"Magnificent. Simply stunning." Between his teeth, Howard shines a flashlight onto the murals surrounding the walls. Holding the device in his teeth, he jots down several notes onto a notepad, squinting in the darkness. He had several pieces of advanced technology to be used in this cave, courtesy of Amor Rose . It'd help if he was more familiar with the devices, but there hadn't been much time for a crash course.

He could've worn his helmet and uniform, but it had been torn through many battles.

With a grunt, Howard drops the light and throws out his Volcarona, whose bright scales illuminate the small section of wall he is analyzing. His work had already allowed in the breaching of this island. It was time for those more capable to win the battle. It left Howard with time for an academic excursion.

"Does this prove Yundon's Hypothesis? This style... What civilizations were known for this...? Huh?" Howard turned towards the light produced by Fernando. He immediately threw up his hands.

"I'm an academic! Don't shoot!" The man instinctively prepared to bolt.

---

FERNANDO SILPH
SURVEY
Points:
+50 (mission start)
+10 (post)

MURALS

SURVEY

“…?”

this stranger doesn’t read of rocket forces. however, he can hardly imagine league sanctioned soldiers being given free reign. actually, in hindsight, it doesn’t seem too odd. more inappropriate personnel had made their personal ventures into THE WILDS. after all, who can keep optimistic trainers away from pokemon?

“hm.”

fernando continues to debate the situation until his reader picks up glyphs illuminated by howard’s VOLCARONA. several patterns match a previous scanned image and the connection scrolls across his display. a revelation that proves plenty distracting.

“what have you uncovered?”

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
howard slayte

10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP for incorporating the faction race's obstacles in a thread.
50 MP for participation in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.

"Working on it. I'm trying to translate them as we speak, but all the explosions and whatnot are making it difficult. Can't you guys keep it down up there?" Howard complained, clearly relaxed now that he wasn't going to be attacked. "Doesn't help that I don't have any tech on me. It's like doing taxes for a corporation with only a pen and no calculator."

With a snap, the Volcarona's scales grew brighter, filling the whole cavern with a light. The cave shook slightly with an explosion. Someone was likely fighting somewhere.

"From what little I've read, I suspect this island was a sacred site from a bygone civilization. It was held in high regard, for better or worse." Howard shrugged and scratched his chin, looking at Fernando thoughtfully. The man seemed familiar to the archaeologist. Had he seen him on the cover of a magazine, recently?

"It'd help if the condition was better. This symbol could either mean 'island', 'bridge', or even 'mountain'. I'd tell you if the island would stop shaking. Are you familiar with this language?"

---

FERNANDO SILPH

MURALS

SURVEY

THIS TYPE OF FRANKNESS ISN’T NEW AMONG THE SCHOLARLY. for those that prove most eccentric tend to be those willing to persevere through thick and thin. a reckless abandon that doesn’t make anyone think twice about why such an individual would place themselves in such a precarious position.

“no,” he answers quietly. “however, these symbols resemble those found in the dessert ruins before they sunk back into the quick sand.”

it’s the only confirmation he has based on his prior trip there. before it resurfaced a second time around.

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
howard slayte

10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP for incorporating the faction race's obstacles in a thread.
50 MP for participation in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.

"That's unfortunate. It's a surprisingly elegant language. I vastly prefer it to what we use today. It has a beauty to its runes and syntax." Howard crossed his arms thoughtfully, before looking at Fernando again with a frown. It wasn't a malicious expression, but one of someone struggling to remember something. Despite that, he continued on. A typical scholar.

"Hopefully this island doesn't follow the Desert Ruin's path, then." Howard said as the cave rumbled again. That was seeming less and less likely. The battle between the League and Team Rocket felt like it was going to break the island apart.

Howard frowned again as he peered at Fernando again. He had to ask the question.

"I swear, you look awfully familiar. Were you on the cover of Archaeology Annually? Maybe last month's issue of Regional Geographic?"

---

FERNANDO SILPH

MURALS

SURVEY

BEAUTY IS ANOTHER WORD FOR UNNECESSARY COMPLICATIONS. today’s alphabet is pragmatic and highly adaptable–common tongue across multiple regions with a lower barrier of entry. whatever this is, is merely a byproduct of its time. an inferior method built on the basis of what was available.

which is why it’s so hard to decipher.

“the DESERT RUINS did not sink on their own accord,” is his attempt to reassure the scholar. “the disturbance to REGIROCK, and its eventual defeat, caused it to SELF DESTRUCT, sinking the ruins with it.”

his own scan finishes as a copy is uploaded for league purposes. not that he’s confident they’ll uncover its meaning, but having it as reference has already proved valuable. after all, isn’t that what the DESERT RUINS have proven already?

“forbes, perhaps?”

the lack of depth to his answer undermines the sarcasm.

“silph. fernando silph.”

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
howard slayte

10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP for incorporating the faction race's obstacles in a thread.
50 MP for participation in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.

"As if people actually read Forbes." Howard's laugh immediately died in his throat as Fernando introduced himself. Shit. The Fernando Silph? Gym Leader, Councilman, and billionaire? Wasn't this guy one of the League's heaviest hitters?

He had never seen the businessman from up close, but Fernando did not disappoint. Howard bowed his head. "Arthur Evans. It's a pleasure to meet you." Hopefully his nervousness would be construed as awe. Hiding his face, Howard turned back to the mural.

"Regirock? It should be arrested for disturbing such a rare historical site! Criminal!" Howard sighed and shrugged. "Hopefully this island doesn't share the same fate." Howard peered around a boulder, as if expecting to see this elusive Regirock behind it, unaware of the golem's current location in an entirely different world.

"How's your depth perception?" Howard tapped his own face as he inspected the mural. He muttered something in a foreign language that sounded like a dictionary being torn up by a chainsaw. Reducing the complications of ancient history into simplicity was one of Howard's personal goals. He reveled in unneeded beauty.

"It took me a while to get used to it, I mean. I still bump into things occasionally."

---

FERNANDO SILPH

MURALS

SURVEY

“INDEED,” he meets with a nod of his head.

on the matter of REGIROCK, fernando remains silent. there’s no point in voicing his disagreement. after all, not many share his opinion. it is humans that intrude on pokemon. however, that is their nature. they are the apex.

“hm?”

he pauses.

“ah. it takes a bit but once the contrast makes adjusting easy.”

whatever small talk that starts to spiral is quickly cut by the sound of footsteps approaching.

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
howard slayte

10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP for incorporating the faction race's obstacles in a thread.
50 MP for participation in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.

"Lucky..." Howard shook his head theatrically, before glimpsing at the councilman. "It took me a while to figure it out, but..."

Step. Step. Step. Footsteps clattered against stone. The light of Howard's Volcarona flickered on the murals and scripts. Howard longingly turned from the script to the source of the sound. What was it? League? Rocket? If it was League, it'd be fine. Howard was an archaeologist publicly known to the Pokemon League. If it was Rocket...

"I see a light down here!" A voice said. Several Rocket grunts rounded the corner. They immediately pointed at Fernando, not noticing Howard.

Howard let out an eep! This was bad. Wasn't Fernando incredibly powerful? A living legend of Hoenn, who stood at the pinnacle of many sectors. Wealth, authority, intellect. He could crush these grunts like insects in a hurricane.

"Mr. Silph...! Fernando!" Howard squeaked.

---

FERNANDO SILPH

MURALS

SURVEY

“BATTLE ROUTINE SET.”

the moment they’re intruded on is all it takes for fernando to stand his ground. crouching, legs spread, he’s ready to move, prompting the NATU to hop off and stand in front.

“execute!”

the NATU chirps, eyes blurring with a faint blue light. rather than manipulate anything physical, it uses its power to create a concussive blast, firing it toward the advancing party.

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
howard slayte

10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP for incorporating the faction race's obstacles in a thread.
50 MP for participation in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.

Oh, how the councilman danced.

The grunts let out chorus of yelps and screams as Fernando's Natu let out a blast, knocking the grunts backwards towards the walls of the cave. In a less tense place, a small Natu thrashing several grown adults in Team Rocket uniforms would've been hilarious to watch. It would've definitely appeared on Hoenn's Funniest Home Videos.

Yet, in a warzone such as this, amusement was replaced with horror.

Bodies hit the floor. One of the grunts, conscious, began to stir. He stared at Fernando and his Natu, before raising a hand...

...pointed towards the archaeologist behind Fernando. Howard's face paled as the color drained from it.

"Doctor... Galarian... Why..."

---

FERNANDO SILPH

MURALS

SURVEY

“…!”

he can hear the recognition in their voice. what may have just been a perchance meeting, a rocket meeting someone they had met before, cannot be afforded the benefit of the doubt. such naivety was the difference between life or death.

it only takes a moment for fernando to pivot, turning on his heel, ready to redirect his pokemon to their vulnerable backside.

[attr="class","spiralpee"]
howard slayte

10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP for incorporating the faction race's obstacles in a thread.
50 MP for participation in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.
10 MP per IC post in a RT Battle/Mission.

"..." Howard was silent as stones clattered. He stared at the finger pointed his way, then at Fernando. The councilman was defenseless, his back turned. How many Rockets dreamed about having a shot this good? Several of the Beasts, Admins, and Underbosses would've moved countries for such an opportunity.

"I..."

Yet his knees couldn't move. They wouldn't work. He could barely move. This was just like before, when he was on the battlefield. He wasn't a warrior, he was a scholar. He didn't fight with swords, but with words. He couldn't strike at Fernando Silph, because...

Because...

Fear. A memory came to the surface, as fresh as rain. He heard a familiar voice.

"If you crumple and fall here, nobody’s gonna care! You’ll be just another casualty! Is that what you want?"

"I..."

Michael Navidson had told him that. If Fernando turned, it was over. He'd be another casualty. He'd be arrested or killed. A man as powerful as Fernando Silph had no need to step around tiny, insignificant grunts. A giant did not mind himself around ants.

That was Fernando Silph's nature. That was his apex.

It could be his, too.

"Burn." Howard whispered. "Fire Blast."

Volcarona's scales ignited as the murals in the cavern were cast in a harsh light. Shadows elongated as Fernando's Xatu was ingulfed in the flames of Volcarona's blaze. The cave grew hotter with the intense heat, turning into an oven.

Yet Howard Slayte—Arthur Evans—had never felt so cold.

---

FERNANDO SILPH