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Sal remembered Hazard when she was a Gastly. I ******** hate Ghosts. "Get outta here."

Hazard flew off. Salieri had an itch on her butt that she desperately wanted to scratch, but couldn't with Zack around. Yet another reason why the Chatbot's operator was the most heinous villain she had ever faced.

"As long as we're waiting for this search to happen, I wanna get my gym match out of the way." Sal looked to Zack. "You can watch, I guess."

"What, with a man shaped wart attached to my right hand? I think I'll manage." Salieri needed those badges. She thirsted for them. They were her ticket to the league, which was her way to the nobility and the way to save her father. She had her pride, but she'd battle naked if she had to.

Sal rose an eyebrow and grinned slyly. "For someone who doesn't seem to care what people think, you care a lot about what people think."

Sal was about to tell him exactly what kind of image he was maintaining, but the more they argued the more time they wasted not being in the Gym. She recalled Reynard. "I'm gonna prove you wrong."

Shalour City Gym

Salieri found herself back in the Gym she had trained in earlier, just as crowded as before. The rail system that was made for rollerblade grinding had shifted into new loops and positions, and the colors lights on the rails had changed as well. Sal wanted to get her grind on, but alas, she'd have to wait for her lesser half to be cut loose.

"Korrina!" Salieri yelled, cupping her hand around her mouth. "Let's do this!"

She got stares from many trainers who had been patiently waiting to fight Korrina all day. The Gym Leader herself came out from behind the elevated platform that served as the main arena in the middle of the Gym, grinding a rail on her way over and hopping off in front of Sal and Zack. She braked to a sudden stop.

"I didn't think you'd show so soon!" said Korrina, flicking a thumb across her nose. "You finally ready to battle?"
"I was ready to battle, now I'm ready to win!"
It was hard to look tough holding hands with someone else. Korrina looked Zack over. "And who are you? Emotional support?"
"He's actually a large child," Sal chimed in. "I'm his babysitter."

"If I do lose, it's gonna be your fault. I mean, I won't lose. I mean, shut up!" Zack would start to feel flustered, because that's how Salieri felt. "Can I battle you now or do I have to wait in line?"

"Rules are rules," Korrina mused, ignoring their hand-holding predicament. It was none of her business and it seemed like a weird, touchy subject. "Buuuut I make the rules around here, so yeah. Come on up."

The decision was met with groans from the surrounding trainers. "Oh, pipe down," said the Gym Leader with a flick of her wrist. "This will be quick."

She led Sal and Zack up the stairs to the large square arena. There were posts at each corner that held up tightly wound ropes, creating an environment like a boxing ring. Perfect for the up close and personal style of most Fighting types. "One on one okay? I'm trying to keep this brief."

"Ohhhhh it will be," Sal asserted, releasing Reynard with her good hand. The Vaporeon stretched on her haunches as spotlights centered on the arena.

Salieri had heard of Hawlucha before, but she had yet to see one fight in person. She had once considered the luchadore for her team, but that was a long time ago. What she did know was that it was part Flying type, and Reynard had Ice moves to take advantage of that.

"Stop staring at Pokémon dicks," Sal harshly whispered to Zack. "...I don't know, they might be related..."

Reynard started to slowly circle around Hawlucha in a predatory, low stalk. [No beatdown looks good, bird brain.] She tilted her neck, cracking it. [This is gonna be a short broadcast.]

As was customary, the first move was Salieri's. Ice Beam would be her primary offensive tool, but she needed to gauge what Hawlucha could do first in case the bird could get an easy drop on Reynard. Setting up some level of defense was a safe bet. "Reynard, Aqua Ring!"

[LAME!] Rey barked back, churning a Scald in her cheeks and blasting the boiling water beam at Hawlucha without a second thought.

Salieri ignored Zack's quip, trying to concentrate on a way to attack successfully. Hawlucha didn't seem as punch-y as other Fighting types. Reynard was playing right into his tricks. "Fine, just hit him!"

Reynard found the Encore much harder to ignore. The bird's taunts served to make her more aggressive. [If that's what you want!] she growled.

The Vaporeon turned into water, activating her quicker Seine mode and launching her Scalding body at Hawlucha for a full on charge. Up close and personal was just fine with her.

Knowing all too well how water conducted electricity, Reynard was forced to become solid again in order to avoid getting shocked, sidestepping her own trail. Her stats went back to normal, including the boon Seine gave her Defense.

"Nobody asked you," Sal snapped back to Zack, having no better or constructive response. He was right. Reynard had been unruly since she had been caught, only listening to the most basic of offensive orders. All she cared about was winning, and doing it fast.

So Sal decided to adjust. If she could play to that trait, maybe she could make the playing field even again until she could formulate a better strategy. "Keep up the pressure!"

That was something Reynard could live with. She fired another Scalding beam at Hawlucha while jumping up and onto the ring ropes, continuously hopping lightly on them to retain some momentum. She expected Hawlucha to dodge it like he had before, and if he did, she'd take control of the missed attack with her hydrokinesis and swerve it around to return for an attack to his back.

Reynard wasn't going to give up her attack to dodge some sissy looking cartoon heart, allowing it to hit her as she kept up her returning Scald. He still wasn't impressing her...well, actually, maybe a little. It was his arms. They were so well toned. And his beak was curved in a very unique way. Exotic, even.

Before the Scald could strike Hawlucha's back, it fell to the arena floor, a puddle of hot water. Reynard looked away, cheeks tinged pink. [You think you're cool, or something?] she muttered to herself, hoping that he heard her.

Salieri ignored Zack as best as she could, but he wouldn't be able to ignore the feeling of embarrassment coming from Sal as she put a hand up to her face, watching the battle from between her fingers. "Oh my god..."

Infatuation was an incredibly hard status to deal with. There was a high chance that Reynard would be too lovestruck to attack. Salieri needed to move those odds into her favor, and go with the flow of the match. "You know what Hawluchas love? Big wet hugs!"
Rey's ear fins perked up. [Shut up. No they don't...do they?]
"Give him your love, Reynard!"

So Reynard turned back into water and leapt at the soaring Hawlucha with a speedy Yser attack, trying to bring the bird to the floor. And if she did she'd follow up by...turning solid, lounging next to him and trying to cuddle.