw reaching to apply pressure automatically.
[break][break]

shaking off the attack, he sharpened his mental blades again, a SWORDS DANCE calling forth even more striking power. while one chose speed, the other was content in increasing his strength; a true battle of opposites. then, it was his turn to provocate the blaziken, returning the simple 'come forth' motion.
[break][break]

king moves, circling just behind lulu, like she'd done to him. from behind a shoulder he whistles appreciatively at the fight, voice a low-growl.
[break][break]

"not bad. hope ye got more than that, though."






[break][break]

Lulu Flint

SO SHE THINKS SHE CAN WIN...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
king's mouth drew closer, his warm breath tickling the back of her ear. for a moment, he didn't speak, but when he did his voice was laced with husky amusement; as if he knew a secret she didn't.
[break][break]

"ye think so? we're not as fragile, as ye might think."
[break][break]

he turns his eyes over from her pale skin, to looking just beyond her shoulder. his gaze pointed, unconcerned. in the face of such a threat he was as unnerved as ever.
[break][break]

with an outstretched hand xen swipes the FLAME BURST away, sending it careening into a nearby trash-can. small burns patched his fur upon contact, but it wasn't something he concerned himself with. he gave chase, careful to keep himself at a respectable distance.
[break][break]

lucario appraises the blaziken's strategy with a noticeable indifference. this wasn't the first opponent he had faced that relied purely on speed. it was a smart decision, to barrage him consistently at range. it caused the aura pokemon to constantly keep his distance; maybe even be on his back foot. against any other opponent, it might've worked — but xen wasn't any other opponent.
[break][break]

the downside to this type of guerilla warfare was the inevitability of exhaustion. lucario simply needed to ensure the blaziken didn't close the distance too quickly. meanwhile, he grew ever stronger from another SWORDS DANCE, almost ensuring the next time he struck the fire-type, it would hurt.
[break][break]

suddenly, an idea forms in the pokemon's mind, and he quickly begins drawing in more power for another AURA SPHERE.



[break][break]

Lulu Flint

SO SHE THINKS SHE CAN WIN...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
king reaches around, plucking the cigarette from between her lips. should he be allowed, he'll pull it back for a puff of nicotine, blowing smoke away from them both.
[break][break]
"i was gon' say the same ta ye. somethin' tells me ye wouldn't be so easy ta break, either."
[break][break]
the collision of techniques lights up her skin, her pale skin turning shades of blue and reds. it does little to light the darkness in her gaze. king's eyes lift upwards again, landing on the lucario in contemplation.
[break][break]
"since i was about knee height. he was a gift; cheap, labeled defective."
[break][break]
another inhale, the rush of nicotine and alcohol beginning to mix.
[break][break]
"seems they were wrong."
[break][break]
he steps around her, until his back is to the fight, her eyes just able to see him in the corner. alcohol wets his lips.
[break][break]
"what about ye?"
[break][break]
lucario gives chase, but seems content to keep distance. a single mistake, and he would capitalize, sending blaziken into the dirt where it belonged.
[break]

Lulu Flint

SO SHE THINKS SHE CAN WIN...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
another long drag and he holds it out for her, exhaling a thin trail from the corner of his lip.
[break]

[break]


"ten months."
[break]

[break]


he echoes, whistling appreciatively.
[break]

[break]


"maybe a bit wet behind the ears compared to xen, but, ye, he'd probably make a good fit back'n kanto."

[break]

[break]


behind him, the lucario acts as if it's going to dodge the blaziken's strike, but at the last second, moves to have it connect with his midsection. pain pulsates outwards from the impact site, but xen pushes through it, grabbing the blaziken's own arm in a vice-like grip. with his other, he jabs out with an empowered, glowing fist of his own. it trails silver and blue, as the METEOR MASH and AURA SPHERE contained with-in the strike seeks to detonate on impact with the fire-type.
[break]

[break]


"what about ye, professor?"
[break]

[break]


the last word comes out as a tease, coupled with a knowing grin. a taste of what was to come, should he lose the day.
[break]

[break]


king wets his lips again, tongue flashing to collect any loose drops. his eyes fall again onto lulu's pale skin, flashing to bottle in her hand, then, finally lands on eyes.
[break]

[break]


"how much've ye seen?"



[break]

Lulu Flint

SO SHE THINKS SHE CAN WIN...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
king's chuckles as the smoke is snatched from his grip. her anger was like a high to him. he indulged in it, and was left wanting each time it faded.
[break][break]
"is that supposed ta mean something ta me?"
[break][break]
Cillian Quinn was an underboss, sure. but king knew those who were ten times the fighter the admin was. did she expect him to care?
[break]
[break]
he gave her a lazy grin, but turns to look behind him at her direction. as expected, the two pokemon clash again. however, the drawing light forced his eyes to deter, meeting lulu's chest with curiosity, and hunger. what he saw  only elicits his grin to widen further.
[break]

[break]


he was slowly comin' around to this professor.
[break][break]
"now ye've got my attention."
[break][break]
the newly empowered blaziken struck back at the lucario, forcing him off his feet and into nearby boxcar. as pokemon disappeared into the newly formed hole, smoke and debris rising to cloud vision, king removed something from his pocket. the keystone was non-descript, but heavy between his fingers. a simple echoing motion sets the scene for the beginning of the true battle.
[break][break]
light explodes from the remains of the train car, and from its wound, the MEGA-EVOLVED lucario steps out. despite the recent damage, he appears largely unaffected; cracking his neck, and turning his wrist casually. just as quickly as he appears, xen was gone. an EXTREME SPEED used in combination with METEOR MASH had his curled paw barreling straight for the blaziken's face. only this time, his newly added ADAPTABILITY trait increased his striking power even further.
[break][break]
king approaches the raven-haired hellion, leaning so as to level his face with hers. his gaze appraises, taking in pale skin and inked flesh, before matching lulu's. teeth bite a half-smirking lip, eyes narrowing in confident challenge.
[break][break]
"what'ya say we up the stakes?"



[break]

Lulu Flint

SO SHE THINKS SHE CAN WIN...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
lucario doesn't follow through on his attack; each precise movement under his complete control. the four aura sensing appendages behind his head feel every emotion — fleeting, or not — of the blaziken. his intentions are laid out to bare and xen studies each deepy.
[break]

[break]


with a poised calm, he holds a single paw vertically up in front of him. then, whether guided by confidence, or arrogance, the lucario closes his eyes, beckoning the fire-type forward.
[break]
[break]

on the other side, pointed steps steal the space between the two. his face hovers mere inches from lulu's own, cerulean blues echoed back in the pits of obsidian. his breathe smells of tequila, and cigarettes; a tongue wets them where they began to dry. his next words are barely above a whisper, but said with a biting certainty.
[break]
[break]

"you."
[break]
[break]

fingers cup her chin — or, at the very least, try to. his teeth part slightly into a insatiably hungry grin.
[break]
[break]

"i want you."


[break]

Lulu Flint

SO SHE THINKS SHE CAN WIN...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
king learned from his mistakes. he hesitated once — it cost him everything. never again.
[break][break]
"mm, is that so?"
[break][break]
his body moves closer, though still allowing lulu room to witness the fights soon-to-be conclusion. his hands shift too, back of his fingers caressing her cheek. her skin was soft, beneath his rough, battle tempered skin.
[break][break]
"yer dangerous."
[break][break]


his smirks softens, becoming more devious. it still radiates hunger, but also... something else. something more carnal.
[break][break]


"somethin' tells me yer still thinkin' about winning this fight, though. how confident are ye?"

[break][break]
behind him, the lucario senses the faintest of shifts in the aura around him. with his eyes still closed, he DETECTS the incoming attack with ease. time slows in his state of 'xen', and at the last possible second, he counterstrikes. an ADAPTABILITY empowered CLOSE COMBAT strikes outwards with explosive force, his mega form lacing it with the speed, and strength, of a locomotive.

[break]

Lulu Flint