Despite Fernando's intentions to take a break from a day spent crushing the dreams and hopes of hopeful pokemon trainers, it seems that a challenge - of sorts - makes its way towards him regardless (must be exhausting to be this popular).

This particular one arrives in the shape of an unruly mess of salt-stained blond curls and a lopsided grin that invites trouble as much as it promises it. And unfortunately for the relaxed business man lounging about on the beach, he's caught in the web of a certain captain's drunken whims.

"Didn't take you for the type to be relaxing while there are battles to be had, Mr Silph."

Should the Gym Leader look around, he'd find no one addressing him. It is only when a head pops out of the waves, having dived between one sentence and the next, that the speaker reveals herself. Hovering around her head is a tiny blue creature, doe-like eyes burning with a fierce curiosity towards the legendary.

Captain Skyler Dross breaks out of the waves with a practised ease that could've belonged in Baywatch, and only doesn't because the captain is far too practical to do the whole slow motion thing. Silver cuts through land and sea and Fernando, drawn in by the ocean's call like a sailor to a lighthouse, to focus on Tapu Fini. A small nod is given before all sense of seriousness bleeds out of her expression. "Don't tell me you've given up."

FERNANDO SILPH

EXHIBITION MATCH

TO SHOWCASE A TRAINER'S RESOLVE

“…!”

Fernando turns around with a mirroring smirk. He doesn’t recognize her voice by heart, having met her few and far between, but her personality strikes a match. Few can forget someone dauntless enough to challenge the Silph with that sense of authority.

But he sees nothing.

Confidence is replaced with stupefied bewilderment before his question is answered with a sporadic appearance of blonde hair between wild waves. Tapu Fini shares no such distinction. It continues to stare out into the endless sea, focused on the pink energy being siphoned into its shell.

“I was debating it. I’m not cut out to keep up with such spry trainers.”

In a matching motion, Fernando eyes the Phione on her head. That makes the third he’s seen so far. He wants one for himself.

“But for you, I can make an exception. Captain.”

skyler dross

Striped of the thin layer of professionalism that had marked their last meeting (and aided by the burn of tequila within her veins), the grin with which Captain Dross graces Fernando Silph is all bite. Some defiant emotion peeks out from gleaming eyes, bellying the casual ease with which the captain steps into the man's space.

A passing look at their surroundings has her noticing several clumps of trainers, all of them keeping a distance from this specific stretch of beach. Her grin widens, fed by the intoxicating adrenaline that simmers just beneath the surface of her sun-kissed skin. 

"I think you sell yourself short, Mr Silph. I'm sure those old bones can still kick a youngster or two." Amusement rolls off of her tongue, insolent. Sharp eyes cut through to his. "Then again, I'm hardly a youngster. Mr Silph." Not since the war, at least.

Phione peels itself away from Skyler's wet mess of curls, floating closer to the Silph and, by proxy, Tapu Fini.


FERNANDO SILPH

EXHIBITION MATCH

TO SHOWCASE A TRAINER'S RESOLVE

“SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE CONFIDENT.”

Fernando strums a light chuckle from this throat. It fills the gap of their small talk as he keeps his eyes on the Phione. It’s presence is unnerving, not because of the Pokemon’s own faults, but the context of which it arrives. He wrinkles his nose before matching eye contact with the Captain.

“That I can’t kick you around, Dross.”

As the Pokemon approaches, Tapu Fini can feel a visceral company draw near. It breaks away from the constant NATURE’S MADNESS feeding into its palm and toward the mythical Pokemon. It’s an unsightly little creature, but one that causes the Tapu Fini to smile nonetheless.

skyler dross

Undaunted by the challenge underlined in the man's words or the utter confidence with which he speaks them, Skyler Dross lets a mischievous smile curl the edges of her mouth. Its sharpness tempered by the sudden playful gleam in silver-bright eyes. It almost feels companionable, standing side to side while the ocean laps at their feet - regardless of the differences with which they regard the world around them.

"Tell me, Mr Silph, have you ever had the pleasure of building a sand castle?"

By her side, the baby Phione is cautious in its approach. Curiosity feeds its determined march forward, however, floating close enough to peer up at the ocean deity with bright eyes. A low, musical trill escapes its mouth - a question, perhaps. Its shyness prompts it to use ACID ARMOR, its cerulean blue skin blending in with the environment.

The sight has Skyler releasing a silent, amused scoff.



FERNANDO SILPH

EXHIBITION MATCH

TO SHOWCASE A TRAINER'S RESOLVE

“OF COURSE.”

A blatant lie. Not the sand castle part—a completed bucket list activity long ago conquered—but deriving pleasure from such simple pleasantries.

Akin to his incapacity to differ between certain plants, Fernando finds shaping loose sand into something recognizable near impossible. For all the cold, linear sighted logic he boasts, his creative draw suffers. Without purpose or reason behind it, he lacks the tools for structure.

Tapu Fini remains a stalwart statue of itself. An expression may change, parting some humanoid semblance of emotions, but it refrains from moving much else. Only a single hand extends to the Pokemon, middle finger extended, as if to touch.

skyler dross

"This should be easy for you, then. Mr Silph."

A plastic shovel is thrown down onto the ground between them like a declaration of war, making a wet thumping sound as it hits the sand. Admittedly the moment isn't as dramatic as the captain might have hoped, but she ploughs ahead with drunken daring. Despite the man's confidence, there's something satisfying about laying down a challenge that might've been seen as beneath him.

"We each build a sandcastle." Stepping to the side, Skyler reveals a collection of sandcastle building utensils, hastily acquired at the closest beach shop for a pretty penny. Behind them, Hook her Reuniclus is quickly recalled back to his pokemon.

"Building something is far more difficult than destroying it, isn't it? This should be a challenge worth of FERNANDO SILPH ."

Chin tilted slightly back, mischievous intent lingering beneath dark lashes, Captain Skyler waits for his response.

Phione does its best to imitate its trainer's pose.



FERNANDO SILPH

EXHIBITION MATCH

TO SHOWCASE A TRAINER'S RESOLVE

SECONDS STRETCH BEYOND THE COAST; Fernando simply stares at her. The question doesn’t read off his blank facial expression but it’s spoken in the awkward silence built from the flaccid landing of her shovel. It’s his best Tapu Fini impression.

She goes on to explain her challenge and Fernando’s question starts to fill the canvas of his eyebrows. They knot into a furrowed shape, the perfect crestline to herald over his castle gates. She can’t be serious.

“Depends what you’re destroying, I suppose.”

He nods, letting it sink in that this will be the actual decider between who ‘wins’ and who ‘loses’.

“Well, after you then, Captain Dross.”

skyler dross