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Before Eddie would find himself ready and raring to go for their brawl, he was caught by an unexpected bit of news that hit him like a sucker punch. He stopped and gaped at Josh, [break][break]

“Wait, hold on a second – didja say they were talkin' about me? Fer the Elite Four?” [break][break]

That was sort of absurd, wasn't it? After all, he was just some guy – he hadn't even been in Hoenn a year yet, and while Eddie had faced down some terrible creatures in his time spent here, so had many, many other people. Maybe this was some kind of joke – Eddie laughed suddenly at the realization, [break][break]

“Oh, I get it – yer just yankin' my chain!” he guffawed with earnest, [break][break]

“Yeah, yeah, they're gonna make me an Elite Four, an' they're gonna elect a Mudbray fer Commissioner next year.”

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Josh Devlin [break]

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Eddie's first reaction was that Josh must have been pretty committed to this bit. As the Gym Leader continued, Eddie's second reaction was one of stupefied confusion, [break][break]

“No kidding?” [break][break]

Well, he didn't know the gal from Mew, but hell, if this Genevieve Cromwell character had both Navy and Josh's endorsement, surely she was a shoe-in for the position. The Gym Leader himself was also likely a solid candidate by sheer virtue of his role within the League and his status as a Champion-ranked trainer, but just what exactly did Eddie bring to the table that made him Elite Four-worthy? [break][break]

The soldier's brow furrowed, and he frowned as he considered this, a hand drifting to the Pokeballs at his waist. Maybe he ought to have a little more faith in Navy's judgment of him, though – when had he ever had anything less than complete and total faith in the guy? [break][break]

Fingers brushed the familiar nicks and scratches on the surfaces of each Pokemon's vessel, little characteristics that made each and every one of them unique to the soldier. Maybe it was time to see if he could live up to that endorsement after all, [break][break]

“Well, Mister Champ,” Eddie chimed in again, his frown turning to a grin that was a little goading, a little teasing, [break][break]

“Maybe this is a good chance ta see which one'a us is really Elite Four material, huh?” [break][break]

The Kubfu at his side let out a sharp, boisterous cry, like he was shouting at the younger man in challenge. Eddie nodded toward the court proper, [break][break]

“You ready ta get this battle started?”

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Josh Devlin [break]

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This was bound to be one hell of a fight, especially with Josh's experience in battling others and the unconventional tactics he seemed to employ. That suited Eddie just fine, though; he had faced bigger bastards under far less ideal circumstances. [break][break]

With a quick couple of flicks of the wrist, a Torterra and an Incineroar took to the field. They were treasured companions in other regions for a reason; Eddie knew he could count on them to give him a strong start, [break][break]

“Eyes up, both'a ya! We gotta get on the offensive!” [break][break]

Which was something that Daisuke in particular excelled at. He took off in a reckless charge after the incredibly fast Raging Bolt, fur singed by the crackling ELECTROWEB. Eddie shook his head and turned to Lusitania – she began to lumber forward, but kept her distance, as steady and sure as the earth she was made of, [break][break]

“Lusi, I don't think our bud's gonna be able ta catch up. Think you can give 'em a hand with some artillery fire?” [break][break]

She huffed, as though the question were a trifling matter. With the warmth of the brilliant sun overhead, it would take no time at all for that bright light to began coalescing all around her. As Daisuke gave a bounding leap towards the Raging Bolt, Lusitania remained steady, carefully aiming, biding her time, until – [break][break]

In an instant, she loosed a SOLAR BEAM towards the white Zeraora astride the paradox's back. It was a far harder target to nail than the looming Registeel she had once stared down, but maybe her patience and steadiness would win out.

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Josh Devlin [break]

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Just because Lusi had managed to get a solid hit in didn't mean that they were out of the woods yet. The Torterra loosed a fierce cry, something between a reptilian hiss and a booming roar, as both of the opposing Pokemon charged her way, [break][break]

“Lusi, get yer defenses up!” [break][break]

There was only so much she could do against a two-on-one onslaught, though. Feet dug into the ground with a thunderous crack! as she stood her ground stubbornly, emboldened by her WIDE GUARD, but while her belligerent stance was enough to stave off the worst of the Raging Bolt's BODY PRESS, it wouldn't be enough to escape the grappling hold of the lunging Zeraora. The Torterra lowed angrily when the cat suddenly grabbed her and attempted to topple her by leveraging his hold on the mighty oak that grew from her back, [break][break]

“Daisuke, get in there and get that cat off'a her!” [break][break]

The Incineroar was not far behind this close-quarters brawl, even while Eddie still imagined that he could still see little sparks of static arcing off of his fur. The opposing cat charged, the first fiery embers curling at the edges of the grin that was slowly starting to spread across his face, until they burst into a conflagration of flames and teeth. [break][break]

Daisuke leapt at the Zeraora then, even as Lusi rocked unsteadily from the cat's incredible show of ACROBATICS, and he aimed to bite the already seared flesh of his fellow feline with a FIRE FANG. Perhaps it was a more unscrupulous tactic, but that was simply the nature of the crafty heel.

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Josh Devlin [break]

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Daisuke's teeth and swiping claws couldn't so much as graze the Zeraora. The tiger flailed at his fellow feline as Zaborg slipped from his grasp with ease and returned to sit astride the Raging Bolt. Eddie couldn't help but laugh – this was just like Josh, wasn't it? [break][break]

But the crackling, booming THUNDERCLAP that followed was no laughing matter. Daisuke yowled as he was struck by the lightning-fast attack, and with an unceremonious whimper, he was returned to his Pokeball. Lusi stared down the two with cold regard as she charged another SOLAR BEAM, [break][break]

“Geeze, I knew you wouldn't be goin' easy on us, but holy shit, Josh!” Eddie called teasingly. [break][break]

He wasn't particularly disheartened by this minor setback – especially not when the Torterra's attack was now turned towards the Raging Bolt. Still, this was probably a good opportunity to bring in the big guns – with another toss of a Pokeball and a booming, echoing roar, a Gouging Fire took to the field, and Achilles seemed ready and eager to test his claws against another of his ancient kin.

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Josh Devlin [break]

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Strength, huh? Well, it was a good thing Eddie had it in spades. The mirrored Gouging Fire's DRAGON DANCE wouldn't spare it from the onslaught that was to come, [break][break]

“Geeze, all'a yer Pokemon are fast as hell, ain't they?” [break][break]

Which meant that he had to time his next move carefully. Maybe he could get them with a good old one-two punch, [break][break]

“Lusi, trip 'em up!” [break][break]

This was going to be risky, for certain, but if this move paid off, it would grant them a substantial lead in the battle. The Torterra roared again as thick, woody vines suddenly erupted from the ground at her feet. A FRENZY PLANT raced towards Entei and the Zeraora atop its bucking back – even if the attack didn't connect directly, it might prove to be enough to hold the opposing team in place, if only for a moment, [break][break]

“Achilles, nail 'em!” [break][break]

Emboldened by his own ancient PROTOSYNTHESIS, Achilles mustered up some distant, primordial strength. From the heavens above, a meteoric shower descended, a rain of DRACO METEORs that aimed to spell his rival's extinction... or at least, get them a solid knock out for the battle.

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Josh Devlin [break]

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Damn it – that particular combo hadn't been the trump card Eddie had hoped it would be. Those were the perils of such a fight, though; for whatever strategies he came up with, he was still facing down someone whose entire job was to counter such tactics. Did he really have what it would take to overcome this challenge?[break][break]

Eddie was starting to have his doubts as Lusitania's vines snapped and twisted, and as the Torterra suddenly lurched and was pulled directly into the midst of her own partner's attack. Between the exhaustion from her own efforts and the fearsome rain of the DRACO METEORs, the Lusitania had officially been sunk, [break][break]

“Then I guess I'll hafta come up with somethin' better!” the soldier retorted with some agitation as the Torterra was recalled, and as Zaborg bounced off of a snarling Achilles with a dexterous showing of ACROBATICS. [break][break]

Fortunately, Eddie had saved the best for last. The final contestant was perhaps the soldier's most favorite; his friend, his confidante, his ace in the hole. Beau wouldn't let him down; Eddie knew that much would be true, [break][break]

“But I'm warnin' ya!” he called as he tossed his final Pokeball. At his side, his Kubfu watched the battle with awe, eyes alight, fists clenched, [break][break]

“You mess with the bull – ” [break][break]

Swishing tails, stamping black hooves, and a bellowing cry announced the Tauros' presence with bellicose fervor, [break][break]

“You get the horns!”[break][break]

And the bull would come out swinging. While Achilles would shield himself behind a BURNING BULWARK in anticipation of whatever came next, Beau would dash into the fray with an AQUA JET, charging like a surging tide, ready to sweep away Josh's Pokemon like a fearsome, crashing wave.

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Josh Devlin [break]

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