Flex your mechanical arm

[Zeus Ifirin Akiyama]

Zeus kept his hands in his pocket still, tilting his head at the incoming Shadow Punch... even if he wasn't confused, there wasn't anything to be done about an attack that could hit no matter what. He'd be fine though, Zeus wasn't angry. He couldn't be at this, somehow. Reaching up with the non-bandanged hand, he pushed his bangs back and relaxed his stance again. "Hang in there, Hagane." He encouraged the confused creature, watching it try to regain it's surroundings. Resisting the urge to say 'it's not all piss and shit stains' for the sake of at least having a tiny bit of tact, he reached up to rub at his scruff instead. Humming softly to his self, he continued waiting. He came in here with an overleveled team and as much as he'd like to end this quickly, he could only do so much. Once again... maybe he shouldn't have waited so long to take this challenge. But there was only one way to climb to where he was aiming and this had to be done. HAGANE LV.39 CLEAR BODY Take Down | Magnet Rise | Metal Claw | Psychic | Zen Headbutt | Miracle Eye | Aerial Ace* | Light Screen* | Shadow Ball* Took Shadow Punch! - 15% Leech Seed sapped Light Screen! 2/5 Trapped Confused! Just sat there like a fucking moron... 1/2 (Lasts for two turns so SHOULD time out and be able to move next turn, correct me if I'm wrong. Math is hard) 45%

-tag- Here -notes- Have a small bit of foreshadowing for Zeus's motives. -team-

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[SAIL]

Pixen knew even before the shadow punch landed that the metang would hardly feel it. Aspen and Iris's combined effort had done well to chip away at his health little by little, such that he at least looked the worse for wear than when he had first entered the field. Little by little, however, was not enough. Pixen was all too aware that when the metang shook off his confusion, he could blow Iris away with a single hit. Iris didn't know what to expect yet, but Pixen had seen the kind of punch he packed firsthand. She dreaded seeing Iris drop the grin she wore with such cheer and good humor. She might be obnoxious, but she was one of Pixen's own.

As Iris swirled back around to the front of the metang, Pixen considered her options. Shadow punch was the most logical choice, though Pixen didn't like to use the same move back-to-back. Lick was a viable substitute. It was a shame that Iris couldn't use dream eater right now, but Pixen suspected that it wouldn't have done much good against a psychic type anyway. That left dazzling gleam as the last of Iris's current repertoire.

With the light screen in effect, it was the weakest move Iris could use right now. But if she couldn't deal much damage anyway, Pixen figured that she might as well take a chance on it. The false sun smoldering overhead, the wondrous screen of light, and now this powerful flash—all this eye-burning stimulation might, just might, disorient the metang a little further while he was rousing himself from his confusion. 

"Shadow punch," Pixen commanded. Iris lunged forward as if to strike the metang again. At the very last moment, though, she wheeled around and released a dazzling rainbow light from her body, which shot like a laser towards Hagane.

Iris 25 (f)
Levitate
Hypnosis | Lick | Mean Look
Curse | Confuse Ray | Shadow Punch
Dream Eater | Dazzling Gleam

100%

The sunlight is strong! (5/5)
Iris used dazzling gleam!
Iris was given health by leech seed!

(You're correct in that Hagane will be able to move next turn!)

[Zeus Ifirin Akiyama]

Zeus watched the ghost and Pixen for a moment. At least she wasn't screaming uncontrollably at him... he didn't know if he could handle that level of obnoxious, despite his outward mood. Getting Karend' could ruin anyone's day though. Lets be real. Hagane was still reeling as the beam shot towards him, but the beam essentially plinked off of him once the shield around his body dimmed it greatly. Zeus gave his Pokemon a shit eating grin too, because as the confusion subsided, Hagane turned to give him an irritated glance. "You'll be fiiine.... maybe." Zeus muttered the last part, tapping his chin and giving Hagane one last flash of that shit eating smile, letting his Pokemon turn back to the battle at hand. "Psychic, my friend. And try not to miss." Zeus added the taunt at the end, laughing as Hagane seemed to roll its eyes before focusing. Eyes glowing, he pushed a wave of psychic energy forwards, directly for the Haunter. HAGANE LV.39 CLEAR BODY Take Down | Magnet Rise | Metal Claw | Psychic | Zen Headbutt | Miracle Eye | Aerial Ace* | Light Screen* | Shadow Ball* Took Dazzling Gleam! -3% (reduction from Light screen) Used Psychic! Leech Seed sapped Light Screen! 3/5 Trapped No longer confused! 40%

-tag- Here -notes- Here -team-

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[SAIL]

What was the point of smoke and mirrors and tricks of light if the opponent could blow right past them? Though she made a valiant attempt to dodge the psychic, even Iris couldn't pull off a disappearing act in the face of a force this potent. She bit back a shriek as it pulsed through her body, producing an almost hallucinogenic burst of combined ghostly and psychic energies. By the time it faded, Pixen had already called Iris back into her pokeball. 

Pixen had four pokemon down and one to go, while Zeus had one pokemon down and, at worst, five to go. This obviously didn't bode well for the win streak she'd been building up these past several weeks. She allowed herself a moment to take inventory of the poisons on her person—pesticide tablets in the seams of her sleeves, a spray bottle in a drop leg holster where most would keep a gun—before remembering that Zeus was aligned with the Resistance and so had no motive to hurt her personally. The strain in her shoulders loosened just a little.

When all this was over, she'd heal up her team. She'd step up their training program, water her plants, and maybe, if she had time left over, drink her frustrations away with Coryn. Right now, though, Pixen had her pride as a gym leader to maintain. This battle might have been lost the moment Zeus shadowed her doorstep, but it wasn't over until she said it was.

"Give them a show, Aria," Pixen said coolly, releasing her koffing with a flick of her wrist. Said koffing seemed somehow confused about how she'd ended up here, but she managed to gather her wits about her in order to release puffs of dark smoke from the protrusions on her body. As it began to gather in clumps in front of her, Aria released a lurid aura that sliced clear through the smoke towards the metang.

Iris 25 (f)
Levitate
Hypnosis | Lick | Mean Look
Curse | Confuse Ray | Shadow Punch
Dream Eater | Dazzling Gleam

0%

Iris was hit by psychic!
Iris fainted!


Aria 26 (f)
Levitate
Poison Gas | Smokescreen | Assurance
Clear Smog | Sludge | Self Destruct
Swagger | Dark Pulse

100%

Aria was sent out!
Aria used smokescreen!
Aria used dark pulse!
Aria was given health by leech seed

[Zeus Ifirin Akiyama]

Zeus shifted and tilted his head to the side as his Pokemon turned to give him a withering look. Like he was about ready to float him across the arena or blast him into the nearest wall. Zeus snickered once again under his breath and gave the already annoyed Pokemon an enthusiastic thumbs up. Nothing. Just irritation. "Bah. Don't be a sourpuss." More irritation. "Listen. I still love you... for what that's worth." He muttered the last bit, still loud enough to be heard from him though. But it at worked, Hagane giving up and just giving him one of the trademark 'you exhaust me...' looks that are shared and taught by his original four Pokemon. Zeus laughed and looked to Pixen, just enough to notice some of the tension released from her shoulders. Good. Either she was coming to terms with how she'd poison his obnoxious ass, or something else was ticking in that head of hers. She was too quiet, and it was hard to read her face from where he was and the way Koffing's smoke filled the air around it. By her past tone, she sounded annoyed. But he had a tendency to do that to people. So he watched as the smoke moved to cover his Metang, doing nothing though as the Pokemon levitated smoothly from the veil, smoke sliding off of his metal coat. "Very good." He picked back up his foreign language skills... well... foreign to Anrui, not to him. A habit of how he commanded Pokemon in battle unless he willed his self to do otherwise. "Zen Headbutt." Zeus's order rolled smoothly off his tongue, just as smoothly as Hagane began to glow before taking a dive towards the Koffing, a psychic charged slam coming the little, cute, ball of poison's way. HAGANE LV.39 CLEAR BODY Take Down | Magnet Rise | Metal Claw | Psychic | Zen Headbutt | Miracle Eye | Aerial Ace* | Light Screen* | Shadow Ball* Clear Body procced (Smokescreen flopped) Took Dark Pulse (-11%) Leech Seed sapped Used Zen Headbutt! Light Screen! 4/5 Trapped 23%

-tag- Here -notes- soon tm -team-

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[SAIL]

The smokescreen failed to stick, sliding from the metang's body like oil repelling water. Pixen had almost suspected that it wouldn't work based off what little she could remember about the beldum line, which she didn't often have the misfortune of battling. Still, it dismayed her to know that Aria couldn't use two moves in tandem against this foe. The metang would shrug off her poison gas as easily as he did the smokescreen, and frankly Pixen was sick of trying to confuse it all the time.

The zen headbutt struck, bowling Aria away in midair as if she were little more than a sentient beach ball. Pixen bit the tip of her tongue, hoping that she wouldn't be done in with a single hit like Mazz or Iris. It seemed that this would be the case as Aria dropped low to the ground, releasing stray puffs of smog like a broken car smoking out of the tailpipe. After a painfully long moment, though, she rose back to her original altitude. Her body seemed even more cratered than before, but Pixen knew that as long as she was still levitating, she could forge on. She might not be the most focused battler, but she was Pixen's strongest one.

"Return the favor, will you?" Pixen said lightly. Aria bobbed up and down as if to nod, summoning the momentum stored into her body from the attack she'd just taken. She flung herself headlong at the metang with a faint glow reminiscent of his own zen headbutt, urged on by the little health boost Aspen's leech seed afforded her.

Aria 26 (f)
Levitate
Poison Gas | Smokescreen | Assurance
Clear Smog | Sludge | Self Destruct
Swagger | Dark Pulse

6%

Aria was hit by zen headbutt! (Rolled a 33, so she didn't flinch.)
Aria used assurance! (Damage would be doubled if you count it and the zen headbutt as being in the same turn.)
Aria was given health by leech seed!

[Zeus Ifirin Akiyama]

Zeus watched as the Koffing rose up, still willing to do her best, and watched as the headbutt style attack of her own came forward, striking Hagane and doing enough to cause the metal beast to finally fall to the ground with a thud. Smiling at Hagane's collapsed form, he drew the Pokemon back into his ball, running his thumb over it fondly with the bandaged arm while the other one drew out the old, battered ball from the first round, releasing his roaring Lion back into the field. His intimidating glare pressing onto the Koffing, teeth showing but that odd bit of hesitance that was forced on him came over him. Chin-chi's rivalry confirmed that this was, in fact, a female Koffing. If nothing else easily gave it away. Either way, the cat's tail still lashed. Rivalry or not, he was still a trained Pokemon, and didn't fold his ears like a kitten in the overwhelming presence of that ability. "Keep it simple! Tackle!" Zeus called out, as soon as he started speaking, Chin-chi was already ducking his self low, and on tackle, pushed with his hind leg, charging forward and throwing his hefty weight at the Koffing. HAGANE LV.39 CLEAR BODY Take Down | Magnet Rise | Metal Claw | Psychic | Zen Headbutt | Miracle Eye | Aerial Ace* | Light Screen* | Shadow Ball* Took Assurance! KO Chin-chi was sent back out! Chin-chi Lv.45 Rivalry / Intimidate Charge | Spark | Tackle | Thunder Fang | Crunch | Roar | Thunderbolt* | Magnet Rise* Used Tackle! 84% HP

-tag- Here -notes- Here -team-

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[The Great Scoot]

Aria smiled widely to herself, obviously very pleased with their successful attack KOing a much stronger Pokémon that hers. Pixen’s face, however, remained implacable as always. This was the last thing she needed, koffing goofing off at the last moment. But it was what it was, this battle was over anyway. The koffing barely notices the luxray leer and dash towards it, the attack hits and Aria is recalled to her ball with a surprised look on her unconscious face.

“And a job well done, indeed.” Pixen spoke softly, making it difficult to tell if she was being sarcastic or not. She turns her back to you and begins writing something on piece of paper on her desk before sliding it, and a few other things, into an envelope. It is difficult to see what, exactly as she blocks your line of sight with her body. Sealing the envelope, she quietly approaches you and hands it to you.

She looks you dead in the face before speaking, her eyes calm and cold. “Let me start by saying I am only giving this to you because I don’t want a trainer as lackadaisical as you compromising my security and the security of my gym again. While you are  clearly a trainer of powerful Pokémon, you are as ruthless as you are careless with them. You insulted your team members while they were on a battlefield taking statuses and damage for you and you repaid their efforts with rudeness. While somehow finding it necessary to use swords dance twice against a Pokémon half the level of yours. This is a skill assessment, not a deathmatch. I feel you should be reminded of such. Now please.” She motions towards the door. “Get out of my gym and open that later. I don’t  think I can stomach actually seeing you hold my badge.” She smiles at you, waiting for your compliance.

When you do open the envelope, there is a badge, 4000pk and a note. It reads:

Thank you for challenging my gym, it’s been a while since I’ve had someone as strong as you come in. It’s genuinely heartwarming to see the Resistance still has soldiers worth their pokemon. Perhaps when you’ve trained some more, and Anrui is free again, we can have a real fight.

The Queen of Lies.

---

Zeus Ifirin Akiyama Congrats on your Rogue Badge!
your patience has finally been rewarded!