"Sam Carter," Sam introduced himself and took the hand shake. "I'm the new caretaker of Mt. Pyre. A pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Ivanov."

Introductions were a typical thing for Sam, so he fell into the introduction seamlessly and without much fuss. His nervous dragonair twirled around his feet and rested on the floor, glancing over Alexei and then moving his head toward the wound. It was a curious thing to see a human hobbling around. Usually when they were sick, they sat around.

Apparently this Ivanov was much like his own trainer, who refused to sit still long enough for most injuries he sustained to heal.

Alexei Ivanov

taking the blindfold offered, he put it upon his dragonair. he did panic at all. he was confident in sam. they'd gone through that contest together, after all. they could conquer anything, or so dragonair felt.

when the weather kicked up, sam moved a hand along his dragonair's neck, then watched as alexei took off. he mounted his dragonair and gave him a pat. the dragonair took off into the air, sam gripping tightly so he didn't plummet.

"safeguard!"

not only himself, but sam as well, was then shrouded in a veil of energy. that rainbow like energy, SAFEGUARD, was what would hopefully keep the elements from being too much to handle, hail included.

as they moved forward into the hail, sam nudged left and right, congratulated dragonair when needed, and thanked him whenever they avoided something or dragonair felt in need of encouragement.

Alexei Ivanov

it was as they were flying through the blizzard that sam realized then he hadn't nicknamed his dragonair.

how he came to this conclusion was a bit silly. but really, he was just thinking that if this was the last time he was seen alive – as prompted by the most recent 'avalanche' like obstacle – that he'd not have named his pokémon. any of them. so he decided, no better place, right?

"dragonair, i'm thinking i'm going to name you colichis."

they fought against the wind. the dragonair gave a small whine, to approve of the name, before twisting his body. a beautiful DRAGON DANCE, which sam knew well enough to hold tight, and, to help in keeping the dragonair's movements fluid.

"colichis was a dragon who never rested, always vigilant in the tasks given in the stories i've read."

with a smile, he gave the dragonair a pet.

"fits you best."

a happy shrill was given from the dragonair as the boosts from that dragon dance helped it to overcome the tough snow. even with the elemental disadvantage.

Alexei Ivanov

"we've danger above and below now, colichis. keep true, i'll direct otherwise."

with an encouraged call, the dragon trusted sam's movements. sam lead him up, then down, around spikes as they rose up from the ground and came down from above. one particular case, sam knew they didn't have time. so he brace himself by gripping his dragonair.

"dragon rush now!"

without hesitation the dragonair used DRAGON RUSH to blow through the threats in front of them, continuing forward. sam gave a chuckle and congratulated his dragonair with pets.

"well done colichis."

Alexei Ivanov

there was a familiar chime in that cackle that sam assumed was just due to the species of whatever was causing all of the mischief.

moving his hand over the dragonair, he leaned down and held tight.

"do what you have to, i'll become as unhindering as i can aerodynamically, for your sake."

the dragonair gave sam an appreciative coo, flying and dipping through the air. the ice jutting up had caught the dragonair on the side, but he was quickly to recover, using a DRAGON DANCE to maneuver more easily around the obstacles that were presented.

"you sure you're alright?"

the dragonair had suffered a bit of damage, but nothing that would cause it to faint or lose itself within the storm winds. perhaps because he was too determined.

Alexei Ivanov

the cold was moving away and sam found himself wrapped around his dragonair even as they landed gently. it was quite the feat, quite the storm, but they'd managed. he gave the dragonair a few pets as a congratulations but remained against the dragonair's skin. to keep him warm.

"what's next?"

it was sam's way of inviting the next challenge forward.

Alexei Ivanov