"Hi there!" the young man waved back to William, raising his voice to make sure he could be heard over the wind. "Name's Josh! Great to meet you! I've been playing for just a few weeks myself. Still trying to learn the ropes. If we're both beginners, then this should be a good match."

Information> Combat Mode activated.

His UI lit up with all kinds of combat statistics that he better understood now. He had also studied his Pokémon's new moves, understanding just how stressful they were on the electric-types. He had so many electric Pokémon that he was looking into the Bolter class while he was waiting for William to send his two Pokémon out. Wasn't there a timer on this match?

Eventually he lost his patience. "Better decide, William, and fast! Raiden, Saber, let's show him what going fast is all about!" The two would cover the tower's roof quickly, lunging in Will 's direction with a blazing fast FLAME CHARGE and an even faster QUICK ATTACK. He would only have a split second to defend himself with his Pokémon!

This was exactly how Josh wanted to make his build: he wanted his Pokémon to be shock troopers. Even while he was still working on becoming a Bolter, his Pokémon were very quick; for the most part, they were quick enough to land attacks before their foes could even react. That Furret was also fast, just barely reaching its partner in time to absorb the Flame Charge. The attack, powerful and fast as it was, was also reckless; by dashing into the Furret head-on instead of at a slight angle, Raiden had crashed into and tripped over the normal-type, leaving him stunned. "Oblique angles, Raiden!" Josh shouted, though it was as much of a lesson to himself as it was his Pokémon.

Hearing the big crash as the Snivy feasted upon Raiden with GIGA DRAIN, Saber slammed on the brakes, his paws leaving four black trails between two of the pillars from electrified deceleration. Phew, adapting to such an agile Pokémon as a steed looked challenging, if not outright painful! "Right where I want you," Josh taunted Will. "FIRE FANG, Saber!" While many electric quadrupeds could deliver a nasty current with their jaws, a Manectric's was so intense that the voltage could outright ignite objects and Pokémon. Had the grass-type not adapted to the pace of the battle, those incisors might roast it from the inside out!

Outside UNOVR, Josh and his family were avid card players. There was a saying that went, "There's no friends at the card table." In the heat of competition, there were no friends. His fiercely competitive personality showed. Outside the arena, the blonde was a friendly soul. Inside it, though he would do everything he could within the rules of the game, and the rules of their battle, to win.

As much of a beginner as Will was, he seemed to be adapting to Josh's blitzkrieg style just fine. Every move looked like it sacrificed power for speed and accuracy, the MEGA DRAIN siphoning Saber's HP into Sniby's own. Saber was fast, but the grass-type appeared to be outlasting him.

With the two in a deadlock, Josh turned his attention toward the other half of the battle, Stripes and Raiden colliding with one another at amazing speeds. It was only the FLAME CHARGE that allowed Raiden to keep up with the speed, but not with the power of the normal-type's SLAM. "Raiden!" Josh cried as the Blitzle took a heavy CRITICAL HIT, trembling in pain. "You got this, Raiden! Now, DISCHARGE!" He was so invested in cheering the ailing equine on that he failed to notice Saber had let go of Sniby, galloping away in somewhat of a limp. His mane still crackled with electricity, a sign that a big electric attack was coming. Perhaps Will would see the readied SHOCK WAVE in his UI's attack queue...

Josh didn't think he fought that hard with Saber, but everyone's tolerances were different. The young man had not yet picked up the skill of matching the opponent's intensity to make sure both of them were enjoying the match. Winning was fun, yes, but it was more important that both sides enjoyed themselves. That way, they would both be winners in a sense!

Withdrawing his Pokémon, Josh gave young Will a gentle pat on the shoulder if he allowed it. "It's okay - you never know until you try! And who knows. Maybe you'll come around to them at a later time, when you have a more well-rounded team of Pokémon. Plus, if you want a legendary Pokémon, the Arena is the fastest way to get one. I'd love a Zapdos myself."

After offering pleasantries one last time, the tower faded away, Josh finding himself whisked back to the Arena lobby. He was one step closer to saddling up a legendary Pokémon. Little did he know that gaining possession of one would be the easiest step...