laugher echoes through waiting room, as remi walks in. a bell chimes to announce her arrival, and greyson looks up from his conversation with the receptionist. "oh, hey!" excusing himself, he grabs a clipboard on the wall, and makes his way around to greet her.
[break][break]
he reviews the information as he closes the distance. "remi... cassel? am i saying that right? you're here for the traditional challenge, right?" she looked tough, no-nonsense. reminded him of a pissed off stormy. hm. "can i see your trainer ID if you don't mind?"

[attr="class","ooc"]Remi Cassel [break]
‣.[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-comfey"]

Remi blinks, genuinely stunned by the candor and lightheartedness of her surroundings. The man's laughter catches her off-guard because it is almost familiar, as is the woman behind the counter that he had been speaking to. She is almost awkward now, when he turns to greet her, as if embarrassed she had interrupted their conversation.

"Uhh.. yes. Cassel, like Castle, sort of. It's fine however you say it."

She frowns a bit, but the motion is somewhat bashful rather than intimidating. Not that it would look like that anyway given the eyepatch and her more rugged appearance. She swallows, forces a small smile and reaches for her ID.

"Uhh-- here."

Greyson Connors

☉

he takes her awkwardness as nerves, and doesn't speak on it. "thanks," greyson replies politely, taking her ID. it's a cursory inspection, nothing profound, as he harbors no suspicion.
[break][break]
"everything seems to be in order." he hands her his ID, flashing a smile as he does. "have you been briefed on the rules and everything?" a nearby comfey floats over, mewing softly as it rides on an invisible trail of wind. he accepts it softly into his palm, looking at her, waiting for an answer.

[attr="class","ooc"]Remi Cassel [break]
‣.[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-comfey"]

"Yeah."

Her tone is flat, and she takes her ID back with slight agitation. Not that she has anything to hide, because really, she doesn't. She had gone to great lengths to renew her long expired ID. In fact, she is relieved when he accepts it, even if there was nothing at all to worry about - except maybe how far away the expiry date now is.

Greyson asks her a question and she hesitates as she is replacing her ID. She could lie- a lie would come naturally. But instead..

"I could use a refresher."

Greyson Connors

☉

nerves present themselves in many different ways. he reads her agitation as one of those signs. still keeping on a pleasant smile, he sends the comfey to circle around her.
[break][break]
"no problem." hands shove themselves in pockets, tucking his clipboard into the crook of his arm. "once you go through that door, we'll start the challenge. you'll need to bring three pokemon — one will act as your 'defenseless citizen' — and you'll be required to protect it from harm. claire," he points at the comfey that hovers around her, "will use her shielding ability on your third pokemon. each time the shield breaks, that's a strike. three? you're out."
[break][break]
he lets out a large, comical exhale. "sorry for the monologue. to make sure it's a challenge, it'll be treated like an 'escort' type of thing. get your citizen from point A to point B without losing all your shields — bam! you win. does that make sense?"

[attr="class","ooc"]Remi Cassel [break]
‣.[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-comfey"]

Remi laughs, the noise a somewhat pompous exhale. She raises the eyebrow over her good eye, looking at the man with dry amusement.

"So.. I'm participating in a game for children. But the stakes are 'higher'."

She emphasizes the word higher because, given the sweet-smelling floral bracelet hovering around her person, there were really no stakes at all. Remi was beginning to remember now what sort of a gym this was. She was running a scenario simulation. Almost as if she were being prepared for war.

Hoenn was fucked up.

"Sure."

Makes sense to her. The woman releases a Teddiursa from a pokeball somewhere on her person. The little Pokemon yawns, showing rows of sharp teeth and a pale pink tongue. It cooes and blinks slowly, focusing on Claire. With reaching, grabby little paws and claws, she attempts to reach out and grab the Comfey. Remi pulls the Pokemon away before that might happen.

"How far is point A to point B?"

Suddenly, she was a bit disappointed she'd decided on a late lunch.

Greyson Connors

☉

"more or less," he shrugs, passing off her indifferent attitude. it was starting to rub him the wrong way now, but again, he did his best to attribute it to nerves. when she reveals the small teddy bear, the comfey looks down at it, mewing in curiosity. it'd float down to wrap around the bears wrist, when remi gave it permission.
[break][break]
"can't say, unfortunately. that's part of the game." the LED above the steel door blinks green, indicating the simulation is now prepared. he eyes it, then looks back at her. "trust me though, you won't be able to miss it." he releases a pokemon from an orb at his waist - an alakazam.
[break][break]
"if there's no more, head inside. we'll be waiting for you." if there was no more, he TELEPORTS out.

[attr="class","ooc"]Remi Cassel [break]
‣.[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-comfey"]

It was nerves, mostly, and an unhealthy ego.

Normally she wouldn't be seen dead in a place like this- wide open, in public, with people to pick her out of a crowd. It was uncomfortable, like a blazing spotlight had been set upon her. Discomfort swims in her pinched expression, but she sets her jaw and waits for further instruction.

No more really come, though, except for his encouragement to begin. The man teleports away and she exhales softly, somewhat relieved to be set on her own for the time being. She waits a few moments as if to steel her nerves, and she then steps forward to begin the challenge.

The woman sets the Teddiursa down, though the child cries to be picked back up. Fortunately, she is quickly distracted by the Comfey wrapped around her wrist. Remi kneels quickly to pull her attention back, and, like a stern mother, quietly scolds her.

"Be gentle with the Comfey, Teddiursa. You wouldn't want to ruin such a beautiful thing, would you? You may look, but do not touch, or you might damage its beautiful flowers."

And then, Remi stands back up to release two bears who tower above her head. They both wear dark sunglasses, and stand at attention much like real bodyguards.

Greyson Connors

☉

"What the fu--"

Her voice is carried away, lost to thoughtfulness as she takes in the scenery. From the other side of the door, she was certain she had seen... more building. Nothing out of the ordinary, and especially nothing like this. Surely she would have smelled the pine needles, the trees, the earth beneath her feet?

But she hadn't, not until right now.

Somewhere above her, with a tinny, uncomfortable speaker voice, Greyson lays out more instructions. Three unknown enemies, huh? He wishes her good luck and her two hulking bear Pokemon square up. Their shoulders raise, claws extend. The only one not on edge is the Teddiursa who lurches forward on clumsy paws. She does not appear the least bit fazed.

In fact, even when faced with the sudden wall of flame from the Delphox's surprise MYSTICAL FIRE, the Teddiursa merely giggles. Remi's face goes white with horror, but momma bear Beartic moves quickly to intercept. It is instinctual, even in spite of her type disadvantage.

With a bellowing roar, the Beartic steps up and braces herself, taking the blast and BIDING her time. The Teddiursa bounces back from bumping into the Beartics tree trunk leg, looking up at her in awe.

"Bane!"

At her call, the Pangoro bites down hard on his bamboo stick thing in his mouth, grunting as he barrels straight for the Delphox to TAUNT it into succumbing to his NIGHT SLASH.

Greyson Connors

☉

Even before Greyson's helpful announcement, Remi is hard-pressed to keep moving. With a nudge of her foot, she encourages the Teddiursa to continue onward.

Beartic takes a moment still to recover from her burns, the MYSTICAL FIRE having singed her fur and overpowered her sense of smell with the smell of burning. But she was fully alert even now, and more than prepared to keep going.

Above her, a countdown clock makes itself visible. The woman squints, glances back at her two Pokemon and then out and around. For now, it seems that there are no more unseen attackers- and the Delphox from earlier had retreated.

"Let's move! Protective circle around our little angel, here. Do not lose sight of her!"

As she says this, naturally, the Teddiursa is squeezing through Bane's legs to run ahead of them. Urgency moves Beartic first, her motherly instincts kicking in. Her skin trembles in anticipation, super-charged by the BIDE she still yet holds onto.

Pangoro jogs ahead as well, grunting as he surveys the area with far keener eyes than the Beartic is as present. With one pair on Teddiursa and two pairs waiting for movement in the trees, they all collectively push forward.

Where was the finish line?

Greyson Connors

☉