a disturbance in the air pressure emanated the sound of falling trees. one by one, in the direction the woman chose to look, she could several pine trees collapse. emerging from that direction and into their scenery was a GENGAR being tackled by the raging aura of DRAGON RUSH. the pokemon, knocked out, would come to be stood over by a GARHOMP.

screaming its warcry, a ball would come to emerge from the direction it came. returning the dragon-type casually, the ball would come to be caught by none other than former elite member, mateo. "nice job, gar." having just finished his own assignment, it would seem as tough he'd just interrupted another. "yo!" a single hand, the one wielding garchomp's build, had risen. greeting the frightened woman, mateo would come to take notice of her dragonite.

normally that would excite the dragon master, but lately he wasn't feeling like himself. so, for now, he merely disregarded it. "you must be the deliverer. if you're too frightened," he'd extend his hand, "you can pass the pokemon to me." his assignment wasn't exactly to escort the castform, but he was told beforehand that someone would need assistance clearing. it would seem that person was her.

"unless you wanna finish it yourself, i'm just here to play clean up." the ghost pokemon here weren't exactly friendly, some even dangerous. it's a good thing that the league chose to send someone more older than a child, "mateo, by the way." he introduced himself.

skyler dross

"well aren't we a tough one?" he teasingly taunted. mateo followed behind, but kept his distance. "being a fisherwoman and all, it's no surprise." though she may not have been familiar with a former member of the elite four, he knew enough that was needed about the woman herself.

"you're no stranger to me, lady pirate." he didn't exactly know of the woman, but he's seen a fair share of information on her. some reports detailing about some treasure hunter based in lilycove who once worked with one of league's finest oceanographers. apparently she led some underwater expedition once or something. ether way, she well reputed to be trusted from what he was told. "i find it strange, lady pirate, that you're willin' to accompany a task like this." it had nothing to do with the sea, just a simple escort.

this was beneath her expertise. "this has nothin' to do with water, so what made you wanna do an escort assignment?" did she even officially work for the league?

passing skyler and her dragonite, he would come to lead the way. "just follow me," mateo said, signing with a gesture for her and her pokemon to follow. this wasn't his first time doing this. escort assignments were a casual thing for him these days as he slowly continued to get up on his feet. as he walked, the woman would if he had just so happen to be a ranger.

"not exactly."

it started off that way when he first came to hoenn. since then a lot happened, a lot changed. "i use to be a gym leader back in johto, then when i came here a ranger for sometime, and soon after i became an elite four member for this region." and then there was the incident, "but that career was short-lived for awhile. i could always go back, but..." he'd come to halt, groaning as he'd massage the nape of his neck, "too much of a hassle right now."

mainly due to his mental health.

"besides i got some other stuff to deal with, starting with my people: meteor village." the draconid people to be exact; his mother's side of the family. "anyway, it's not that hard. i don't exactly work for the league at this time, more of a volunteer thing at the moment. i can easily get access on someone as long as FERNANDO SILPH's has them on record. the guy's got an eye for detail." they don't call FERNANDO SILPH the "one-man army" for nothing.

skyler dross

"c-cut it out, idjit..."

the female's teasing caused the dragon tamer to utter a word that was known to be his catchphrase—idjit. something he would say out of surprise, embarrassment, or annoyance. it had been sometime since he'd said something that was a reminiscent of his former self.

it was nice.

it was then that the seawoman would inquire about meteor village. "let's keep walking," mateo said, continuing, "it's an...interesting place, beautiful really." and hard to find on your own.

the seawoman carried on. mateo listened as she spoke with familiarity, she understood. she understood the need to getaway. though their reasons may differ, "...in the end humans need space to find themselves, or somethin' like that." spewing anything wise wasn't exactly his forte. even so, mateo has come along way since his arrival to hoenn; it's been a time, with time comes experience, and with experience wisdom.

"i'm taking a shot in the dark, but..." he'd stop once more, "...you're able to leave this place and sail the world, why remain here?" cerulean orbs stared into skyler dross's own. full of wonderment as to what kept her at bay, what was the anchor holding her here?

every woman in his life was noting but trouble.

there was something about her that slightly annoyed him, though in a good way. mateo couldn't exactly put his finger on it, but she definitely had the personality of someone familiar to him. that was going to bother him for awhile, but for now he'd toss it into the back of his mind.

his gait came to an abrupt halt. mainly due to the question that brought about a saudade feeling. before he could have time to relish in that feeling, she continued and mateo listened. as she spoke, he would absorb. he would understand every word spoken. as they stood together with every word skyler dross spoke. her words were full of a strange, somber feeling that withheld a teetering happiness within them.

his mouth came slightly agape.

shaky cerulean eyes glistened among the slanted lights peeking through the trees. it was as if her words had made him realize something, and that moment he, too, had seen the persons he reminded him of. a soft exhale would bring about a smile. "i don't think the league, or hoenn even, could survive without their number one seawoman." he'd continue to move, poking fun all the while.

"man," mateo would come to fold his arms, "now i have to think of a nickname for you, and it has to be cool." had she been curious as to why, he'd tell her. "if you're going to become some famous seawoman someday, whenever you decide to leave us. i wanna be able to tell people that i was the first to meet and create a totally awesome nickname for you." mateo, once more, would stop to think long and hard.

the words she had spoken were full of wisdom. she was a woman who loved the sea. mateo thought long and hard until it hit him, and that was when he'd snap a finger, "i got it!" he shouted with excitement, "how about 'the pirate queen: minerva'!" how did he come up with that? he's dabbled in a few books here and there growing up.

being raised by dragon pokemon all his life, you tend to pick up a trait or two. one of those traits being sharp hearing. a single hand was placed into the pocket of his coat. snagging onto a random ball of one of his most trusted. as they continued to move forward, he'd prep for possible combat.

it was then his furrowed brow had been risen. his focus stolen by the woman who stood by his side. "my village?" he repeated, "ah, the draconid people." his mother's side of the family. this was his first time speaking with someone about that side. "well, it's a village that's a bit complex to find. honestly, i only learned of its whereabouts recently." his mother, a native resident of hoenn, had told him about this side of his family.

"i was born in blackthorn city, the johto region to be more exact. a large part of my father's side lives there, whereas my mother has family here." he didn't know much about them. only recently did mateo come into contact with them. "the draconid people are that family to be exact. shockingly, they're a progressive tribe. you should see the place, it's like they've no need to interact with those outside of their village." could they even call a village? the architectural structure was just so...modern?

"anyway, the elder of the draconid people reached out to me. the old man's literally gone senile." mateo began to massage the nape of his neck, continuing to explain the story. "he told me some stuff i probably shouldn't even be discussing, but its been weighing on my mind as of late." mateo wasn't even sure where to begin.

"ever heard a story about two titans going at it?"

skyler dross