Call her soft, but off in a more discreet part of the field, Remi was busy raking and re-raking piles of leaves for the benefit of her Sneasel. With the colder weather incoming, they were feeling more and more energetic and far less moody. It was a win all around, and it was bringing a smile to a normally edgy, moody, probably scary-looking woman's face.

Just as the rake drags the fallen leaves back through to top off the pile, someone bursts out from the center, spraying them everywhere. With a flurry of sharp claws, they're torn to pieces and flung aside. With a quick brandish of her rake, she stops the leaves from landing on her, specifically.

"Now you're making more mess, you monsters."

Not that cleaning up messes was really what she was here for. For a little bit of extra money in her pocket, she'd agreed to be on dog watch duty. Apparently the farmer here was having trouble with wild Pokemon attacking their herd of Wooloo.

Little did they know it was probably just her poaching them. Now up close and personal, it was that much easier to whisk away a Pokemon or two and pretend that it was just the Mightyena or whatever that the farmer blamed it on in the first place.

Win, win.

Locke Jamison Martín del Mar

☉

The plan is fool-proof, simple, straight-forward.

Or it was, until silence overcomes the field and her own Pokemon stop their playing. The leaves rustle, their quiet noise deafening, stirring the rolling bluster of anxiety that washes over the herd of Wooloo nearby. When Remi looks up, she notes two other volunteers in the field- but more than that, she notes how tightly-packed the Wooloo have become.

Herd animals relying on one another for security. Their eyes were wide, showing the whites, their hooves stamp and shuffle and they move in unison.

Something is wrong.

And then she hears it: the howl of Lycanroc, far-off in the distance. Or it would be, if she didn't know how fast they could run.

"Shit."

The plan had been fool-proof, until it wasn't. Turns out her poaching plan to sneak one of the Wooloo or Miltank away for her own benefit would have to be put on hold and far more thought-out. That's alright.

But the Wooloo wouldn't be, in a minute.

"We've got company."

Locke Jamison Martín del Mar

☉

"Pup-pup," Remi laughs, a barking noise similar to an exhale. "I like that."

She, on the other hand, is more than happy to indulge in a little bit of foul play. If the kid was capable of herding the Wooloo back to the barn, she could handle watching their back.

Something uncoils from beneath her jacket, peeking its sleek, baby-blue head out from her collar. Clouds clump together overhead to produce RAIN. The Dratini quickly retires once more, but the downpour is more than enough to help set up what's next.

Now soaked through, the encroaching Lycanroc splash through puddles and wet grass, slowed down as a result.

And when Remi releases one of her adorable little Cubchoo, the temperature drops immediately. The RAIN is promptly replaced with freezing temperatures and HAIL. It freezes the ground, turning the field into an ice rink. Almost immediately, one of the Lycanroc lose their footing and wipes out, crashing into the legs of another.

"Careful! It's slippery!"

Locke Jamison Martín del Mar

☉

Given how warm it is outside in Hoenn's tropical climate, the ice melts pretty rapidly beneath the baking sun. But it works well for the brief window she'd needed it to, to slow them down.

And what comes next may surprise you.

Or it won't, seeing as the kid's dog ruins the surprise factor and takes all of Remi's appeal points. Y'know, like in contests where you use the same move as the person ahead of you so the crowd boos? Whatever.

With a flick of her wrist, mostly because she's fumbled the ball, the woman releases a bear Pokemon that apparently can't learn roar so the joke made earlier is ruined.

Regardless, the Beartic bellows, lips flapping all while spraying saliva as a roar rises from the depth of the Pokemon's chest. It startles the few Lycanroc that had split off to surround the Dubwool and Wooloo from behind, giving Remi a chance to pull out more of her astounding bear arsenal.

"Bane, round 'em up!"

Effortlessly, the Pangoro lifts four of the sheep up over his shoulders, keeping them out of harms way. One in particular, apparently unafraid, licks straight up the side of the Pangoro's face, leaving him with a cowlick. Remi laughs and laughs, energized by the situation rather than intimidated by it. However, the resounding silence from Locke's Pup-pup's roar pulls her attention right back. Something twists in her gut at the same moment the Lycanroc that are advancing on the kid come back to their senses.

One more Pokemon flies from her belt, appearing in front of the kid. It tips its head to the side, one finger touching its bottom lip. The Bewear in its big, adorable and pink glory seems enough to scare off the Lycanroc for good this time. Remi, upon catching up, moves to pull Locke into a mostly-friendly but somewhat aggressive and definitely unsolicited arm lock around their head.

"Woo! Kid, that was close, yeah? Good thing I brought the momma bear squad."

Locke Jamison Martín del Mar

☉

Remi eventually unlocks her elbow from around the kids head. Their lack of response to her goes unnoticed, because she doesn't really care. Given the circumstances and the person's age (assumed younger than her, therefore a child), it only made sense to her that they'd be quiet and spooked.

The wolves flee, the Wooloo are safe, and Remi leaves the two to their devices.

Ultimately, she leaves.

Locke Jamison Martín del Mar

☉