alec foster seemed to have little trouble navigating the massive complex, able to locate the large, grassy battle court at the center of the Main Sector. The first several rows of bleachers were filled with Josh's fans, as well as fans of the rising star trainer that was challenging him for his Badge. "Been looking forward to today, Alec?" he asked the challenger as he was removing his Garchomp's saddle, the Dragonite's already in the Trainer's Box behind him. "Current Gym Leader versus former Gym Leader, both using the same Pokémon. This should be a really fun and close battle." Tiamat hummed her wings like she was about to use Extreme Speed. "Not yet, girl! Save that energy for the battle!"

The Master of Faster stood between his two dragons and offered a hand for the challenger to shake. "I'm sure you don't need me to, but I do have to go over the rules of the challenge. It will be a double battle, and the first trainer to incapacitate both of the foe's Pokémon will be the winner. You, as the challenger, must win outright: a tie will be ruled as a loss."

Once both trainers were ready to go, the two trainer's boxes rose, Alphamax's bio-engines spooling up as Tiamat leaped off the platform and took flight. The Garchomp followed shortly afterward, circling the large, grassy, wide-open battle court at high speed. "Come at me, Alec!"

---

ooc: Let's go! \o/

alec foster

{WC: 239}
{PC: 1}

NAME             SPECIES          STATUS
Alphamax         Garchomp         Good  
Tiamat           Dragonite        Good  

Alec smirked at Josh's statement as he brought out his own Dragonite and Garchomp. Before Josh started to explain the rules to him, his Dragonite seemed extremely eager to get things going, while he waited patiently. "My pokemon could probably use that to their advantage. Especially Veta," Alec thought, keeping it to himself. As for it being a close battle, Josh was right on that. However, there was this new trick Alec had picked up fairly recently, and since he was using Veta for his Gym Challenge, this was ample opportunity to give it a shot.

"Then that just means there will be no room for errors," Alec simply said, which Bruce and Veta seemed to agree with their master on. When the King of speed told the dragon tamer to come at him, Alec's smirk turned into a grin, saying "With pleasure," obliging to Josh's request. Bruce let out a snarl, gunning right for Josh's Garchomp going in with a DRAGON RUSH, meanwhile Veta gathered energy that made the area around them feel cold for only a moment, until releasing that energy into an ICE BEAM, firing it at Josh's Dragonite.

---

Notes:
- Bruce the Garchomp attacks Josh's Garchomp w/ Dragon Rush.
- Veta the Dragonite fires an Ice Beam at Josh's Dragonite.
Josh Devlin

And so, the high speed battle between the two dragon trainers began. Speed specialist versus dragon specialist, using the same Pokémon, but trained completely different ways. "Alphamax, DRAGON RUSH! Tiamat, BODY SLAM!" Josh commanded. The two pairs of dragon Pokémon flew toward one another at impressive speeds even by standards the Leader's regular fans were used to. The two Garchomp, hurtling toward each other with their bio-thrusters generating maximum power, were on a collision course that, if they hit each other, would inflict gigantic blows on one another.

The battle between the two roaring, living jets had captured Josh's attention completely. They looked like they were coming at each other so fast that it would be difficult to tell which, if any, came out on top. If either managed to get up from the attack, there was a good chance they wouldn't be doing any more flying anytime soon.

It wasn't until Josh's eyes caught a glimpse of Tiamat being frozen solid next to Veta, thanks to a merciless ICE BEAM. From his angle, he couldn't see whether his own Dragonite got close enough to deliver a powerful tail swipe before being encased in an icy prison. The Gym Leader rolled his eyes. If Alec's awareness was sharp, he would see Josh reaching for his TERA ORB...

---

Veta's ICE BEAM strikes Tiamat and freezes her solid, leaving her in critical condition.
Bruce's DRAGON RUSH strikes Alphamax and deals heavy damage.

alec foster

{WC: 219}
{PC: 2}

NAME             SPECIES          STATUS
Alphamax         Garchomp         Poor
Tiamat           Dragonite        Freeze

Josh probably couldn't tell if his dragonite's own BODY SLAM connected or not, but from Alec's view, as well as judging by the smirk on his face, that it came up short. With the ICE BEAM reaching for the opposing Dragonite, Veta was spared from taking any damage. Not only that, but her beam of ice had managed to freeze Josh's dragon with relative ease. That told him that his Dragonite didn't have as much Durability as Veta had. Alec wasn't sure if Josh was aware of Veta's MULTISCALES or not, but it didn't really matter at this point. Alec definitely had the upper hand, with it only being the very beginning of their battle.

The dragon tamer then took notice of Josh reaching for something, which made him react without hesitation, pulling out his own TERA ORB; wasting no time in using it. The energy it gathered quickly formed, then once it had enough, Alec tossed it in Veta's general direction, encasing it in crystal but a brief moment, only for it to shatter, revealing Veta's body glowing like a diamond. Its typing has been changed from a Dragon and flying type to just a normal type pokemon.

"Something told me you were gonna do the same, so I figured I'd return the favor," Alec grinned, just as Veta was about unleash a Terastal-powered EXTREMESPEED on not Josh's Dragonite, but his Garchomp. The speed from Veta's attack was so fast that Alec's as well as even Josh's were unable to comprehend Veta's movements, sending Josh's Garchomp up into the air, only to speed ahead of it from above; smacking it back down toward the ground once more. Alec's Garchomp, Bruce took this time to DIG itself underground, allowing itself to hide and then attack later. As for whether the hit From Veta's Exremespeed would make Josh's Garchomp incapable of battling any further was still unknown due to the cloud of dust that had formed from its crash-landing back down to the ground.

---

Notes:
- Bruce the Garchomp takes damage from Josh's Garchomp's Dragon Rush, colliding with one another.
- Josh's Dragonite's Body Slam misses due to Veta the Dragonite's incoming Ice Beam, also freezing it.
- Alec sees Josh reaching for his Tera Orb, Prompting Alec to use his on Veta the Dragonite!
- Veta the Dragonite's Typing changes from a Dragon and Flying Type to a Normal Type.
- Veta the Dragonite attacks Josh's Garchomp with a Terastal-power Extremespeed, being more powerful than normal.
- Bruce the Garchomp uses Dig, burrowing itself underground.
Josh Devlin

"Full power, Alphamax!" Josh shouted over the cacophony of the high octane battle, the Garchomp's bio-thrusters propelling him skyward in an effort to give him as much time as possible to dodge Bruce's ensuing DIG attack. The hum of Veta's wings was all Josh needed to hear: he swiftly hurled his own TERA ORB toward Tiamat, both Dragonite encased in pyramids of Terastal crystal, though both gleamed different colors. Veta's was a translucent diamond; Tiamat's, a reflective chrome indicative of her STEEL tera typing. The block of ice she was encased in shattered along with the Terastal pyramid, giving her a second wind as though the Ice Beam never even hit her.

And yet, Veta went after Alphamax, clipping above the fleeing Garchomp, grabbing him, and hurling him to the ground in a burst of EXTREME SPEED that was too fast for even Josh to follow. He withdrew the dragon-shark after the side judge made his ruling:

"Leader's Garchomp is unable to battle. Judges' call: one point for Challenger Foster. Match point: Challenger Foster."

Though the result was to be expected, what with Alec being a former Hoenn Gym Leader himself, that he had the gall to use his own Gym's technique against Josh brought out something seldom seen in his Gym Challenges: his anger. He was fuming as he cried, "How DARE you use my own Gym's technique against me! There is only one, and ONLY ONE, Master of Faster in Hoenn! And it sure isn't you! IRON HEAD, Tiamat!" With that, the orange tyrant lowered her Terastal-powered, sword-sharp horn and pointed it at Veta, fearlessly swooping toward the challenger's Dragonite.

---

- Veta's TERASTAL-powered EXTREME SPEED delivers the knockout blow to Alphamax.
- Tiamat TERASTALLIZES into the STEEL-type, completely recovering from the Ice Beam. She lunges at Veta with a TERASTAL-powered IRON HEAD.

alec foster

{WC: 272}
{PC: 3}

NAME             SPECIES          STATUS
Alphamax         Garchomp         KO
Tiamat           Dragonite        Good  

Bruce's Dig attack missed Josh's Garchomp, which was expected. However, Veta reciprocated, managing to knock it out with just one attack. Alec didn't know how powerful pokemon were when Terastalized, however, after seeing what had happened to Josh's Garchomp, it was clear to the dragon tamer that Terastalized pokemon were just as powerful as pokemon that could mega evolve. He made a mental note to remember that for future battles. Plus, the change in a pokemon's typing could be a game-changer. Once Josh had used his own Tera orb on his own Dragonite, Alec took note of its chrome-like color, seeing that it had most likely terastalized into a Steel type. "Well there goes my plan of relying on Veta to take it out. However, due to it becoming a Steel type, Bruce's ground-based attacks can deal more damage to it," Alec thought to himself, quickly being able to see its new weakness. It appeared that there were pros and cons to Terastalization.

Alec snapped back to reality when Josh started to yell at him, which was unexpected, to say the least. However, Alec said nothing to him. Alec knew that something seemed ... off. Despite this, Alec was here for a Gym Challenge and despite whether or not Josh's feelings were hurt somehow, Alec still had aimed to win. If it came down to it, they'd have a little chat after the battle was over. But for now, Alec continued to silently focus on the battle. Josh's Dragonite lunged forward at Veta with a Terastal-powered IRON HEAD, making use of its Tera Typing, however, Veta quickly flew upward, using AGILITY to dodge, while Bruce executed a well-placed Sand Tomb to attack Josh's Dragonite with a sandy vortex gushing out toward it. Veta couldn't stay up in the air too long it seemed, its wings no longer being able to sustain flight, presumably due to its change in typing; landing a fair distance away from Josh's Dragonite.

---

Notes:
- Veta the Dragonite dodges Josh's Dragonite's Iron Head using Agility. Speed +2
- Bruce the Garchomp attacks Josh's Dragonite with Sand Tomb.
- Sand Tomb is super-effective due to Josh's Dragonite's Steel Tera Type.
Josh Devlin

Josh's emotions continued to run hot during the battle that was not going his way at all. Ever since the collision between the Garchomp, every ounce of momentum was weighing Alec's direction. The SAND TOMB that whirled around Tiamat and immobilized her was the writing on the wall for Josh. Deprived of what made the Dragonite fearsome, that being her mobility, she was a sitting duck.

The Leader wasn't going down without a fight, though! The last time he had his entire team defeated in a sweep was when multiple members of the Elite Four came knocking at his door when he first opened the Gym. Come to think of it, that was what, five months ago? Going five months between instances of getting totally schooled by a challenger was pretty good, both in his eyes and by League standards. It was in the very nature of anything competitive: there are always trainers far better than he was, and there are always trainers that are far less skilled than he was. He looked up to those rare challengers as much as his less skilled challengers looked up to him for ways to improve.

If battles and racing both taught Josh one thing, though, there was always room to think outside the box. "Tiamat! Counter-steer the Sand Tomb with your TWISTER!" he commanded, the cryst-covered, chrome-colored Dragonite responded by humming her wings. While she couldn't fly while inside the ground-type attack's vortex, she could whip up an anticyclone to contest the swirling sands in an attempt to free herself and regain her mobility. If Bruce were to close the gap, he, too, may be caught within the anticyclone and be blown away, possibly out of bounds!

---

= Bruce's SAND TOMB strikes Tiamat, ensnaring her.
- Tiamat uses TWISTER to create an anticyclone in an attempt to cause the swirling SAND TOMB to fall to the ground, letting her fly again.

alec foster

{WC: 285}
{PC: 4}

NAME             SPECIES          STATUS
Alphamax         Garchomp         KO
Tiamat           Dragonite        Good  

Alec figured that Josh would calm down as the battle continued, however, that seemed to be wishful thinking. Is this guy ok? Alec thought to himself. Either this guy hated losing, or perhaps it was something else that made him seem bitter as the battle continued. Bruce's SAND TOMB made the opposing Dragonite immobilized, but for a brief moment. Alec smirked, impressed that he thought of a way to counter, however, just as it was about to counter with a TWISTER, Bruce burrowed underground once more, missing the counter by a hair.

As for Veta, the twister didn't seem to do all that much damage to her. It was more than likely not only because of her MULTISCALES, but also because it was terastalized, having turned into a normal type. Once the Twister cleared, Veta once again attacked Josh's Dragonite with a terastal-powered EXTREMESPEED, its movement becoming untraceable once again. The collision was too fast for Josh's Dragonite to dodge let alone counter. Despite this, its steel typing made the impact less damaging than normal, but just as the opposing dragonite was hit by Veta's Attack, Bruce came out of the ground, lunging at Josh's Dragonite.

---

Notes:
- Bruce the Garchomp dodges the Twister using DIG.

- Veta takes damage from the twister, but its Multiscale as well as its Terastalized typing makes it take significantly less damage than normal.

- Veta the Dragonite attacked w/ a Terastal-Powered Extremespeed on Josh's Dragonite.

- Bruce then attacks Josh's Dragonite as well using Dig.

- Veta the Dragonite has +2 Speed from the past turn's use of Agility.
Josh Devlin

"Counter with your own, Tiamat! EXTREME SPEED!" Josh cried over Veta's wings humming alongside his own Dragonite's. The slow motion on this exchange would be breathtaking to watch back. When Garchomp was the slowest Pokémon on the battle court, the Leader knew this was the high speed action he lived for. Only this might have been a bit too fast for even him to follow. To the spectators, the sound of two Dragonite humming their wings filled an empty battle court.

That sound became a loud bang as the two Dragonite crashed into one another at a supersonic closing speed, Tiamat landing on her back, her entire tail submerged in the dirt. The vibration of her tail entering the ground was enough for Bruce to immediately detect the helpless Dragonite's position, inflicting a critical hit upon the immobile female dragon. The judge raised a red flag.

"Leader Devlin's Dragonite is unable to battle. Challenger alec foster wins the match. Flawless Victory."

As the platforms sunk into the edges of the large battle court, the voice of Elite Four Callan Young rang in Josh's ears. No matter how good one is at something, there is always someone better, and always someone worse. Today, he met one of those people that, somehow, handled speed better than he did. Veta was genuinely faster than Tiamat was, and had better control over his Extreme Speed than she did. Alec could very clearly follow both of them, and Josh could not; he could only follow Tiamat. That was what allowed Alec to not only come out ahead in the battle, but embarrass Josh in doing so.

Once the platforms had reached the ground, he would meet Alec in the court's center or on his trainer's platform, whichever he preferred. "I've been a Gym Leader for almost five months now. My Pokémon have achieved Flawless Victories against many challengers. But you... you are the first one to achieve that against me." Without his normal fanfare, Josh simply reached into his pocket, palmed one of his Gym's Badges into his fist, and wordlessly presented it to Alec with an open hand. After suffering such a decisive defeat, Josh clearly was not himself.

After the ceremony was over and the two were on the way to the lobby once more, where he would lead Alec out, Josh had a few more words for him. "You're Champion material, you know that?"

---

alec foster

{WC: 402}
{PC: 5}

NAME             SPECIES          STATUS
Alphamax         Garchomp         KO
Tiamat           Dragonite        KO

Alec knew that Josh wasn't going to sit idly by and let his pokemon be ganged up on. However, after the collision of their Dragonites' attacking at super-high speed, Josh's Dragonite landed on the ground; its tail going into the ground. This in turn had secured Alec's victory, prompting Bruce to waste no time in gunning straight for Josh's Dragonite, and after that, the battle was over and Alec was announced the winner, prompting him to return his two dragons back to their pokeballs. The platforms descended back down to the ground simultaneously and as they did, Alec could see Josh wasn't happy with the outcome of the battle. Honestly, Alec didn't know how to respond to him as he gave him his badge, not sure whether his choice of words would trigger him more or not. Once the ceremony was over though, and the two of them made their way back to the lobby area, Alec was surprised that Josh considered him to be Champion-material.

"While I appreciate you saying that, I doubt that I've gotten to that point," Alec said not being modest, but rather speaking truthfully. "I may be good at battling, but ... there are other things that I lack before that happens." Alec said. "By the way, I wanna talk to you about something. Do you have the free time for us to chat?" Alec had asked. He'd understand if Josh didn't want to, but ... Alec couldn't just leave Josh alone while he seemed down. He felt that he needed to do this - not as a former gym leader, but simply as a friend.

---

Notes:
- Bruce secures Alec's victory in the battle.
- Alec receives the quick badge!
- Alec asks Josh if he has free time for the two of them to chat.

We can go ahead and end this and start a new thread for their talk! ^^
Josh Devlin

Josh frowned. Those dragon Pokémon were... tough. Really tough. Both of the Gym Leaders had fallen while barely suffering a scratch. "Give yourself some credit," he answered with a more somber tone than before. "It shows that you used to have this job, too. Challengers, day in and day out. The pressure of having to win a certain rate of battles to keep your job. It's a lot, especially when people can study you and bring strategies crafted to defeat specifically your team of Pokémon."

A tear drifted down Josh's cheek. "But you... you did what I do, and you did it better. Do you have any idea how hard of a pill that is to swallow?" It seemed the challenger and former Gym Leader wanted to have a discussion with Josh about the battle, or a related topic. "...Sure. I'll lead you to my office."

---

alec foster

{WC: 148}
{PC: 6}

NAME             SPECIES          STATUS
Alphamax         Garchomp         KO
Tiamat           Dragonite        KO