"Sure, why not?" Shay says after carefully weighing on whether or not he should toss a bit of caution into the wind. He remains unarmed, despite everything, stretching out a few kinks from his workout with Hawlucha then cracking his knuckles.

The bird eyes the Ponyta and when it seems that their trainer has no qualms about the two-on-two, seems raring to go.

It's the best way for them both to get stronger. "I accept your challenge."