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The distance between Panpour and Zero had been created.

"Work up," Cress said and Panpour complied. He hopped around again and worked himself up more, his attack power rising again.

The Dark Pulse came and this time Panpour faced it head on with, "Water gun!"

The two attacks collided and exploded in the center of the arena.

"Go!" Cress ordered and Panpour launched himself forward, headed straight toward Zero with "Rock Smash!" prepped to strike.(not yet striking)

((My friend drew Henrietta for me, picture is up in the profile. Looks so cute!))

As the explosion occurred, N tipped down his hat to avoid getting dust in his eyes. He had to keep them sharp to give his orders. “Hide,” he whispered to Zero, who had jumped back.

Zero nodded. Before the dust had settled, the Zorua disappeared in a flicker of purple light that enveloped her completely. Panpour would run into the center of the arena and find nobody there: Zero had used her Illusion ability to become invisible. It was a technique she developed as an extension of her ability because she was shy. Humans made her timid, and so she constantly hid next to the only person in the world she could truly depend on: N.

The small fox crept around to Panpour’s left quietly, waiting until he was completely behind the water monkey. He hadn’t calculated how much stronger a gym leader would be compared to a normal trainer. And so he would make sure he and Zero pulled all of their tricks. N pointed at Panpour. “Dark Pulse!”

And the wave of black energy rings blasted at Panpour’s back, from about 5 feet away. Far enough that Zero could still remain in sufficient hiding, and close enough to get in a good shot.

Their first destination was the Pokemon center. It wasn't like they wanted to go there, but it was one of the only destinations that seemed logical to visit. Kali could at least get a check up if anything. The battle before had not done anything to her, but the boy felt like it would be a nice little gesture.

*

The Center was bustling and at that time of day, how could it not? Trainers of all types sat on the couches and in chairs, conversing about their travels and their Pokemon and their achievements; and what ever else trainers talked about when with one another; or at least, that's what Avan assumed anyways.

Walking up to the counter there was a small line and the Nurse Joy and Audino were hard at work trying to heal everyone's Pokemon. Finally his turn, he returned Kali to her ball and handed it to the nurse. She asked if this was his only Pokemon. "Something like that." Avan answered with a forced smile. He hated that term, "his Pokemon". They weren't his. He didn't own them. He felt it was so barbaric. How could you own another living being? Just because they were in Pokeballs didn't mean that they belonged to someone. Of course, this could be argued, but Avan usually just kept his opinions to himself. His Pokemon chose to travel with him. There was no forcing on his part. Coercion on Munna's, but that was a different subject. The nurse replied with a smile of her own and took the ball, saying it'd be about ten minutes. One nod later, and Avan went to find a place to sit. There were a few seats open, Which seat can I take? He wondered.

*

Avan chose a cushiony looking couch that had no one else sitting on it; and it was more comfortable than he'd thought it'd be. It was nice and he stared off blankly, looking at his surroundings, but not really looking. Unfortunately, not a minute later his comfort was interrupted by a girl plopping herself down and oddly close to him on the couch, startling him out of his stares. "Hi." She said, looking at him.

"Uh...hello." The boy replied. Ugh...

"I'm Narelle." Her eyes glistened, and Avan knew she would not be leaving anytime soon.

"Crown. It's a pleasure to meet you." A lie; but at least he didn't have to stop to think about using his nickname.

"Likewise." The girl shifted, looking away and back again. "So, I couldn't help but see you look a bit lost." Avan gave the girl a confused. She giggled. "You came in and it seemed like you were wandering...not to mention the blank staring." Busted, but he would not let her know know that. "Are you a new trainer? Let me see your Trainer Card." So demanding. How unattractive. Of course, her looks denied her statement. She was pretty, for a girl. Black hair in two tufts and two tails in the back with hair flowing in front of her face, dark complexion, and a soft face. Avan pulled out a card, handed it to her, and looked away. She glanced at it and saw what was up. The card was not a Trainer Card, but rather a regular Card. Something for ordinary folks to possess to keep track of their things, money, what have you. "You're not a trainer?" She asked outright, resentment in her voice. For what seemed like the millionth time that day, he defended himself.

"Nope. I-"

"How could you have Pokemon and not be a trainer?" The girl interrupted.

'Well, I don't own them, they just trav-" He wanted to say that Pokeballs were just convinient ways of traveling with them, but no such luck.

"I get it. You must be REALLY new!" She exclaimed. It was quite loud. Loud enough that she had attracted the attention of a few people near by. Stares. Avan hated them. Sure his style brought a few stares of their own, but he owned that. This was different. Stares you could not avoid; the uncomfortable ones. "Hmm..." She put her chin in her hand and thought. The "hmm" continued like she was in deep thought.

Oh Arceus...this won't end.

"You should visit the Trainer School!" The girl's attitude went from peeved to hyper in a split second. Avan had to look at her hair again to make sure she wasn't blond. But her statement reminded him of something. The school was where he first found information in Striaton City on the location of the Munna. How could he have forgotten? Surely he could learn why his attack didn't work on the Patrat. Yes. He was still on that. Not knowing something that might be simple information annoyed him. I'll need to go back there. I...forget where it is...

"-and if you leave the Pokemon Center and go..." She held up two "L" 's in finger form to her face, "right, you should see the Trainer School."

Did she just...? And was she talking that entire time?

"So how about it? After, you can even go and get yourself registered!"

She's so adamant. Avan waved the thought off in his head. "But I don't want-" The girl looked at him with a gleaming smile. Avan sighed. "Sure, sure. Will do." The obvious passiveness of the statement failed to phase the girl called Narelle.

"Great!" A sudden bing bong over the intercom and a call for her name. "Well, looks like I should collect my friends and get goin' " The word "friends" surprised Avan. She sat up off the couch happily, "Good luck newbie." That irked Avan, but she was gone by the time he thought of a comeback.

*

A few more minutes passed and the same bing bong that called Narelle away called for Avan. He collected the Pokeball and called the Yamask out from it's ball once again. Kneeling down, he looked Kali face to face. "There's some place I want to visit. Is that ok with you" Kali nodded. Avan thanked her. "Lets go."

((Sorry for being missing for so long. Internet and crap.))

Dali lashed out to strike again, but the Ducklett managed to parry the attack and somehow wedge the shell between its wings. Dali tugged at the shell and stumbled backwards - he then proceeded to angrily throw the shell at the Ducklett's forehead.

"OSHA!" it scowled. ['Oh shucks'.]

Eunmi smacked her forehead and sighed.

"You need that to use Shell Blade," she grumbled. "Water gun, get it back."

"To the ground," Eunmi said quickly, guesturing with her hands to suggest a dodge roll, but instead, Dali pointed the Water Gun down at the ground. The force threw the Pokémon back a step and out of range of the Wing Attack. Again, the water attack seemed to short fuse and the Oshawott stood awaiting another command.

"The shell," Eunmi said, pointing at the shell that was a few feet away. Dali quickly ran to the shell and grabbed it, pointing it aggressively at the Ducklett.

"Osha ...o oshawott!" it shouted. [Prepare ...to die!]

He rose the shell above his head, and a clear blue 'blade' extended from it as he slashed down, a men strike.

N understood now that both pokemon were on their last legs. With Panpour having used Work Up three times, the monkey's power was boosted two and a half times over. And given previous damage, Zero would not be able to take any more hits.

Panpour’s next move needs to be dodged, and then Zero will have her chance to finish this. If Zero is even brushed right now, this will be all over. But if she was maintaining position during Dark Pulse’s block, she should have gotten in front of Panpour now given the

“Detect.”

Sensing Panpour’s actions, Zero dashed forward from her current position, which was right in front of Panpour. Once again she dodged the Water Gun attack, this time flipped over it. As she was right overhead Panpour and her Illusion broke to reveal her true Zorua form, N swiped his hands out to the side, tilting his head up and smiling down at Cress.

This battle is mine.

“Pursuit.”

Zero flipped over and began to spiral down at Panpour headfirst in order to ram her skull into Panpour’s. With a snarl, she glared down at Panpour, her iris’s glowing a light red as she tightened her focus.

"Keep your hold," Eunmi said. "Both hands!"

The Oshawott held fast to its shell, raising its other arm to grab the shell and hold it in defense to the blast of water. He scuttled backward from the blast relatively unharmed, although the pressure of the blast left his right arm feeling a bit weary. He jumped back and to the side, out of the range of the Water Gun attack, huffing and puffing.

"You can do it, Dali," she cheered, just as she had to her comrades in sparring matches. She felt a bit sidelined, but apparently Pokémon training involved more coaching from the Trainer than a fighter needed in an individual match. She knew Dali needed more instruction than that, especially because she noticed the strain the attack had put on his right hand.

"Water Gun," she said. "Towards its feet, knock it off balance."

The Oshawott puffed up and then blasted a quick burst of water at the Ducklett's feet. Immediately after, almost during the same attack, it heard Eunmi call out again.

"Shell Blade, quick."

His attack wasn't strong, but if the Water Gun had knocked the Ducklett even a bit off balance, it might be enough chance for him to strike again, slashing forward at the duck's midsection.