persephone tries to let the corners of her lips curl upward but she knows it probably looks humourless. something about beast's the murderous rampage through slateport had sapped her ability for this sort of thing.

noah's read on her is accurate because the visit served two functions; this is part training exercise because she fears further erosion to any aptitude for structured battle, and secondly, it was curiosity in kyle's... protégé? specific details elude her, but she knows he spends enough time at the gym that surely noah has something to show for it.

"i tend to be," she admits, though this time when she smiles it does look significantly more genuine. she turns to gesture to the two pokemon behind her prompting the sirfetch'd to halt mid-swing, looking like a deerling caught in the headlights at the sudden attention.

"i'm sure she appreciates that. two versus two, doubles, with this pair." persephone pauses for a moment and then, because she wasn't raised in a barn, adds, "be sure to go easy on us. please, thank you."

noah faber

she follows noah to the ring, pausing to glance back at her two pokemon as they follow. at least the sirfetch'd looks excited - if the flashing eyes and the speed of his waddle is anything to judge by. the duo shortly join noah's pokemon.

"hmm... maybe i'm out of practice. unlike kyle, i don't get many challengers. i'm better at hiding," persephone says lightly and her mouth piques at the corners as though smiling at a private joke.

"close quarters? i'm glad - too many televised matches devolve into dragapults throwing their progeny at each other." she turns her attention back to her own pokemon to issue directions.

"hey fetch, why don't we give the big guy a good FIRST IMPRESSION? and bre, keep up, ok?" persephone calls out, and takes a moment to watch the pair spring into action before replying to noah's question. taking a moment to strike an impressive pose, the sirfetch'd hurtles at the hariyama at a surprising speed, attempting to strike down with his weaponised leek to leave a FIRST IMPRESSION. the breloom is at his heels, leaping over the smaller pokemon like a kangaskhan, two fists ready in a MACH PUNCH.

"i was in one once. i lost."

noah faber

persephone watches the initiating attacks play out but turns to noah with a quirk of her brow when he speaks.

"yeah, i was a bratty kid that would re-challenge people until i won. do you have kids like that coming in from the academy?"

persephone's attention is snapped back to the fight and she watches hitmonchan closely to see if the breloom's EFFECT SPORE triggers following that string of punches.

"bear it," she calls out quickly and continues watching through narrowed eyes until the timing seems right. as hitmonchan would RAPID SPIN away, perse issues the next command.

"COUNTER."

as the hitmonchan darts away, the breloom follows in tandem. though now battered, it's prepared to COUNTER with a speed and strength reminiscent of the hits it took just now.

with her attention focused on the breloom, sirfetch'd is left to his own devices. successfully knocked away by the hariyama, the pokemon staggers for a second but recovers his poise with a SWORDS DANCE - as though his pride will not allow him to look less-than-competent for even a moment.

brandishing the leek, the sirfetch'd hops forward with a LEAF BLADE, this time intending to pierce rather than slash.

noah faber

the leek is successfully knocked out of the sirfetch’d’s wings, prompting it to squawk and scramble across the ring for it in a less-than-dignified manner. perhaps that distraction is what causes the pokemon to falter, allowing the STONE EDGE to rise up and pierce at its body.

nearer to the hitmonchan, the breloom is struck by the STONE EDGE as well, though it is ostensibly less hurt than the sirfetch’d, if only because it manages to bounce on the rocks awkwardly with its thick, kangaroo-like legs. it bounds to the side of the arena as though to catch its breath and await orders.

"wait, read its movements." the intention is two-fold - she wants to stall to let the poison seep further into the hitmonchan’s veins as much as she wants the breloom’s next attack to really count. the breloom stills and focuses on the opponent with MIND READER, already plotting out where to dart to next.

the sirfetch’d snatches its leek up angrily and rounds on the hariyama again, bird feet slapping against the floor with loud displeasure. "switch targets, LEAF BLADE." take out the weakened one first, and hopefully it won’t be able to protect itself from damage from two sources.

persephone turns her head slowly to regard noah with an expression that verges on amused disbelief. "maybe," she ventures carefully. "i don’t know. i don’t know any people like that."

noah faber