a new vulpix sat on the ground quietly, big eyes attentive. while nina previously had opted for ekans and nidorina in work situations, the last one had left her with little trust in them.

this was also new territory. she’d never hunted anything before, but the scars had made it necessary to change up her skillset.

”mm… oh! yeah, there! look!” she whispered excitedly, shoving the binoculars in his direction and pointing.

NIKO MANNER

eyes a little wide with uncertainty, she took the binoculars back. what was her plan? wasn’t he supposed to be the one with the plan?

after a moment, she took looked through the lenses again, soon finding their prey.

”well... i guess we should get the jump on them, right?” usually, she, or her pokemon were the distractions. now, she needed to be in on the action. ”maybe your ditto could distract them, so we can take them by surprise?”

NIKO MANNER

its face really was stupid looking, but nina was getting used to seeing it in its various forms. she looked away again, towards the pack of wild dogs.

her brow wrinkled another moment as she reconsidered her approach, and reached for a second pokéball. ”actually... i have another idea.”

her heart pound and her palms sweat. she had to do this.

”we’re going to trap them.”

a mudkip was released, and they waded through the greenery ahead, feeling lightheaded with fear. ”split up,” she told the two at her feet. vulpix went one way, while mudkip went the other.

NIKO MANNER

she went with her mudkip, letting vulpix run to the other side of the pack.

”hey!” she called loudly to the mightyena. ”over here!” she tacked on a howl at the end, so they knew she was talking to them.

when it worked, and they were all headed towards her in one nice bunch, took a breath. here goes.

”mudkip, SURF!”

what started as a small orb of blue light in the axolotl’s mouth grew exponentially. it poured out, standing and cresting. it was no gyarados’ surf, but it was something.

”vulpix, freeze the water with ICE BEAM!”

an iridescent light blasted over the wild dogs, and into the wall of oceanwater threatening to fall on them. it stayed there, looming and crystalline.

”it worked!” but now they had to beat them to another angle. hopefully, vulpix would be able to hold them off on the other side long enough for them to get around.

NIKO MANNER

nina might’ve laughed, but she was already gone, on a mission to prove herself.

the rhyperior went faster ahead of them, and she smiled, seeing her plan come to fruition with their help. things were going to go right this time. she was sure of it.

however, a mightyena veered off from the pack and drew near to her on their way across, snapping with a growl. she yelped and tripped a step, listing to the side before facing it. her heart nearly stopped. she froze, eyes wide. even vulpix took a step back.

”niko?” she called, rising panic in her voice, but surely he was too far.

NIKO MANNER

a quick look up confirmed that yep, they were on their own. ”oh no...” with a look of realization and panic, she backpedaled, and her pokémon did the same—at first, until the little mudkip decided they’d given enough ground. it stamped its place in the grass and gave its best war face, declaring, ”KIP!”

more water soaked out of the ground like a squeezed sponge. the mudkip’s SURF lifted the mightyena from its footing with a startled yelp, and it was carried further away from them on a wave, which then dissipated back through the grass and trees. it left their would-be attacker damp and sprawled in the mud.

nina grinned. ”oh my god. good job, mudkip!” she looked up, yelling over at niko. ”did you see that?!”

but the mightyena was getting back up, and it was angry.

NIKO MANNER

nina was worried, but mudkip was already gearing up for another attack, taking the most ferocious stand it could muster.

”kip!” it threatened.

but pink shit was already on it. while relieved, with a fast-pounding heart, nina had a certain thrill in her eyes. a taste of battle, of success.

”we could’ve taken it!” she called, grinning. mudkip agreed aloud with a high-pitched yip, looking a little annoyed at the ditto-faced mightyena, probably for taking its kill.

NIKO MANNER