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summer is too hot. [break][break]

it makes her sweat, and humidity makes her feel gross. and to make it worse, the bugs would always nip and prick at her skin, and she'd have to suffer by putting on bug spray to get the nasty critters away. the only silver lining is that she can wear her tank top and shorts without a care, and without worry of getting weird looks. [break][break]

she'd wear the same in winter.[break]
people who look at her oddly are just weak. [break][break]

verity has made her home in the iron feathers of her corviknight who idly floats on the water. he's big enough to be her ferry, anyhow, while a little wishiwashi makes circles on the water's surface. it's only when she hears the yipping of a popplio does she bother to lazily glance down into the water, watching the shifting images of pink beneath, and some... white? ghastly.. kind of white? [break][break]

... was it white? or was she just seeing things? for all she knows, they could be algae, or they could be some other kind of pokemon, or just regular coral, or-- [break][break]

"... I think they're corsola." she finally says, just a little bit after the woman's initial question. ruby red eyes squint, however. [break][break]

"but what's that white stuff..?"

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The sound of another's voice startled Yumi. She'd been so focused on her own enjoyment of the day that she hadn't noticed the other woman and her Pokémon.[break][break]

A part of her grew annoyed at the intrusion, but she let go of that emotion almost immediately. The ocean was big enough for two of them, after all.[break][break]

"In that case, they're probably the Galarian variant," Yumi said, leaning back. She tapped her Sharpedo on his back. "Bring us closer, Kyoufu. But slowly. We don't want to scare them."[break][break]

The shark obeyed, inching his way over to the living Coral Pokémon. A few of them shied away at his approach.[break][break]

"What brings you out here?" Yumi asked the woman on the Corviknight. A quick glance over her clothing and belongings did not yield any pertinent information.

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oh, gosh. [break][break]

she hadn't even thought about how she might have startled a woman when she came up, saying nothing, until just a little bit later. she'd apologize.. but the woman has already moved on from the topic by the time she's finally thought to say something. that wouldn't make it the first time. [break][break]

it doesn't make it any less disappointing. [break][break]

instead, her corviknight seems to pick up the pace quicker than the trainer. what brings you out here? the woman asks, and verity, thankfully, doesn't have to take too long to answer: "i'm here to keep an eye on the corsola." [break][break]

and she hums softly, before leaning forwards, lazily, on the corviknight who continues to paddle his talons in the water to keep the two of them floating along the water's surface. "there's been word of a dwindling in the corsola population, so.. i'm supposed to look after them for a little while." [break][break]

but she never heard about having a partner here. [break][break]

"may.. i ask why you're here?" [break][break]

oh, was she too straight forward?

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Yumi gave a lazy shrug of her shoulders. If she noticed the other woman's hesitation, she gave no indication of it. "I'm enjoying the sea and sun," she replied simply.[break][break]

Her Popplio, eager to play, swam in swift circles around the other woman's Wishiwashi. The little sea lion barked to entice the fish into a game of chase.[break][break]

Yumi ignored her Pokémon and leaned over for a better look at the Corsola. As she did, movement beneath the waves caught her eye: a Toxapex joined by three Mareanie. Its brood, perhaps. The Brutal Star Pokémon stalked toward the Corsola, moving slowly but with clear intent.[break][break]

The black-haired woman pointed at the Toxapex and Mareanie. "Looks like we might witness something nasty soon. Don't those eat Corsola?" she asked the woman riding the Corviknight.

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that's right. [break][break]

people did that, didn't they? people liked to laze around in the water in the summer heat. she's so caught up in it that she's depending on the corviknight to pay attention to the water. [break][break]

in the meantime, her wishiwashi responds in kind by timidly swimming around and about, circling the popplio's fins as it happily claps and dives through the current. the teary-eyed pokemon's soft cries and wails are that of happiness. [break][break]

verity only recognizes the danger when both the woman points it out, and when her corviknight lightly bucks to grab the airheaded trainer's attention. that's when blood red eyes snap to squint a bit more focused in the water, finding the barbed pokemon stalking the pink corsola that so harmlessly float through the waves. [break][break]

"that's right.." she purses her lips, narrowing her eyes. what should she do about this? she could just have her wishiwashi school for a little bit, but it'll likely send too much of a wave, and it'll inconvenience the woman who's just trying to enjoy herself here. [break][break]

she'll ponder a bit, before softly mumbling "i can throw my elekid into the water, right..?" absentmindedly, but.. ah, but then that'd probably kill the corsola. [break][break]

and everything else in the water. [break][break]

including them. [break][break]

so she glances to the woman who lounges on her sharpedo, then to the sharpedo itself to ask "could you two prepare yourselves for a moment?"

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Yumi stared, deadpan, at the other woman. Tossing an Electric-type into the water meant injury or death for everything in the immediate radius.[break][break]

"I don't know what you intend to do, but I am not staying here for it," Yumi said, opening another Pokéball. Her Volcarona emerged in a flash of light. The moth flapped large wings in a slow, steady rhythm to remain hovering over the ocean next to the Sharpedo.[break][break]

With some finesse, Yumi jumped from her Sharpedo's back to her Volcarona's. Then she recalled her two Water Pokémon into their respective capsules.[break][break]

"Do whatever you're about to do," she said to the Ranger — for she could only assume the pale-haired woman was one. "Keep us out of harm's way, Okibi."[break][break]

The moth rose higher, but only to avoid the surging waves.

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.. did she say it out loud? [break][break]

clearly, she said it out loud. why else would the woman be lifting herself out of the water, with what looked to be a deadpan of disbelief. verity can't really think of anything else to do, save for a slightly panicked raise of her hands as she shook her head. "i-i wasn't going to do anything" too "dangerous..!"[break][break]

her lips curl into a slight frown, and her brows lower - like she has become a kicked lillipup. [break][break]

"okay.." she starts, her fingers wrapped around the steel feathers of her bird pokemon "double edge, and keep the corsola safe!" she calls out to the singular wishiwashi, who glances up from just below the water's surface.[break][break]

her corviknight lifts her up from the water as her wishiwashi begins to SCHOOL - but just enough to not burst out of the water. the schooled wishiwashi dart towards the MAREANIE at a frightening speed, clumps of sardine pokemon DOUBLE EDGING into the scattered predators that threaten the colony of corsola. [break][break]

she's keeping ruby red eyes on the wishiwashi, who carefully follows the trainers' orders. usually they'd move in a single cohesive unit but.. thankfully, she's taught them enough to be able to turn their own clumped bodies into separate units as well. "it shouldn't take too long." she mumbles, only turning her eyes to glance from the corner of her gaze. [break][break]

"i really apologize for the interruption.."

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Despite the other woman's skittish demeanor, Yumi had to admit: she knew how to command her Pokémon. The Wishiwashi schooled together and made quick work of the Mareanie, scattering them before they could reach the Corsola.[break][break]

However, the Toxapex remained, and it was inching closer to its prey. Yumi watched it for a moment, then released a Pokémon into the ocean. "Suishou, scare off that Toxapex for us, please."[break][break]

The agile form of her Sceptile pierced through the water. He cut into the Toxapex with NIGHT SLASH. The Brutal Star Pokémon flared its limbs and struck back with POISON STING, but the Sceptile retaliated with a GIGA DRAIN.[break][break]

Frustrated, the Toxapex retreated after its young. Soon, the waters grew calm again, and the Corsola — momentarily frightened by the commotion — resumed their activities.[break][break]

Yumi glanced over at the woman astride her Corviknight. "What did you say your name was, again?" she asked.

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the wishiwashi makes quick work, and ensures the safety of the corsola. the brief, restless waves calm, and the pokemon continue to migrate as the trainer sits atop her avian of steel. her eyes, however, had kept on the toxapex as it floated off, up until its body - along with the body of its young - had retreated just out of her vision. [break][break]

it's then when she can rest, and the wishiwashi that schooled return to where they came from, leaving the single sardine that happily flaps its fins in goodbye, and in gratitude. [break][break]

verity perks up at the woman's voice, taking a moment to grasp the situation. her shoulders jolt; was she upset? annoyed? irritated? oh, please, lord, don't let the scary looking woman sc--[break][break]

"What did you say your name was, again?"[break][break]

she asks, just as the trainer was expecting a telling off. "verity.." her voice is soft amongst the waves, but she's quick to clear it, and project "my name is verity." she responds, finally, with a soft smile that tugs at the corner of her lips. "it's nice to meet you."

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Yumi did not twist to match Verity's soft smile; she merely nodded her head. She doubted she'd remember the other woman's name—or see her again.[break][break]

Still, she offered her own name in return. "I'm Yumi." Glancing back into the water, she added, "I suppose we did a good deed today."[break][break]

She had no interest in staying to chat, however. A dinner reservation back in Mossdeep had her name on it, and she would not be late. So she exchanged her Sceptile for her Sharpedo, then recalled her Volcarona when she was safely on the shark's back.[break][break]

With a parting wave to Verity, Yumi said, "I'm heading back to shore. Good luck with your patrol."

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