Genuine surprise flickers across ordinarily stoic features as Gavin is immediately presented with exactly what he'd been looking for. It almost seemed too easy.

Lycanroc is sent out, snuffling at dew-damp earth before shaking its head, its shaggy mane ruffling with the breeze. Not a Zoroark; it knew the scent from Emma Wolfe. Perhaps a ditto, then? He wouldn't be opposed to another one of those. Shrugging, he flicks his wrist in a silent command to attack.

Lycanroc pounces at the Minior with fervor, jaws dripping saliva. A stone edge erupts from the earth, piercing through the coating of rock to expose a red-colored core beneath. Though the Minior attempts to swiftly combat its werewolf foe, it's too focused on the battle to realise when Gavin has snuck up behind it with safari ball in hand.

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As Gavin stops to fish a cigarette from his pocket — doubtless illegal in the safari, but who was going to stop him? — something nuzzles against his calf and sends a jolt through his leg.

"Argh—" He fumbles the cigarette, drops it among the petal-strewn grass. "Fuck."

His spark of anger fuels the fervor of the werewolf at his heels; it lunges, flames licking its claws as it levels the smaller Pokemon with a fiery punch. When Hattena attempts to make the feral creature play nice, Lycanroc lashes out in kind and knocks the little fairy unconscious.

Gavin scowls as he picks up his cigarette, dusting strands of dew-damp grass from the filter. A safari ball is tossed almost in afterthought; the offender would be more likely to see the bars of a black market cage than any spot on his team.

2 BALLS LEFT CATCH

As it turns out, the Safari isn't the best place to smoke regardless of the laws restricting his vice. As Gavin fumbles around for a lighter, the snap of a branch underfoot startles a sleeping Shellos in a nearby pond.

Its mud-slap doesn't harm him directly, but flecks of muddied water splash against the filter moments before he traps it between his lips. The earthy taste of grit causes him to recoil with a noise of disgust, spitting in the direction of the offending Pokémon. When Gavin roughly gestures for Lycanroc to take care of the problem, the werewolf snuffles at the water and grumbles its distaste.

"For the love of—" Returning the canine, Gavin replaces it with a Cradily who immediately ingrains its roots into the muddied pond. A single giga drain is enough to dispatch the offender, the eerie fossil swaying contentedly while Gavin is anything but. "I just want to have a bloody cigarette."

From the bridge over the water on which he now stood, Gavin tosses a safari ball.

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As Gavin scowls at a mud-splattered cigarette, a strange-hued Happiny sees an opportunity to help. Carrying an oval-shaped rock as if it were the worlds greatest treasure, the little creature wobbles over to Gavin and nudges against his foot.

Instinct nearly causes him to kick the poor creature, but a sharp turn of his head reveals the culprit.

"What do you want?"

He blinks a few times, wondering if his vision is actually starting to go, or if this Happiny was different to ones he'd seen before. Weren't they meant to be a lighter colour? As he pulls out his Rotom phone to check the Dex app, the baby Pokémon's chirps and squeaks belie some sort of intent. Definitely seems darker than usual, he decides, before peering over the phone to see what it was doing.

It holds out the stone like an offering, and chirps again.

In spite of himself, Gavin softens slightly. It was trying to cheer him up, having sensed the foulness of mood. Unfortunately for Happiny, it was dollar signs that the Rocket saw in its strange coloration. "All right," he says, "Trade?"

He holds out his last safari ball, and smirks when it presses the button.

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