Stepping out of Round One Arcade in Slateport, Shalin was drenched, her heart still beating fast. Not out of nerves, but out of both breathlessness and joy. The wide smile on her face was indicative of a great achievement: she had made the cut for day two of an A-Division Step Step Revolution tournament. While she didn't expect to last long, especially with the hardest content in the game being fair game, it was an accomplishment to earn the right to compete against the best players in Hoenn.

As tired as she was, she had another task to do before her long flight home to Petalburg Woods. Captain wren rourke had assigned her to catch stray Pokémon roaming Slateport City's more ritzy districts and release them near the sides of nearby thoroughfares like 103 and 110. As much as she liked her wild ride Pokémon, she had little energy to spare. Astride her Wyrdeer and with an impatient-looking Type: Null next to her, Shalin found her partner for the task. "Valerie?" Shalin asked, remembering the name the Captain provided her.

"Ah! Yes, that's me!" At the sound of her name being spoken, Valerie stood to attention, turning to face the source of the call. Of course, there was no need for such formality, but old habits died hard. Still, she outstretched a hand, offering a handshake to her partner on this patrol. "You must be Miss Shalin Nariya. It's my pleasure to make your acquaintance!"

She wasn't familiar with the woman in front of her, but she was familiar with her profession: A Pokemon Ranger, trained specifically to handle wild Pokemon both effectively and humanely. In a way, one could see them as a kind of police officer for Pokemon, though perhaps that comparison wasn't wholly accurate. Either way, she would be the right woman for this kind of job. Having such a skilled trainer to assist her would surely make this much easier. Who knows? She might even learn something from watching an expert at work.

"I'm sure you're already aware of why we're here, but to briefly summarise: Our mission here is to neutralise the threat posed by stray Pokemon currently inhabiting Slateport. To that end, we are to capture as many Pokemon as possible, and then release them outside of the borders of the city. We are expected to continue with the mission until--"

STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!

"--EEP!"

As heavy footsteps fell against the pavement, Valerie's fight or flight response chose in, and her priorities leaned overwhelming towards flight. She practically threw herself behind Shalin, putting the Wyrdeer and the Type: Null between her and whatever threat was approaching them. Sure enough, that threat would soon emerge, from a nearby alleyway, revealing... a Bastiodon. Unbothered. Robust. Happy. In his lane. Focused. Fluorishing. All of that is to say, it was not some rabid rampaging beast, but rather, simply another stray animal that had wandered into the Lower District. Judging by the Pikachu scurrying about beside it, it even seemed to have made a friend.

But, still, it couldn't be allowed to wander freely. Even if it was fairly docile, a Pokemon that large and that heavy would assuredly cause problems if left to its own devices. Now that she realised it was peaceful, Valerie's fight or flight response reversed gear, and she would emerge from behind Shalin.

"I-I mean, engaging catching procedures now!"

With that rather flimsy attempt to preserve her dignity, Valerie grabbed an empty Pokeball from her belt, and proceeded to toss it towards the massive target that was the Bastiodon.

---

Shalin Nariya

Shalin was quick to accept the handshake, though it may have been a bit awkward with one of them on the ground and one of them on the saddle of a Wyrdeer whose psychic hold restricted her ability to move. "That's me, the Wildest Pokémon Rider in Hoenn! Though I don't think I'll be doing any wild riding after that SSR tournament. I'm bushed, and I've gotta come back for day two tomorrow!"

Shalin's job as a Ranger was a byproduct of her real job: an explorer. She didn't take too many standard Ranger tickets, but her main source of income was League contracts inside the many rifts plaguing the region. That and her Sygna Suit, which she was not wearing, were two of the big reasons she had been relocated to that duty. This was a nice break - an easy mission to wind down after the hard ones.

"Yep, I read the briefing," the girl confirmed. "That's what this bag of Poké Balls is for!" If they weren't on an official mission, this would feel like poaching. In a way, it still was, but if it was in the name of the League, it was all good!

The ability to keep a limited number of the Pokémon for themselves at their discretion was a nice perk, such as the fleeing Pikachu that bumped into Prance. This Pikachu was enormous - the typical size of a Raichu! This was definitely going to be one of the Pokémon she claimed for herself. Prance attempted to corral the electric-type with PSYSHIELDS, cornering the wild in an alley entrance. The shields, while immobilizing the Pokémon, meant a direct throw through them was not possible. Another problem was Lathiel; she wanted to brawl with the Pikachu, banging her head against Prance's shields in a vain attempt to shatter them. Shalin lobbed Poké Ball after Poké Ball over the front shield until one of them made contact and drew the adorable electric rat in.

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

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

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] FEMALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] MAGICIAN
[attr="class","wildtabox"]HEAL BLOCK	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]MAGIC ROOM
[attr="class","wildtabox"]CRAFTY SHIELD	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]FAIRY WIND
[attr="class","wildtabox"]MAGNET RISE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Valerie Katraz Shalin Nariya

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

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

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

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] FEMALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] STRONG JAW
[attr="class","wildtabox"]NUZZLE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]SPARK
[attr="class","wildtabox"]ELECTRIFY	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]TACKLE
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Valerie Katraz Shalin Nariya

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

BOTH OF YOUR CAPTURE ATTEMPTS ARE SUCCESSFUL!

The first round of catches went off without a hitch. As its Pokeball fell down to the ground, Valerie would quickly retrieve her Bastiodon. For such a large and heavy Pokemon, its Pokeball felt surprisingly light. She supposed that was simply the magic of Pokeballs, that they could not only house such creatures, but do so effortlessly. They truly were wonders of modern technology. She couldn't even begin to fathom how people back in the past made do without them.

Ah, but now was hardly time to ponder such silly things! Even if they had caught two Pokemon without much trouble, there was still a veritable plague of stray Pokemon that they had barely put a dent in! So, hooking her new ally's Pokeball to her belt, she would turn back to Shalin.

"Captures completed successfully. Now, we just have to do that again!"

Of course, that was easier said than done. Unlike last time, there were no Pokemon rushing to get caught. So, they would have to patrol to find more Pokemon to catch, but that wouldn't take too long. All they had to walk was a few blocks to find more strays about, such as the tiny Klefki idly floating along the wind, without a care in the world.

It was a much smaller target to hit with a Pokeball, but luckily, that wouldn't be much of a problem. In fact, the keyring Pokemon seemed so absent-minded that Valerie could slowly walk up to it, produce an empty Pokeball, and after a moment of hesitation, press it against the fairy, and attempt to catch it.

---

Shalin Nariya

The Pikachu was enormous for its size - she would almost certainly be able to get her fitted with a saddle after finding a Thunder Stone to evolve her! "Yup, rinse and repeat!"

A few blocks down the road, Shalin caught sight of a Boltund in an alleyway, and a rather large one at that. "Oh man, it's been a while since I've..." she mused aloud, then slid off her Wyrdeer's back. "I'm going in. This is gonna be fun. And maybe even a show for you to watch, too." The cooperative Lathiel kept her eyes on Shalin to intervene in case something went horribly wrong... and knowing her, it wasn't unrealistic.

Stealthily approaching the Boltund that wandered deep into the alley, Shalin got ever closer, taking advantage of a dumpster the electric-type was distracted by. When she was close enough that she risked accidentally touching the electric-type prematurely, she made her move, leaping for the base of the Pokémon's neck! The Boltund reared and clawed at the dumpster in fright, conveniently knocking her upright and letting her sit on the yellow hound's back.

With that, the rodeo began. Rather than bucking and heaving like many Pokémon did, the barking dog tried to unseat her with the amazing speed the species was known for. About-facing, the wild dashed out of the alleyway and down the district's main thoroughfare, weaving in and out of traffic before charging not directly at Valerie, but toward her general location at a high rate of speed! Shalin let out a triumphant cry, feeling like the Boltund couldn't unseat her.

The wild electric-type slid into a sudden U-turn, yanking its unwanted rider from side to side. The girl's white knuckles were evidence of how much rough and tumble Shalin was exposed to. Along for the uncontrollable ride, she hurtled toward Valerie again, this time on a more direct collision course. In a panic, she yanked back on her untamed mount hard. With a rear that tested her strength, the Pokémon... stopped? Whether its tongue was out just to catch its breath or she had actually tamed the big dog, it seemed no longer hostile. She tapped the yellow Pokémon with one of her Poké Balls, stumbling as she landed roughly on her feet. "Whew!" she exhaled. "That never gets old!"

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

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

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] FEMALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ANTICIPATION
[attr="class","wildtabox"]MIRROR SHOT	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]ROCK CLIMB
[attr="class","wildtabox"]TACKLE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]ROLLOUT
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Valerie Katraz Shalin Nariya

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

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

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

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] GENDERLESS	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] LEVITATE
[attr="class","wildtabox"]EXTRASENSORY	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]PAYBACK
[attr="class","wildtabox"]FEINT ATTACK	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]BLOCK
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Valerie Katraz Shalin Nariya

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

BOTH OF YOUR CAPTURE ATTEMPTS ARE SUCCESSFUL!

Catching Klefki really is as effortless as it seems. It's even easier than Bastiodon, and considering the size disparity between that pair, it's really saying something. Though, as easy as it might be, some part of Valerie is aware that she's getting lucky. She's getting big and small targets, but they're all slow, borderline lethargic. Against quicker targets, her odds of success were far less likely...

However, the opportunity to learn would soon present itself. Faced with the challenge of catching the oversized Boltund, her partner on this mission would proceed to tackle it head-on. There was a lot of grappling and a lot of struggle, and Valerie would watch it all intently, as though it was all going to be on some kind of test at the end. Grab the neck tightly, saddle its back, tilt right when it swerves left, tilt left when it jumps right, and when it charges straight ahead, you--

”--EEEEEEEP!!!”

Fortunately, the wild dog would stop just short of crashing into her, and sure enough, Shalin would succeed in her endeavour. Overall, it was a second set of successful captures, and a second unsuccessful attempt at being brave.

”G-Good! Very good! Now, let’s keep going…”

So, Valerie would quickly regain her composure and move on, scurrying onward to the next pair of stray Pokemon - A Ferrothorn and a Bronzong, two very familiar faces for her. Obviously, she had no need for another Ferrothorn, but a Bronzong? It would certainly be a good idea. After all, it would save her the effort of evolving her Bronzor…

…No. That was silly to think. But, still…

”I’ve got the Bronzong!”

Thus, she moved to catch it. Its metallic body would ring out as the Pokeball bounced off it, and then it would be bathed in that most familiar red glow.

---

Shalin Nariya

Lathiel breathed a sigh of relief; Shalin was safe and had things under control! The rider herself seemed especially happy with her catch. That Boltund had some real buck to her without being overwhelming. They would almost assuredly rodeo again under more controlled conditions. "Then I'll catch the other!" Shalin replied, giving a bit of a weak thumbs-up. Did resisting the giant dog's strength wear her out too much to properly focus on the job?

Lathiel, concerned about Shalin pushing herself too hard, took matters into her own hands. The Type: Null kept her distance from the grass-type, looking for an opening to strike. With great speed, she made her move, charging the wild with an AERIAL ACE-fueled burst of speed. As strong of a blow as it was, it left Lathiel open to a vicious counterattack, the wild flicking its thorned flails about. The ROLLOUT forced her to retreat, instead relegating the Type: Null to use of TRI ATTACK. Before long, even her speed was not enough to outrun the grass-type's spiky ROLLOUT, pelting her with shrapnel before rolling over her. Desperate to save her Type: Null, Shalin hurled a Poké Ball toward the Ferrothorn. Catch or no, it would give her the time to patch up the normal-type with Hyper Potion or at least recall her to the safety of her Ball.

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

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

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] GENDERLESS	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] MINUS
[attr="class","wildtabox"]MIRROR SHOT	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]SHIFT GEAR
[attr="class","wildtabox"]ZAP CANNON	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]AUTOTOMIZE
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Valerie Katraz Shalin Nariya

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

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

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

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] FEMALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] COMPOUND EYES
[attr="class","wildtabox"]DISCHARGE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]SLASH
[attr="class","wildtabox"]SUCKER PUNCH	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]FURY CUTTER
[attr="class","wildtabox"] ---	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Valerie Katraz Shalin Nariya

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

Valerie Katraz CAUGHT THE BRONZONG!

Today had been a very productive day, and it showed in the sky. The sun was beginning to set, and the sky was bathed in shades of orange and gold. It would have been a beautiful sight, had the view not been blocked by buildings and billboards and other such urban thoroughfare. Still, after sunset would come nightfall, so it seemed that it was time to wrap things up. Still, they had just enough time to squeeze in another catch. An opportunity to end things on a high note.

And luckily, it would end on an easy note, too. Compared to the likes of Bastiodon and Bronzong, the prospect of catching a Klink seemed far, far easier. So, she didn't linger on it long. While she wasn't sure that her skills had much improved, if nothing else, Valerie's confidence had been raised by a few inches or so. That had to count for something.

"Boop."

With all the drama and suspense that sound entailed, Valerie nonchalantly walked up to the floating gear and tapped a Pokeball upon its face, making one last catch to get across the finish line.

---

Shalin Nariya

The sun was indeed getting low in the sky, and Shalin had not brought a nocturnal Pokémon with her. On top of that, noise ordinances would be in effect soon, preventing her from leaving Slateport by air like she had planned. As they were on the way back to Ranger HQ to turn their catches in and solve out the ticket they were assigned, one more small Pokémon, very small, spooked Lathiel. It was a Joltik that DISCHARGED enough of a jolt to lock up the Type: Null's muscles. The normal-type huffed, then did something completely unexpected after Shalin hurled her Flygon's Poké Ball toward the tiny electric-type.

Lathiel lashed out at Sandy with a scalding TRI ATTACK that singed her front scales. "Friendly fire, Lathiel!" she squawked, shaking her head as she withdrew the normal-type before the two got into a dangerous brawl. The Flygon was incensed as well, hurling the tiny electric-type into the air with the wake of a violent BOOMBURST that Shalin could not cover her ears for in time. Even from a short distance, she could feel the displaced air pounding at her. Without her SYGNA SUIT, she could feel the potent vibration from where she was at. And her suit let her ride the very source of that noise? She really was a whole different person wearing that thing, wasn't she?

The Joltik's attempt to shoot web at Sandy in effort to latch onto her and SLASH her was met with a catch attempt. The first Poké Ball missed the small target entirely, but the second barely grazed it. Thankfully, it was enough to draw the electric-type in. As she watched her latest catch to confirm it, Shalin wished she could have said goodbye to Valerie, but her eardrums were still ringing from being exposed to her Pokémon partner's loud droning.