Since their first run-in, Lulu was unfortunately not Giona’s biggest fan. A chance to further dominate drove her to accept.

“Tch. Sure. Why not?”

The scientist eyed him—not quite a glare, but something close. She reached for a capsule at her hip and held it out to release something she thought might be fair. She’d brought it along with a Klinklang to fight oscar clayton , not having been able to decide between the two.

This worked out.

“This Magneton mainly works in the labs. Figured I’d get it out for some fun today.”

Electricity buzzed from its dark magnets ominously.

“Shall we? You first.”

Lulu Flint

The Ivysaur’s inattentiveness would perhaps be its undoing—but the Magneton’s utter lack of battle experience helped to level the playing field.

“I’ve been collecting them myself for projects. This one was the first of my lot. None of them have legs, so they don’t go for walks; no.”

???

The GROWL was met with an odd stare, and a much more grating METAL SOUND was returned. It seemed they were in a stand-off.

“MT-01, attack!”

Maybe in a second. Sparks increased at the ends of its magnets.

Lulu Flint

“Not typically, no.”

Not ever, really, when she recalled a moment. Then, she wondered if it might be beneficial for their work to be let loose every now and then.

She didn’t pay it much more mind.

Magneton was hit by the RAZOR LEAF, but the damage was minimal—mere scratches over its metal builds. It didn’t immediately retaliate, but after a moment, the sparks that had been increasing changed into a variety of energy. TRI ATTACK sought to inflict whatever sort of damage it might on the frog in its trajectory.

A Bronzor? Was this an olive branch?

“Uhhm… sure? You’ll likely get it back a Bronzong…”

Maybe in a second. Sparks increased at the ends of its magnets.

Lulu Flint

The TRI ATTACK’s ice made contact, FREEZING the Ivysaur. Lulu was surprised at the quick success, eyes flashing appreciatively to her particularly shiny bronze workhorse. If nothing else, from there where it hovered, it packed power.

Lulu’s interest was piqued at the mention of a project.

“A project, eh? What for?” A bit nosy, maybe.

Magneton awaited its next victim, three eyes watching the red beam of light that returned the iced Ivysaur to its capsule.

Maybe in a second. Sparks increased at the ends of its magnets.

Lulu Flint

A Chandelure. It reminded her of a terrible time, and the hole in her shoulder. She did her best not to show how uneasy it made her. Chandelure was much more than just any ghost. It was the thing she’d seen before she’d nearly succumbed to her wounds and died. Right before she’d been dragged out, unconscious—leaving the fallen bodies of her Pokemon behind. Emboar. Scyther.

His description was just enough to draw her out of a somewhat distant stare, beholding the ghost for too long. “Yeah, I think I know that asshole.”

“PROTECT!”

But it was too late. It would seem the Magneton could hardly think for itself, and Lulu’s realization of this didn’t come quick enough to save them from WILL-O-WISP. Lulu shook her head as its bronze body glowed with heat. It was BURNED.

She held up a pokeball, returning it in a glow of red light.

Rustboro. Funny that it was mentioned. That had been where it had all happened; the shit with Chandelure.

“A gym, huh? I hope that Ivysaur isn’t part of your A-team.”

The next to be released was Ferrothorn. Its sharp and hazardous appendages whipped IRON BARBS at the air threateningly.

Lulu Flint

Lulu raised her brows a little, cheeks puffing a bit as she tried not to smile as much as her face wanted to. She snorted lightly.

Hilarious.

A bit difficult.

“Yeah. Something like that.”

Ferrothorn continued to ready its IRON BARBS. Waiting for the first move to be taken, it listed to the side from the FLAME BURST, only a fraction of its steel body taking the blow. Angrily, it retaliated with a POWER WHIP, appendages flailing forward at the terrifying light fixture.

They were at a complete and total type and speed disadvantage. It would be by sheer luck that they’d win. Lulu was watching closely, though she didn’t appear discouraged yet.

His story about Rowlet was cute. Her face wouldn’t reveal that either.

“Ah.”

“Ferrothorn, BEAM back if they try it again!”

The next to be released was Ferrothorn. Its sharp and hazardous appendages whipped IRON BARBS at the air threateningly.

Lulu Flint

Hiking? Lulu supposed KING WAYLAND did seem like a sort of outdoorsy guy. Skinning snakes in the desert, and all. She shook her head a bit, as though to clear the air of the conversation. She didn’t care to talk about him anymore.

Ferrothorn was hit by a CONFUSE RAY and became, perhaps predictably, very CONFUSED. Its thorned body teetered and rolled about, and was quickly withdrawn to its pokeball as well—but then replaced again by the Magneton, still BURNED.

“Hang in there, MT!”

Maybe it was cruel. Lulu had been accused of that a time or two.

Rowlet? For a walk? The scientist was still not following Giona perhaps, taking things a little too literally. “Can it not fly?” Maybe she had actually not been fucking with him the first time, about the Magneton legs.

The shiny one in front of her attempted to cast another TRI ATTACK at the Chandelure before it could move, but may have been too slow. Its searing hot metal stung under the beating sun.