ROOTS

mission

HARUKI MATSUBARA IS NOT THE FIRST TO TRY FOR HIS LIFE. nor will kouji, his follower, be the last. so long as fernando silph, hoenn’s longest standing council member, breathes, team rocket will always have another peon ready. anything to sculpt out his remaining eye.

which is why fernando remains paranoid. a healthy obsession that is often overlooked in lieu of his taciturn disposition. they bundle his traits under the umbrella of a groomed business man. not someone who has survived a regional war.

“…”

so when confronted by an injured person, he does not bend his knee, floundering to be of help. he responds with the same precision of their champion, kyle lopez. the only difference is the motive.

fernando brings out his COMFEY to maintain distance. provide the bare minimum while exposing himself to as little as possible. where kyle, instead, says it’s the most natural move. as if it’s the fastest and simplest solution in the games he loves to play.

the COMFEY coils around his wrist. a gentle brush with his finger spurs it to react. its FLORAL HEALING causes the nearby fauna to flourish. the raw energy of nature proves empowering. as if the world grows just to ensure your stamina thrives as well.

his zygarde remains nearby. not necessarily wary, but prone on all fours, as if ready to bark.

“stay still,” he commands. “you’ll only open your wound further.”

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
Kouji Matsubara

ROOTS

mission

THE MOMENT HE CALLS FOR A SWAP, fernando reels his hand back. it’s unexpected but this is what preparation is for. caution, after all, is the antithesis of the unforeseen.

“battle routine set!”

wild GRASS KNOTS start to stir in the ground below. none sprout, outright, but their turbulent nature reveal just how entrenched they are. spontaneous little traps ready to pluck at an inattentive victim.

“execute!”

his ZYGARDE lets out a loud yap, GLARING at the MEOWSCARADA behind its PROTECTIVE dome.

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
Kouji Matsubara

ROOTS

mission

THE FLOWER GIFT BLOOMS INTO A SERIES OF BLASTS. each projectile beats against the PROTECT, a rasping knock against a door that will not budge. moments later, however, the dome breaks under the residual pressure, lasting long enough to live up to its name.

the moment it falls, the ZYGARDE lets up its GLARE. a loud yap responds to kouji’s call, a prelude to the pulsing energy that sinks into the ground. like a living arrow, it snakes past several GRASS KNOTS, erupting in a wide LAND’S WRATH.

as for the GRASS KNOTS themselves, nearby ones start to lash out, trying to entangle the MEOWSCARADA in place.

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
Kouji Matsubara

ROOTS

mission

THE FLAMETHROWER DEVOURS HIS ADVANTAGE. uprooted dirt and manipulated plant life shrivels under the duress of constant flames. fernando holds his arm up and his COMFEY takes the blunt of the blow. it can’t spring up another PROTECT this soon but all he needs is for it to buy him time. however long it takes him to tap the next pokeball on his belt.

a sudden whirling wind dispels the lingering FLAMETHROWER as his GLALIE appears. its own PROTECT springs, revealing his burnt jacket sleeve being overshadowed by his fully forming SYGNA SUIT.

all the while his ZYGARDE advances, throwing its full body weight with a SUPER POWER at the aggressive HOUNDOOM.

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
Kouji Matsubara

ROOTS

mission

“ON ME,” fernando commands, exuding a CALMNESS that’s seen this scenario fold so many times before. for him, it’s no more than realized practice, causing his SYNC SUIT to steel nerves and observe with uncanny disregard for the approaching WEAVILE.

CALM — increases the evasiveness of your pokemon; lowers accuracy

when the pokemon swings, his GLALIE weaves, proving surprisingly EVASIVE as the METAL CLAW grazes its stone surface. what would’ve been a deep scar becomes little more than an unfortunate scratch, a searing pain not overwhelming enough to detract from its counter. with astute timing, the pokemon clamps down on the small pokemon, ready to CRUNCH it between unhinged jaws.

the ZYGARDE ignores the physical blow of PAYBACK, already trotting back to its owner’s beck and call. without a way to utilize the pokemon’s own strength against it, the blow seems to be lacking.

the same can be said for the GRASS KNOTS that worm their way through charred soil and cracked fissures. these vines seem weaker, due to the disturbance to the terrain, but threaten to hold the WEAVILE down, isolating and immobilizing it between flora bondage and tusked cuffs.

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
Kouji Matsubara