[attr="class","spiral"]The ice bag is a bit heavy, but if Plank is bothered by it it doesn't show. She hoists it up with a "hup" and leans it over into the cooler; and then the sound of clanking cubes picks up fast and clear. When the bag is about half empty a voice calls out and Plank peeks over her shoulder. The sound of clanking stops as she momentarily lifts the bag upright.

"Hmm," she replies (if you can even call the non-committal sound a reply) and gives the other girl a once over from head to toe. It's a silly kind of appraisal in truth. Plank herself is barely over 5ft, and while decently strong certainly doesn't look like much when put through the same kind of inspection.

Plank's about to tell the other girl to shove off, unimpressed by her thoroughly unthorough evaluation, when the stranger says just the right thing. Flattery will get you everywhere.

"Isn't she just!" Plank positively preens at the praise for her ship, "The Vagabond's the love of my life!"

"Ya, I'm gonna spend the day fishin'. If you're thinkin' ya wanna help me get set, take up the other end of this cooler once I'm finished fillin' it," Plank nods to the cooler when she mentions it, "It's a right bitch t' load up on my own!"

In the meantime Mama cracks an eye open at the approaching Shellos. She's not much one for play, but she's not hostile either. In response to the friendly provocation she offers a trill and a yawn.

[attr="class","spiral"]Plank nods a little at the stranger's words as she continues filling the cooler with ice.

"'Splendid' is about right, yeah," she replies, smiling to herself. The bag of ice is practically empty in her hands after just a few moments. Plank tips it end up and lets the last few cubes fall before balling it up and stuffing it in the pocket of her basketball shorts.

It's a pleasant surprise when she doesn't have to say anything to get the other girl in position to move the cooler. She's only just taken one of the handles in hand when the older woman slips in on the other side.

"With your legs now," Plank instructs before lifting her end with another little "hup". Once it's off the ground she puts her other hand under its bottom and lifts it even higher, "T' the ship!" she continues -- voice a little tight with effort.

"Name's Peggie, but nobody calls me that," she speaks while they move, "Just call me Plank, better yet I like the sound of captain! Yeah . . . Captain Plank ain't half bad. That'll do!"

Noticing the movement going on by the ship, Mama stands up. She gives a sideways glance to the Shellos sliding along the shore before sauntering over in Plank's direction. Movement in the water catches her attention, a pair of yellow eyes pop up accompanied by glowing antennae. A low growl is enough to scare them off.


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[attr="class","spiral"]The small ship shifts and sways as they board her. For Plank's part, it doesn't mean much. She's been on a swaying ship for most of her life, and one swayed by much stronger forces, so the little bit of turbulence from their boarding is hardly noticed.

"Just put it down here," she instructs Chloe, nodding at the space between them before all but dropping the cooler into place. Again the ship dips and sways a little at the added weight -- but while it's no barge neither is the Vagabond such a sorry vessel that a cooler of ice is any threat.

"Meetin' ya is goin' a damn sight better than I expected!" Plank replies bluntly, grinning despite the unintentional edge to her words. In Plank's experience most people she just happens upon are annoying, boring, and worse than either other sin: incompetent. But Chloe's been respectful and helpful!

At her question, Plank tilts her head a little. Confused.

"Lookin' for anythin' in particu-- Ah! You mean the fishin'!" Plank murmurs the first bit, before growing suddenly louder at the realization, "Can't say I am. The fishin' is just a li'l side job for me. Gives me an excuse to get out t' sea with the Vagabond, and ends up with a bit of pocket change most evenin's."

"Can't say there's any catches I'm hopin' for besides -- hey! Mama! Whatcha doin' over there?" Plank's answer, growing maybe a bit longer than it needed to be, is cut off by a sight at shore. Mama stands with her fins quivering and a dangerous snarl ripping its way up her throat. Before her stands a Croconaw, arms spread and snarling itself from the water's edge.

"Gimme just a moment," Plank says before hopping out of the ship and making a little half-jog to Mama, "Hey there! You! Bilge rat! You just shove off before I have'ta make ya regret it, yeah?"

Her warning to the Croconaw is ignored. More than that, it's challenged. The Croconaw fires off an AQUA TAIL at Mama. Little does it expect COPYCAT to allow the Vaporeon to match it tit-for-tat.

"Ah, now ya did it! Mama, give it to 'im! No mercy!" Plank practically snarls; Mama does snarl before lunging forward and latching onto the Croconaw's shoulder with a BITE.

The wild pokemon squeals and swings its body around, but Mama holds on tight. Around the corners of her mouth a radiant light begins to stream out -- a mix of beautiful color that quickly becomes a point-blank AURORA BEAM.

The force of it breaks Mama's BITE and lays out the Croconaw all at once. The wild pokemon hits the water hard before trying to stand. Its legs are shaky and weak, and when it's about halfway up a Pokeball catches it right on its wounded shoulder.

"I warned ya! Now it's hard labor for ya!" Plank shouts triumphantly as the pokemon vanishes in a flash of red light.


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[attr="class","spiral"]"You're damn right it was!" Plank calls back in reply to Chloe's praise. She's damn right! Stuff of legends, that's her!

"You'll find nothin's lackluster when I'm around!" She shouts, a smug grin on her face as she pockets the captured Croconaw and starts back towards the ship. All this putzing around on shore is fine, but she does have some work to do. Mama trails at Plank's heels, walking with a prim pop to her step despite the brutality she displayed only moments ago.

Brutality that may have to be revisited, as things happen.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey what the fuck do ya think you're doin' ya bit of barnacle shit!" All the bravado is stripped from Plank as she catches sight of another menace. A Basculin, boldly making attempt after attempt at biting through the Vagabond's aluminum hull. Even from a few feet away she can see the ever deepening dents its teeth are leaving.

"Well don't jus' stand there Mama, apparently class is back in session! Get t' teachin' this pest what we do t' the disrespectful!" Plank's practically screaming now and Mama doesn't seem thrilled. If only to get her trainer stop all this shrill shrieking, she runs at the Basculin. The Basculin, not as cocksure as the Croconaw from earlier, seems uninterested in fighting the Vaporeon once it spots her.

Unfortunately for the Basculin, peace is no longer an option. As it dips into the water, Mama dives in after it. It gets only a few beats of its fins away before teeth latch around its body the way its teeth had latched around the Vagabond. A moment later the Vaporeon resurfaces, BITE holding the flailing fish pokemon in place.

"Good job, girl!" Plank cheers, sweating and frowning despite the kind words, "More hard labor it'll be! Be happy I don't fry ya for your indiscretions."

The Basculin is dropped to the ground and quickly met with a Pokeball. As the Pokeball shakes in the sand, Plank finally looks up at Chloe again.

"Sorry 'bout all this, didn't mean t' leave ya hangin' for so long; but what can ya do?"


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