Wind howls through the pass bearing ash upon its breath, imagery like fading echoes of a home no longer his own. Melancholy tightens the back of his throat as Gavin ascends a rocky ridge, hand coming up to brush the hair from his face.

An Arcanine's howl sends chills down his spine in defiance of the heat.

He meets Calem Pollet's gaze and wills himself to hold it.

"Of course. What's an enforcer without their tools?"

But this enforcer doesn't need his Pokemon to cause pain; he only uses them because he can. Gavin's left hand clenches involuntarily around the pokeball in his grip before he tosses it to the skies, Corviknight taking flight overhead.

---

fighting/psychic - intro

A Chimecho bursts from the grass, panicked and charred. His Arcanine is on it's heels, fire in her mouth.

Electricity crackles from his baton, no hesitation as it slams into the psychic type. There is a heady 'thunk' followed by a sizzle, the Chimecho slamming to the ground.

The Arcanine snatches it from the ground, sinking teeth in and shaking her head.

"Down." A pokeball is tossed, sparing the pokemon from slow death while giving it a much worse fate.

The Arcanine snarls but the baton meets her face, not powered this time, so she turns and goes back into the weeds.

"That should be one more tool in my belt, then."

CATCHING CHIMECHO

It takes considerable self-control not to flinch back when the Arcanine lunges from the brush, fangs burning. His right arm shifts back subconsciously but Gavin forces himself to look away.

Don't show your fear.

It's a little late for that.

Corviknight tangles with a wild Throh, dodging attacks with a speed that seems unnatural for a bird of its size and weight — because it is. Steel feathers fly like daggers to down its prey and the bird carries its prize to Gavin in its talons.

Gavin nudges the Pokemon to ensure it's still breathing before tossing a ball.

"You'll be up to par in no time, I'm sure."

---

fighting/psychic - catch throh

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD NATU APPEARED!

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] MALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] EARLY BIRD
[attr="class","wildtabox"]MIRACLE EYE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]OMINOUS WIND
[attr="class","wildtabox"]STORED POWER	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]PSYCHO SHIFT
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Calem Pollet & Cillian Quinn

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD GRAPPLOCT APPEARED!

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] FEMALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] LIMBER
[attr="class","wildtabox"]OCTOLOCK	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]DETECT
[attr="class","wildtabox"]ROCK SMASH	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]OCTAZOOKA
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Calem Pollet & Cillian Quinn

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

BOTH OF YOUR CAPTURE ATTEMPTS ARE SUCCESSFUL!

"It's a shame not all of them will make it through training."

Calem already wonders if the Chimecho will be up to snuff. It had seemed weak. Weak metals couldn't be made into fine blades.

There is a small crinkle in the weeds and Calem glances over. He surges forward with more speed than one might expect. A hand is snatched down, a Natu is pulled up by the foot, which Calem holds upside down as it flails.

The shock stick is applied to the pokemon when it's eyes start to glow.

It's forced into a ball.

He turns back to Cillian Quinn with his smile in place.

"I hope this trip benefits you as well, sir."

Gavin finds he can't immediately form words in response.

Such threats had been imparted upon him, once. How often he'd been told that he was disposable. How he'd been forced to adopt the sharp edges they sought lest they decide he wasn't worth their effort.

You made it, he tells himself firmly. You survived.

He was sharper than most, now. Deadly.

A DRILL PECK burrows deep into a Grappoloct's middle, but Gavin's not paying attention to the fight. His gaze hasn't left Calem Pollet even after the other has turned away to assess his own pride.

When Calem turns back, amber eyes blink steadily at him.

"It will."

He taps the fainted octopus with a ball when Corviknight drops it at his feet.

---

fighting/psychic - catch grapploct

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD FALINKS APPEARED!

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] GENDERLESS	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] BATTLE ARMOR
[attr="class","wildtabox"]BULK UP	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]REVERSAL
[attr="class","wildtabox"]IRON DEFENSE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]CLOSE COMBAT
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Calem Pollet & Cillian Quinn

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD SWOOBAT APPEARED!

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] MALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] KLUTZ
[attr="class","wildtabox"]ENDEAVOR	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]IMPRISON
[attr="class","wildtabox"]CONFUSION	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]AIR CUTTER
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Calem Pollet & Cillian Quinn

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

BOTH OF YOUR CAPTURE ATTEMPTS ARE SUCCESSFUL!

"It will."

Answer to him, but about what? This benefiting Cillian Quinn as much as himself, or about the pokemon making it through.

Either way, it seeds something dark and pleased in his chest. It's a shame he can't grin wider, sharper.

Some days the cut of a knife to widen his smile seems like an excellent idea.

There is a flash of fire nearby, a squeaking cry of pain, a crunch. The Arcanine returns, a limp Swoobat with a broken wing, bloody and bleeding, between her teeth. Calem clicks his tongue but tosses a pokeball. It will have to do for now.

"Ah, sir, I almost forgot. I heard word from back home. I won't be able to get my pokemon over, but I will be able to pick up a few new ones from a breeder in a few days."

CATCHING SWOOBAT

His response had been to the latter; this trip would benefit him not only as a means to obtain fodder for research and Rocket business but as a way to forcibly acclimate to the shift in their dynamic.

He was in charge, now. He tells himself this over and over, like a mantra, even as the Arcanine's return makes his skin crawl. He had asked Calem Pollet to come to Hoenn because as brutal as he was, he was also effective.

He won't hurt Gavin again, because Gavin won't let him.

(If only it were as simple as telling himself that.)

Corviknight tangles with a Falinks in a display that reminds him vaguely of the Galarian gym circuit. Two regional favourites grappling for dominance, their IRON DEFENSES shimmering in unison.

Gavin's attention shifts back to his former boss.

"Excellent. Of which species?"

A horrible screech reverberates through the route as Falinks falls.

---

fighting/psychic - catch falinks