[attr="class","etop"]

[attr="class","econtent"]

❝ WE'RE DOING FEINTING PRACTICE today, ❞ the 'professor' informed, the line of her rod going slack as the hungry Remoraid soared up over the water, caught securely on her hook. She brought the rod around in a quick motion and the line tightened sharply, aiming to yank the airborne pokémon over the surface of the wooden walkway. The fish sailed through the air easily, fins waving frantically at its side as it twisted in the air to spit the hook from its mouth before landing with a wet ' THUNK ' against the ground. It squealed in dismay as it flopped helpless against the planks, unable to right itself properly in its stunned state.

[break][break]

Kitten was all too willing to wait. Fully aware of the disapproval attacking before his opponent was ready would bring he simply stepped toward the dumbstruck pokémon, thick silver fur bristling in anticipation. The Remoraid's eyes widened as it suddenly realized its awkward predicament, its body going limp against the pier as a wave of embarrassment struck. The pokémon worked quick to right its situation, its tail rising to give a powerful ' SLAP ' to the ground, shooting it up into the air where it quickly found its balance.

[break][break]

❝ Go. ❞ Noelani's even command spurred the Meowth forward, paws hitting the deck quietly as he threw himself forward. His eyes were sharp and focused, dead set to the Remoraid swimming low over the ground just ahead. The fish narrowed its eyes in turn, lowering its face as it watched the feline's movements with careful anticipation. Noelani, only just then remembering her role in the fight, reached slowly for her dufflebag, searching out her stopwatch.

[break][break]

It mattered little to Kitten whether his trainer was ready or not, no further command necessary once the training had been decided upon. The grey-furred cat skirted abruptly to one side in his speedy approach, a sharp clawed paw rising to strike the fish across its face. Remoraid shifted, ready, as its eyes narrowed itself in challenge toward its rival - but the swipe of its claws failed to come. Kitten blinked, half-lidded gaze widening a fraction as he stared toward the water type in a feigned realization. Remoraid, unconvinced, took the opportunity to try and withdraw, its mouth already opening in preparation for a shot of water to the cat's face. The move, however, seemed to be exactly what the Meowth had been waiting for, its claws moving sharply to tear down the fish's face.

[break][break]




[break]

Stunned, Remoraid faltered, bobbing back a short ways before blinking its eyes open quickly and steadying itself in the air. Its mouth opened wide once again as it tried again to strike Kitten with a Water Gun, but the feline was too quick.

[break][break]

The Meowth had followed swiftly after, his image flickering briefly before the Remoraid's eyes before appearing suddenly at its side, delivering a nasty blow to its ribcage by means of a vicious swipe of claws.

[break][break]




[break]

With a final, weakened cry, the pokémon floated down toward the ground, settling in a defeated slump. It was only then that Noelani found her stopwatch, pulling it from its hiding place among her things to glance over its face.

[break][break]

There was a thoughtful hum as she glanced to the unconscious pokémon, her pensive gaze drifting slowly back toward the sea. Fully aware of what was next to come, Kitten set his lips in a lopsided frown, rising to stand on his hind paws as he set a paw to his hip, bored stare easily reflecting what little humor he found in the situation.

[break][break]

Noelani didn't bother to spare her companion any words, setting her stopwatch at her side as she took up her fishing rod once again, baiting it and casting it into the sea.

[attr="class","etop"]

[attr="class","econtent"]

IT TOOK ONLY A MATTER OF seconds after the bait hit the water for their next opponent to make its appearance. The silvery line of the fishing rod went taut as its bobber ducked under the gently rolling waves, the quiet ' plunk ' against the water inspiring a change of posture from the impatient Meowth.

[break][break]

Noelani's eyes remained fixed to the sea as she pulled the rod upward abruptly, hooking the hungry creature below. Her feline partner settled back onto all four paws as he watched the ocean's surface in quiet expectation. His tail dropped slowly to one side as he took a small step forward, the sound of the hooked pokémon's thrashing tickling his ears.

[break][break]

With another sharp pull, Noelani drew back harshly on her fishing rod, hand cranking at its wheel to yank their next combatant out of the water.

[break][break]

The Poliwag in question came up all too easily, having moved to cooperate with the pull at the last moment. The tadpole pokémon twisted to snap the line in midair with a quick spin of its body as it soared up over the water, turning itself around to spit the hook directly between Kitten's eyes before falling right back into the ocean, sounding with a noisy splash.

[break][break]

A single eye winced closed as the metal bit made contact, the 'attack' more insulting than it was damaging. The corner's of the feline's lips fell lower as it stared blankly over the water, his master gathering up the torn line to inspect its breaking point. After a brief moment of allowing the empty line to hang in front of her eyes, Noelani's gaze fell toward the hook laying against the planks, her body rolling to reach out an arm and pull it into her hand. It was at that moment the very Poliwag that'd just assaulted the cat sprang up from the water, its feet slamming angrily to the deck as it swat its flimsy tail back and forth in irritation.

[break][break]

The tadpole puffed up its chest toward its opponent, sucking in a deep breath through its little pink mouth as it stamped its feet, tail moving quickly to slap against the pier.

[break][break]

❝ Go ahead, ❞ Noelani permitted, her attention on her hook as she turned it around carefully in her fingers, preparing to reattach it to her line.

[break][break]

Kitten rushed forward as the order was given, though with less intensity than his previous fight. Lids weighed low and lazy over his slitted gaze as he sprinted to shorten the distance between himself and the wild pokémon with a look of sheer disinterest. Poliwag took the feline's expression as an insult, waddling a quick couple of steps forward to meet Kitten head on in fierce determination.

[break][break]

The Meowth rose his paw sharply as he drew in close, razor-like claws revealing themselves and holding ready in the air, inspiring a slight hop to the side as the Poliwag aimed to shoot a blast of water point blank to the cat's face. The withheld attack proved to be little more than a farce as the claws came sailing down to cut the Poliwag short of its attack. Kitten's furry brows rose to pinch over his gaze in unimpressed disbelief as he carved angry red furrows between the tadpole's eyes.
[break][break]


[break]

Poliwag's tail stood stiff as its eyes screwed shut, its feet scrambling to carry its round body backward. A tear formed in the corner of its eye as it winced toward Kitten, mouth trembling as it fought back a whine. The Meowth showed no mercy in his approach, rising to two legs with a readied paw stretched out beside him as he shot toward Poliwag for a second blow.

[break][break]

This time however, the Poliwag was ready - or so it thought. The Meowth seemed to disappear in thin air just in front of the pokémon, causing the water type's eyes to widen as it glanced around, frantic.

[break][break]

Kitten reappeared in the air just in front of his target, bringing down his claws at an angle to strike once again across his opponent's face.

[break][break]



[break]

The researcher managed to tie the final knot at the eye of her hook just as her Meowth kicked off from the unconscious Poliwag's body, landing lightly on his paws as the wild pokémon collapsed against the deck.

[break][break]

Neither found any need for an exchange as the woman baited the reattached hook and flung it out into the sea.

[attr="class","etop"]

[attr="class","econtent"]


THERE WAS LITTLE ENTHUSIASM from the Meowth as the fishing wire went tight once again, bored stare searching the water for a clue as to who his next opponent may be. Whatever meager anticipation he had felt quickly dissolved however when the hooked pokémon was reeled up easily from the depths below, little effort put on his trainer's part to reveal a nervous, wiggling Magikarp caught on the end of the line.

[break][break]

Both the trainer and her pokémon sat there for a moment as they watched the fish dance weakly in the air, the sun gleaming against the gathered tears formed in its vacant eyes as it wobbled helplessly on its hook.

[break][break]

Noelani hummed. Kitten bowed his head, pressing his paw to the center of his flat face in disappointment.

[break][break]

❝ Hello, Magikarp, ❞ the trainer spoke softly, eliciting the slow rise of an incredulous one-eyed stare from the Meowth with his paw still covering half his face. The edges of his mouth dropped as his gaze drifted off slowly to one side, unwilling to challenge his trainer in her friendly greeting.

[break][break]

Despite the kindly tone the fish only wriggled harder, blank eyes screwing themselves shut as it fluttered in the air, fins wiggling feebly at its side as its tail flowed back and forth. It failed to gain any momentum, even with its earnest efforts.

[break][break]

A slender hand reached out to take the line into its fingers, guiding the Magikarp in toward her easily. Kitten's ear gave a sharp flick in jealousy as his gaze dragged back toward his master, watching intently as she set down her rod to gather the squirming fish into her lap, an arm wrapping around its orange-scaled body.

[break][break]

The trainer reached to the pokémon's gasping mouth, fingers working the metal hook from the creature's lip as it flailed a bit harder in her lap, wobbling back and forth against her legs in a fruitless attempt to work its way back into the sea. There were no gentle hushes or words of encouragement from the scientist as she finished her work and set the hook aside, hands settling at either side of the fish and causing it to go completely stiff, certain of its immanent demise.

[break][break]

Hoisting the bony creature off her legs she set it onto the deck, watching on in curiosity as the fish seemed to go limp at the unexpected retreat of her fingers. It didn't take long however for it to begin flopping against the ground, its torso squirming against the planks unable to effectively get it anywhere.

[break][break]

❝ He's coming with us, ❞ the scientist spoke as her attention turned toward her dufflebag, fishing out a pokéball before reaching to take her stopwatch into her hand. She didn't have to glance to Kitten to know he didn't approve.

❝ Begin. ❞

[break][break]

The Meowth's unbelieving expression faded quickly as the click of the timer hit his ear, gaze sharpening to center itself on the pokémon as his paw fell away from his face. Magikarp froze as its eyes met its opponent's, a bead of sweat rolling down its face as it held its breath in terror.

[break][break]

Kitten darted to the pokémon lying just beside his trainer, his sudden movement resulting in a leap that finally inspired a true act of desperation from the fish. Throwing itself wildly against the deck the pokémon bounced frantically in its place, fighting to get itself out of the way. Unable to move so much as an inch the attack landed on its intended mark with ease, claws sheathed as the Meowth dropped out of the air to slam a curled fist to the pokémon's temple - its victim finally gaining enough momentum to pull off its only attack.

[break][break]



[break]

Magikarp wriggled against the ground as the attack hit home, a swollen lump pulsing red just above one of its tightly shut eyes. Kitten, unharmed, hopped a short ways back, dark gaze honed on its opponent as he waited eagerly to continue.

[break][break]

Their battle was interrupted as Noelani reached out her hand to press the button of her pokéball to the creature's back, its body going stiff as its eyes snapped open at the unexpected touch.

[break][break]



[break]

The Magikarp's body was swallowed in a crimson ray of light, its form disappearing as the center of the orb in Noelani's hand lit up, glowing bright. The ball wiggled in her grip, both her gaze and that of her pokémon watching on for any sign of an unsuccessful catch.