"oh yeah! i know who you are." noah grins. "it's good to see you around. that you're still alive and kickin'."

the macabre demeanour of maverick's companion extends to its breath— whether it is imagined or not, noah swears he can feel its infernal pant.

"yeaup! you signed up for that. just show me, win-or-lose, that you can handle the close quarters bit." he says brightly, leading maverick into the ring room. "then, you'll net yourself one of these."

he pulls the knockout badge, an emblem of two boxing gloves interlocked, between his fingers. like a gem, he allows enough time for it to be admired before snatching it away for safety.

a caged ring awaits them. noah moves to the other side on his podium, while maverick must stand on the other.

"crabominable, go!" noah shouts. his pokeball is thrown against the caged ring's fencing. a red bolt arcs into the arena and summons the crab on the canvas. "you get first move, man! i'll give you feedback after, promise!!"

tl;dr and notes

first move for maverick!! \o/

maverick noah ryder

☉

"even with the type advantage, don't let your guard down! widow's been through a lot!" noah says of his crabominable, already busy raising the heaviest iceborn claws.

however, it is only a show. claws cast shadows on the crab's true intentions. its mouth opens like a floodgate— a literal one, lower jaw like mountain peaks.

a SCALD sprays from its mouth and although the initial spout is aimed for SOVAR, THE INFERNAPE AS IT SWORD DANCES, the rest is fired elsewhere. everywhere.

jointed legs scuttle around the ring as the hot water floods the canvas. makes it slippery. like ice.

the crabominable does not stop moving as its pointed feet pierce the waters into splashing crowns.

"no time to prepare in the close quarters, man!"

tl;dr and notes

SCALD at INFERNAPE during SWORDS DANCE.
COATS RING WITH WATER.

maverick noah ryder

☉

"smart!"

as the infernape's fist plunges toward the slick canvas with a thunderous dive. knuckles land like the incoming meteno. at the reverberations, the crabominable's legs tense as if in the throes of panicked anticipation.

like popsicle sticks, they stiffen and freeze. the water around its legs solidify into glacial bergs. although the electricity manages to lick and lash against the crabominable's legs, ice proves to be a weak conductor.

the crabominable smiles like a drooling child in front of ice cream.

"charge forth! use ICE HAMMER!" noah says.

and the crab does, marching forth as it freezes the watery plane, slamming its claw over and over on the shaking canvas as it aims to strike the infernape on its side.

tl;dr and notes

FREEZING WATER -> ICE HAMMERS TOWARD INFERNAPE

maverick noah ryder

☉

the crabominable does falter. does not flinch. underneath the glossy pane of its expression, a core of discipline remains ever frozen. keeps the pokemon upright and daring even in the face of disadvantage.

the CLOSE COMBAT matches its ICE HAMMER with a resounding thwack. but the crabominable's ever open mouth is not without purpose.

when the infernape comes close, it unleashes a FROST BREATH too; a critical miasma of ice that spreads across the monkey before the crabominable is knocked back.

it lands like a robotic dog ambling for balance on all limbs. the damage has been done to the crabominable- but it has some fight left.

"move in again! SCALD!" noah shouts.

tl;dr and notes

CLOSE COMBAT X ICE HAMMER
FROST BREATH WHEN INFERNAPE'S ATK COLLIDES
KNOCKED BACK BEFORE USING SCALD WHILE MOVING BACK IN

maverick noah ryder

☉

"using the cage! that's what i like to see!" noah huffs, bright voice the most triumphant bugle.

the GUNK SHOT strikes noah's crabominable. its viscous, festering vat overtakes the SCALD. an oil spill. the ice melts beneath it.

stuck within it, the crabominable struggles. throbs with pain as it is POISONED

"ack," noah grits his teeth, "free yourself from the GUNK! ICE HAMMER it away and toward the infernape!"

although visibly weak, the crabominable attempts to clear the field for noah's next pokemon. like a enraged primeape, it slams its claws into mucky floor, scoops it up tar with its massive pincers and tosses it back toward the ape.

tl;dr and notes

🥊 CRABOMINABLE HIT + POISONED (CLOSE TO FAINTING)

🥊ICE HAMMERS TO BREAK APART GUNK SHOT -> THROW BACK POISON AT MONKEY

great writing outcast <3 <3

maverick noah ryder

☉

frosty air wafts from its claws and dumbbell-shaped chest, but it is no steady stream. rather, emerges in fragmented clouds: a sign that noah's crabominable is on its last legs.

noah senses the conclusion of the first round. hears the ring bell ding like church bells above his head. thrusting his arm out alongside his command, the gym leader shouts, "SCALD! quick!"

the crabominable is too tired to move from its space. as the tangle of grass emerges beneath it, a steaming pillar of water jettisons toward the weakened infernape. another tick of poison bubbles underneath the last spout.

the GRASS KNOT erupts from underneath the crab. snaps like a suspension bridge's fraying wire. with a resounding thud, the crabominable slumps, legs collapsed from their raised angles as flat flags.

"not bad." noah recalls his crabominable.

tl;dr and notes

🥊CRABOMINABLE SCALDS

🥊FAINTS -> RECALLED

maverick noah ryder

☉

"round two, dude!" the ringside boxing bell clangs twice.

noah presses the pokeball of his crabominable to his chin and whispers thanks. his hariyama is tagged in. the ball tossed by the other hand hits the fencing.

"i'm having a good time, maverick!" noah ensures that he says the name clearly. declares it, to ensure the records do not forget. "but promise you won't tire out on me!"

his hariyama huffs, claps its hands together with a loud crack. a WHIRLWIND pulses out from the palms as the pokemon wafts them. howling, the gale attempts to keep the dragon back. force it toward the fencing if at possible, or limit movement within its scathing blades of wind.

tl;dr and notes

🥊hariyama uses WHIRLWIND

maverick noah ryder

☉