Where There's Thunder...

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park

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raikourider

Master of Faster
He/Him
25
December 12
Goldenrod, Johto
Straight
Mauville Gym Leader
Champion
Single; Not Looking
6'1" height
6'1" height
"With great speed comes great responsibility."
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Josh Devlin
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 8, 2022 0:26:34 GMT
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With the grim prospect of a meteoroid impacting Hoenn, Josh's mind was running at roughly the speed of a lightning bolt, trying to come with ideas on how he could contribute to the battle using his own skill set. He had to start out small. With him having to spend a significant amount of time in the Fortree City area due to long wait times at the Fortree City Gym, he figured he may as well make himself useful.

On the northwest end of the city was a hollowed-out, petrified tree of rather large proportions, a south-facing, ground-level hole serving as its entrance. The tree had been struck by lightning many, many times in its seemingly ageless existence, yet was not razed to the ground once. Josh released Saber, his Manectric, then the two stepped inside. He not believe his eyes, and neither could Saber.

Painted on and engraved into the interior walls of the tree were gorgeous murals of a mythological Pokémon he had admired since before he could legally become a Trainer. As part of a field trip in late grade school, he had ventured from Goldenrod to Ecruteak to view the murals at the bottom of the city's so-called Burned Tower. As the years passed, his fascination with the subject of those murals only grew. They told the story of three of the Johto region's sacred Beasts: three large quadrupedal Pokémon with both feline and canine features. They were known for their manipulation of fire, water, and lightning, and arguably most of all, their unparalleled land speed. Not even the most powerful supercars the human race had ever created could match the most extreme of their Extreme Speeds.

The tree's murals were different from the ones in northwest Ecruteak. The images on these were of far higher quality, and far greater detail than what Josh remembered seeing from his last trip there. Stylized images of lightning bolts were everywhere on the walls. Between them were ancient depictions of a great feline with yellow and black fur, a sharp-looking blue tail, and a purple cloud above its mane. Its four legs stretched impossibly far in a breathtaking running stroke. It was breathtaking for him to watch; he could not help but pull his phone out to take photographs. The wardens he was covering told him he could take as many photos as he liked, but nothing could be removed from the shrine, less the poor soul who does suffer the Beast's harsh vengeance.

Toward the back was an altar-like table with two enormous incisors pointed toward the floor, the teeth resting in hollows. Above them was a painting of a feline-like head, a mask of varying shades of grey protecting the face from impacts, and red eyes that seemed to pierce the very souls of onlookers. The two teeth were enormous; they were larger than daggers but smaller than short swords. He snapped photos of both, despite how terrifying the roaring Beast head was to look at.

This entire shrine was dedicated to Josh's favorite mythological Pokémon, and the source of his desire for wanting to become a Pokémon Racer in the first place. As a child, he had dreamed of meeting Raikou and riding on its back, even if it was only once. That dream led Josh to choosing Saber, his Electrike, as his very first Pokémon when he came of age. Saber's evolution to Manectric resulted in Josh getting as close to his dream as he was ever realistically going to get.

Sanctuary Safeguarding

NAME          SPECIES        STATUS
Resheph       Dragonair      Good
Twilight      Absol          Good
Aslan         Litleo         Good
Saber         Manectric      Good
Ares          Charmeleon     Good
Snacker       Sharpedo       Good


{WC: 591}
{PC: 1}

This is open to any of Senpai's characters!
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Senpai

Eli
She/Her
24
May 10
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Ranger
Verdanturf Ranger Captain
Single and Ready to Mingle
Available
170 CM height
170 CM height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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1,595 posts
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Elinor Anderson
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 8, 2022 15:38:22 GMT
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Anger was never the answer, Elinor knew this, but it was damn good motivation. After what had happened in Sootopolis City her eyes had been opened to the weakness of the Region. A weakness she had to cull or she was sure the looming shadow of whatever else was out there would come to claim them, and she would not allow that.

But power was many things. There was power and strength in unity, however, that particular strength was not why she was here, that was an entirely different part of her plan. Oh no, she was here to search for a more primal power. Some might claim it a Legendary Power.

As she walked towards the petrified tree, which had become some sort of shrine if she had read her local tour guide pamphlet correctly, she began to doubt. Searching old shrines for clues of Legendary Pokémon long gone was surely a futile effort. Alas, what other actions could she take but search for those Legendary Pokémon which hadn’t already picked an Avatar, and hopefully sway them to her cause?

It didn’t take her long to reach the shrine, but as she entered it clad in her casual grey business suit, pink hair tied in a tight bun at the back of her head. She realized that she wasn’t alone. The caretaker of this place hadn’t mentioned someone else coming here, mayhap they hadn’t thought it important.

She noticed the person was occupied with snapping pictures of the place. She would have preferred to be here alone, but such was not to be the case. She straightened her back and with a kind and somewhat warm voice she’d ask. “I am sorry. Am I interrupting something?”

Location: FORTREE CITY


MADE BY MIZO
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played by

raikourider

Master of Faster
He/Him
25
December 12
Goldenrod, Johto
Straight
Mauville Gym Leader
Champion
Single; Not Looking
6'1" height
6'1" height
"With great speed comes great responsibility."
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6,053 posts
Josh Devlin DOLLARS
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Josh Devlin
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 8, 2022 23:30:59 GMT
Josh Devlin Avatar
Josh flinched when he heard a warm, feminine voice from behind him while he was looking closely at the rapier-like fangs he could only assume came from a specimen of the divine species. "N-n-n-no," the yellow-dressed young man stammered. "On the contrary, it's nice to have the company! It will make my shift go by faster." The racer's head bobbed one way, then another, as though something were caught in his throat. "The League got a tip that someone unscrupulous was planning a raid on this place today, and they wanted to step up security. To me, it was an excuse to get access to this holy place and its wonders. Look at those fangs!" he gestured toward the table they were at rest on. "They almost look like short swords! There's only one Pokémon those could come from!"

Josh started rambling about the Johto legend he admired so much before catching himself and stepping outside. "I'm Josh, a Pokémon racer looking to turn pro." He released Saber, his Manectric, just outside the shrine, who seemed to be more fired up than normal. The yellow and blue canine was still in his riding gear, and sparks were flying out of his paws even while he was standing still. "And who might you be? Are you the help I was told would be here?"

As the sun disappeared behind the clouds, Josh's eyes peered skyward; there was some scary-looking weather rolling in. As a lover of electric-type Pokémon, he enjoyed watching thunderstorms. Weather like this was not unusual in Fortree, either; the city got storms much more regularly than anywhere else in Johto. Even for him, though, just how dark the clouds were even gave him pause. This definitely explained why Caber was so upset. "Whoa, look at how dark it is out. It's the middle of the day. This is some storm that's coming!"

NAME          SPECIES        STATUS
Resheph       Dragonair      Good
Twilight      Absol          Good
Aslan         Litleo         Good
Saber         Manectric      Good
Ares          Charmeleon     Good
Snacker       Sharpedo       Good




{WC: 317}
{PC: 2}
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played by

Senpai

Eli
She/Her
24
May 10
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Ranger
Verdanturf Ranger Captain
Single and Ready to Mingle
Available
170 CM height
170 CM height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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1,595 posts
part of
TAG WITH @elinor
Elinor Anderson
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 10, 2022 17:02:14 GMT
Elinor Anderson Avatar


Elinor smiled. For all the anger and fear that she carried within her, the bright light of enthusiasm could still bring her some peace. She listened to his words, giving him small acknowledging nods to show that she was actively listening to him. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Josh. My name is Elinor.” She introduced herself, Hand gently pointed at herself as she gave a slight formal bow in his direction.

“And to be honest I was not told there would be anyone here today. But I do not mind helping if that is the case. It would be a shame if anything were to happen to this historical site.” Elinor admitted.

Elinor noted the sudden change in weather. It was rather peculiar. “Indeed. Though, I do not believe the weather forecast warned of an incoming storm.” Elinor seemed thoughtful for a second. She retrieved a Pokéball from the belt she wore and casually summoned the Pokémon to her side.

A Kommo-o with scales of lime-green and pink appeared beside her. “Kaleo watch the entrance, please.” She ordered the Kommo-o which gave her a quick nod before going to stand guard.

“So, you do Pokémon Racing?” Elinor asked as she took stock of the trainer. "Is it with or without obstacles?"



MADE BY MIZO
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played by

raikourider

Master of Faster
He/Him
25
December 12
Goldenrod, Johto
Straight
Mauville Gym Leader
Champion
Single; Not Looking
6'1" height
6'1" height
"With great speed comes great responsibility."
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6,053 posts
Josh Devlin DOLLARS
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Josh Devlin
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 11, 2022 2:53:45 GMT
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"Elinor, huh...we're at least war buddies now," Josh sighed. "Great to meet you, too." It seemed she deeply cared about this site dedicated to the Johto legendary Pokémon the racer longed to meet. "Being a Johto native, I was taught about the Pokémon you saw on the murals. Now I'm no expert on the matter, but I've studied a lot of what's publicly known about that Pokémon. Rai...kou." It was as though even mentioning the living lightning bolt by name made his skin tingle. He could not muster the courage to spill the beans about his admittedly childish dream.

Saber barked as a strong gust of wind served as the harbinger of the storm that was about to be on top of them. While the rain wasn't too heavy yet, it felt heavier due to how much the wind was blowing the rain around. When Elinor released her partner Pokémon, Josh flinched. "I...I've never seen that Pokémon before!" He stepped into the doorway as to keep his phone's screen from being damaged by the storm. It did not take him long to identify it.

"Kommo-o, huh? It says here that they attack by vibrating their scales into one another. Must be really loud!" With a whistle from his trainer, Saber came running back toward Josh. "Hey Saber, can you help her Pokémon keep a lookout? You can see in this kind of weather better than I can." With another bark, the Manectric joined Kaleo in keeping watch.

Josh's worried expression left him when Elinor asked about his races. Was she a potential fan? "Depends on the course, really. Some are straightforward, and others have obstacles to avoid. They're not simple ovals, though; 15 to 20 turns is not uncommon on Federation tracks nowadays. Riding a Pokémon in a race is arguably more bond-testing than competing in the Gym Challenge. It's why I enjoy--"

CRASH!

Saber let out a loud bark to alert Josh of a problem outside. Two barrages of Rock Blast hurtled toward the Manectric and the Kommo-o at high speed! While Saber's fancy footwork kept him safe for the most part, the end of the barrage struck him near the top of his front legs. Josh peered outside to try to find the assailants, but he could not see too much in the low-light conditions. His Manectric, and possibly Kaleo, could...



NAME          SPECIES        STATUS
Resheph       Dragonair      Good
Twilight      Absol          Good
Aslan         Litleo         Good
Saber         Manectric      Fair
Ares          Charmeleon     Good
Snacker       Sharpedo       Good


{WC: 403}
{PC: 3}
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played by

Senpai

Eli
She/Her
24
May 10
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Ranger
Verdanturf Ranger Captain
Single and Ready to Mingle
Available
170 CM height
170 CM height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
1,595 posts
part of
TAG WITH @elinor
Elinor Anderson
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 13, 2022 7:59:35 GMT
Elinor Anderson Avatar


Josh certainly seemed to enjoy the sound of his voice. While usually, that would be a rather annoying trait best left at home, Elinor didn’t mind it. Given the subject and Josh’s adoration for it, she couldn’t fault him for talking and talking without end. “While you may be no expert, you know more about Raikou than I do.” She joked. Though it would be partially true, her knowledge of legendary Pokémon was limited, a personal flaw of hers that she was working on fixing.

Their conversation took a quick detour while she summoned her Kommo-o. “Yeah, they can be loud. But as long as he isn’t attacking in our direction, we should be safe.” Emphasis on should. And with that, the Kommo-o joined with the Manectric.

And then their conversation turned to race. Once more Josh’s excitement seemed to take hold or perhaps this was just the introductory speech since she was unfamiliar with the territory. Though his speech did end with a hot-take. However, before she could even reply their conversation was disturbed by a loud bark.

Meanwhile outside. Kaleo had found himself in rather unfortunate weather. And he wasn’t even thinking about the rain and wind, which was a bit annoying on its own. Rocks hurtling towards them. The Manectric seemed to dodge, Kaleo had other ideas. A green field of energy surrounded him just a few centimeters away from his body. The Rock slammed into it with great force as it tried to push through, but found itself unable to do so. The rock fell to the ground with a heavy thud, and Kaleo began to peer for whomever the attacker was. For it would do no good to just swing about attacks without knowing the target.

Elinor went to peer outside, much as Josh did. And much like Josh, she had similar results. Still, she retrieved another Pokéball from her belt. Ready just in case.







MADE BY MIZO
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played by

raikourider

Master of Faster
He/Him
25
December 12
Goldenrod, Johto
Straight
Mauville Gym Leader
Champion
Single; Not Looking
6'1" height
6'1" height
"With great speed comes great responsibility."
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6,053 posts
Josh Devlin DOLLARS
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Josh Devlin
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 14, 2022 5:20:51 GMT
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As much as Josh was excited to spill his guts about his career, the two trainers and their Pokémon were in real danger. Shaking his head after recoiling from being struck by "shrapnel" from the attackers' Rock Blasts, he stared into the distance, in the same direction the attacks came from. Used to seeing in low-light conditions, he was able to spot the source. He faced what he believed to be the source and started barking loudly, getting Josh's attention. While the rain wasn't heavy, the excessive wind and thunder made it difficult to hear anything outside.

Two rapid flashes of lightning gave Josh enough light to identify the number and relative size of their assailants. There was a medium-sized Pokémon, a very large Pokémon, and two burly-looking, human-shaped figures. A second set of Rock Blasts whizzed toward the trainers and their Pokémon, Josh running back into the building to avoid the resulting shrapnel from the rocks' detonation. While Saber danced out of the way of most of the heat-seeking boulders, some shrapnel struck his other side. He was still standing, but not looking good; some smaller shards of rock pierced the Manectric's belly and would need to be removed at a Pokémon Center as soon as possible.

With one of the Pokémon weakened and on the verge of fainting, the four figures charged, now clearly identifiable. The running Tyrantrum's footfalls could be felt by anyone standing anywhere close to its path, leading the charge. An Armaldo and two burly-looking men that looked like they hadn't shaved in weeks followed them, their black leather jackets' primary feature a stylized illustration of an Emboar using Heat Crash.

Saber insisted on fighting despite his condition, forcing Josh to play mind games with the Manectric just to get him back in his Poké Ball. After a number of missed withdrawal attempts, Josh managed to get the injured electric-type back into his Poké Ball, sending out his star combatant, Twilight the Absol. Her white fur was as visible as a lightning bolt in the sky despite the low-light conditions. By the time he was able to return to his post with a fresh Pokémon, the two goons and their Pokémon were within shouting range.

"Yo, how about yous twos move along?" the Tyrantrum's trainer shouted over the wind. "This shrine belongs to the Black Emboar now!" It was hard to tell if their bulk was primarily from muscle or fat, but both of the thugs were big. "If yous backs down now, I can assure yous no one gets hurt." The fearsome, draconic fossil raised one of its legs and started dragging its foot across the ground repeatedly, as though it were about to charge. "And I'm warnin' yous. It's about lunch time for Tyrantrum."



NAME          SPECIES        STATUS
Resheph       Dragonair      Good
Twilight      Absol          Good
Aslan         Litleo         Good
Saber         Manectric      Critical
Ares          Charmeleon     Good
Snacker       Sharpedo       Good


{WC: 469}
{PC: 4}
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played by

Senpai

Eli
She/Her
24
May 10
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Ranger
Verdanturf Ranger Captain
Single and Ready to Mingle
Available
170 CM height
170 CM height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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1,595 posts
part of
TAG WITH @elinor
Elinor Anderson
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 17, 2022 7:10:46 GMT
Elinor Anderson Avatar


Shrapnel flew about. The green sphere had protected him from the primary attack, the shield didn’t stay up for long. Luckily his hard scales protected him from the rest of the shrapnel.

Elinor and Josh didn’t share the same protection, and though they had been peering outside they both hurried back inside to avoid lethal damage to their body. Josh’s Manectric didn’t seem quite as lucky as her Kommo-o. Elinor saw and heard how Josh had to convince the Pokémon to return to its Pokéball. Her face was painted with a look of worry for him. If he couldn’t control his Pokémon at a time like this, it could pose a danger to him.

Luckily he succeeded in recalling the Manectric and instead summoned an Absol. With the threat of flying rocks seemingly having vanished, for now, they both returned outside. The sight of their two Pokémon and their accompanying trainers appeared before them.

Kommo-o took a threatening stance, scales ready to start clanging at a moment’s notice.

Elinor stood defiantly between the entrance to the place and the two thugs. They began to speak, and with each word proved their lack of common sense. Once the last threat had been made, she found her palm firmly finding rest on her face as a sigh escaped her. Though she returned her very annoyed gaze towards the two pedestrian thugs.

“First of all, why would you two want this shrine? There is little of actual value in here unless you already have a buyer with more money than common sense.” Though she hadn’t wanted to reveal herself as a League official, much less a councilwoman, she feared she might have to do just that. “Secondly threatening a League Official like that will get you in trouble, I, therefore, suggest that both of you stand down. Before I am forced to take action.”

“And if you still intend to not heed my warning…” She took a short theatrical pause. Kommo-o began to clang his scales quietly as an eerie purple glow spread over his body, energy gathered at his mouth in a sphere. “We will have to respond with force. And I must admit, I do like my odds here.” There was not a hint of fear in her voice, in fact, there might’ve even been a bit of arrogance to be found.






MADE BY MIZO
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played by

raikourider

Master of Faster
He/Him
25
December 12
Goldenrod, Johto
Straight
Mauville Gym Leader
Champion
Single; Not Looking
6'1" height
6'1" height
"With great speed comes great responsibility."
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6,053 posts
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Josh Devlin
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 17, 2022 19:03:09 GMT
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When Josh discovered that Elinor was a League Official, it motivated him to fight alongside her with all his might, his facial expression changing to match. Impressing her might during the off-season land him a position that not only paid better than the Gym Challenge, but had a greater purpose. This would be a wonderful opportunity for him to get his foot in the door with a cause that actually mattered, and even possibly research his ultimate dream beyond what he already knew from Johtonian lore about the giant electric cat!

"Not a chance," Josh barked as Twilight's blade-horn reflected a blinding flash of lightning. While she was in control of her emotions, she was in full aggression mode, madly shuffling her feet. Her claws gleamed with every flash of lightning, sharpened by her Swords Dance. Once she was done trying to intimidate the Armaldo into backing off, she flung herself claws-first toward her foe. "Twilight, use Night Slash!"

"Dinner is served, Armaldo!" the Bug-type's trainer retorted. "X-Scissor!" The the three sharp appendages raced toward one another with a frightening closing speed. The Armaldo's had a far longer reach, but with proper timing, Twilight could sink her horn-blade right through the fossil Pokémon's exoskeleton! Unfortunately, her timing was just barely late; her foe's twin shears connected, slicing right through her fur and leaving nasty cuts across her chest and the front of her legs.

A split second later, Twilight's blade effortlessly pierced the Armaldo's armor and into one of its vital areas...but the ancient Pokémon still stood! Both were panting, on their very last ounces of stamina. "Twilight, Quick Attack!" Josh cried before the bug-type could finish its wind-up, his badly hurt Pokémon lunging toward her foe's open wound and slashing across it to make sure the Armaldo wouldn't get up any time soon. Once she was certain the Armaldo wasn't getting back up, her legs gave way, and she, too, collapsed. While she was still conscious, she was in a great deal of pain.

Josh withdrew Twilight, benching the Absol for Resheph, his Dragonair. The defeated goon recalled his Armaldo and started fleeing, babbling incoherently. "Hey! You get back here!" the racer shouted. "Resheph, after him!" He hastily climbed into his Dragonair's saddle and gave chase. Catching up would be trivial, but he also had to monitor Elinor's battle in case something went horribly wrong...



NAME          SPECIES        STATUS
Resheph       Dragonair      Good
Twilight      Absol          Critical
Aslan         Litleo         Good
Saber         Manectric      Critical
Ares          Charmeleon     Good
Snacker       Sharpedo       Good


{WC: 400}
{PC: 5}
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played by

Senpai

Eli
She/Her
24
May 10
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Ranger
Verdanturf Ranger Captain
Single and Ready to Mingle
Available
170 CM height
170 CM height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
1,595 posts
part of
TAG WITH @elinor
Elinor Anderson
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 17, 2022 20:07:48 GMT
Elinor Anderson Avatar


With an almost audible sigh did Elinor realize that the goons weren’t going to back off. Instead, the Tyrantrum charged toward them “Josh cover your ears!” Elinor suggested. But whether the young man heard her was entirely up to him. She did in fact cover hers. And just in time as Kommo-o released the full power of his CLANGING SCALES. Its scales rang loudly like bells as he released a deafening roar alongside the blast of eerie purple energy towards the Tyrantrum.

The huge Dinosaur Pokémon tried to dodge, but it was too late. The blast hit it square on. Sending the Tyrantrum to the ground. But Kommo-o was not about to allow it to get back up. With powerful steps did it charge forward. Sickly green energy covering its right fist. It didn’t take long for the Dragon/Fighting type to reach its opponent and with a powerful arm thrust deliver a perfectly placed DRAIN PUNCH, knocking out the Tyrantrum.

Like his friend, the thug recalled his own Pokémon and began to flee. With an audible sigh, she released the other Pokémon she had retrieved when this all began. A Talonflame burst into the air. Even if the weather wasn’t exactly to its liking, it was still ready and willing to work.

“Catch that guy!” Elinor commanded.

The Talonflame flew in the air quickly. At this speed, its hungry talons would meet with the poor thug’s unfortunate shoulders quickly enough unless something came in-between.







MADE BY MIZO
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played by

raikourider

Master of Faster
He/Him
25
December 12
Goldenrod, Johto
Straight
Mauville Gym Leader
Champion
Single; Not Looking
6'1" height
6'1" height
"With great speed comes great responsibility."
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6,053 posts
Josh Devlin DOLLARS
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Josh Devlin
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 18, 2022 3:53:29 GMT
Josh Devlin Avatar
The moment Elinor asked Josh to cover his ears, he did so. He was glad he did; every scale on Kaleo's body glowed purple, his entire body vibrating like a rattlesnake's tail. It made Josh flinch even with his hands pushing tightly against his ears. He could even feel the reverberation in the surrounding air, almost like the tremor of a small Magnitude attack. Whatever attack that dragon-type used had some real power to it, to be heard and felt at the distance he was at. After that demonstration, he made up his mind that Kommo-o was not the type of dragon for his team.

Once both thugs started fleeing, Josh could uncover his ears and fully focus on the chasedown, which was mostly a victory lap at this point. The desperate Black Emboar members fled toward the woods to try to lose their pursuers, but there was no way they were going to escape two Pokémon hurtling toward them at high speed. Not Talonflame, one of the fastest bird Pokémon in the world, and certainly not a Dragonair trained to race in the sky. "Use your Aqua Tail to trip him!"

Just as Resheph was about to overtake her target, she flicked her long tail surrounded by a high-pressure veil of water toward the gang member's legs. The large man tumbled across the wet road in the direction of Fortree City. Josh and his Dragonair tailed the badly-bruised man, pinning him down once he had stopped. Josh slid out of Resheph's saddle, then waved and shouted toward Elinor. At least the rain had stopped by now, and the sun was trying to come out from behind the clouds. He might need to cancel his afternoon plans - he was bushed!



NAME          SPECIES        STATUS
Resheph       Dragonair      Good
Twilight      Absol          Critical
Aslan         Litleo         Good
Saber         Manectric      Critical
Ares          Charmeleon     Good
Snacker       Sharpedo       Good


{WC: 293}
{PC: 6}
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played by

Senpai

Eli
She/Her
24
May 10
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Ranger
Verdanturf Ranger Captain
Single and Ready to Mingle
Available
170 CM height
170 CM height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
awards
1,595 posts
part of
TAG WITH @elinor
Elinor Anderson
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 19, 2022 19:28:16 GMT
Elinor Anderson Avatar


If the poor Thug thought he could escape. He had truly dumped his intelligence stat. Elinor and Kommo-o was hot on his heels, but it was Talonflame that would catch him first. Its predatory claws dug into his shoulders, throwing him off balance. He slammed onto the ground rather harshly, arms mere milliseconds from not saving him from going head first.

As Elinor neared her downed thug, she saw Josh having reached his own. Pleased that he was handling it well, she returned her attention to the thug which Talonflame kept pinned. “Kaleo, Fletch. Make sure he doesn’t run again.” Elinor said though she cursed herself for not having brought some cuffs or rope.

She turned her attention towards Josh, taking however many steps were required before she stood near him. “Seems like you’ve got everything under control here.” She commented. “I know you said you are a Racer. But you seem to have some pretty good thug catching skills.” She mused with a slight jest in her voice. “Have you ever considered joining the Rangers or The League Law Enforcement units?”





MADE BY MIZO
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raikourider

Master of Faster
He/Him
25
December 12
Goldenrod, Johto
Straight
Mauville Gym Leader
Champion
Single; Not Looking
6'1" height
6'1" height
"With great speed comes great responsibility."
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6,053 posts
Josh Devlin DOLLARS
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Josh Devlin
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 1:45:44 GMT
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The first rays of sunlight shone through the thick storm clouds, a reminder that it was still the middle of the day. It was a relief to see; that storm was a flash in the pan, but was it ever intense. "Now it's just a matter of getting the cops out here." With it not pouring down rain, he could now place a call to Fortree's Law Enforcers to capture these two. After hearing the dispatcher's reply to his report about two of the Black Emboar, he couldn't help but chuckle. Apparently they were a big problem not just in Hoenn, but in other regions, as well. They were based out of a distant region called Borrius, a region with massive gang problems.

When Elinor approached Josh with the notion of joining the Rangers or Hoenn's League police, he at first protested, even stammering. "I t-took martial arts classes when I was younger, but that was a d-decade ago!" His eyes shifted about, lost in thought. Resheph was all too excited; while she wanted to see Josh grow as a racer, she would be thrilled to see Josh putting his racing skills to a use that would benefit others! While she couldn't communicate telepathically with her rider, the two had enough of a link to get the message across.

The young man removed his helmet completely, revealing his messy, black hair. "...I don't think I could be a cop," he signed. "I really don't. Their code is too strict for me, plus it's not something you can do part time. That's a career in and of itself, and I don't want to give up my dream. Not of being a pro Pokémon Racer...and not of..." He sniffled and shed a tear. "...This is embarrassing. Can you keep this quiet from everyone else?"

If Elinor agreed to keep silent, Josh would continue. "...Him." he sighed with a heavy heart, pointing in the direction of the shrine they had just saved. "This is going to sound like it's coming from a six-year-old, but...the whole reason I became a trainer in the first place..." His thoughts whizzed through his mind at hundreds of miles an hour, unable to finish one story without interrupting himself.

"So for my tenth birthday, I asked for the Electrike you saw as Saber. I asked for an Electrike, even though I knew they were difficult to raise, because it would be the closest I could ever get to..." He trailed off again, then minimized all the applications on his phone's screen, all the way down to his wallpaper: an artist's rendition of a first-person view from above Raikou's back. The creature's thundercloud was drawn in shocking detail. Just looking at the rendition made him tear up more, given his mental state. Beat. "...That," he said, turning the screen toward Elinor. "This is why I chose to be a Pokémon racer!" he raised his voice. "I WANT TO SEE HIM MYSELF!" Not once could Josh well up the courage to mention the majestic yet savage Pokémon by name. He couldn't help but fully break down in tears. Whether or not he actually had a connection to the Burned Tower Beast, he believed it so much that he felt deep down it just had to exist.

He cried for several minutes straight before turning his phone off completely. "I'm so sorry to have to put you through that, Elinor. It's already one in a million just to see him. But to get on his good side and forge a bond with him like with Saber...that's another one in a million on top of that. It's embarrassing. But I can't let it go." He shook his head. "Anyway, back to what you were saying. I don't think I could be a cop. I don't like the rigid code, and it's full time. Rangering, on the other hand..." He took another long pause. Maybe this was the start of a new journey: one where he could use his unique skillset for something more than the glory of competition.

"...It's not something I can commit to year round, because I don't want to give up my racing career. But...oh Arceus, count me in." Resheph let out an excited coo, though she stayed mostly still. Josh put his helmet back on and slammed his visor back down; it was a sign of almost arrogant confidence in his off-season career change. "You said you were a League officer, right? Where do I start?"



NAME          SPECIES        STATUS
Resheph       Dragonair      Good
Twilight      Absol          Critical
Aslan         Litleo         Good
Saber         Manectric      Critical
Ares          Charmeleon     Good
Snacker       Sharpedo       Good


{WC: 755}
{PC: 7}
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Senpai

Eli
She/Her
24
May 10
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Ranger
Verdanturf Ranger Captain
Single and Ready to Mingle
Available
170 CM height
170 CM height
i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.
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Elinor Anderson
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 6:12:51 GMT
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The weather was ever so slowly clearing. Not that Elinor minded it much. Her time as a Ranger had allowed her to grow accustomed to all the moods of the weather save perhaps from extreme cold. She allowed Josh to call the dispatchers and make the necessary arrangements before making her suggestion.

When she had spoken the words. She had not imagined them to have such a profound effect on Josh. She gave him a small acknowledging nod as he spoke about being a COP. He was right, it was a lifestyle as much as being a Racer was, so it was reasonable that he could not take the offer.

However, he continued first asking for a promise. “My lips are sealed.” She reassured him. And then he continued. She listened in silence as he regaled the tale of his hopes to meet Raikou. They struck a nerve with her, but in a good way, almost reminding her of a time that seemed so far away. A time when she had been clinging to a dream of chasing Gym Badges and beating Champions.

Josh returned to the topic of the Rangers. His wishes seemed much more aligned with the Rangers, and he seemed to have noticed that as well. “Well, consider yourself already started!” She paused, smiling at him. “There is of course some paperwork that we must fill, and then some training courses that you must get through. But I do not think they’ll pose a problem.” She paused for a brief moment letting Josh take in that info before she continued.

“And lastly, Josh.” Small theatrical pause. “Never be afraid of talking about your wish. I hope it comes true for you. In fact, I will be looking forward to the day it does.” She felt an increased need to proclaim her dreams and ambitions, like a Triple-A Villain, the urge to monologue was strong, but she refrained for now.






MADE BY MIZO
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played by

raikourider

Master of Faster
He/Him
25
December 12
Goldenrod, Johto
Straight
Mauville Gym Leader
Champion
Single; Not Looking
6'1" height
6'1" height
"With great speed comes great responsibility."
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6,053 posts
Josh Devlin DOLLARS
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Josh Devlin
Where There's Thunder...
POSTED ON Jul 21, 2022 1:58:35 GMT
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Would it really be that easy? Elinor seemed really eager to recruit Josh. The question, of course, was what the practical exams would be like. While the racer had a lot of knowledge about Pokémon, both from his Gym Challenge years ago and from his racing more recently, he didn't take long-term trips into the wilds often. As a result, his street smarts were nowhere close to as honed. There was only one way to find out, though. If Rangering truly wasn't for him, then he could always back out and return to the Gym Challenge. He was determined to give it the old college try, though. "I look forward to it," was the only answer Elinor got.

Just as Josh was about to take off toward Fortree City, Elinor called his name one more time. "Yes?" He listened to her words. She went on about pursuing his dream, no matter how unlikely it may be. The words she chose to express her confidence that Josh would be that one-in-a-million person were words that penetrated his soul. He turned to face Elinor, arms wide open, as though he wanted to embrace her. "That means so much! I thought every person in the world would ridicule me for such a dream! But you..."

Josh paused to collect his thoughts. If Elinor looked closely, she could see his eyes start to bead up again. "You understand. You truly do. And I want it to come true more than anything in the whole world. And it's not for me." Resheph couldn't help but let out another coo; even she was emotional, listening to her trainer's selfless monologue. "You seen all this horrible stuff that's happened in the news? The first thing I would want to do with...Raikou..." He sighed deeply as he at last mentioned his inspiration by name, "...is to help put a stop to all of it. Not just because I miss home and can't leave Hoenn. Because HOENN IS WORTH SAVING!"

Josh took a few deep breaths, shaking his head again to discharge his storm of emotions. "I'm sorry for yelling in your face like that," he apologized to Elinor. "How about we head back to Fortree and let Law Enforcement deal with these two, then drop our Pokémon off at the Center and talk about this more over lunch? There's this place called the Beautifly and Dustox on the west side. Great sports bar, great food. How about I buy us lunch? Would be a great way to decompress and get to know each other more."



NAME SPECIES STATUS
Resheph Dragonair Good
Twilight Absol Critical
Aslan Litleo Good
Saber Manectric Critical
Ares Charmeleon Good
Snacker Sharpedo Good

{WC: 431}
{PC: 8}