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noah is quick to notice. he drops his weights, clapping his hands off of any dust and metallic scent. from the weight lifting area, he approaches lam with a light jog and an excited wave of his hand.[break][break]

"yo! lam! nice to finally meet ya." he extends his warm palm. "kudos on becoming lilycove gym leader, man."[break][break]

he cranes his neck toward two heavy doors beside reception. [break][break]

"follow me! just a lil hallway to get to the ring."[break][break]

noah guides him there and through it. another set of doors reveals a caged ring. stage lights crash on. bright beams descend upon the solitary square, casting diamonds between the cuff links of the fencing.[break][break]

"alright lam." noah runs to the other side of the ring, standing on the podium with his pokeballs in hand. "you gotta show me you and your pokemon can handle themselves in close quarters combat. do that and you get my knockout badge."[break][break]

he tosses his pokeballs. they crack upon the metal fencing as red light leaps toward the canvas. [break][break]

a flamigo and annihilape emerge, ready for battle.[break][break]

"you got this." noah smiles. "or maybe... y'don't."

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]
---[break][break]

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the aroma clings to the air, sticky like rising dough. from above, the pidove's AIR SLASH cuts through the scent. the squall FLINCHES the annihilape, brushing the SWEET SCENT through its tendril-like hairs.[break][break]

"i like what i'm seein'," noah bobs his head, "what i'm smellin'—douse the dog!"[break][break]

his flamigo is already soaring toward the fidough. while noah's ape attempts to recover, a flash of brine and feathers descends upon the canine in an attempt to lower its defenses: LIQUIDATION.[break][break]

"don't know if you wanna make my ape angry, lam!"

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]
annihilape flinches / flamigo uses liquidation on fidough[break][break]

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the HEAT WAVE surges across the ring like a infernal tide. even the cage seems to sweat as the annihilape is struck. while noah's flamigo pulls away with a flurry of pink feathers, it is struck by the dog's lunge.[break][break]

"ahhhh, i see what you're doing. smart, smart... smart enough i'm getting a bit frustrated!" the gym leader jokes, but his knowledge of paldean pokemon struggles to latch onto the tracks of his memory. [break][break]

but he is grateful for the learning. he wants to learn so he can keep on his toes.[break][break]

that is why he using the team he has on the field, and that is why he smiles when his annihilape is hit.[break][break]

"leonard! mia!" noah shouts to the annihilape. "RAGE FIST! U-TURN!"[break][break]

both of his pokemon barrel toward the DACHSBUN. for now, they'd ignore the PIDOVE—after all, such a small bird would be easy pickings later.[break][break]

the RAGE FIST, empowered by previous damage, swings toward the canine while the flamigo attempts to strike and create space immediately with its U-TURN.

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]
both hit by heat wave / rage fist + u-turn on dachsbun[break][break]

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on noah's side, the chain link mesh continues to glow from the HEAT WAVE. branded by their battle, fervent hues frame the pidove's approach.[break][break]

like a loosed slingshot string, the flamigo's elongated neck springs toward the pidove and its DRAGON HAMMER. however, noah knows all too well that a smaller size lends itself to faster speeds, agile movements.[break][break]

the pidove outmatches his bird. with a powerful crack, the DRAGON HAMMER downs his flamigo.[break][break]

"quick!" noah shouts to his annihilape. the dachsbun's BABY-DOLL EYES douse its rage's fire—but seeing its partner downed compells it to act still. "RAGE FIST!"[break][break]

tearing away from Bagel Bite, noah's annihilape charges fist first toward the pidove. cuffs rattle coldly as the knuckles close in.[break][break]

noah recalls his flamigo.[break][break]

"nice! but i'm used to working my way out of the corner." he says.

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]
flamigo faints / annihilape's offenses lowered / annihilape tries to rage fist pidove[break][break]

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the DACHSBUN cuffs the annilhape's leg with its fangs. in spite of the psychic damage, the annihilape betrays no pain.[break][break]

instead, it thrusts an open palm toward the PIDOVE'S direction and tenses its muscles tightly like a bundle of cords.[break][break]

electricity courses throughout the annihilape's body. it travels up from its feet, encircles muscle and sinew before shrieking out from every pointed blade of fur.[break][break]

the THUNDERBOLT attempts to fry the DACHSBUND as the electrical current leaves the ape's body. it coils into the annihilape's palm before unleashing into a gnarled branch of lightning that arcs toward the recovering PIDOVE.[break][break]

"can't have your pidove coming back now!" a drop of sweat lines noah's jaw. "that one's a menace, man."

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]
annihilape severely damaged by psychic fangs / thunderbolt at pidove (collateral damage on daschsbun)[break][break]

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the DAZZLING GLEAM buffets the annihilape like brilliant murmurations. if smoke could billow out from the ape's nostrils, it would.[break][break]

as pink fractals fade from its vision, the annihilape storms toward BAGLE BITE fist first.[break][break]

a RAGE FIST lunges toward the dog. and then another. and then another. a relentless charge through space—and blurred sight.[break][break]

"backed up against the corner now, are ya?" noah taunts. "when we're one-on-one instead of doubles?"[break][break]

still, the fighting-type gym leader understands that his annihilape is on its last cuffed legs.

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]
annihilape dmged by SEffective DAZZLING GLEAM; RAGE FISTS at DACHSBUN[break][break]

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the dachsbun's jaws close in on the annihilape's muscular arm. pained, enraged breath rushes out from the monkey's nostrils like pyroclastic flow.[break][break]

its free arm rises. the fist is clenched, each knuckle a boulder angled toward the dog clinging by its teeth.[break][break]

however, the rage suddenly leaves the annihilape. a leak of the spirit. a break in consciousness.[break][break]

finally, noah's ape hits the canvas with a heavy thud of muscle and chain.[break][break]

"gah!" after a small sigh, the gym leader recalls his annihilape. he shouts from his side: "you got me. grats, man! you earned my knockout badge fair and square."

[attr="class","bottom"]lam logan[break]
annihilape faints!![break][break]