Vanilla's pained question is met with silence - but she doesn't go without a response. Bibidi gently squeezes her shoulder in confirmation and comfort alike, with her free hand...

But as she begins having a coughing fit, El's gaze turns in her direction. "H-hey, here-" They take off their rebreather, offering it to her. "Take it easy, we'll-" They are cut off by a cough of their own, the smoke scratching at their throat. "W-we'll be... At the peak soon..."

But as far as the Kommo-o goes, it's immediately clear that this dragon was a cut above the rest; even after taking the Play Rough and Ice Fang both, it stands tall. It lets out a low snarl, tail lashing side to side as it assesses the enemies before it...

... At least, until the Salamence shows up - its presence seeming to agitate the already-hostile Kommo-o further. When the Salamance roars, the Kommo-o roars back - and the Clanging Scales that it sets loose immediately sends the Salamence reeling back, realizing that this prey isn't worth the conflict.

Even as a Disarming Voice attempts to drown it out - sparing emmett brookes from the cacophany - the supercharged attack is vast enough to send Bibidi stumbling back - clutching at her head with a hand - and to force El to cover their ears. But, the dragon doesn't appear to be bothered by the Disarming Voice, Soundproofed as it was.

Someone else is eager to jump into the fray, though.

Emerging from one of El's pokeballs on his own, an Iron Valiant charges forth, spear poised. Baron wastes no time - eyes locked upon the Kommo-o as he attempts to strike down the dragon with a Spirit Break!

TLDR:
- Bibidi confirms + comforts Vanilla Kingsley about the dead bodies with a little squeeze on the shoulder
- El gives Vanilla their rebreather, to help her with the heat/smoke.
- The Kommo-o sends the Salamence packing with a Clanging Scales - El and Bibidi are owie from it
- The dragon is revealed to have Soundproof
- El's Iron Valiant emerges on his own, charges the Kommo-o with a Spirit Break

Vanilla frowned at Kyle's point. It was a pretty good point in the side of cooling down and trying to not start a fight with a Pokemon that would go berserk. She furrowed her brows and put down the pokeball while relinquishing the command of the idea to the avatar himself. She'd be struck by another quick coughing fit before El Sunderland came back near her, their hand raised to take off their rebreather as she'd continue to cover her mouth and watch. It hurt to inhale, and if she did take a deep breath, it was going to take all of the smoke still in her nose out. But the temptation was far too great. "Thanks..." she managed out then slid the rebreather over her face and take a deep hit of that fresh oxygen. It felt chilled and soothing, a reminder of what clean air smelled like.

She looked up to see the now terrastalized Pokemon currently feuding with a stray Salamance from the air. Even after all the attacks made to it, the Kommo-o was raring for a fight with the Pokemon. It rattled the scales on its body once more, the horrible noise pushing the Salamance backward as it wasn't used to the onslaught of noise. "Is it *cough* trying to assert itself?" she asked El, looking up at them for guidance. After the momentary distraction, the others would send out their Pokemon, alongside El Sunderland having to hold their ears from the sudden loud noise coming from the scales. Even while drowned out, Vanilla could still hear the ringing in her ears and winced. Both hands went to hers as well, looking back at the Iron Thorn currently waiting her command.

"Help 'em out, Electrolyte!" she said, the Paradox Pokemon quickly coming to life and making a sprint towards the tera infused Kommo-o like the rest of its compatriots. The Iron Thorn lets out a fierce cry before unleashing a Stone Edge onto the large Pokemon.

---

TL;DR:
↳ Takes a deep breath of air from El's rebreather
↳ Watches the Kommo-o fight against the Salamance
↳ Orders Iron Thorns into the fight and uses STONE EDGE.

"I... I think so?" El responded to Vanilla Kingsley , their breath wheezing slightly from the smoke and heat. Larger dragon-types could be very testy- and if one kept a hoard, that probably only added onto it. This Salamence showing up probably prompted some sort of territorial or dominant response.

It didn't help that this Kommo-o seemed particularly ornery, too, with how quickly it decided that it wanted to fight them (even if it was quite reasonably provoked, by the group.)

But even if the dragon was prepared to stand up against the onslaught - roaring proud and mighty - it also was sorely outnumbered. Ice, electricity, stone, and lunar attacks alike strike it one after another - even as it attempts to clash against those closest to it. Outrage drives it to strike wildly at those nearby, bellowing with rage all the whilst - but with each attack it's struck by, the rampage it sets itself on grows sluggish. Slower. More labored...

... Until another Spirit Break from Baron - wall-jumping off of a nearby boulder to dive onto the Kommo-o from above - sends the dragon collapsing forward onto the ground.

For a moment, it is still, aside from heaving breaths. The crystalline sheen of terastallization from before fades, returning the Kommo-o back to normal. But it continues to growl, an angry and defiant gaze casting over the others present. And it is stubborn - lips curling into a snarl as it tries to push itself up, body shaking with the effort.

A brief and somewhat chilling thought passes through El's head, that this dragon might not stop until it's dead. Which poses the question - would any of them be willing to even go that far? El certainly wasn't - it didn't deserve to die just for protecting its hoard from intruders outside of the ecosystem that exists here. It almost makes them feel like an invasive species, when they thought of it that way.

So, as Baron raises his spear, they make a split second decision - pulling out an empty pokeball, and tossing it. The Kommo-o is pulled within - the ball giving a shake once.

Twice.

Thrice.

Before finally clicking - falling still.

1__e21i1
TLDR:
- The Kommo-o gets vibechecked by the beatdown, but even after collapsing tries to get back up to keep fighting.
- El realizes that the Kommo-o might not stop until it's dead; decides to catch it (as a reflavored gacha, w/ perm from Raikou) it to avoid such.