Bailey Cooper

[attr="class","frlastconttop"]

[attr="class","frlastcontmid"]



[break]

“Trust me, this is not cheating,” Bailey reassured her pokemon as she rode aboard his shoulders. [break][break]

The deeper they navigated into the puzzle, the more apparent their strategy became. Like a game of leap frog, the Sergeant would clutch onto her pokemon as he'd hop high into the air to scout out his next destination—and then leap over the next row in the hedges. [break][break]

“I've gotten lost in shit like this before, okay? I'm not gonna get escorted by one of those gym trainers.” She can still remember that humiliation from when she had been a young trainer—like, eight? “Look, we're just... thinking outside of the box, okay? Or... outside of the maze? Whatever. You get what I'm saying.”[break][break]

They landed at the exit was a soft thud—the Darmanitan had been as gentle as possible, having worked to prevent any damages to the hedges or his surroundings. His anxiety was palpable, but it seemed to ease as Bailey kept a hand to his arm. Despite the pokemon's impressive size, he was still young.[break][break]

But, the moment they stepped into the final area where the Gym Leader resided, she could see the fear change to awe as he looked at the battlefield stretched out before them.[break][break]

“Pretty bitchin' huh?” Was what she murmured as she'd nudge her pokemon, only diverting her attention when the Gym Leader made her approach—Cait Alfric. They had never met. All Bailey knew was that the woman was young and newly appointed to this position.[break][break]

She would shrug at the question. “Not my thing, but I know you guys like your puzzles.”

[attr="class","frlastconttag2"]

Bailey Cooper

[attr="class","frlastconttop"]

[attr="class","frlastcontmid"]



[break]

“Easy peasy lemon squeezy. This isn't my first time,” and Bailey Cooper stretched as the rules were laid out before her. It was all pretty standard—it felt refreshing to have a normal pokemon battle. After toiling with two Ultra Beasts, this would be a breath of fresh air. Finally, a battle were moves would work as intended.[break][break]

Her Darmanitan seemed to absorb every word, as if he was the one that was supposed to abide by the rules. “Well, for him, it is,” and she had to whistle to catch his attention. “Come on, Bumbo. Just like we practiced.”[break][break]

As the Granbull was deployed from his capsule, Bumbo took his first step forward.[break][break]

“Alright. Keep your feet spaced and lower your shoulders. Watch your footwork...and watch its mouth, too,” and the fire-type pokemon adopted a boxer's stance, letting his fists be engulfed with bright, burning flames.[break][break]



He would station himself at the edge of the narrow bridge—one foot on land and the other on the platform, as he raised his fists and awaited his opponent's first attack. His fists would crackle from the orange fire that he continued to emit—steam rising from his pores as if it were sweat.

[attr="class","frlastconttag2"]

Bailey Cooper

[attr="class","frlastconttop"]

[attr="class","frlastcontmid"]



[break]

Intimidate was not a surprise. Bailey Cooper had almost been a trainer for twenty years. It would take more than that to make her sweat.[break][break]

Bailey let her hands fish their way into her pockets, looking bored as her fire-pokemon debated his options—she liked to strike a balance with her pokemon. They were encouraged to act on their own whims, as long as they were able to adapt any commands that she had to issue. They were trained to be flexible. They were trained to let the battle flow without clunky, unnecessary transitions.[break][break]

A pokemon that could not adapt was a pokemon that weakened its own defenses. Bumbo was still struggling to learn this art, and the Sergeant was patient with his training. It was why he hesitated, waiting on his opponent to strike first.[break][break]



“Don't let it get under your skin,” was what she'd state when her pokemon seemed to flinch from the intense aura the Granbull emitted—they had a plan. Bumbo acknowledged that when he glanced over his shoulder to her steady gaze. This wasn't the time to play defensively.[break][break]

Sometimes, it was like the Darmanitan did not know his own strength.[break][break]

He would let his stance do the talking—a fleet-footed hop as the Darmanitan would close the distance between himself and his opponent, followed by a fast, right jab aimed for the dog's upper chest. His fists were still engulfed in the flames, and there was a smoke trail that seemed to follow this quick strike. Not once did this boxer's stance break, and Bailey would watch it approvingly without issuing another command.[break][break]



She would let him handle this for as long as he could.

[attr="class","frlastconttag2"]

Bailey Cooper

[attr="class","frlastconttop"]

[attr="class","frlastcontmid"]



[break]

The punch was quickly detracted—the nature of a jab was never to optimize damage; it was a technique used to feel an opponent's defenses. Would a pokemon tank through it? Would a pokemon avoid it? Depending on the response, Bumbo could decide how to retaliate.[break][break]

These are the nuances that Bailey Cooper tried to impart upon her pokemon through their training. It was the subtleties that defined a pokemon battle. Moves were important, but it was also important how they were used.[break][break]

An amateur trainer would always shout for their pokemon to use tackle, never pondering the other possibilities that move could posses.[break][break]

When the Granbull went straight for the Crunch, Bumbo had already altered his stance as the fairy-type made its lunge. While he was not a fighting-type, there was an influence of pugilism that was almost undeniable. He was a big pokemon. He had to learn how to utilize his size in a manner that best benefited him—a boxer's stance would do just that, even if his feet lacked the proper reach. He had to jump to engage or jump to stay back—the shuffle that was classic to this style of fighting was not viable with his proportions.[break][break]

But, his arms would offer him the reach he needed—the bait that he could utilize.[break][break]

The long limb retracted from the punch, forcing the Granbull to move to try and be within biting distance—that was when Bumbo's true intentions became clear as his other fist, still aflame, would curve into a hook and aim to strike into the side of the fairy's head—an attack intended to knock the pokemon off course, saving him from dodging.[break][break]

[attr="class","frlastconttag2"]

Bailey Cooper

[attr="class","frlastconttop"]

[attr="class","frlastcontmid"]



[break]

Two consecutive punches—it was a good start.[break][break]

The flames were extinguished from the Darmanitan's fists, letting the residual heat dissipate to the air. His stance would pivot—tiny feet shuffling to keep him aligned with the Granbull—as his opponent reeled from the attack. Bailey's gaze would follow these movements, unable to stop the proud smile that crossed her features.[break][break]

Bumbo would quickly glance over his shoulder, just in time to catch her nod of approval.[break][break]

“Stay focused!” No attack was issued as the Granbull lowered himself into a new stance.[break][break]

Another Crunch. Another straight-forward attack... or so it seemed. The Sergeant felt something itch at the back of her mind, just as Bumbo seemed ready to retaliate. “Rollout!” Her voice would shock through her pokemon, making the fire-type shift fluidly from his original course of action.[break][break]

Bumbo jumped—both fists slamming against the ground to propel him upward. These long limbs would withdraw, wrapping around his body and pinned his knees. Then, in air, he would start his rapid spin as rollout was initiated. No longer was the fire-type's features distinguishable--just a red, spinning ball of fury as he would fall back to the ground, either landing atop the charging Granbull or the ground if the fairy-type were to evade.[break][break]

[break]

It did not matter what surface was struck, because the Darmanitan would spin-dash across the arena, gathering momentum and speed—a game of pinball that was going to unfold unless he was stopped.

[attr="class","frlastconttag2"]

Bailey Cooper

[attr="class","frlastconttop"]

[attr="class","frlastcontmid"]



Did she believe the river would be enough to dissuade a full-grown fire pokemon?[break][break]

Bailey Cooper would have scoffed, if not for the seriousness that seemed to be attributed to the Gym Leader's command. What was her plan? To have her Granbull attempt to grasp her Darmanitan and force him under the water? To dodge out of the way and let him roll through it?[break][break]

The Sergeant placed her hands akimbo, flabbergasted by the logic. It wasn't an awful idea, but it was so abundantly clear that only a wild pokemon could have been tricked.[break][break]

Would it have been effective? Probably not. This was not a Charmander on a rainy day. This was a Darmanitan. It would take a water attack to cause harm—because such moves were delivered with a potency that all fire pokemon were vulnerable to. That, or if it was possible to fully submerge him. Would the water be an unpleasant experience? Of course, but the possible harm it could have dealt would have been difficult to measure.[break][break]

Discomfort would not cause harm. A water gun would make more sense.[break][break]

“Fuckin' A,” and Bailey Cooper had to pinch her brow.[break][break]

People gave her shit in gym battles for being unrelenting; but, she was just trying to expedite the process because shit like this kept happening.[break][break]

Gym Battles were supposed to teach young trainers--she knew that, but goddamn, was it so bad to want something more? The victory star hungered, like how she hungered for victory when she fought in Mossdeep.[break][break]

“Flare Blitz!” It had been wrong to assume that he had lost his range of mobility—they had a plan for moments like this. Issuing that command while mid-attack sent a clear message to her Darmanitan, even if it was lost on everyone else.[break][break]

Go up, and his hands would be glowing a violent, explosive red as they rolled across the ground—an explosion of fire and propulsion that shot him up from the ground, interrupting his spin and the traction he had built. It would launch the fire pokemon above the Granbull.[break][break]



And then, the Darmanitan would fully ignite with the full brilliance of the attack. He would turn in the air to face the back of his foe, bringing the palms of his giant hands to face behind him.[break][break]

Another explosion—this time, it was intended to bring the fire pokemon down upon the fairy-type like a meteor.[break][break]

[attr="class","frlastconttag2"]

Bailey Cooper