[Agility, huh... another risky move, yet one that can pay off. Flygons as a species are masters of sandstorms, and all of the moves his own knows would never miss under normal circumstances. Still, there's a chance Flygon's next move could miss now that Agility is in play, which would leave him open. He might be able to take another Dragon Darts, though it would leave him in bad shape, though depending on his luck, it could take Flygon down in one hit, too.
Not much else Raihan can do except attack again. He hopes that with Flygon in close quarters, the next Crunch will land.
And on the other end of the spectrum: bingo. He knew that was it. Just as Flygon's a master of sandstorms, Leon's a master of deflecting and avoiding the subject. It's something one has to learn when you're followed by interviewers who want to know answers to questions you don't want to answer.
Thus, Raihan knows all about it, too. He's had to do the same thing multiple times. And with Leon only addressing the height part? Yeah. Deflect and avoid.]
What view? Building tops? Mate, I'll take the view from Hammerlocke's castle any day over this one! [He leans forward more in his stance, as if he were ready to leap forward and strike.] But wouldn't it be nice if you were there with me? Just the two of us along those walls, taking in the view of the Wild Area, talking about whatever comes to our minds? [And with another little playful sneer, because he doesn't want to strike too hard below that metaphorical belt:] If you can even see over the walls.
[It's funny, because Leon's not even short; next to Raihan himself, he's the tallest person he knows. But that's why they're so fun!]
[just as leon has a plan for his poor dragapult, raihan's words interrupt his entire thought process, and his brows furrow. being able to look out into the wild area... how long has it been again?
hell, how long has it been since he's been there? there's that massive mess of ballonlea's trees to the southwest, and the mountains of circhester, but he has trouble seeing the wild area from the battle tower. then, suddenly, he's filled with such an aching hunger that he cant help but ball his hands into fists.
trust raihan to really know where to hit.]
You're daydreaming, aren't you? Not even an imaginative one, mind. [leon finally gives his dragapult a break, and withdraws it to send out his seismitoad instead, with the order to use a bubblebeam.]
Why would we just look at it when we can be there?
[The bubblebeam is enough to take out Flygon, so Raihan gives him a break by calling him back to his ball. Flygon did well, making him and Leon be neck and neck like always. It's always such a rush, such a thrill, he loves it-
"-the greatest battle I've ever had!"
This isn't about him, shush.
He sends out Torkoal next, which might seem insane, a fire against water-type, but he has a plan. A risky one, but he'd never be where he is today without taking risks. Torkoal's drought ability makes the sandstorm halt, replacing it with harsh sunlight that already makes Raihan start to sweat. Water-type moves are weakened, though, which Raihan is counting on, and the Solar Beam he has Torkoal use is instant.
His brows raise from under his headband at Leon's suggestion, his already sharp smile growing. He's getting to Leon, and hey, it's the perfect set-up for the plan he has for after this battle (or the next; he'd definitely planned to do it earlier, but he just can't say no to a battle with Leon).]
Now we're getting somewhere. When's the last time you had a camping trip there, aye? You still got that tent of yours packed away? Your curry pot? Remember when we fought over who would set up camp, or who made the best curry?
[leon pauses, raising his hand to keep seismitoad from attacking again-- and while his pokemon does obey, leon gets a tild of the head in confusion for his order. they're in a battle right now, trainer!]
Where did all of this come from, then? [he really cant ignore what raihan is saying because it sounds like...
he's trying to coerce leon into something? going back out there, like a trainer again?]
If I didn't know any better... I'd say you've an ulterior motive for being here. [because battles are never an ulterior motive. they're everything.]
[Raihan pauses his movements for a second, before commanding Torkoal to stop as well. The Pokemon rattles the coal inside his shell and shuffles his feet in impatience, but he obeys regardless.]
Heh! You know me too well. [He shuts his eyes at the remark, though they're still thin and just as wild as the start of the battle when he opens them again.] Don't get me wrong; I'm here because I want to be. I wanted to see how you ran the place, fight some trainers along the way, and get to battle you again. You outdid yourself, Leon! The doubles section could use some work, but that's only fair. You didn't consult the master of it, after all! I'm a little hurt, you know!
[But he's getting ahead of himself. He grins as he settles into position again.] But I've got something for you in addition to that. Fight me with all you've got, and I'll give it to you!
Oh, now you've done it. [because raihan knows exactly how to make leon give everything he has and more-- dangle a secret in front of him and then hold it away with the condition of winning? it makes leon need to know rather than just want to know.
and it ensures that raihan wont be getting a win this time around, with the amount of ferocity leon now has.]
All right-- I'll give you a battle then, and you'll regret taunting me with it.
[once more, he orders his seismitoad to attack, but this time with a muddy water.]
[Raihan laughs in turn, starting out quiet, then growing louder until he's arching back from the power of it. Yes, this, this is what he wanted. A victory against Leon would be meaningless if the other wasn't giving it his all. Now it'll taste so much sweeter.]
Is that so? Well, I'll wipe that smug grin off your face! Shake it off, Torkoal, let's go!
[Muddy Water is devastating, but with the sunlight still bearing down, the bite of it is taken away. Torkoal still stands, ready to test its strength against a type so against its own. Raihan commands another Solar Beam, taking advantage of the sunshine.]
[if seismitoad wasn't a dual water-ground type, he would have handled this easier. in fact, the only thing that saves the poor thing from fainting right away is that torkoal is not a grass type.
leon soothes his pokemon, promising to give him a good spoiling after this battle since he's given a good show, and seismitoad bursts out one more muddy water for raihan's torkoal. both of them fully expect to deal with a faint after this, the next turn raihan gets, and leon is fine with that.
he just wont refuse to back down.
besides, isn't he always at his best when his back is against the ropes?]
[The second Muddy Water is enough to take out poor Torkoal. Still, he did amazingly well against Seismitoad, and when Raihan calls him back to his ball, he says so against it before he pockets it once more. His Pokemon are going to get so many good treats later.
The sunlight fades, yet Raihan's smile doesn't, because he loves when it gets like this. Even without a crowd, the tension, excitement, and adrenaline still buzzes between them, making his eyes practically glow. His next Pokemon is Turtonator, another fire type, mostly because everything else he has wouldn't fare well against Seismitoad. Instead of unleashing a Sunny Day right away, Raihan has him use Dragon Pulse instead, to finish things off.]
[poor seismitoad doesn't even have much left, that he does faint right away, and leon gives the pokeball a good pat. he did well.
at this point, he can choose to fight fire with fire and send out charizard, but he knows that's pointless-- which means the only pokemon he can use in this situation is dragapult. while his ghostly dragon has taken a beating, he has to believe that both of them will be able to pull this off against an opponent with full health.
so he does it, and gains a nod of trust from his pokemon, which he returns. and immediately, leon has him use phantom force.]
[Turtonator takes the hit, but remains standing. It's a ghost type move, after all, so it doesn't hurt so much. He stomps his feet and gives his shell a careful shake, so as not to accidentally make it explode.
Raihan, meanwhile, thinks for a second, calculating what would be the best move. He's known as the master of the weather, and would absolutely use a turn to set up such an effect on the field, even if it's ultimately useless against a Pokemon who could use it to their advantage.
But he's not stupid. He does that to purposefully give trainers an advantage, for that is the role of a Gym Leader. It's not to win, it's to test their opponents and see if they're worthy to move on. Raihan in particular has a lot of weight on his shoulders as the last Gym Leader, the ultimate test to see if they're qualified to take on the Championship. He sets up a few subtle pitfalls, like taking a turn to set up the weather, and watches carefully to see if the trainer will pick up on it. He's there to see what they've learned on their journey, how they've bonded with their Pokemon, and if they've got what it takes to be a Champion.
Here, however? Using Sunny Day would only give Leon an opening, and Raihan knows it. Plus, if he brings Dragapult down during this and Leon brings out Charizard, he'd only give him the advantage. Raihan's counting on the fact that Dragapult likely doesn't have much health left, and Turtonator has the dragon typing to back up the Dragon Pulse he commands once more.]
[intuition tells leon that raihan is likely planning on taking advantage of dragapult's low health by spamming dragon moves-- and leon knows he must do the same. now's not the time for careful thinking and strategy, but an all-out assault, so he can at least bring both himself and his rival to just one last pokemon.
and he thinks he can tell which pokemon raihan has left. neither of them are ever without their signatures.
so he tells dragapult to go all-out with the dragon darts, as much as he can muster.]
[Dragon darts does finally take Turtonator down, leaving Raihan with one Pokemon left. Leon's intuition is correct: his next one is the ace of his team, Duraludon. It's a bad sign that he's down to his last Pokemon before Leon, but that doesn't mean he's going to lose! It'll just make victory all the better!
And here, of course, is one of the best parts of battling in Galar in particular.]
Bring the storm! My partner and I will send you flying straight off this tower, Leon!
[His Dynamax band glows as he recalls Duraludon to his ball, and Galar particles overtake the ball. His Rotom dutifully takes a selfie of Raihan at the best moment, with the ball enlarged and Raihan giving his phone a wide, excited smile. Surely, this selfie will be the one taken before Raihan's victory!
He tosses the ball back, and from it, his Gigantamaxed Duraludon crashes against the floor of the tower, roaring loud enough to make the walls shake. Duraludon's best move will be saved for Charizard; for Dragapult, he'll command Duraludon to use Max Wyrmwind, if only to take him down.]
You know I've Pokemon with wings, right? [really, leon knows exactly what raihan means, because the battle is exhilarating and they cant help but get swept away by their enthusiasm and adrenaline.]
You'll be the one blown away right off my tower, and I'll help you in doing just that!
[leon recalls dragapult, the poor dragon fainted and clearly tired from all that work, and lets charizard out of the ball. just like their previous battle, and all the battles before it, they always finish with charizard and duraludon, and leon would have it no other way.
he too activates gigantamax on charizard, the floor shaking as his pokemon slams beefy feet on the steel, and leon doesn't waste time in ordering a g-max wildfire.]
[It's always been this way, and Raihan wouldn't have it any other way. Even Duraludon seems excited when Charizard is brought into the fray, as much as a Gigantamaxed Pokemon can be. They didn't get to fight in the Championship, after all, and he misses his battle buddy even though they just fought earlier.
Making up for lost time, really.
And Duraludon is perfect for going up against Charizard, because not many Pokemon can stand up to the utter beast that is Leon's Charizard, but Duraludon can. Fire has a normal effect, with the sunlight blaring down on them afterwards. Duraludon stands firm, strong as a skyscraper.]
Ho? You sure about that, mate?
[He shouts for Duraludon to use G-Max Depletion after that. He likely could've used Max Rockfall for the super effective bonus, but bringing down the PP of G-Max Wildfire is more important, though it won't totally wipe out the move just yet.]
Clever move, bringing the sunlight back! But it won't help you for much longer!
[but he thinks he can tell what raihan's strategy is, with the use of g-max depletion. it's impossible for him to not know. that means that if charizard cant finish duraludon off quickly, they're in trouble. but leon believes in the power charizard has, because he wasn't lying. the sunlight hasn't let him down yet, because charizard hasn't let him down before.
he urges charizard forward to keep using g-max wildfire, his pokemon surging against raihan's not to leave much to chance.]
[There's something so exhilarating about Dynamax battles. The shaking of the floor and walls, the rumbling and roars of the giant Pokemon, the heat of Charizard's flames and Duraludon's might; Raihan can never get enough of it. Especially when there's a crowd chanting with the music, crying out with excitement at a close match such as this.
There's no crowd, but Raihan finds he doesn't mind. It's still so fun, so intense, and he wouldn't rather be anywhere else than here, right now, battling his greatest rival.
Of course, it has to come to an end. This is Duraludon's last G-Max move, and Raihan has to make a choice. If his research is correct, one more G-Max Depletion should wipe out Charizard's fire move, rendering the sunlight useless. He'd be left with moves that Duraludon is resistant to instead.
But after that last move, Duraludon's certainly in danger. Raihan could, instead, take this opportunity to use Max Rockfall, a move that Charizard is doubly weak to. It'd be risky; he'd have to make sure that it takes down Charizard in one hit, because then he'd only use G-Max Wildfire, and this time on a Duraludon that isn't Gigantamaxed.
He thinks of all of this quickly, and then makes his move.]
One more! Blow away that fire of his, Duraludon!
[With that, Duraludon uses G-Max Depletion once more. The very foundation of the tower shakes with the power of it; it is, thankfully, a very strong tower.
With that last move, the power of Dynamax leaves Duraludon, leaving him facing off against the giant Charizard for one more turn. Even with his back against the ropes like this, Raihan doesn't lose his cool, nor does he feel intimidated. No, this is where he thrives.]
Alright, Raihan! Time to show our rival here how strong we really are!
[leon had been counting in his head how many uses of g-max wildfire charizard had left. he could have done the smart move and had charizard use another max move for duraludon to deplete, but he knows that majority of charizard's moves simply don't cut it-- it's fire or nothing. a safe strategy, if he just wants to wait out duraludon's g-max time, but is that really fun for anyone?
but in this tiny window of opportunity, charizard still massive and duraludon back to normal, leon knows he can do something here.]
You're forgetting that I can still pull something off! [and he will.
max rockfall, for example. not very effective, dangerous to charizard if the battle drags on, but he has to hope. like for a critical move.]
[Max Rockfall, eh? The floor shakes violently with the force of the slab of rock that falls against it. Surely Duraludon can withstand this. Raihan knows that it won't be effective against him, so surely-
Then Duraludon stumbles, letting out a weak cry before fainting on the field.
It was a critical hit after all.
It probably didn't help that Duraludon had been a little worn out from the previous battle, and that Charizard had still been Gigantamaxed for that move. If Duraludon were still giant, he'd be able to take it for sure, critical or not.
Raihan lets out a sigh as he calls his Duraludon back, deflating from his ready position and letting his arms hang down at his sides. Normally, he'd straighten right back up, but he lets himself stay there for a little longer this time.
Gah. No wonder Leon thinks the new Champion's all that. You still can't even beat him!
But he finally does pillow his head in his hands and lean back on his heels, though he can't help the pout on his face.
He got lucky, like last time. You'll get him next time. He would've gone down in one more hit for sure; you've got this.]
Well. [He opens his eyes, and the pout turns into another grin instead. The fire has never died in his eyes; it's as if the battle were still going on.] I still look good, yeah? Better take a selfie! [Which he does! Rotom comes zipping back to take another picture of Raihan, who poses with his hand on his chin.]
[leon punches his fist into the air just as charizard is returning to normal. then he holds that fist out to his pokemon, who bumps it back delicately. they both turn to raihan, leon with a grin on his face.
and beckons with his hand, opening it. definitely expecting something to happen.]
I won, and as promised, you'll tell me what you've been planning, yeah?
[Raihan can't help the laugh bubbling up, exhilarated and giddy all at once from such a good fight. The disappointment washes away in favor of it, and the desire to keep going, rework his strategy and fight him once again. With other trainers, he feels refreshed after a fight, like walking inside from a light, fresh rain. With Leon, it's like he went through a hurricane and lived to tell the tale.
The adrenaline always makes him want to do something incredibly stupid, like grab Leon by the hair and pull him in for-
But he beats it back every time. Not appropriate, not allowed, chill out.
He walks over to Leon instead, a grin still on his face as he digs into his hoodie pocket once more for the papers he had flashed at the camera earlier.]
If I recall, the condition was to fight me with everything you had, not to win. [He shrugs,] And you did both, so I suppose you win the prize.
[Once he reaches Leon, he takes a moment to regard him and then, without breaking eye contact, slaps the papers into his open hand.
They're two plane tickets, both of them detailing a one-way trip to Hoenn. Below the tickets are brochures for not just Hoenn, but every region in the world. Still, even though he's put them in Leon's hand, he doesn't let go of them just yet. In case there's a refusal.]
... Eh? [leon blinks down at his hand. he wasn't expecting something to actually be in raihan's hand and be passed onto him, but an iou, or an invitation to come along later to get it.]
What's this then?
[plane tickets and brochures? he looks up at raihan, tilting his head like a confused yamper.]
[Raihan gives a snort at that look, and he can't help reaching his free hand up to ruffle Leon's hair as if he really were a confused Yamper.
Cute.
Shush.]
A present from the Great Raihan! The rest of your friends and family, too.
[He lets go of the items to put a hand on his hip instead, leaning his weight on one foot with a tilt of his head, the very picture of relaxed. It's a lot, he knows, so he's prepared to be here for a little while.]
You're pretty good at hiding it, but you've been up to your bloody eyeballs in work, yeah? Staying long hours, not getting much sleep? It's not just me who's noticed, mate. [He gives a little wave of his hand as he explains further.] Your little brother came running to me about it, shouting something about how I'm your rival, I ought to do something! He's a lot noisier than you, I'll give you that. [He chuckles, though, as he says it, which shows the fondness he has for the kiddo as well as their conversation.]
[leon's brow furrows even further as he looks between raihan's face and the tickets in hand. everyone pooled together for this... even the other gym leaders? the champion? mum and da, certainly, and they shouldn't have, and hop absolutely should not have, he should keep his savings to himself and use his money for himself--
he opens his mouth, but actually doesn't know what to say. or even feel about this. yes, he's been working hard lately, because he wants the battle tower to be a success, and have something for trainers to work hard at during the off-season. and because he's just not the champion anymore, but he still needs battles in his blood. but...?
in the end, all he can say, stupidly, is:]
There're two tickets in here. [and they're both one way.]
Ha! Yeah, there sure is. No one in their right mind would let you go to different regions alone. [Yes, regions, with an s.] If you got lost, no one would ever see you again!
[He points a thumb to himself and gives a confident grin, and Rotom takes a selfie of him in that moment.] So I'm going along with you! You ought to feel honored!
[He doesn't mention how people caught him looking the same as Leon. How the damage done to Hammerlocke during Darkest Day 2.0 had been stressing him out, and the only reasons he agreed to this trip were the facts that the Gym Circuit was canceled for the year due to said damages, and Leon being involved. Repairs were costly and taking longer than planned, because people had been displaced from their own homes, him included, and they took priority over the gym. Thankfully, he's got a staff of his own who can run things and oversee repairs while he's gone, and the same goes for Leon.]
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Not much else Raihan can do except attack again. He hopes that with Flygon in close quarters, the next Crunch will land.
And on the other end of the spectrum: bingo. He knew that was it. Just as Flygon's a master of sandstorms, Leon's a master of deflecting and avoiding the subject. It's something one has to learn when you're followed by interviewers who want to know answers to questions you don't want to answer.
Thus, Raihan knows all about it, too. He's had to do the same thing multiple times. And with Leon only addressing the height part? Yeah. Deflect and avoid.]
What view? Building tops? Mate, I'll take the view from Hammerlocke's castle any day over this one! [He leans forward more in his stance, as if he were ready to leap forward and strike.] But wouldn't it be nice if you were there with me? Just the two of us along those walls, taking in the view of the Wild Area, talking about whatever comes to our minds? [And with another little playful sneer, because he doesn't want to strike too hard below that metaphorical belt:] If you can even see over the walls.
[It's funny, because Leon's not even short; next to Raihan himself, he's the tallest person he knows. But that's why they're so fun!]
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hell, how long has it been since he's been there? there's that massive mess of ballonlea's trees to the southwest, and the mountains of circhester, but he has trouble seeing the wild area from the battle tower. then, suddenly, he's filled with such an aching hunger that he cant help but ball his hands into fists.
trust raihan to really know where to hit.]
You're daydreaming, aren't you? Not even an imaginative one, mind. [leon finally gives his dragapult a break, and withdraws it to send out his seismitoad instead, with the order to use a bubblebeam.]
Why would we just look at it when we can be there?
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"-the greatest battle I've ever had!"
This isn't about him, shush.
He sends out Torkoal next, which might seem insane, a fire against water-type, but he has a plan. A risky one, but he'd never be where he is today without taking risks. Torkoal's drought ability makes the sandstorm halt, replacing it with harsh sunlight that already makes Raihan start to sweat. Water-type moves are weakened, though, which Raihan is counting on, and the Solar Beam he has Torkoal use is instant.
His brows raise from under his headband at Leon's suggestion, his already sharp smile growing. He's getting to Leon, and hey, it's the perfect set-up for the plan he has for after this battle (or the next; he'd definitely planned to do it earlier, but he just can't say no to a battle with Leon).]
Now we're getting somewhere. When's the last time you had a camping trip there, aye? You still got that tent of yours packed away? Your curry pot? Remember when we fought over who would set up camp, or who made the best curry?
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Where did all of this come from, then? [he really cant ignore what raihan is saying because it sounds like...
he's trying to coerce leon into something? going back out there, like a trainer again?]
If I didn't know any better... I'd say you've an ulterior motive for being here. [because battles are never an ulterior motive. they're everything.]
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Heh! You know me too well. [He shuts his eyes at the remark, though they're still thin and just as wild as the start of the battle when he opens them again.] Don't get me wrong; I'm here because I want to be. I wanted to see how you ran the place, fight some trainers along the way, and get to battle you again. You outdid yourself, Leon! The doubles section could use some work, but that's only fair. You didn't consult the master of it, after all! I'm a little hurt, you know!
[But he's getting ahead of himself. He grins as he settles into position again.] But I've got something for you in addition to that. Fight me with all you've got, and I'll give it to you!
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and it ensures that raihan wont be getting a win this time around, with the amount of ferocity leon now has.]
All right-- I'll give you a battle then, and you'll regret taunting me with it.
[once more, he orders his seismitoad to attack, but this time with a muddy water.]
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Is that so? Well, I'll wipe that smug grin off your face! Shake it off, Torkoal, let's go!
[Muddy Water is devastating, but with the sunlight still bearing down, the bite of it is taken away. Torkoal still stands, ready to test its strength against a type so against its own. Raihan commands another Solar Beam, taking advantage of the sunshine.]
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leon soothes his pokemon, promising to give him a good spoiling after this battle since he's given a good show, and seismitoad bursts out one more muddy water for raihan's torkoal. both of them fully expect to deal with a faint after this, the next turn raihan gets, and leon is fine with that.
he just wont refuse to back down.
besides, isn't he always at his best when his back is against the ropes?]
no subject
The sunlight fades, yet Raihan's smile doesn't, because he loves when it gets like this. Even without a crowd, the tension, excitement, and adrenaline still buzzes between them, making his eyes practically glow. His next Pokemon is Turtonator, another fire type, mostly because everything else he has wouldn't fare well against Seismitoad. Instead of unleashing a Sunny Day right away, Raihan has him use Dragon Pulse instead, to finish things off.]
crawls back here
at this point, he can choose to fight fire with fire and send out charizard, but he knows that's pointless-- which means the only pokemon he can use in this situation is dragapult. while his ghostly dragon has taken a beating, he has to believe that both of them will be able to pull this off against an opponent with full health.
so he does it, and gains a nod of trust from his pokemon, which he returns. and immediately, leon has him use phantom force.]
WELL HI
Raihan, meanwhile, thinks for a second, calculating what would be the best move. He's known as the master of the weather, and would absolutely use a turn to set up such an effect on the field, even if it's ultimately useless against a Pokemon who could use it to their advantage.
But he's not stupid. He does that to purposefully give trainers an advantage, for that is the role of a Gym Leader. It's not to win, it's to test their opponents and see if they're worthy to move on. Raihan in particular has a lot of weight on his shoulders as the last Gym Leader, the ultimate test to see if they're qualified to take on the Championship. He sets up a few subtle pitfalls, like taking a turn to set up the weather, and watches carefully to see if the trainer will pick up on it. He's there to see what they've learned on their journey, how they've bonded with their Pokemon, and if they've got what it takes to be a Champion.
Here, however? Using Sunny Day would only give Leon an opening, and Raihan knows it. Plus, if he brings Dragapult down during this and Leon brings out Charizard, he'd only give him the advantage. Raihan's counting on the fact that Dragapult likely doesn't have much health left, and Turtonator has the dragon typing to back up the Dragon Pulse he commands once more.]
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and he thinks he can tell which pokemon raihan has left. neither of them are ever without their signatures.
so he tells dragapult to go all-out with the dragon darts, as much as he can muster.]
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And here, of course, is one of the best parts of battling in Galar in particular.]
Bring the storm! My partner and I will send you flying straight off this tower, Leon!
[His Dynamax band glows as he recalls Duraludon to his ball, and Galar particles overtake the ball. His Rotom dutifully takes a selfie of Raihan at the best moment, with the ball enlarged and Raihan giving his phone a wide, excited smile. Surely, this selfie will be the one taken before Raihan's victory!
He tosses the ball back, and from it, his Gigantamaxed Duraludon crashes against the floor of the tower, roaring loud enough to make the walls shake. Duraludon's best move will be saved for Charizard; for Dragapult, he'll command Duraludon to use Max Wyrmwind, if only to take him down.]
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You'll be the one blown away right off my tower, and I'll help you in doing just that!
[leon recalls dragapult, the poor dragon fainted and clearly tired from all that work, and lets charizard out of the ball. just like their previous battle, and all the battles before it, they always finish with charizard and duraludon, and leon would have it no other way.
he too activates gigantamax on charizard, the floor shaking as his pokemon slams beefy feet on the steel, and leon doesn't waste time in ordering a g-max wildfire.]
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Making up for lost time, really.
And Duraludon is perfect for going up against Charizard, because not many Pokemon can stand up to the utter beast that is Leon's Charizard, but Duraludon can. Fire has a normal effect, with the sunlight blaring down on them afterwards. Duraludon stands firm, strong as a skyscraper.]
Ho? You sure about that, mate?
[He shouts for Duraludon to use G-Max Depletion after that. He likely could've used Max Rockfall for the super effective bonus, but bringing down the PP of G-Max Wildfire is more important, though it won't totally wipe out the move just yet.]
Clever move, bringing the sunlight back! But it won't help you for much longer!
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[but he thinks he can tell what raihan's strategy is, with the use of g-max depletion. it's impossible for him to not know. that means that if charizard cant finish duraludon off quickly, they're in trouble. but leon believes in the power charizard has, because he wasn't lying. the sunlight hasn't let him down yet, because charizard hasn't let him down before.
he urges charizard forward to keep using g-max wildfire, his pokemon surging against raihan's not to leave much to chance.]
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There's no crowd, but Raihan finds he doesn't mind. It's still so fun, so intense, and he wouldn't rather be anywhere else than here, right now, battling his greatest rival.
Of course, it has to come to an end. This is Duraludon's last G-Max move, and Raihan has to make a choice. If his research is correct, one more G-Max Depletion should wipe out Charizard's fire move, rendering the sunlight useless. He'd be left with moves that Duraludon is resistant to instead.
But after that last move, Duraludon's certainly in danger. Raihan could, instead, take this opportunity to use Max Rockfall, a move that Charizard is doubly weak to. It'd be risky; he'd have to make sure that it takes down Charizard in one hit, because then he'd only use G-Max Wildfire, and this time on a Duraludon that isn't Gigantamaxed.
He thinks of all of this quickly, and then makes his move.]
One more! Blow away that fire of his, Duraludon!
[With that, Duraludon uses G-Max Depletion once more. The very foundation of the tower shakes with the power of it; it is, thankfully, a very strong tower.
With that last move, the power of Dynamax leaves Duraludon, leaving him facing off against the giant Charizard for one more turn. Even with his back against the ropes like this, Raihan doesn't lose his cool, nor does he feel intimidated. No, this is where he thrives.]
Alright, Raihan! Time to show our rival here how strong we really are!
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but in this tiny window of opportunity, charizard still massive and duraludon back to normal, leon knows he can do something here.]
You're forgetting that I can still pull something off! [and he will.
max rockfall, for example. not very effective, dangerous to charizard if the battle drags on, but he has to hope. like for a critical move.]
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Then Duraludon stumbles, letting out a weak cry before fainting on the field.
It was a critical hit after all.
It probably didn't help that Duraludon had been a little worn out from the previous battle, and that Charizard had still been Gigantamaxed for that move. If Duraludon were still giant, he'd be able to take it for sure, critical or not.
Raihan lets out a sigh as he calls his Duraludon back, deflating from his ready position and letting his arms hang down at his sides. Normally, he'd straighten right back up, but he lets himself stay there for a little longer this time.
Gah. No wonder Leon thinks the new Champion's all that. You still can't even beat him!
But he finally does pillow his head in his hands and lean back on his heels, though he can't help the pout on his face.
He got lucky, like last time. You'll get him next time. He would've gone down in one more hit for sure; you've got this.]
Well. [He opens his eyes, and the pout turns into another grin instead. The fire has never died in his eyes; it's as if the battle were still going on.] I still look good, yeah? Better take a selfie! [Which he does! Rotom comes zipping back to take another picture of Raihan, who poses with his hand on his chin.]
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and beckons with his hand, opening it. definitely expecting something to happen.]
I won, and as promised, you'll tell me what you've been planning, yeah?
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The adrenaline always makes him want to do something incredibly stupid, like grab Leon by the hair and pull him in for-
But he beats it back every time. Not appropriate, not allowed, chill out.
He walks over to Leon instead, a grin still on his face as he digs into his hoodie pocket once more for the papers he had flashed at the camera earlier.]
If I recall, the condition was to fight me with everything you had, not to win. [He shrugs,] And you did both, so I suppose you win the prize.
[Once he reaches Leon, he takes a moment to regard him and then, without breaking eye contact, slaps the papers into his open hand.
They're two plane tickets, both of them detailing a one-way trip to Hoenn. Below the tickets are brochures for not just Hoenn, but every region in the world. Still, even though he's put them in Leon's hand, he doesn't let go of them just yet. In case there's a refusal.]
Here you go!
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What's this then?
[plane tickets and brochures? he looks up at raihan, tilting his head like a confused yamper.]
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Cute.
Shush.]
A present from the Great Raihan! The rest of your friends and family, too.
[He lets go of the items to put a hand on his hip instead, leaning his weight on one foot with a tilt of his head, the very picture of relaxed. It's a lot, he knows, so he's prepared to be here for a little while.]
You're pretty good at hiding it, but you've been up to your bloody eyeballs in work, yeah? Staying long hours, not getting much sleep? It's not just me who's noticed, mate. [He gives a little wave of his hand as he explains further.] Your little brother came running to me about it, shouting something about how I'm your rival, I ought to do something! He's a lot noisier than you, I'll give you that. [He chuckles, though, as he says it, which shows the fondness he has for the kiddo as well as their conversation.]
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he opens his mouth, but actually doesn't know what to say. or even feel about this. yes, he's been working hard lately, because he wants the battle tower to be a success, and have something for trainers to work hard at during the off-season. and because he's just not the champion anymore, but he still needs battles in his blood. but...?
in the end, all he can say, stupidly, is:]
There're two tickets in here. [and they're both one way.]
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[He points a thumb to himself and gives a confident grin, and Rotom takes a selfie of him in that moment.] So I'm going along with you! You ought to feel honored!
[He doesn't mention how people caught him looking the same as Leon. How the damage done to Hammerlocke during Darkest Day 2.0 had been stressing him out, and the only reasons he agreed to this trip were the facts that the Gym Circuit was canceled for the year due to said damages, and Leon being involved. Repairs were costly and taking longer than planned, because people had been displaced from their own homes, him included, and they took priority over the gym. Thankfully, he's got a staff of his own who can run things and oversee repairs while he's gone, and the same goes for Leon.]
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sorry for the wait!