as the masked challenger barges into the gym, noah hops off his crate. he's in no elaborate get-up. just the casual athleisure with proper league insignia. the enthusiasm is infectious, but the announced title causes confusion.

"incinemask?" noah rubs the back of his shoulders to remember a soreness. "shinra? i thought i had someone else in today."

noah calls out one of his pokemon into the cage ring, the red beam jagged as it surges past the chain-link fencing. on the faithful canvas, a hitmonchan materializes with a fighting pose.

"alright, you signed up for a two-vee-two singles battle." noah says. "dig the spirit, buddy! but this isn't going to be easy."

his hitmonchan tests some punches, its fists swift enough to whip the air.

"gonna be your incineroar first? or your charizard? you got first move."

Kazimir Wynter

the charizard roars, the stern angles of its face sharpen into a SCARY FACE. noah's hitmonchan keeps its composure— but goosebumps riddle its skin. up close, the draconic opponent is intimidating. the enclosed ring provides no relief of negative space.

"make some distance!" noah shouts.

with lowered speed, the hitmonchan leaps backward. agile feet land on the canvas. anchored by its firm stance, the hitmonchan slams its fists on the floor. several rocks materialize within the the cage. as noah's hitmonchan punches the air, the flurry of stones (STONE EDGE) fly toward the charizard at a variety of angles.

the chain links shake. stones are flung. despite its affected speed, the hitmonchan advances closer and hopes to use the attack to secure its approach.

"can't scare us when we're in our home turf, buddy!"

Kazimir Wynter

the hitmonchan spends the time spent crushing his STONE EDGE to find advantageous positions within the confined space. earth is turned into dust, the particulate like stars twinkling under the ring's lights.

"we're not that simple," noah says. he doesn't need to issue a command, for the routine is practiced. "just keep focused, buddy!" he calls out to his hitmonchan.

his hitmonchan uses DETECT to avoid the devastating charge. swiftly, the hitmonchan attempts to pursue as the charizard continues its FLARE BLITZ, a BULLET PUNCH aimed for the lizard's back.

"sengoku, huh? cool name. how'd you think of it?"

Kazimir Wynter

noah's hitmonchan is struck by the sweeping tail. its wide trajectory is difficult to evade within the cage— and that painful reality is confirmed by the pokemon's cry. the fire burns at the hitmonchan's feet, but before it can singe them any further, the fighting type RAPID SPINS to kick itself up and away.

"good call, man." noah says. a thumbs-up shoots toward the trainer. "i'd do the same— but can sengoku handle this?"

the battle is brought closer to one of the cage's wall. although weakened, the hitmonchan does not relent.

"STONE EDGE! pin him against the wall!"

the hitmonchan repeats the same move, a flurry of hard stones delivered with practiced punches.

Kazimir Wynter

noah's smile grows. the charizard's aggression is quick to ignite, the wisp kindled into flame. it is exactly what noah wants to see from his challengers— but he still wants to push the the pokemon to its limits.

"keep the STONE EDGE going!" noah cries.

as the hitmonchan hurls stone after stone with each gloved punch, the charizard approaches quick. the belly strikes the hitmonchan as the last of the rocks crash into the lizard's body. carried by kazimir's pokemon toward the cage's walls, the hitmonchan slams fists into the charizard's body until he's flattened into the barricade.

the chain links rattle. like a trampoline, a portion of the wall bends outward upon impact. the hitmonchan stumbles from the wall should there be space— but promptly crumbles afterward like a wooden puppet with no strings. hopefully, the hitmonchan has dealt enough damage to have the charizard's kamikaze attack stay true to its name.

"nice, man!" noah says to his challenger, "you don't want to be caught with your back on the wall." he recalls his hitmonchan before sending out his hariyama.

"aight. here we go." his hariyama pats its belly and prepares for battle.

Kazimir Wynter

"your mascot?" noah asks as the incineroar showboats.

his hariyama is not intimidated. at least, it does not show on its solemn face. the dark hair that rises above its stern gaze form sharp, critical brows.

as the incineroar's howls, noah is swift to command.

"ROCK TOMB! keep distance!"

his hariyama summons boulders which slam into the cramped square of their ring. although some aim for the tiger, the majority land in the way of the incineroar's path.

whether or not the incineroar is able to reach noah's pokemon with its blitz, the gym leader issues another command quickly thereafter: "SURF him away, buddy!"

like an incoming tide raking across corals, the waters surge past the ROCK TOMB's stones.

Kazimir Wynter

noah is initially taken aback. seeing the incineroar nimbly hop onto the walls as the hariyama delivers the surf is a personal setback— but a desired outcome. although the cage seems limiting, his challenger is able to find the opportunity in its four faces.

the THUNDER PUNCH collides with a spray of electricity. his hariyama furrows its brow, ponytail shocked into ribbons of staticky wisps. but it does not falter yet. large fists wrap around the tiger's ribs like a seatbelt fastened too tight. a crash is imminent.

"right where we want him, buddy!" noah hollers, raising a fist. "HEAVY SLAM!"

the hariyama pushes all of its weight toward the incineroar in an attempt to pin its rival into the canvas.

"follow up with a FORCE PALM!"

Kazimir Wynter