[FIN] Being Better

[TawnyAngel]

Aulus glanced at Kailee and raised an eyebrow with the precision of a sniper's shot. "I certainly hope you will, or the light at the end of your tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train." He might have snerked or at least smirked along with the snark if he were talking to a friend but he didn't have that much good humor to spare for somebody who was not a friend, not today with his nerves twanging and thoughts he didn't want to examine skittering around his mind.

"And yeah, he does get STAB," Aulus agreed, "and that makes it all the better...." He had volunteered the information about Phaeth so there was no harm in elaborating a little right? "He was. I got him as an egg for my seventh birthday. He was stolen when I was eighteen. Got him back though, as you can see." He had spent quite a long time hugging Phaeth and sobbing like a baby when they'd got back to base, not that he would ever admit to it. He'd thought he would never see him again but there he had been, and here he was now. He would have Phaeth with him when he went on the mission; Phaeth and Tortie and Char- and yes the others too and... and it would be okay. It would. Right?

Phaethon snorted and wheeled around as the ground type's club smacked painfully into his legs. Flames flaring up the Rapidash went from a standing start to a gallop in the opposite direction but after a few strides he skidded into another 180 turn and charged back towards Fossil, now completely consumed in raging golden fire; Flare Blitz.

Aulus raised his eyebrows and nearly smiled, muttering something under his breath that might well have been 'show off'.  

[caffeinecraving]

She saw the look. She had hoped he would laugh. But instead she was being looked at like she was being overly frivolous. "Im sure you will find a train and drive it yourself?" She sank into a hip crossing her arms almost pouting.

She grinned and then nodded. "Yep. Better." She just grinned. "Thats really a cool story... Im glad you got him back. I would have been devastated. And then so happy." She watched the change in the Rapidash and then called out for Fossil to dodge. He was jumping out of the way when he was struck. And while it wasnt a very effective move on his ground type body. It was good enough to make him stagger and seem to slump. "Ok Fossil you did great come back now."

She wasnt going to push her pokemon to the feinting point. So he had won with Phaeth. Next match up. "Lets do it Brimstone!"

 

[TawnyAngel]

"Damn straight I will," Aulus replied. He didn't reply to what she said about Phaeth because... well, yeah, she'd hit the nail on the head but he wasn't going to go on about it because feelings.

"Alright Phaeth good job, you can come back for now." Calling his old friend back into his pokeball with one hand Aulus brushed the fingers of his other hand along the spheres until he located the one with the right pattern of bumps. Clipping Phaeth's ball back into place he expanded the next one and released its occupant.

Its large occupant.

The Lugia blinked and looked around the training room. he said to humans and pokemon alike.

"Yes," Aulus replied, "and I want to see what Brimstone there has, so don't get too gungho right away alright?" Sometimes it still felt odd to him to actually be able to hold a conversation with one of his pokemon partners; good, but odd.  

[caffeinecraving]

"Well aren't you just a barrel of sunshine..." She fell out of her pout and laughed softly. "Around you i will endeavor to be constantly gloomy and down trodden." She sorta knew she had gotten that right by his lack of response so she left it off.

She had brimstone out and he stood strong a snort of fire coming from his nose. Surprisingly he listened to Kailee very well. He was strong and he had a driving need to protect his fun loving bubbly happy, klutzy, trainer. He stood arms crossed looking like a bad-a** pokemon and then he tried not to falter at the first look of his opponent. He had to fight a Lugia? He blinked and then he was being talked to. He relaxed just a bit as the Lugia was being kind for the moment.

Kailee jumped slightly as she could hear the Lugia. "Hello!" She waved and then nodded along with Aulus' yes. She laughed. "Oh we can show them! Right Brim!" Brimstone nodded and then looked to the Lugia. "If you are ready... " She said more to the Lugia, hating to interrupt a pokemon when they were conversing. "Flame Charge!" Brim snorted and stomped his feet. Increasing his speed as he launched the fire attack to the other pokemon.

 

[TawnyAngel]

Barrel of sunshine? Aulus gave Kailee another very hard look. "If you don't like my attitude grunt you can find somebody else to help you out," he said acerbically, turning away from her again to focus on the battle; the battle was why they were here after all, he wasn't obligated to make small talk or anything.

The Flame Charge struck true, right into the Lugia's side. he said dryly but without rancour as his feathers smouldered.

"Hair, Asgard."

said Asgard with a flick of his tail in the equivalent of a shrug before turning back to Brimstone, ready for the next attack.  

[caffeinecraving]

She held up her hands. "Yes Agent Sunshine sir...." She was smiling waiting for him to reprimand her once more. She really was going to end up with a note on her file that she is inconsiderate to authority figures. "Im just picking a little... Im sorry... Please don't be upset with me... " She looked sincere in that she would stop if he truly wasn't going to play along. It was in her nature to defuse tense situations with comedy. Perhaps that's why she was clumsy.. she just acquired the trait as a means of coping.

Brimstone faltered slightly as he landed. He tipped his head and then Waited for another order. Kailee was hesitating to offer one. It was hard to attack something that spoke to you. She smiled. "Yes... thats Brimstone...This is Sissy" She motioned to the pink pokemon who was hanging back behind her. "And im Kailee... but you are more then welcome to call me or my plumage... sunshine if it pleases you..." She grinned and glanced to Aulus. He didnt understand fun... did he?

She saw that the lugia was ready for another attack. "This isn't much of a battle if you dont attack too..." She grinned and Brimstone nodded. He was ready for a counter attack. He wasnt one to shy away from a fight. "Brim... Use Assurance!" His fist glowed as he ran toward the lugia.

 

[TawnyAngel]

"Right," Aulus rounded on Kailee again, lips pressed close together and brows knitted in a scowl. "Because cheek followed by 'don't be mad!' is very mature, and it totally makes everything better. Try putting on your big girl panties will you?" Why had he volunteered for this? It was- it was stressful; being on, being with his guard up and all the time and- ugh. "Let's just focus on the battle shall we?" he muttered, looking back over at Asgard. Maybe it would be better if he relaxed and joked back, while maintaining proper professional divides of course, but... but no, he couldn't. He'd just met her, he didn't know her, he couldn't trust her.

Other than a half second pause Asgard's voice didn't change as he was struck but a yelp did escape his throat at the same moment, one of the advantages of psychic communication. he continued, giving himself a shake, Flaring out his wide wings the Lugia drew together a glowing blue-white ball of energy together and then launched it in an Aeroblast attack.  

[caffeinecraving]

Yep, even from across the field he could scare her. And it showed. She looked down, visibly submitting. "Yes sir... Very sorry sir... " Big girl panties... right. She looked back up, her eyes hardening. She wouldn't cry. She could be a cry baby at times but not now. Now she was focusing on the battle. Its what he wanted. She turned her blue eyes to the lugia. It would be easy to see that she was trying to hide the hurt that had come from that reprimand. "Well thank you Asgard..." She wouldnt be mean to his pokemon no matter how angry and aggressive he got. She heard the yelp and she cringed slightly. Poor thing.

Brim snorted and then moved. The other pokemon was fighting back. Kailee called to him. "Dodge it with a Flamethrower." Brim did just that. He met the attack with a flamethrower and it was working, until it was overpowered. He was sent flying and the super effective flying type move knocked him dizzy. Kailee ran to him to make sure he was alright. She smiled softly. "Its ok... you were doing really well."

She returned Brim to his ball. "Good shot Asgard... Come on out Boo! Its your turn!" The Shuppet appeared. "Asgard... Boo... Boo... Asgard" She smiled and the shuppet seemed to wave.

 

[TawnyAngel]

Had that been the wrong decision after all? "Good." Maybe it had been but it was made and he couldn't look weak by backing down. Now tense as a bowstring again Aulus watched the conclusion of that match up with satisfaction, quietly calculating how best to crush the next opponent as it appeared.

But he was here to help her.

Aulus tightened his hands on his arms a little, trying now to work out how to balance the two impulses. In the end he decided that really he just had to let one of them go and with an effort of will he uncrossed his arms, clasping them lightly behind his back again instead. "Well. Now we're got that sorted out let's continue." Maybe if he just moved on she would too, but with less of the mocking him in future.

Asgard replied with a bob of his head and a bass 'churp!' of greeting.

"Nu-uh, you're done for now," Aulus jerked his head at the Lugia, who shrugged and withdrew behind his trainer to watch. "I'll give you.... Char, I think." His and went to the right pokeball and promptly released its occupant who looked around with a growl and a flare of his flame before realizing they were in a training room and settling.

he greeted Boo with a slight bow,  

[caffeinecraving]

Kailee dealt with criticism...eventually. Being so harshly scolded though was new. She nodded at his good and she wouldnt joke anymore. Not until the day he decided to joke with her. Which in all likelihood wouldn't come any time soon. So she wasnt going to hold her breath.

And she appreciated him helping her. She was getting better thanks to him. She didnt think anything was sorted out. "Yes sir." Less mocking... yep... no joking... at all...

Boo did a little flip. The little shuppet laughed and seemed to get ready but then Asgard was called back. He flipped again. Kailee just waited. No more talking... no more chances to screw up. Boo wiggled and twirled.

Kailee smiled to Char. "He looks good today." It was more directed toward the pokemon rather then Aulus but she smiled. "Ok Boo! Will-O-Wisp Go!" Purple fire surrounded the pokemon and then shot out to Char.

 

[TawnyAngel]

Char ignored the orb of fire completely and Aulus gave a sharp whistle, causing the charizard to stay whatever attack he had been readying and await further instruction.

"Wake up Kailee, you can't give a fire type a burn!" the Agent exclaimed. It was a basic mistake to say the least, had he put her off her game that much? If she was that upset by him than how was she going to function on the mission? Had he really been that harsh?  

[caffeinecraving]

((*blinks* You cant burn fire types?! I sooo didnt know that xD I know Electric types cant be paralyzed but then again... the only fire type i ever use has Flash fire xDDD Soooo yeah cant get burned that way any way. That was majorly my fault ><))

Boo looked confused and looked to Kailee concerned. Why would he be told to do something that didnt work? Kailee blinked and seemed to start. What had she done? She frowned. "Sorry, Boo, My bad."

She frowned. It was just her natural instinct to use that first and because now she was over thinking being scolded she had just fallen into what came natural "Shadow Sneak!" Boo hesitated but then nodded and disappeared to reappear behind Char.

She really didn't know what she had been thinking right then.

 

[TawnyAngel]

((No worries!))

That was better, a quick accurate attack. Nodding to himself Aulus gave another whistle to Char, who turned to blast at the small ghost with a Flamethrower attack.

"Having a battle plan is good but don't fall into the trap of getting so rigid you go with it before you assess things," Aulus called over the roar of the fire. "It can be easy to get caught up in 'the plan' especially when you're on edge but you can't do that. If you do that on a mission you put yourself and everyone else in danger so you need to take a moment to breath and think. Unless you're actually being shot at, a second's delay is usually better than a bad decision." He would do well to remember that advice himself, to really hammer it into his head because he was going to be more than just 'on edge' when they struck out for that mothership. Calm. Think first. Trust his teammates, his partners... and himself. He was capable, he was good at what he did, he was! Izaya was wrong, he wasn't putting anyone in danger and he wasn't going to fail to protect Alex either. It was going to be fine. Totally fine. Probably weren't any Galactics around there anyway.  

[caffeinecraving]

She watched as Boo couldn't avoid the flamethrower. The ghost, being so close, took the full brunt and sank to the ground, out for the count. She recalled boo and ran her thumb over the pokeball. "Sorry Boo... if I had been thinking we wouldnt have let you get hit... " She tucked the ball away. "Solar... lets go!" Bulbasaur popped out of the ball and stood at the ready.

Solar glanced at the charzard. He would be concerned about what the hell Kailee was thinking if she sent him, a grass type, out against a fire. There was something to be said about heart... but Solar was obviously weaker... plus a type disadvantage. "Its ok Solar... you are gonna be up against someone else."

She just turned her eyes to him. "Yes... Sir... Sorry, Sir." And then she looked back to the pokemon as she waited for him to pick his next pokemon. Probably Paul... since that would be a bug against a grass. So she was already thinking about what to do in that situation.

 

[TawnyAngel]

Char gave a low chuckle and, after a glance at Aulus, he shook his head. he said as he was recalled.

This left Aulus weighing up who he should put forward. He could send out one of the ones who'd already been but that didn't quite feel as though it was in the spirit of what they were going for here. Discord? His only offensive move wouldn't be very effective, but it wouldn't be on the Charmander he knew was still coming too. Humm. Eventually Aulus shrugged and selected Paul's pokeball.

The small spidery pokemon appeared on the battlefield and immediately looked around for his allies. When he realized he was alone he gave an unhappy squeak and backed away from Solar.

As the bug gave ground Aulus sighed softly and held up a hand to Kailee. "Hold on there a minute," he clarified, walking towards Paul and halting just behind him so that the Spinarak bumped into his boot.

Paul squeaked, spinning around to see what he'd run into. he said, hoping that his tone would carry weight even though Aulus didn't understand him.

More or less catching the meaning - Paul did not want to fight by himself - Aulus knelt down before the bug and tapped him gently on the little horn on his head. "Hey, come on," he began, his voice losing the hard edge it carried when he addressed Kailee. "I know you're capable, but unless you stop hiding behind the others you won't realize that because you'll think it was all down to them. This is just a training battle anyway, I promise you're safe. Solar's not going to do anything that could really hurt you, right Solar?" Aulus looked up at the Bulbasaur, waiting for an affirmative.