[attr="class","notes"]The fight begins![break][break]
Noel brings out his Braixen out with a fire type 1v1

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"likewise!" mika manages to say before the fight began. noel is quick and eager, and his enthusiasm affects her — mika's heartbeat quickening, her amber eyes narrowing in focus. [break][break]

noel already knows to attack talonflame from afar. the scorching pokemon's flame body makes it so that physical attackers run the risk of getting burned, with the bright orange feathers of the bird's body generating enough heat that curl up into flames at the very end. but braixen and its trainer are both smart, so instead of getting close to talonflame, they attack from afar where they can't get burned in this way. perhaps this seems like basic knowledge, but the basic aspects of battle are oftentimes the most important (and overlooked) ones. [break][break]

talonflame is fast, but not to the point of being invincible. they need every advantage they can get if they want to stand a chance against noel. "talonflame," mika calls out, use tail wind to get some speed behind you!" [break][break]

her talonflame rises up into the air, flapping its wings to help guide the sea breeze under its feathers. however, this means that it's vulnerable to the opponent's attack. while the magical energy doesn't hit the talonflame straight on, it's obvious that the attack does land, and talonflame is slow to ascend as a result — its body swaying with psychic energy. [break][break]

but now speed was on its side. mika doesn't dare let this opportunity slip past them. "now follow that up with acrobatics!" [break][break]

her talonflame screeches in response, swooping up with the tail wind move from earlier, then flying downward in braixen's direction at a terrifying angle. using that momentary burst of speed, the talonflame sets upon the braixen with a series of scratches, hits, and pecks in what could only be described as a surprisingly graceful use of acrobatics. it wouldn't be enough to down braixen, but just like the psybeam from earlier, the acrobatics move is sure to be painful.

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[attr="class","notes"]Braixen sets up a Magic Room and starts shooting out fire with Flamethrower in a crazy fashion!

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as noel's eyes shine with determination, his smile burning with passion, mika feels her own excitement creeping through. she can't help but match his energy in her own way, her neutral expression brightening into a smile at once. [break][break]

she'd have to keep an eye out on this braixen. the fox pokemon is confident and powerful, her attacks powerful and calculated. and just as mika had felt secure in her speedy strategy, noel and his pokemon flip this battle on its head, using magic room and creating a barrier around the pokemon. [break][break]

mika could see the faint glimmer of the magic room's edge, but doesn't look for long as she returns her attention to the battle at hand. "talonflame, watch out!" but even with the bird's speed, it couldn't avoid the blast of fire from the fox, and the flames spiral and spread over its body upon contact despite mika's warning beforehand. [break][break]

in the midst of the braixen's laughter, mika remains calm but her talonflame looks incensed. he glances over his wings to stare at mika, his avian gaze serious and decided. mika realizes at once what sora wants to do, and sucks in a breath. better to let him get all his energy out with this move than let it linger. [break][break]

"use brave bird!" talonflame shrieks loudly, rising into the air as high as it can go before hitting the magic room ceiling. then, with a steep down angle, flies straight into braixen, forming a painful collision that causes feathers and stray bits of fur to fly — sand scattering across the beach as their bodies tumble into each other. [break][break]

in the end, both of the pokemon are knocked out, and mika sighs. "sorry," she says to noel, genuinely apologetic. it's a reckless tactic, and perhaps one she shouldn't use too often. "return, talonflame!" after putting the fainted pokemon back inside its poke ball, she takes out her second one. "this is it! come on out, arctovish!" [break][break]

appearing in the shallow waters is the large fish fossil pokemon, blank in its stare and calm in its motions. mika inhales quietly, a bit worried for arctovish as she hasn't had it for long, but hopes to bring out its potential in this battle. she waits for noel to bring out his second, as well, excited for the next match-up to come. [break][break]

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[attr="class","notes"]Hisuian Goodra comes out into the water and they both wait for Mika's first move!

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she worries that noel will disapprove of her rash tactics, but when he acknowledges them, instead, she can't help but be taken aback — face flushed with the warmth of pride surging through her. he's serious about battles, she realizes, to the point where he appreciates when the same energy is reciprocated. [break][break]

mika has never considered themself as a true battler, but if it means getting stronger and meeting people like noel, she might try to take it more seriously from this point on. "you know, you surprise me, noel. i knew you were a good trainer the day we met, but now i see that you're better than good: you're great! so i'm going to give it my all!" even if the type-matchup is already stacked against the ranger, mika won't back down. [break][break]

she shares a look with the hisuian goodra, nodding once in agreement. they were friends before, but right now, they're competitors. she inhales quietly, drawing up her courage to call out the first attack. "arctovish, fishious rend!" [break][break]

at first, it seems like the fossil pokemon either doesn't respond or doesn't understand her, and mika's heart stops in her throat. but then, the large fish pokemon blinks once, twice. after the third blink, it moves with surprising speed, dragging its body through the shallow waters and heaving itself onto the sand banks, throwing its entire body weight onto the hisuian goodra, water and scales splashing against the other's sticky surface. [break][break]

the type matchup is really unfortunate, but mika is impressed by her arctovish's raw power, as well as its willingness to listen to her despite being their first battle together! her heart soars, a smile slowly stretching onto her face. looks like they stood a chance, after all! [break][break]

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[attr="class","notes"]Hisuian Goodra hides away in its shell and gets knocked away! Then fires off a Dragon Pulse once the Arctovish lands on the sand.

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perhaps it's considered strange to empathize with an opponent's pokemon, but as mika watched the gooey dragon retreat into its shell, she couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity. she knows what it's like to hide away from the world, to seek personal safety first and foremost. yet just as this hisuian goodra had been going above and beyond, so is mika nakayama in an attempt to strengthen her battling skills. [break][break]

there was no working in halves here: she'd go all in, as a show of respect, and as proof of her willingness to succeed. even as the goodra's dragon pulse barrels into arctovish's body, the fossil fish holds steady, and shakes off the energy waves after they settled on its body. [break][break]

mika exhales. this isn't going to be an easy battle. noel's hisuian goodra seems highly defensive, and it would take more than just a single hit to get the gooey dragon to fall down. in which case... "arctovish, let's retaliate." she thinks about using fishious rend again, but remembers the disadvantageous type matchup. instead, she decides to fight energy with energy, beam for beam. "use aurora beam!" [break][break]

at once, arctovish focuses its energy, a bright orb of ice-blue light forming in front of its large forehead. it lets out a resonant cry as the aurora beam spirals forward, blinding rainbow colors exploding in ice shards upon hitting its target. for such a strange and peaceful-looking pokemon, arctovish sure had a talent for fighting. mika smiles at this display of teamwork and power, happy that her trust in one of the newest additions to the team is well-placed, after all! [break][break]

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[attr="class","notes"]Hisuian Goodra sits defeated and Mika is the winner!

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in all honesty, mika hadn't expected to win the battle. but the moment that noel's hisuian goodra falls down, defeated and tired, her world comes to a standstill. [break][break]

they won! it isn't just a dream or a hopeful wish, but a reality unfolding before mika's very eyes! they won! [break][break]

"o-oh." they seem just as surprised as noel on the fact, having expected things to go the other way. from her talonflame's recklessness to her arctovish's simplicity, she had pegged the match a victory for the other trainer, instead. but she is stunned into moving, carefully urging along her arctovish, congratulating it on a job well done. "you worked very hard. thank you." [break][break]

she places an affectionate hand on its head, rubbing softly. the fossil fish pokemon merely hums in content, and then disappears in a ray of light after being summoned back to its poke ball. [break][break]

then mika goes towards noel, crossing the battlefield, pale sand crunching beneath her feet, seabreeze tossing her hair. she stands before noel on a precipice between then-and-now, from the trainer she'd once been to the trainer she could be. and this potential would have never been made possible if not for wonderful opponents like him. she takes his hand, and shakes it firmly, the smile on her face brightening ever-so-slightly. "thank you, noel. i had a blast. and this feels like scratching the surface. i'll keep training because next time i might not be so lucky." [break][break]

and there was promise of a next time. there always would be, because even though their meeting happened by chance, mika feels like their friendship is meant to be. so she'll train even harder in anticipation for the next time they cross paths, with new pokemon and new strategies in mind.

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