Before Zilla had time to realize that the blaze was not only spreading in her direction but also being extinguished the same way, she was interrupted by a sight that filled her with overwhelming pride and joy: her soot-covered Mightyena and a pitiful pup in his maw. Her dark eyes widened and a toothy grin crept across her face. The larger dog, filled with a similar delight, wagged his tail upon spotting his trainer again. It had only been about a half hour since they were last together, but it had felt like so much longer. Even the Houndour, who hadn't stopped howling the entire time, seemed to calm down the moment she noticed Zilla.

[break][break]And yet, something immediately made Mightyena halt in his tracks and lift his tail in a show of dominance. Deep red eyes locked on the oversized fish as it warbled and bounced in place, unable to contain its own excitement. Whether it was thrilled about the arrival of new friends or the dying wildfire remained a mystery, but Zilla opted to intervene in order to prevent something undesirable from happening regardless. With some urgency, she stepped between Dracovish and Mightyena, one eyes still on the prehistoric creature in case it decided to charge again.

[break][break]"Easy, boy," Zilla said while reaching out to retrieve the Houndour pup. Mightyena didn't move, simply kept his gaze fixated on the blue beast. "It's an oaf," she explained, "But it's mostly harmless. Just keep your distance." The flame pup, now safe from the dangers of the forest and freed from her counterpart's teeth, licked her trainer's chin before trying to scramble free. "Ah! No ya don't. Not again," the indigo-haired woman huffed as she lifted up a pokeball and recalled the hyperactive Houndour.

[break][break]

+ Isaac Merlo in Fire Force

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Whether it was out of sentimentality for her childhood home or a greedy interest in snagging displaced Pokemon from the icy wastelands remained to be seen; but regardless of her reason, Zilla made a conscious decision to travel back to Oldale in the days following Kyurem's attack on the place. The grasslands she once wandered as a child had since become a tundra, a fact that — when paired with the frigid temperatures — sent a chill down the grunt's spine. The power that a single legendary Pokemon wielded and their capability for destruction was horrifying. Despite the unsettling truth, Zilla still hoped to find something of worth in the somber icelands.

[break][break]

+ Spawn 0 of 3, captured 0 of 1

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

When Talonflame wasn't hovering behind the group to reapply a gust of Tailwind, he was fluttering about the battlefield in a desperate attempt to help quash rogue embers without feeding the hungry flames with flying or fire-type moves. It was difficult, though. He couldn't do much without inadvertently making the situation worse or standing in the way and risking getting injured with a powerful blast of water.

[break][break]And speaking of injuries, he was still suffering from the encounter he had with Isaac's Kabutop's. Watson must have noticed that the avian wasn't at one-hundred percent because he turned away from the wildfire and cast Life Dew in the bird's direction. As the glimmering green droplet met with Talonflame's body, it pulsated outward like a sonar, striking Isaac and his trio of Pokemon in the process. Just like that, everyone was revitalized and the injuries both Talonflame and Poseidon had received over the course of their skirmish miraculously healed over. Maybe they weren't at full health, but they were pretty close to it.

[break][break]Grateful for the pick-me-up, the flaming bird twittered a few times before flapping its wings to strengthen the Tailwind in effect. Even Poseidon seemed in better spirits, for she turned toward Talonflame and gave him a nod of approval.

[break][break]If the duo were humans, they would have been more likely to hold a grudge against one another for the earlier misunderstanding; however, Pokemon were simple creatures who understood intent through action, and the duo were able to realize that they were on the same team — at least in their battle against the flames. Time would tell if that truce would continue after the forest was extinguished. But for now, that didn't matter.

[break][break]Back in the clearing, Zilla watched the skies for the return of her Talonflame or for a shift in the smoke that would give her a clue as to what was happening deeper in the forest. While the bird did not return, the billowing black clouds were soon joined by light grey ones. Someone or something was working on putting out the flames. The Dracovish's trainer? The water-type wildlife? A group of rangers? Whoever it was appeared to be making significant progress, which helped put the grunt's mind at ease, though she still silently worried for her partners who were no where to be seen.

[break][break]

+ Isaac Merlo in Fire Force

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Ritual had never been one to shy away from customers with questionable intent, so it stood to reason that such immoral people would find some comfort in drinking within its walls, especially considering how the rest of the city seemed to act as a hub for League activity. This bar was something of a safe haven for criminals and Rocket affiliates alike. Certainly other locales in downtown Slateport offered similar sanctuary, but there was none as beloved by Zilla as Ritual. While nursing a bourbon highball, she kept one eye on the door, half hoping to spot an easy target and half hoping to see a familiar face.

[break][break]

+ jayden cross, itty bitty starter!
[break]+ Located at Ritual for the NYE Bar Crawl.

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

What was originally excitement upon seeing a friendly face in the middle of such a dangerous predicament turned into pure elation when Isaac uttered Zilla's name. He'd hit the nail on the head. Mightyena's tail begin wagging even faster and he broke into a frenzy of sharp barks that seemed to say, "You got it! I'm Zilla's partner! It's so good to see you again! I'm happy! I'm happy! I'm happy!" However, the noise came to an end soon after Isaac began scratching him behind the ear. The dark canine leaned into the man's touch and gently licked his wrist, show appreciation for the pets.

[break][break]When Isaac explained that this wasn't the best time for a reunion, Mightyena pushed off the grunt's chest and focused up. Right. Business first, play later. The forest was on fire, and though the inferno was being held at bay by the water-types, things were still chaotic and Zilla's trio were still caught in the thick of it.

[break][break]Mightyena cast a glance toward Talonflame and Houndour before trotting over to their side. As he approached, the bird lifted a sore wing to reveal the frightened pup, whose cries had turned into nervous whimpers and whose playful demeanor had been completely overtaken by wide-eyed fear. Mightyena silently reached down and gently grabbed Houndour by the scruff of the neck. The dark canine then met Talonflame's gaze, woofed deep in his throat, then looked in Isaac's direction. The man appeared distracted by his battle against the flames, so it was better not to interrupt.

[break][break]With that, Mightyena broke into a sprint, heading away from the fire and back toward the road where he last saw his trainer.

[break][break]Talonflame, meanwhile, stayed behind with Isaac. Though still aching from the fight with Poseidon, he pushed through it and flew into the air, not so far that he could no longer be seen above the canopy but still high enough to get a good vantage point over the wildfire. Isaac's Pokemon were certainly making a dent, though the flame were spreading almost as fast in the opposite direction. They'd need to pick up the pace if they wanted to quash the entire thing.

[break][break]The fire bird descended again, hovering only a foot or two behind the fire-fighters, and began flapping his wings rapidly. Despite this, he didn't rise or fall in altitude; he remained in mid-air, his wings beating ever faster and a small billow of wind gathering in the immediate area. To an inexperienced trainer, it may have looked as if he was preparing to attack the trio from behind — and, in a way, he was.

[break][break]Provided no one interfered with his efforts, he'd continue until the air grew lighter and a push of wind from behind made everyone's movements a fraction faster than usual (Tailwind). It may not have been much help against the fires themselves, but the new levity in the atmosphere would hopefully help Isaac's Pokemon extinguish the flames at an even faster pace.

[break][break]

+ Isaac Merlo in Fire Force

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

What did Zilla know about the current situation?

[break][break]Daisuke worked for Benoit and had stepped away from the property in search of a wild Pokemon that fled before the guards could deal with it. No one got a good look at it, save for a vague description that it was quadrupedal and managed to leap over the fence — correction, the gate. No colors were given. Nothing regarding a size estimation. Not even a comment about how it happened to slip away from experienced security. Had it used any attacks? What was it after? The livestock or something else? Did it act with intent or a primitive hunger?

[break][break]All were questions Zilla considered asking but ultimately opted against. This guy, Daisuke, wasn't the most social and there was still the possibility that he really didn't even know what they was looking for. If he did know anything more, he was keeping it close to the vest. Perhaps he was simple-minded, and he hadn't bothered asking the guards for more information before beginning the search. The grunt stifled a snicker at the thought that perhaps his low intellect was why he was a lowly farm-hand, hired to scoop manure and bathe dirty livestock.

[break][break]After Benoit's Pokemon displayed their brute strength felling a Hydreigon, Daisuke welcomed her to aid in the search for the mystery assailant. "Alright, I will," she huffed, "Why don't you lead me to the gate it jumped over?" Mightyena were known for their bite, not their tracking abilities, but they were still predatory canines, so they weren't completely helpless when it came to locating prey. Zilla's partner may have been able to use his nose to pick up a scent. It was worth a shot. Better than standing around and talking in circles, at least.

[break][break]

+ Thomas Benoit
[break]+ Pass on both Pokemon

[attr="class","pokeclass"]