“What joke?” she tiled her head, obviously a bit confused as to what he was meaning with that. Maybe about the hurting? Ah, well, she did not get it. Instead, she focused on the two Pokemon exchanging blows, carapace cracking, metallic parts slightly chipping as both opponents were getting at one another right away.
[break][break]

And none of them seemed to make a decisive headway yet.
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Which was all too reminiscent of their previous fight. Ugh. “Try to break out of that stalemate with an Extreme Speed, let’s shake it up.”

[break][break]

+ John Sullivan, VP 1/3, using Extreme Speed, Mega down (oocly) qSLmIEYq

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“That looks very, very painful,” she commented upon seeing what was happening there. Not that mega evolution was an incredibly soft thing to happen or anything. But still, those were some fancy and sharp looking swords being pushed into a body there. She cringed slightly at the sight.
[break][break]
Lucario though seemed rather unfazed. It knew something tough was coming his way, but ultimately it was coming his way. And he would, of course, try to meet it head-on, with a Meteor Mash of its own.
[break][break]
For good or bad, that was how he fought and Megan did not mind letting it do what it was doing. Still though, Megan had one question. “What I don’t get though – how is any of this karma? And why is it gooey?” At least that was what the name sounded like. Gooey Karma.

[break][break]

+ John Sullivan VP:2/3, Mega in use (2/2), using Meteor Mash KZG17cLA+20

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Her father had never made those kinds of jokes, so she simply could not know. This was just the kind of humour on her mind right then. And she decided to simply play it out, because why not? This tournament was not exactly a huge commitment. Just a few quick battles, only to never meet again.
[break][break]
Honestly, unless she fought someone she knew, she was not going to even remember any names. Though that was probably a bit of an oxymoron. “Well, as long as we are on the same page. Lucario, go for the Close Combat right away.” The metal gear fox nodded to that and rushed right into the oncoming Zoroark, seeking to meet the Foul Play with simple power and see what came out on top.

[break][break]

+ Yvaine Varron VP: 3/3, Mega ready, using Close Combat 3gSYMpCn

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Heh. That worked a lot better than last time. No Illumises that took ages to beat back. The Scyther was already retreating, after all.
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Obviously, that did not mean they won yet or anything like that. Megan was too experienced to think something like that. No, but this was an advantageous position. Best to press that, quickly.
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Hence, she touched her Mega Bracelet and activated the Lucariorite. Energy enveloped it as it grew bulkier and stronger – only to burst out of the light of mega evolution with an extreme speed, trying to catch up to the bug.

[break][break]

+ John Sullivan VP:3/3, Mega in use (1/2), using Extreme Speed vkqy74mc+20

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Well, that’s probably what they want it to look like. Lots of people on a similar level, a tournament where anyone can make it and such. I’ve done retail, I know an advertisement campaign when I see one.” Granted, she did not know just what this was for. Maybe they just wanted to give people more confidence in battling. Maybe it was a scheme by the big government to get more people ready to fight in case another war or such broke out.
[break][break]
Not that she cared. Not that she had much impact on that stuff, anyway. Once again, she shrugged.
[break][break]
In the meantime, Lucario saw the Scyther come at it with a close combat. Deciding that they might as well throw hands, or whatever either had for those, it decided to simply meet the other head-on with a Close Combat of its own.

[break][break]

+ John Sullivan, VP: 3/3, using Close Combat, Mega Ready h_MfWke2

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Once more, into the breach. These battles were all quick and sometimes anticlimactic. But she had to admit, they got a lot of them done this way. That was probably the point of all this.

Still though, she was not exactly satisfied with that yet, hoping that more fights would just alleviate that right away. Hence, she was back here, alongside her Lucario, waiting for the next opponent to appear. Whoever that was. They would be greeted the same way, anyway: “Good day. I am Megan and I guess we are going to have this particular match now.”

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+ Alexei Ivanov

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

So, he was going to try and dodge for now? Well, that was fine too. Not like they necessarily had to even move from their spot into the musical minefield, either. “Well, then just hit them anyway. Or at least try to, so let’s do an Aura Sphere,” she ordered her Lucario.
[break][break]
The latter stopped its Swords Dance and instead briefly remained completely inert. Then its eyes snapped open, immediately focusing on the enemy as it charged up a sphere of pure energy to then hurl it at great speeds at the Pikachu, hopefully hitting it with that right away.

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+ VP: 2/3, Mega Ready, Using Aura Sphere, ollie morales 9peStma|

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Ms. Whitmore, eh? No one’s called me that in ages,” she replied to the strange man. She did recall who he was. The perpetrator of her most annoying match ever, a battle of attrition between bug and fighting.
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And seeing that there was a Scyther up against her Lucario, it seemed like a repeat of that might happen after all.
[break][break]
Well, maybe. “A lot has happened, indeed. Though I am not sure an exhibition match like this is the best place to show that off, you know? Half the time it feels like those vital points go by randomly,” she noted, shrugging before gesturing for Lucario to go into the ring.

[break][break]

+ John Sullivan VP: 3/3, Mega Ready

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

A redhead, eh? Probably feisty. Well, that was the stereotype at least. Not that she was one to talk, anyway. Hence, Megan just shrugged. “Hey Yvaine, my next opponent. I’m Meg,” she instead replied, briefly picking up on the other’s odd introduction but mostly playing it safe.
[break][break]
Then, she motioned for her Lucario to step forward. They would be facing off against a Zoroark, which was kind of similar, despite running on type disadvantage. Not that it mattered much here. “Pleasure is all mine, as long as you give it your all, at least.”

[break][break]

+ Yvaine Varron VP:3/3, Mega Ready

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Hmm, I guess I am,” she replied. It felt kind of weird to call herself a good person, but she could see where he was coming from. Plus, she certainly wasn’t evil, so that did check out to an extent.
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Not that she needed the label, of course. Still though, that pat was evidently a proper, good one, so she did not mind. “And I guess that’s important. To stick with others for once. Going on a solo journey probably got me into a weird headspace for a good bit.” She sounded a court laugh, but the self-criticism was still on point, she reasoned.

[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

This all was being a bit closer than expected, given the initial squishing incident. But the Froakie was still holding on, even as it was knocked about by an extremely speedy punch like that.
[break][break]
And obviously, it tried to retaliate with another Hydro Pump. That was probably its strongest move, after all.
[break][break]
Well, that was to be expected. “You know, getting into battles ain’t bad, but it’s still an exhibition match of sorts. No need to get all grumpy,” she teased the gym leader, even as Lucario took a proper stance and wound up an attack of its own. Ending this by pitching his strongest attack, Aura Sphere, against the little one’s was probably the most fitting end for this, after all.

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+ VP: 1/3, Mega Evo down, using Aura Sphere 84ttWAJG

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Oof. That looked like it hurt. Electrical discharge still surrounded Lucario, causing it to jolt her and there, but it certainly had not been flung into concrete. That seemed a lot worse, but she figured it was fine since the little one was getting up again. This was a tournament, after all. Not a gym battle. They were not holding back.
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Still, just squishing the other would still feel bad, so this was all good. Still, that outcome saw her hold back a little on going Mega already. Both to give Lucario more of a breather and not to come across as too aggressive. “Well, if it is trying to disarm you, show it the opposite. Let’s start up a proper Sword’s Dance here,” she ordered her Pokemon, which tried to ignore the soothing voice and instead grow ever sharper in mind and body for the time being.

[break][break]

+[/VP: 2/3, Mega on stand by, using Swords Dance lESsnBRU

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Heh, yeah. No need to worry too much about that,” she replied, with a laugh. She had not exactly wanted to needlessly worry him, after all. And besides, it wasn’t a lie. Going on her journey had helped, after all. And things had improved even more after she had met a certain someone.
[break][break]
“So, don’t worry. You probably can’t do more than what you already are doing. Just stabilizing things and carrying on as normal is already a big help, really.”

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+ CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","pokeclass"]