[attr="class","matias"]a WHIRLPOOL swirls in the depths of the ocean. the push and pull of water is enough to create pockets to easily slip through only to be propelled deeper and deeper until finally, he breaks the surface.

eyes dart around out of instinct, noticing patches of wet earth that lead deeper into the cavern. he recalls his cloyster, keeps a closed hand by his side, and enters.

[attr="class","noodles"]Miles Sharp + Serena Malcolm

He can't help but blame himself, but the annoyance in her voice is well received.

"Understood."

A brief response. Annoying her further would be foolish. Instead, he focuses that regret into plans - means in which he'll get stronger. the Hoenn Star Tournament is days away, it's a means to test and bolster his skills. Stormy Silph, being one of the Elite 4, had obligations to enter and many Rockets had already thrown their name in the hat. It only made sense for him to join in too, it was the fastest and most efficient way to maintain, and surpass himself. He has to protect his fellow Rockets and moreover he has to maintain a level of strength to support the woman he loved. As he was now he couldn't do that.

Water stirs and Miles ducks behind a rock a Cloyster is revealed and riding it is none other than the Silph that sparked his current predicament. There was much to pay for and Miles had a number of ideas on how exactly to get his and Serena's return. He pulls a pokeball from his belt hidden in the shadows.

As he nears miles counts silently and on the next step a Pokeball flies releasing an Auroras. "Thunderwave." And so a wave of electricity would spiral towards the Silph A masked man, Viper once again revealing himself to Matias activating the comms all the while.

Regardless if the thunder wave worked as intended Miles would speak.

"Not too hard find at all."

[attr="class","matias"]he sees the flash before he hears the pokeball opening — by then, his own flashes, calling out a familiar electivire. THUNDER WAVE courses right into its MOTOR DRIVE, ineffective in paralyzing, but effective in raising its speed.

"took you long enough."

the yellow glow of electricity lingers.

"still going by viper?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Miles Sharp + Serena Malcolm

"Only to you Silph."

He begins to circle the man moving from his intial hiding place entirely, the aurorus watches the electivire calmly. Miles stops only when Matias' path forward is blocked. Moving further would lead to Serena and that was unacceptable still stalling was easy enough, after all the two naturally had much to talk about.

"Why do you want Fernando gone? After the death of your parents naturally, those bonds would tighten. what changed?"

It's more of a statement than it is a question.

[attr="class","matias"]silph.

tensions spark like electricity coursing through an electivire. all he needs to do is channel it.

"isn't it obvious?"

viper stops and it's then that he understands their plan. he's stalling for someone else — likely the same person he almost paralyzed. the thought settles in the back of his mind as he regards viper with the truth.

"because i despise him."

[attr="class","noodles"]Miles Sharp + Serena Malcolm

"that's not enough."

Auroras prepares to fight, but Miles stays the pokemon with a hand. Still waiting on any kind of notice from Serena. He pushes forward past the vague answers. He's not even kind enough to give his own.

"Why?"

Miles has a theory, but he doesn't vocalize it, yet.

[attr="class","matias"]electivire would rise to the challenge in a heartbeat but not without the command. it's not given this time, and so it simply eyes the auroras, electricity sparking across its furs as it CHARGES.

"you seem to be invested in our affairs, so you tell me."

[attr="class","noodles"]Miles Sharp + Serena Malcolm

"You want what he has."

Miles doesn't flinch at the question. The true heir to your family.

"From the outside looking in, you're just a jealous little brother. He probably regards you as such at the very least. Harmless."

In a family of despots and petty tyrants, Miles imagines this is how they think. Though there is an outlier in the family. How Stormy managed to maintain her sense of self in a family like this he'd never be able to understand.

[attr="class","matias"]"not quite."

but he's in the right territory and it's a dangerous one.

"i want to destroy everything he has."

it settles against the rippling of water, silence soon washing over them. there's a particular word that stands out to him and it's one that riles him up enough to press.

"not stalling for your friend, are you? are they the one i paralyzed?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Miles Sharp + Serena Malcolm

Well, that's something they share at least. If only for Stormy's sake he doesn't want Fernando dead, then again he never truly did he wants him to feel powerless, to watch everything he has everything he worked for topple, to understand what it truly feels like to lose everything. To become one of those he spent his days trampling over.

"And where does that leave you when the dust clears little Silph. I'm not in the market of trading one despot for a less stable one."


He hears Serena on the comms, he wouldn't let Matias near her, even if she'd wanted.


"You sound paranoid. Worried about karmic retribution?"