"matias."

[break][break]
the air is saturated in a warmth that exceeded 'comfort', at least, for most people. gabriel had surrounded himself with fire-types for over forty-years now. this barely counted as a summer day.
[break][break]
"i suspect it's because we're both busy men," he says, ignoring the landscape and focusing entirely on the elite four, "but, it's good to see our schedules have aligned."

[attr="class","notes"]MATIAS SILPH[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

"ha! about time."[break][break]

almost on cue, the ground beneath them begins to tremble. it grows in intensity enough to threaten some off their feet, but matias stands his ground while he eyes the HEATRAN that emerges from the depths of the lava pit.[break][break]

"looks like it's waited long enough."[break][break]

he looks back at gabe with a grin as a DROUGHT forms overhead.[break][break]

"shall we begin?"

[attr="class","ooc"]GABRIEL BLACK[break]

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

right down to business. he appreciates that about matias.

[break][break]
he'd spent some time mulling over his choice for this battle. could he force the mythical pokemon to bow to him with sheer force? he could. but that wasn't the point of this exercise. no, he needed to fine-tune some of his more... difficult pokemon.
[break][break]

so, his choice becomes clear.
[break][break]

releasing the pyroar from his ball, a thin black mist quickly evaporates around it. the creature had lineage that traced back to the 'shadow' pokemon that were rare in hoenn. from it, strength beyond measure, and a temper like no other.
[break][break]

caliban stares down the mythical pokemon, black and red mane flaring in challenge. without waiting for a command, he charges in.

[attr="class","notes"]MATIAS SILPH[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

the charging pyroar will be greeted with streams of LAVA PLUME that shoot out from the pit. they rise into the air and arc before falling right back down to earth.[break][break]

"is that a shadow?"[break][break]

he cracks open a pokeball, finally calling out his choice for the battle as the urshifu immediately charges forward as well.[break][break]

the fighting-type evades the LAVA PLUME before sending an AERIAL ACE from afar.

[attr="class","ooc"]GABRIEL BLACK[break]

[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon urshifu"]

"an echo of one," he says, watching the LAVA PLUME rise into the sky, "the descendent of a more pure and powerful beast." he envied having something stronger, but caliban was good enough for now.
[break][break]
padding from one paw to another, the shadow pyroar dodges the attack, releasing a NOBLE ROAR that echoes in this bowl like arena.
[break][break]
the mythical person responds to both the AERIAL ACE and the NOBLE ROAR with mild indifference, its EARTH POWER shaking the ground around both pokemon.
[break][break]
"an impressive team you've built, matias."

[attr="class","notes"]MATIAS SILPH[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

"it helps to be surrounded by the best. keeps you on your toes."[break][break]

never one to be modest, matias finds it oddly appropriate this time.[break][break]

the ground shakes but the EARTHQUAKE isn't the most immediate threat. heat radiates from above as more LAVA PLUMES fall, descending straight onto them.[break][break]

or at least it would've.[break][break]

a sweeping gesture with his hand enacts a wall of earth, similar to a WIDE GUARD as it keeps them safe from being melted. the earth above melts away, leaving nothing in its wake.[break][break]

"heatran isn't usually this aggresssive."[break][break]

urshifu capitalizes with SURGING STRIKES.

[attr="class","ooc"]GABRIEL BLACK[break]

[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon urshifu"]

with a mask of indifference outwardly, gabriel watches matias form the wall with a sweep of his hand. inwardly, he adds the ability to the adopted silph's file.
[break][break]
"perhaps your presence has agitated it even worse than usual?" he offers, watching as his pyroar begins to release a SHADOW MIST in an area around him. [break][break]the dark violet haze begins to settle at nearly chest height for the fire-type, and it responds by sinking lower in an attempt to camoflague itself.

[break][break]
"or perhaps it's just an asshole?"

[attr="class","notes"]MATIAS SILPH[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

"perhaps it's your presence, gabe."[break][break]

not that matias blames the heatran. two alpha males versus one beta lava boy? tch.[break][break]

the heatran, unable to pinpoint the location of the pyroar decides to focus on the most immediate threat: the urshifu right in front of it.[break][break]

SURGING STRIKES clash against its hardened exterior. it roars in pain, hiding the METAL SOUND behind it as lava around it starts to bubble.[break][break]

and then, almost in a flash, it erupts in a MAGMA STORM.

[attr="class","ooc"]GABRIEL BLACK[break]

[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon urshifu"]

the force of the LAVA STORM is enough to push the pyroar back, glops of magma sticking to its dark fur. he roars in pain, powerful claws scraping the rock as it clamors to get a hold. it takes a second, then two, but he's finally able.

[break][break]
lowering his center of gravity, maw open, caliban releases a FLAMETHROWER torrent that washes over the lava pokemon. it does little, comparatively to MATIAS SILPH's legendary, but every bit counts.[break][break]
pushing off, he leaps after the heatran.

[attr="class","notes"]MATIAS SILPH[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

FLAMETHROWER paints orange and red to a similarly colored canvas. heatran roars under the torrent of flames, bracing through the pain only to channel it through its FLASH FIRE. it's why, when the flames finally die down, the returning FIRE SPIN is as potent as it is.[break][break]

the FIRE SPIN wraps around the pyroar in an attempt to suffocate it.[break][break]

up close, urshifu does what it can to be a nuisance. CLOSE COMBAT chips away at heatran's shell, getting closer and closer with each blow.

[attr="class","ooc"]GABRIEL BLACK[break]

[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon urshifu"]

a roar of pain, of rage, echoes from the center of the vortex of flame. it silences, and for a singular moment, gabriel considers his portion of the battle lost. then, an explosion of SHADOW MIST scatters the ability into wisps of flame and debris.
[break][break]
the pyroar that emerges is covered in wounds, scorch marks, and missing patches of fur. but from its maw, like a deliverer of death, a purple that's so dark it's almost black, pours our in troves. it charges the heartan, teeth wrapping around its paw in a bone-shattering CRUNCH.
[break][break]
but the legendary was a personification of the indominable molten earth itself.
[break][break]
CLOSE COMBAT and CRUNCH both land their marks. but, that also meant they were too close to move away. with itself as its focal point, it unleashes a MAGMA STORM.

[attr="class","notes"]MATIAS SILPH[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉

sweat rolls down matias' shoulders and back, dripping with intensity birthed from a fight of this caliber. two against one and the heatran is still holding its own. actually, it's doing more than that. it's winning.[break][break]

urshifu is blasted back by the force of MAGMA STORM. the fighting-type slams into the ground, rolling until it crashes into a boulder.[break][break]

and then, heatran rises out of the lava, advancing.[break][break]

"tch."

[attr="class","ooc"]GABRIEL BLACK[break]

[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon urshifu"]

the storm forces back not only MATIAS SILPH's, but also gabriel's own lion. it goes careening across the lumpy, black landscape, stopping only when it collides against a piece of jutting rock. it shows no signs of getting back up.
[break][break]
"suggestions?"

[attr="class","notes"]MATIAS SILPH[break]

[attr="class","wizzcredit"]☉