[attr="class","icon"]

"me? in the cage?"[break][break]

the narrow beams of the ring's lights bathe the imminent battlefield—and play with the metallic sheen of noah's ring. such a gleam is made more conspicuous by the playful fist he thrusts toward matias' direction.[break][break]

"i could. what? you interested, man?"[break][break]

a smile lies behind that outstretched arm, though one hand rests on a pokeball.[break][break]

"i think i could take you."[break][break]

unaware of matias' feelings, little rest and merriment remain for these gentlemen.

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH[break]
---[break][break]

[attr="class","icon"]

when matias enters, noah's eyes mimic the poliwrath's.[break][break]

"oh, you were serious." the gym leader says. "i'm all for spicing it up, but—" he enters the ring with a metal clang.[break][break]

as he walks further into the square, he summons his grapploct. the octopus hisses as it crawls across the canvas with its muscular mop of tentacles.[break][break]

"are you sure about this?" he presses his hand into his neck to crack it. "kyle might kill you if you bruise me."[break][break]

noah laughs.

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH[break]
---[break][break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"forgive me if i'm a lil rusty." noah's smile is wide, knuckles itching for muscle. he takes his sneakers and socks off and tosses them out of the cage.[break][break]

the bell rings. [break][break]

like a leaping wave, noah's GRAPPLOCT lunges toward the POLIWRATH for a SUBMISSION. its stretchy body obscures ring lights: a cephalopodic curtain call for any caught beneath it.[break][break]

noah is quick too. he dances around the canvas, footwork light and spritely as he throws the first punch.

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH[break]
tl;dr - grapploct uses submission / noah punches[break][break]

[attr="class","icon"]

the BRICK BREAK blows the octopus upward and like a parachute, it billows backward. however, GRAPPLOCT'S TENTACLES thrust forth like muscular spears. stretching, ever-seeking, they attempt to latch on by stubborn suction. [break][break]

should they stick, the GRAPPLOCT attempts to hoist and slam the POLIWRATH toward the floor.[break][break]

noah deflects the jab, but the hook lands squarely. like fire, the pain spreads, its shape filling the gym leader's gasp.[break][break]

he matches matias' gaze. furrows his brow as if tightening a lens.[break][break]

"that's how we're going to play?" noah expels the hottest breath. [break][break]

he beckons for the man with two fingers.

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH[break]
tl;dr - grapploct attempts to grapple + slam / noah waits for matias' approach[break][break]

[attr="class","icon"]

upward, the grapploct soars. seran-wrapped in a crackling psychic energy, the tentacled fighter loses control of each limb. the purple silhouette reverberates with mind-searing current, plunging through shafts of stage lights before shattering against the fencing.[break][break]

noah's broad back slams against the canvas. his voice threatens to leap out of his throat, but it too, is caged. caged by gritted teeth, a frustrated scowl.[break][break]

"the hell you mean, man?" noah forces his knee toward matias' gut, thick arms snaking around the other's shoulders to find his neck.[break][break]

the GRAPPLOCT'S tentacles curl around a metal-link. an anchored turret, the octopus fires pulse after pulse of OCTAZOOKAS.[break][break]

noah seethes. "what's your deal?"

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH[break]
tl;dr - grapploct hit by psychic + uses octazooka / noah grappled down - tries to use knee to separate or choke[break][break]

[attr="class","icon"]

noah blocks the kick. barely. the sheer strength matias possesses erupts against his shorter stature.[break][break]

"what the fuck are you saying, dude?!"[break][break]

he's further thrown by the dramatic shift in matias' demeanor. the heavy aggression noah has never been privy too; he remembers the scale in the border and how it plunged matias to the bottom of its pit.[break][break]

he wonders if the scale wasn't broken after all.[break][break]

noah's GRAPPLOCT is shot down. shards of ice clatter against the ring as the octopus attempts to gather its bearings.[break][break]

meanwhile, noah pounces on matias. glare-first. his legs attempt to trap matias' arms beneath them for a schoolboy pin. heavy breath leaves his lips, their heated cascade like rolling smoke.[break][break]

"if you've got beef with me is this really the time and place, matias?"

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH[break]
tl;dr - grapploct struck down + noah tries to pin matias[break][break]

[attr="class","icon"]

noah's flung. he skids across the canvas upon landing, feet desperate to gain traction as the psychic energy runs off his sweaty skin.[break][break]

the GRAPPLOCT slithers toward the prone POLIWRATH. several tentacles rise and arc toward the burly amphibian, their ends balling into boulders for a SUPERPOWER.[break][break]

the gym leader catches his breath. his chest heaves, strained by the eroded stamina after the attempted pin.[break][break]

"you want this fire?" noah says. "i'll give it to you then."[break][break]

incensed, noah bolts for matias. his choreography loses lissomeness—but such footwork is exchanged for aggression. from a tight boxer's posture, punches arc out from noah's tough, tank-like frame.[break][break]

he feels like he's fighting for something important. something more important than this gym match. his pride? reputation as a fighter? his worth and skill as a gym leader or ordinary human? noah does not know and checks 'all of the above'.

[attr="class","bottom"]MATIAS SILPH[break]
tl;dr - grapploct moves toward poliwrath and attempts SUPERPOWER; noah tries to punch punch punch[break][break]