Seeing the other so chipper really helped. This was a tough thing she was attempting here, after all. Having Jo be so glad to see her put that heart of hers a bit more at ease. Still not greatly, but she would make do. She always did, after all.
[break][break]
But this bit more of energy saw her nod to herself and rise fully. “Greetings, challenger Johanna,” she announced, partly echoing her new line of work, but also because she tended to put most things into battle terms. Helped her form her thoughts properly. Plus, she was going to poise a challenge at the other. That was why she raised her arm and pointed it right at the bluenette.
[break][break]
“I hope you are ready to face Megan’s surprise seaside super challenge. Because it is here now. And the prize is the greatest in this world: important knowledge that you might not even know you were looking for.” Naturally, she was all upbeat as she spouted that half nonsense, but she clearly was also determined. That inflection would probably not leave her voice when something was important, ever. “The one I mentioned in the finals, of course. I do hope you are ready and can overcome it.”

[break][break]

+ Johanna Joy

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Yes. This was better. A lot better. Honestly, she probably should not have dragged it all out. But the way their ‘battle’ in the tournament had played out, it had left a bit of a bad taste in her mouth. She hadn’t wanted to get to the second part of her challenge just then and there.
[break][break]
Plus, they had both been tired from these continuous fights, it had seemed. In many ways, it had felt wrong to spring that then. So, she’d just not. There had been no need to force the issue, after all. Just as long as she did not lose heart or sight of it, she could go ahead with the plan whenever.
[break][break]
And that whenever was now. Naturally, a lot of it was at the same time completely coincidental, but also kind of deliberate. This time, she had left the other a message to check something out on this beach. Once more, the weather was deliberately not what people sought for in Slateport Beach, so it was mostly deserted. It was spring again, but this time a bit earlier in the year. It didn’t matter too much, though. She just had to put on a stuffier jacket than last time. This time, though, she would be the one who’d arrived first.

[break][break]

+ Johanna Joy

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Hmm, returning if she wanted to. Truth be told, she wasn’t quite sure she would, not anytime soon. The scenery was nice and it was an intriguing place to explore. But she did tend to like open spaces more than cramped ones. Not to the point of any full-blown phobia or such. She just had clearly defined preferences in that regard was all.
[break][break]
Still though, she wouldn’t rule it out. “Eventually, sure,” she hence muttered, postponing that decision for the time being at least. Instead, she focused on getting out alright, though she was picking up an odd…vibe from the other. It was difficult to put it any other way, really. “Are you alright?” Something did seem to bother the other, after all.

[break][break]

+ 7zY|FQyh

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Those hits connected. Good. Apparently, it was good enough for the system, too, since she could see that they vital points of her opponents were being drained out already. The Braviary was evidently not simply giving up regardless, but the weird display did tell her that it was over.
[break][break]

Which was probably good enough. Anticlimactic fights were par for the course in this tournament. Lucario did decide to rush to the side and evade the incoming attack, just because it would hurt if it connected.
[break][break]

Still though, a win was a win. “Whelp. Fights tend to end like that in this tournament, I guess. Second gym leader crossed off my list, heh. Anyway, thanks for the brief battle. Certainly went very differently from the last one we’ve had.”

[break][break]

+ ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Their opponent was sent flying for a hot second, but the fight was far from over. Lucario himself was not one to skip a beat, especially not when in this temporarily boosted state. The mega evolution would not last long. It never did. Hence, the steel and fighting type did not waste any of it.
[break][break]
As soon as the other was sent skidding, Lucario rushed after it, giving the Mightyena just enough time to try and take it down. Lucario did not even try to dodge that one, but instead sought to meet it head-on with a Close Combat of its own, seeking to finish this fight swiftly and directly.

[break][break]

+ blue murtagh VP:2/3, using Close combat, MEga 2/2, K1hmnslc+20

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Well, they were staying in melee, just switching up the attack patterns. That was fine by Lucario, who was more than ready to rumble – and Megan, who decided she might as well press the advantage by activating her mega accessory, giving her Pokemon a good boost right as the other was going in for that fairy-type assault.
[break][break]
The light of mega evolution would briefly envelop her Lucario, which would spring from that in its more armored forme at extreme speed, trying to break right through that Play Rough with the most Extreme of Speeds there was. Because that seemed the best course of action right then.

[break][break]

+ blue murtagh, VP: 3/3, Mega 1/2, using Extreme SpeedtFUpP|tW+20

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Good thing you didn’t. Mirror-matches would be even worse with this scoring system,” she replied, equal parts joking and complaining somewhat. After all, the system was a bit arbitrary at times and she could imagine two equally matched Lucarios in a stalemate, only for the system to make one of them out to be dominant or something.
[break][break]
This wouldn’t quite happen here, she figured. For better or for worse, at least they would each bring something distinct to the table. In this case, apparently, a rather poisonous Mightyena. Interesting.
Still though, no time to wonder too much about that, since the fight soon was on either way. “Well, welcome it with Meteor Mash then,” she ordered and Lucario prepared itself to offer a flurry of punches to the poisonous fangs coming towards him.

[break][break]

+ blue murtagh, vp:3/3, using Meteor Mash Bws|o0z0

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Well, things had evidently not concluded yet. Which just meant that Lucario fell to the ground, managing a proper three-point landing as it did, kicking up dust all over the place. Once that was done, it swiftly looked upwards, trying to discern whether or not the aura sphere had landed by now, or whether it needed to fling another at the flying opponent.
[break][break]
It readied one regardless, just in case, while both it and its trainer kept their eyes skywards, to see how the bird was handling the first one. Hopefully not too well, since the mega evolution would not hold forever. This was probably going to decide the match one way or another.

[break][break]

+ Alexei Ivanov, VP:1/3, using another Aura sphere, mega 2/2ifopyOVO+20

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Well, that was an inconclusive exchange. The Close Combat hit, but Lucario would be picked up, taken for a ride. The system flagged that as a loss for them, but Megan did not really care, having gotten into this fight for once.

And this was a prime opportunity to some fun to be had. Namely, since the Braviary insisted on being so close, she decided to activate her mega accessory, with Lucario’s spiky armor likely damaging the other in the process already. If that succeeded and it was let go, it would use that opportunity to throw an Aura Sphere right up at the bird as it was falling, using the momentum of that attack alone to adjust its fall and trying to land upright.

[break][break]

+ Alexei Ivanov, vp:1/3, using Aura sphere, Mega 1/2, 8FGx3zmi+20

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Sadly, sadly. Not exactly the epic battle I had hoped for. Should have read the rules more carefully,” she admitted, simply hoping that this was a good enough excuse for her blunder. And she had figured it all out ahead of time, even gotten herself some advice from others…only for things to turn out like this.
[break][break]
But that could not be helped. It was done. “Well, I guess I will just have to own up to it all, then. Either way, we should go and find some dinner, on me. Then we can talk about that other challenge. This here feels a bit too weird for that right now," she simply announced, gesturing for the other to join her.

[break][break]

+ loss

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Having reverted from her apex form, Queen Zing's rear stinger could no longer reach deep enough to strike soft flesh. She wasn't out of weapons, though! The wasp let herself get grabbed by the Lucario, who socked her in CLOSE COMBAT. It was all to land a counterblow that not even Megan might see coming.
The Beedrill rapidly churned her wings again, producing a howling TAILWIND. Its purpose was far more sinister than to blow the Pokémon off its feet. The force behind her blindingly fast wingbeats caused her entire body to vibrate violently, threatening to rattle the metallic foe if it didn't let go right away!
[break][break]
A rattle, huh? Megan was not quite sure just what she was watching there. A Tailwind, sure, but used by someone who was caught. Lucario looked just as perplexed. It was vibrating a lot and definitely uncomfortable, but he had just punched it, not grabbed it, so he simply moved backwards, getting some distance just due to the weirdness of it all.
[break][break]
One never held onto any kind of bee, after all. That was just asking to get stung.
[break][break]
Still though, apparently the friction of the wings had done enough to drain a vital, unlike what the Close Combat had dealt. Megan did seem a bit confused. After all, theirs had been a resisted move, sure, but a Tailwind should not do more damage than that.
[break][break]
But she shrugged. No point in worrying about that, in particular. This whole tournament was weird. “Uhm, thanks for the battle, I guess. Don’t take it the wrong way, I am just still trying to grasp just how the scoring works here,” she shared, shrugging, before recalling Lucario for now. Just in case he insisted to fight more or something like that.

[break][break]

+ Shalin Nariya, loss

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

If only she had a similarly positive experience with this. Both Megan and her Lucario did not feel too happy about the tournament so far. Not necessarily because she was not doing too well, but more because most of those fights were quick and went without a proper conclusion in their eyes.
[break][break]
But that was what they got for joining a tournament with rules facilitating exactly that. They should just have realized it earlier. If she’d had, she would not have brought a Lucario that looked kind of sour as it entered the arena. “What a fitting name. I’m just Megan and Lucario here has no fancy nick names. You can probably call him Luke, though,” Megan replied, earning her some side-eye from the pitch. At least she tried to get some humour out of this all. Plus, this woman reminded her of someone nice, so she was going to take it. Make the best out of life, always. That should be her motto.

[break][break]

+ blue murtagh

[attr="class","pokeclass"]