Elinor was certainly a fast learner. It appeared all she and Kahula had to do was watch Treble's movement to get an idea of how to maintain their balance. It was quite a bit different than traditional dragons, but rewarding all the same. As her other two Pokémon were battling a Mamoswine, Shalin could have sworn she heard a faint rumbling from the Councilwoman's direction. While it was clear Kahula was trying not to rattle its scales with its trainer aboard, it seemed instinct was difficult to suppress. "You okay?" she asked, turning Treble to face her. "You didn't pinch anything, did you?"

While she was making sure the two were unharmed, a wild Altaria, quite the large one as well, got a bit too close for comfort. The tingling feeling from Treble priming his scales for a powerful discharge was all the hint she needed to hop off. She was already worn down from one rumbling run. A second, especially at the intensity her Kommo-o shook them when in battle, would likely cause her to black out in unconsciousness.

The wild took her Kommo-o's defensive stance as a sign of hostility, the draconic bird beak-bombing him and preparing for a second pass. He was prepared for the follow-up, though! Elinor, having raised three of her own, had to have known what was coming and had ample time to take appropriate measures to protect her hearing. Shalin put her earplugs back in, staring at Treble's tail scales in awe.

The vibration was so fast that it looked like the dragon-type had multiple tails mid-battle. The deafened Altaria let out a pained cry as it was struck by the tail countless times per second. With her use of bug-types, particularly her Yanmega, she knew the power of vibration well. Treble's, though, was a whole order of magnitude stronger than the rest. While it had the size to carry Shalin into the air, she wasn't sure if it had the strength to do so. Only one way to find out! The first step would be bopping the weakened flying-type with an empty Poké Ball.

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

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

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] FEMALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] SOLID ROCK
[attr="class","wildtabox"]FURY ATTACK	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]CHIP AWAY
[attr="class","wildtabox"]SMACK DOWN	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]HORN ATTACK
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Shalin Nariya Elinor Anderson

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

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

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

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] FEMALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] CHLOROPHYLL
[attr="class","wildtabox"]SYNTHESIS	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]ROLLOUT
[attr="class","wildtabox"]GROWTH	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]ASTONISH
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Shalin Nariya Elinor Anderson

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

BOTH OF YOUR CAPTURE ATTEMPTS ARE SUCCESSFUL!

The green-haired riding instructor breathed sigh of relief when Elinor said she was okay. The affection she showed toward Kahula was a sign that all of her Kommo-o were precious to her beyond just another member of the Councilwoman's team. It was clear she loved dragon Pokémon as much as Shalin loved her giant bug-types. "You're really brave, you know that?" Shalin reiterated. She saw Kahula holding back, though unable to completely quell the shaking that had to be intense to Elinor. "Makes your legs feel like they're falling asleep, doesn't it?" she smiled.

It didn't take more than a couple of rattling runs on Treble to wear Shalin out, and it was showing. Shalin stumbled about as she retrieved her new catch. She would need to spend some time with the Altaria before deciding whether to get the dragon-type fitted. For now, though, she let the catch in her hand disappear to the Cloud with the remainder of her inactive Pokémon. "It's fun, but phew does that wear you out!" she exhaled, letting herself fall to the side of the hilly road in order to recover from what her Pokémon put her through.

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

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

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] FEMALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] FLASH FIRE
[attr="class","wildtabox"]BITE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]BEAT UP
[attr="class","wildtabox"]HOWL	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]CRUNCH
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Shalin Nariya Elinor Anderson

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

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

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

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] MALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] RIVALRY
[attr="class","wildtabox"]SLASH	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]BITE
[attr="class","wildtabox"]DRAGON RAGE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]GUILLOTINE
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Shalin Nariya Elinor Anderson

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

Elinor Anderson CAUGHT THE RHYPERIOR!

"Brave and a fast learner," Shalin mused. "No wonder you're so accomplished. I was never a quick study. It's one of the reasons I'm... not doing the greatest in Ranger school right now." Yes, she was formally joining the Rangers. She had the field skills for the job, but she was really struggling with the internal knowledge base needed to function within the Ranger body. Being familiar with the scope of actions Rangers had the legal authority to take was just as important as saving lives of both humans and Pokémon, after all!

It became quite clear that Elinor was a stubborn one, struggling to walk much like Shalin did that day she fought inside the Fiery Path's Mirage Palace with Julia Davis . "No one could. Kommo-o are something fierce." She loved how much the scaled dragon could overload her senses, but there was only so much of it her lithe body could handle. "If you're having trouble falling asleep, though, that will knock you out faster than any narcotic out there!"

The green-haired female was speaking from experience, sharing her story of the time she rode Treble during a full CLANGING SCALES run. "Don't get me wrong - if you brace yourself for it, it's really fun! I'll even let you give it a try with Treble just before we head into town, if you want!" It was a unique, utterly alien experience, and one that would surely leave any rider courageous enough to brave it feeling ready to take a nap.

Alongside the Haxorus bounded a Houndoom toward Shalin. While it wasn't immediately hostile, the large, horned canine was a Pokémon she surely would not pass up. With Treble only barely able to battle, she withdrew the dragon for yet another: Sandy, her Flygon, who let out a chirp with her insectile wings. The presence of the dragon-type was enough to turn the Houndoom hostile, brandishing its maw of wide open, CRUNCHing fangs bared at Shalin. With the agility of a hummingbird, Sandy scooped her trainer up and out of the way of the attack, the wild crashing into a nearby boulder that rolled down the plateau, the impact leaving the fire-type stunned. The girl's reckless, adrenaline-fueled mind spurred her to capture the Houndoom in her own unique way.

While the wild was dazed from the impact, Shalin ran behind it and pulled herself astride its back. It took several seconds through its daze to realize that girl was on its back, grabbing her horns. It let out a loud HOWL before tearing dangerously close to the battle between Kalea and Haxorus, entering a high speed gallop and swerving away from the battling dragons at the last moment in an effort to wrench Shalin off and fling her into great danger. Compared to what Letheia put her through, this was easy. "Yeehaw!" Shalin whooped as the giant dog snarled, as of yet unable to break her iron grip on its back and horns.

The Houndoom about-faced, following it up with a fierce bucking motion that powerfully thrust one of the exposed bones on its back into Shalin from beneath. Wincing, the Wildest Rider in Hoenn was certainly being put to the test! She knew her limits, though; if the dark-type could escalate its violent flailing any further, she was going flying. She released the Poké Ball hidden beneath her right hand, letting it drop and encapsulate the Houndoom. Her mount disappearing beneath her feet, she collapsed to the rocky ground beneath her, unable to nail the landing.

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

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

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] FEMALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] INFILTRATOR
[attr="class","wildtabox"]QUICK ATTACK	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]ASTONISH
[attr="class","wildtabox"]INFESTATION	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]BITE
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Shalin Nariya Elinor Anderson

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

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

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

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] FEMALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] PRANKSTER
[attr="class","wildtabox"]SUCKER PUNCH	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]FURY SWIPES
[attr="class","wildtabox"]PURSUIT	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]HONE CLAWS
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Shalin Nariya Elinor Anderson

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

BOTH OF YOUR CAPTURE ATTEMPTS ARE SUCCESSFUL!

"That would be wonderful," Shalin replied with a big smile, now breathing a bit less heavily after the Houndoom, which she had named Grimmie, nearly launched her off. "How about we arrange for you to take me to Ranger school after the new year? Speaking of plans, do you have any on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day?" She genuinely didn't have any yet. Perhaps she could make some! Her smile grew to a grin as Elinor's three Kommo-o collectively sighed; if Treble was out of his Poké Ball, he would have, as well. While Shalin was dull to it thanks to her almost superhuman skill with her niche, what she was suggesting Elinor do would be quite dangerous without a lot of practice.

There weren't many trainers out there that could handle flying on a Yanmega or Beedrill the size of their own due to the constant shaking. What Kommo-o were capable of took that shaking up to eleven. Even the vibration of a low-power CLANGING SCALES discharge would be numbing to an inexperienced rider. To Shalin, it was a unique thrill no other Pokémon was capable of. To Elinor, it may have been beyond disorienting.

At Elinor's comments about her strange method of Pokémon capture, Shalin crossed her arms, at last able to stand again. "Thanks!" the borderline deranged girl took it as a compliment. "On the way back, I could share the stories of the... what is it now, three other Pokémon I've caught like that?"

Before she could even answer, a prowling Liepard approached Shalin from behind in total silence. She wasn't even aware of the cat's presence until it socked her from behind with a SUCKER PUNCH, her eyes wide open from being badly stunned. The crash to the ground was strong enough to click her Flygon's Poké Ball open, and was Sandy ever furious. She recklessly charged the wild cat, SUPERPOWERing it to the ground while blasting her wings loudly. If the Liepard resisted further, she would go all out with a BOOMBURST from shuddering her wings at full speed... which, for her, involved supersonic wingtips. As the hum turned into a shriek, Shalin knew she had to intervene. Otherwise, Elinor could be at risk of losing her hearing. In her dizziness, she hurled a Poké Ball toward the feline. If it worked, great! If not, it would give the Pokémon an incentive to flee.

Once Shalin was feeling better, though she was still hurting from being thrown to the ground abruptly, she shared stories about how she rode a wild Pidgeot over the southwestern sea and an Alolan Ninetales in Shoal Cave. If Elinor was savvy about her Ranger knowledge, she would have known Shalin made a big no-no going into the Crystal Trench.

"Same really, just more of the usual." she answered, though not as chipper as she was before. Understandable, given her wounds. "I don't have any real plans. Let's pick a day to meet up at Ranger HQ and go through some courses together!" With that, the two would reach their destination without further incident.