the plan is solid enough, even if it leaves room for error. it's the best shot they have at grabbing their guy. as much as sterling hates to say it, the police can deal with everything that comes later. the crime is hardly one worth suffering for, they think, but what the boy did was dangerous. it's not all fun and games like it is on TV.

and so it is that sterling, in their ridiculous video game plumber get-up complete with fake mustache, ends up guarding one of the exits. their kirlia waits just outside the door. sterling watches as the culprit notices ever coming towards him, and makes an immediate beeline for the nearest exit. before he can go, sterling steps in front of him.

this does little to deter him. the young man just shoves them aside and starts to hurry out. sterling's reaction is slow, but lancelot's isn't. the kirlia immediately seems to duplicate itself, standing in the way of their detainee. he hesitates, unsure whether it's an illusion or not, and that gives sterling enough time to recuperate and grab him by the arm.

"b... busted." their voice is barely above a mumble. by now, ever will likely be arriving to help hold him until the police can come.

[ ever blackwell ]

their kirlia stays by their side, though it gives the party an inquisitive look. "teleport? no, but..." they rub some of the light stubble on their chin, catching ever's drift almost immediately. "he does know double team." it won't be the same, but they might be able to trick their wily opponent into thinking he's in more trouble than he actually is. "i think... we could probably use that to our advantage, yeah?"

even a moment's hesitation would give them a chance to catch the culprit. he'd probably get off with a major scolding afterwards, and maybe he'll get written up. it's not like he actually hurt anyone... though that was mostly thanks to sterling and ever's quick thinking in how to resolve the situation. "if you can chase him over to me and lancelot, we can cut him off. double team should make him hesitate long enough for you to nab him."

[ ever blackwell ]

they manage to keep everyone away from the punch bowl, somehow. normally sterling isn't this assertive, but this is their job and they're not going to risk getting in trouble by allowing this to happen. they have no idea how strong the alcohol is, but more importantly just about everyone here is underage. it's their responsibility to make sure nothing illegal goes on here, so even if that means they have to be a stick in the mud, they'll still do it.

"i bet that guy who told us about the fire knows something," sterling says, on roughly the same wavelength as ever. "do you remember what he looks like...? i'm gonna go dump this punch in the bathroom." they lift the bowl up, and it's a lot heavier than expected. instead of risking dropping it, sterling calls their kirlia out into the room, and he carries it using psychokinesis so they can get rid of the spiked punch.

the boy who warned them about the fire can be seen lurking on the edges of the crowd. if he sees ever coming for him, he's going to run away.

[ ever blackwell ]

sterling curses with a mouth full of food, swallowing early enough that the unchewed chips scrape their way down their throat with their sharp edges. they put the plate down, figuring it's not important enough to guard. "yeah, let's go," they agree, pulling nervously at the red cap on their head. they take a few steps toward the bathroom, where they can see wisps of smoke emerging. it doesn't seem like the fire is particularly large-- just a trash fire, maybe?

they follow after ever for a few steps, and then pause. some premonition or instinct causes them to glance over their shoulder at where they had been standing. the girl from earlier is there now, and she's twisting the cap off a water bottle. here, sterling immediately stops walking, and they watch in a daze as the girl pours the contents of the bottle directly into the punch bowl.

eventually, sterling finds their tongue again. "HEY!" they can't help but yell, starting back towards the table. the girl jolts and scampers away, melting into the crowd. sterling twists around to yell at ever, "go put out the fire! i'll deal with this!"

though... they have no idea how they'll deal with this. the culprit is gone, and the punch bowl is contaminated with... something. when they reach the table, they realize it reeks of alcohol. great. for now, they guard the bowl and send off anyone who approaches with intent to drink any of the spiked punch.

[ ever blackwell ]

sterling feels heat rush to their cheeks, and ducks their head in embarrassment. they return both their pokemon to their balls and bashfully run a hand through their hair. "...sterling," they mumble. in the heat of the moment, they'd kind of forgotten their helper here was... what, twice their age almost? awkward. "it... wasn't that big a deal... i-i'm only a rookie, after all..." they're extremely new to this whole 'ranger' thing. if this were a proper battle, they'd probably have lost. but thankfully, the wingull turned out to be pretty bird-brained.

they scuff a croc on the sand. "thanks for all the help... i probably wouldn't have been able to manage it on my own." and that's a fact! they really ought to consider asking for help with their ranger duty stuff more often, instead of being desperate to prove themself.

"i better report back to hq though," they say. "...and then report to my dad. he's probably worried sick." as usual.

[ Victor Haas ]

sterling wields their charjabug with a vengeance, shooting sticky webs out at each wingull that dares to pass the threshold. it's not unlike a fixed shooter arcade game, as the wingull fly through and sterling shoots them down. their wings get tangled up in the web and they can no longer fly, even if they can still walk, and that gives them a severe disadvantage.

meanwhile, their kirlia uses psychic on the ones that sterling and victor aren't able to hit. it's a good thing the birds are too focused on their potential meal to realize it would all be over if they just focused their attacks on the two humans and their pokemon. instead they continue to frantically rush forward only to get shot down every time.

it feels like forever, but the whole process only takes a few minutes to knock down all the wingull. once they've taken one hit, they slow considerably, making them an even easier target even if they manage to break free.

the last of the tirtouga reaches the waves. from here on out, it'll be up to them to survive. at least they've been given a chance at life they wouldn't have had without the two standing guard on the beach here.

[ Victor Haas ]

"mmh," is sterling's only response. they're watching the girl as well, though she seems to just be conversing with friends now. they let their attention slip away, telling themself they're just being paranoid. it's kind of their job to be paranoid here, but even so... it's a party, right? there's no problem with indulging themself a little.

they decide to grab a plate and fill it up with chips and cookies. they munch thoughtfully as they stand guard beside ever. "our move was kinda sudden too," they say. "so i guess we kinda got that in common." at least the food here is good. there's a punch bowl nearby in case sterling needs a drink, too.

they offer the plate to ever. "want any?"

but before they can get a proper response, someone rushes over to them. "i think someone started a fire in the men's bathroom!" the teenager explains frantically. "can you guys go check it out?"

[ ever blackwell ]

this is bad. they hadn't expected so many wingull. it's not like they have to save every single tirtouga, but letting even one go is something they're not sure they can emotionally handle. and they're the ranger in this situation, despite the age difference, so this is their responsibility. they have to handle it, even if it's just to prove to themself and the ever-doubting voice in their head that they can handle it.

think, sterling. you don't have to beat them all in battle. you just have to stop them.

a lightbulb goes off.

they grab another pokeball and release their charjabug. the bug type remains motionless, not giving any indication it even recognizes it's been freed. but that changes when sterling gives their command. "use sticky web on the wingull!" immediately, joan shifts, and from her mouth comes a shot of sticky webbing that ensnares the nearest wingull. the bird type struggles, but can't free itself.

yes! this will work! they grab the charjabug and aim it like a weapon. we can do this!

[ Victor Haas ]

they don't respond right away, still doubled over from the pain. underneath them, another baby tirtouga bursts out of the sand... and then another, and another. it seems the hatching is well underway now, as they struggle out from underneath the safety of sterling's soft, squishy body and towards the ocean, unaware of the danger.

the wingull that assaulted sterling changes focus just as sterling regroups. "i-i'm fine!" they manage to grunt. they maintain their grip on their pokeball and send out their kirlia, who pirouettes as it comes to rest on the beach. the wingull has turned its evil eye away, and that makes it a prime target... "use hypnosis!" lancelot faces the bird and leaps, coming to stand directly in front of it. as the two eye each other, the wingull starts to feel sleepy... and then it passes out then and there.

but it's not enough. there's more wingull coming, hungry and vicious. the first tirtouga reaches the shoreline in the meantime, and dives in. that's one down... many, many more to go.

[ Victor Haas ]

sterling blinks slowly. it's not like hoenn has any shortage of people who aspire to do good, but... somehow, they still don't expect to get much help in something so small from the civilian populace. civilian populace, sterling scolds themself. you're talking like you're already some big shot ranger... this is only their second mission, and their first solo mission at that.

well, not solo anymore. "...sure?" why the heck not? "just try to avoid damaging the beach... we don't know what other pokemon are living here, after a--"

the time for talk is abruptly over. a babny tirtouga, tiny and fragile, bursts out from under the sand. and just as abruptly, one of the wingull launches itself as the poor thing. sterling fumbles their pokeball, and realizing they'll be too late to intercept with their kirlia, dives right for the wingull themself, blocking off its route. the bird squawks and slams into their chest. sterling lets out a cry of pain and falls backward, still shielding the tirtouga with their body.

[ Victor Haas ]

after a moment, sterling relaxes. if somebody wanted to attack, they'd probably have done so while their back was turned... so this really is just some older guy concerned for the well being of their poor, frozen legs.

they crouch back down. "these eggs are about to hatch," they explain, though they're mumbling under their breath, embarrassed at how they reacted. "wh-when they do, uh... i need to protect them." once the hatching starts, the beach will swarm with predators intent on picking off their prey. sterling doesn't have to save every single tirtouga, as morbid as that is, but they do have to ensure the majority make it to the deeper waters where they'll be more mobile. from that point on, it's up to the turtles to save themselves.

already they've noted some wingull lingering nearby. they put one hand on their kirlia's pokeball in case the bird pokemon decide they're tired of waiting. "i'm... er... a pokemon ranger. kinda." just a rookie, which is why something this simple is being left to them. maybe one day they'll have enough street cred to tackle the more difficult cases. "so. yeah." they shove their hands into their pockets, still holding onto that pokeball, while refusing to make eye contact with victor.

[ Victor Haas ]

wow, and sterling thought they were a debbie downer. when ever catches the girl's wrist, sterling flinches, pulling back. she mentions thinking that they were lonely, and sterling feels their face heat up under their usual exhausted expression. they look away, embarrassed, not saying anything as they freeze up. once the girl is gone, sterling shuffles their feet awkwardly, staring at the floor.

"...this is where mom and dad met for the first time," they mumble. their mother was from hoenn, and their grandparents lived here before they died. there's no extended family here for them now, but sterling's dad is the nostalgic sort. "a-anyway, he got a job offer... and he doesn't keep up much with current events." it's not like they can just up and move now that they're here... they spent pretty much all their savings in the move, so there's nothing left to do but try really hard not to get involved with the region's seedier underbelly.

sterling glances around the room. the girl from earlier is still watching them, they think. in the distance they can see her glance at them and then away very deliberately, like she's trying not to get caught. they wonder if there's something more to her intentions than just 'thinking they were lonely'... something to do with the table of food they're standing by, maybe?

[ ever blackwell ]

sometimes nature needs to take its course, but not today.

sterling's out here in board shorts, prepared to take a dive in the water if necessary to protect the baby tirtouga slithering down the sands. they don't want to get wet, but tirtouga aren't exactly the most common pokemon. having been resurrected from fossils, they're considered rather endangered, and so it's necessary to protect their spawning grounds when the eggs hatch.

granted, being in a new era they seemed confused as to when they're supposed to be laying their eggs, meaning "hatching season" can be all year round. once a new nest is discovered, the nearest ranger is sent a message letting them know when it's time to move out. sterling is well adapted to the cold, thankfully, being from galar, but they're still shivering and watching. nothing's hatched yet, but they can tell it'll be soon, as the eggs wobble.

they hear the crunch of footsteps approaching them. sterling whirls around, suddenly on the defensive. "d-don't come any closer!"

[ Victor Haas ]