Alec blinked in surprise when he had seen Alexei. Sure, they hadn't met even when Alec was a Gym Leader, but the two knew of one another. "Shit ... Well, I guess there's no point in trying to play dumb with him," Alec thought to himself right before answering Alexei's question. "You got me. Yeah, it's me," Alec said, scratching the back of his head with his left hand. He regretted signing up for that damn loan too. To him, it was no wonder that he was living in a run-down, abandoned cabin out near Meteor Falls. "Oh, ya mean this," Alec pointed to his short orange hair. "Well, had to get Rocket off my ass, and dying my hair was better than wearing some stupid wig," Alec said, being brutally honest with his words.

"Anyway, I'm here for my gym challenge - a one vs. one battle. That is if ya got the free time to battle me," Alec said to Alexei with a determined grin on his face. His look toward Alexei wasn't that of cockiness though. It was out of ambition. He had never fought Alexei for his Gym Badge before, and since Alexei was still in fact the Gym Leader here in Fortree, the dragon tamer was just itching to see what Alexei and his pokemon were made of.

Once they had finished talking, Alec followed Alexei to the open-air arena in the back. Alec pulled out a Pokeball, wasting no time in bringing out his pokemon of choice. A Togekiss that was vibrant; happy that she was released, dancing elegantly in the air. "Xena, here is gonna be my pokemon choice for this battle." Alec said nonchalantly with a hint of confidence in his words, as well as choice. Alec was also slightly eager to see what pokemon Alexei would choose for their battle.

---

Notes:
Tag: Alexei Ivanov

The dragon tamer didn't need to go into any more details explaining how bad it was. If he was being honest, he didn't even know why he was targeted in such a way. Maybe they targeted him out of boredom or whatever nonsensical reason it actually was. What mattered though was that he was alive... although, part of Alec admitted that leaving his old life behind wasn't considered to be 'living' at all. He hated having to leave it all behind just so that he could live. It was disgraceful.

Honestly, he didn't know how Accepting those higher within the League would be, knowing that he was back. However, part of him just didn't give a rattata's ass about that. Shortly after Alec had released his Togekiss, Alexei did the same thing, calling out a Crobat. "Figures he'd bring out a pokemon that had a type advantage ... Although, Type Advantages can only get someone so far," Alec thought, still holding his slight smirk not worried in the slightest bit. In fact, he had already known what his Xena's first tactic would be. Alexei told Alec that he and Xena were able to have the first bout, which had Alec wasted no time in making his move.

"Sounds good to me. Xena, Safeguard!" Alec had said to the female Togekiss, prompting her to cast a mystical veil that had gently blanketed all of her body, protecting her from all kinds of status ailments, which was something that Crobats notoriously used to weaken their prey. However, Alec was certain that Alexei's crobat was far more experienced than just poisoning its opponent.

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Notes: 1. Xena the Togekiss used Safeguard! It's now protected from all status ailments for 5 turns! (0/5)
Tag: Alexei Ivanov

Alec held his smirk, despite the fact that Alexei's Crobat was about to attack. Xena also seemed calm, it's SERENE GRACE unwavering as the tips on her head started to glow. The blue and red tips of Xena's head glowed the same, while the middle glowed a bright yellow, managing to fire off a TRI ATTACK from the three glowing tips on its head right above just as the Crobat's CROSS POISON was about to connect.

The collision of the two attacks connected, causing a small explosion between the two of them. The impact of the two attacks colliding with one another being so close made it hard for Alec and Alexei to see it, but the Tri Attack's yellow beam was the one that let loose first, which caused the small explosion, followed electricity crackling around the surface of the small dust cloud that formed from the impact. Chances were that Xena's attack caused the Crobat to be paralyzed.

Sure, Xena had taken a hit from a super-effective attack, but with the two being so close to one another up on the impact of their two attacks meant that the Crobat also suffered damage, as well as paralysis. "Nice, Xena. You're Serene Grace will come in handy in this battle," Alec thought to himself while holding a smirk. The dragon tamer admitted that he was worried that she wouldn't be able to handle a Gym battle, but It turns out that he was wrong to quickly judge her. He had always put faith in his pokemon when it came to battles, even if he did have doubts; trusting in his gut feelings. He was glad that he had chosen her.

Xena slipped out of the dust cloud, quickly floating seeming backward from the impact. It was clear she was injured, but so was the Crobat. "Keep doing that in this battle, Xena and you'll be fine," Alec thought to himself.

---

Notes: 1. Xena the Togekiss is protected from status ailments by Safeguard! (1/5)
2. Xena fires off a Tri Attack right above just as the Crobat's Cross Poison connects.
3. Xena takes damage from the Cross Poison!
4. Xena's Serene Grace ability doubles her attack's secondary effect of Tri Attack!
5. Rolling for Paralysis from Tri Attack! (if the roll is 40 or higher, Crobat is paralyzed. If below 40, then it is not paralyzed.) yfWs92Dl
Tag: Alexei Ivanov

Alec was a little disappointed that the crobat wasn't paralyzed, but at the end of the day, he knew not everything would go the way he would like it to. Once Alexei's crobat regained itself, it started to gun after Xena with a WING ATTACK. "EXTREMESPEED, now!" Alec said confidently, already knowing what to do. Xena rushed forward at supersonic speed, being exponentially faster than the crobat in this one instance, having the two slam into one another.

Due to Xena's sudden increase in velocity, the impact from the crobat's WING ATTACK would hurt, but Xena's impact from her EXTREMESPEED on the opposing crobat would be much more painful. Alec wasn't sure what else the crobat had up its sleeve, however, for the most part, Xena was able to counter it so far. As long as they could keep doing that, then this battle was as good as theirs.

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Notes: 1. Xena the Togekiss is protected from status ailments by Safeguard! (2/5)
2. Xena uses Extremespeed to attack, colliding w/ the crobat and its Wing Attack!
3. Xena takes damage from the collision.
Tag: Alexei Ivanov

The dragon tamer wasn't sure how long Alexei's crobat would be able to continue battling. However, the same went for Xena. It had been a while since he used her in a battle, but according to the look on Xena's face, she seemed to be enjoying herself, despite taking a few hits. If it weren't for her SAFEGUARD, things would have been much different. In fact, she more than likely would have been poisoned by now.

The crobat came forth with another attack, using VENESHOCK. Despite it being yet another poison-based attack, Alec knew that Xena wouldn't take all that much damage. The reason was because VENESHOCK is more powerful when used on a pokemon that is already poisoned, but since Xena, was safe from being poisoned, she took the attack, and then with her unwavering SERENE GRACE, she attacked the crobat using ANCIENT POWER, forming a sphere of prehistoric energy, then firing it at the crobat.

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Notes: 1. Xena the Togekiss is protected from status ailments by Safeguard! (3/5)
2. Xena takes damage from crobat's Veneshock!
3. Xena attacks the crobat w/ Ancient Power!
4. Xena's Serene Grace ability doubles the secondary effect of Ancient Power!
5. Rolling for Ancient Power! if roll is 80 or higher, Xena gains a boost in all stats!
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Tag: Alexei Ivanov

Alec was sure that Xena's ANCIENT POWER would hit. However, he had forgotten that Crobat are naturally fast. However, what the dragon tamer didn't know was that Xena had a plan of her own making. Just as the crobat barrel-rolled out of the way, Xena the togekiss' wings started to vibrate, and then just as the crobat attempted to take a swing at her underbelly, she made a barrel-roll of her own, quickly veering to the left, and then slamming into the Crobat's side, countering with EXTREMESPEED.

"Nice One, Xena!" Alec had said, his worry quickly changing to excitement. He wasn't expecting Xena to do something like that on the fly, but if she hadn't then chances were that she'd be in a lot of trouble. What's more, is that Alec knew that her SAFEGUARD would be ending very soon. Xena more than likely knew that too, and with Crobat being naturally faster, she devised a plan of her own, attempting to outsmart it with Extremespeed.

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Notes: 1. Xena the Togekiss is protected from status ailments by Safeguard! (4/5)
2. Crobat dodges Xena's Ancient Power, and attempts to come in close with a Cross Poison!
3. Xena barrel-rolls out of the way of the Crobat's Cross Poison; countering w/ Extremespeed!
Tag: Alexei Ivanov