Toki had already been hard at work with the evacuation efforts, ordering his Pokemon to do what they were best at. "Azura, use Aqua Jet and Icy Wind to dampen the flames! Aigis, keep a look out for people trapped and use your speed to shepherd them to safety. Setsuna, Oro, Taruk, smother the flames with any loose soil you can kick up!" He ordered them around with a sense of confidence he was still new to, but he was using it to great affect here. His Pokemon spread out, Azura whipping water about with Aqua Jet and cooling the area with a few sprays of Icy Wind. Aigis stoically darted through the trees and avoided fire the best it could in search of people in need. Setsuna, Oro, and Taruk went about gathering mounds of dirt to throw onto the flames to smother the embers.

Toki wiped his brow, sweat beading on his brow as he adjusted the goggles he had on to protect his eyes from the smoke and ash. At being called, he turned to see a familiar face "El! Everyone's doing fine for the moment. What about you and yours? Everything good?" He looked around to assess the damage. He looked at what was burned and what wasn't "This fire's insane...it flared up out of nowhere. Judging from what's been damaged, the origin must be a little further in." He said with a sigh. He handed El a pair of goggles if they didn't have any already, along with a cloth mask "Put these on. Don't want to inhale smoke or have it get in your eyes. Do you have any idea where we should start?" The area around them was beginning to calm, but there was still a long fight ahead.

Despite all that he was doing, Toki still felt completely out of his element. He wasn't here for what happened to Petalburg during some Avatar incident. He wasn't even sure what an Avatar was! Still, he had to do something. There was a lot he wanted to figure out, but all of this came first. He was ready to make a name for himself.

El Sunderland

El smiled gently, at hearing that Toki's pokemon were okay. "Good; mine are alright, over here." Though Mizu and Daipenmon were a ways away, they knew that between Life Dew and Aqua Ring, Mizu could take care of themselves if either got hurt. (And that if anyone else was too close, they'd get caught up in the duo's Surfs - so it was better to let the two do their own thing anyhow.)

The comments on the fire though, got a nod from El, their expression vaguely concerned. "Yeah; I'm not sure where it came from... I'm not too worried about Petalburg Woods - that side of the fire should be handled - but..." ... But if Isaac and co watch the woods regularly enough to protect it from disasters like these, then that meant that the source may be closer to El's and Toki's side of the fire.

As Toki passed some goggles and a mask over though, El is eager to take them and put them on. "Thank you," They responded with a gentle smile.

The question of the next step was a good one, though. "Namielle's rain will make our water-type attacks stronger, and it's making pushing this back easier, too..." They mused out loud - bringing a hand up to shield the goggle lens from the rain as they tried to see just how high up the fire further in was.

If the fire had been caused by humans (be it directly or not,) it was unlikely that there'd be any living things at the heart of the blaze. But... "If a wild fire-type caused this, and it's still there... It might get agitated by all of our pokemon as they push the fire back towards the center..." El mused out loud, faintly concerned. "And if it tries to fight us, and it might start the fire back up in the process..."

Toki Akiyama

"Admittedly I'm limited on water type moves, but Azura's Aqua Jet, Bubble Beam, and Icy Wind should help out plenty as we try and figure out the source of all this. Aigis is on rescue duty and the others are smothering the flames with loose soil." He explained his situation the best he could to El. He tapped his chin thoughtfully "If it's Pokemon made, something must have seriously agitated it. Calming it won't be easy, but it's the job of Rangers to pacify them whenever they're rampaging. First thing's first is to find whatever it is. Once we figure that out, we can come up with a better course of action." He placed a hand on El's shoulder gently "It's good to think ahead, but without knowing the truth, it's all speculation. So let's find the truth."

Aigis and the other Pokemon were busy keeping the area free from the blaze. Aigis slashed at some of the denser foliage to prevent the blaze from catching them while the rest moved debris and fallen trees out of the way. Pokemon darted through the foliage, escaping the blaze. "Watch where they're fleeing from." Toki pointed out. He pointed to the fleeing Pokemon, their tracks, and then deeper into the forest "That'll be where we want to check first. That make sense?" He asked.

Toki felt somewhat out of his element. There were so many things he didn't quite understand. Hoenn was rapidly changing, and he was falling behind. He tried to put that behind him for now. To worry about that in the middle of a crisis would only put more people and Pokemon in danger. "Alright El...let's make our way in. Stay close." As they walked, Azura shot Bubble Beams and Icy Winds through their path to keep the area damp. In that sense, they should have a safe return path should things get too dangerous.

El Sunderland

As Toki gently instructed El, the ranger blinked - before nodding. "I- Yeah, of course!" They smiled a little sheepishly over jumping the gun as they did in their thought process. "I just figured... If this fire was started by humans - be it on accident or on purpose - they probably ain't gonna still be there. But if a wild pokemon started it, it's more likely to still be around here somewhere..." Which led to their thoughts about being careful for any potential wild fire-types.

Toki had the right of things, in drawing El's attention to some of the fleeing wild pokemon, though - the younger ranger gazing deeper into the trees ahead. "Yeah... Makes sense," They agreed with a nod - before glancing over and whistling for their Goodra. "This way, Namielle!"

El was thankful for the 'cleats' attachment they had on their cane. Even if there wasn't much actual snow or ice here, it helped with traction in the more unsteady terrain that lay off the beaten path. Following Toki's lead, they'd stick close to him as they moved - a hand adjusting the mask to make sure it was secure over their nose and mouth.

Namielle proved to be similarly helpful in securing the way forward and back - her Muddy Waters quickly smothering nearby flames, especially when empowered by the rain. The Goodra's demeanor was a little more on the timid side though, eyes carefully scanning the group's surroundings. One could never be too careful, right...?

Toki Akiyama

"Let's hope it's as simple as an accidental fire." Toki said with a nod. A wild Pokemon, especially a fire type, wouldn't be really compelled to flee from a blaze. The question is what would have angered it so? Either way, the only thing to it was to proceed deeper into the forest while the blaze was being beaten back. "Azura, Setsuna, come with us. Everyone else, keep the flames at bay. Run away if you have to, we'll be fine." He said as the group ventured deeper.

Namielle seemed to be pretty cautious, and the vicinity around him was safe thanks to Muddy Water. Occasionally Azura would whip forward with an Aqua Jet to send an arc of water and mud kicked up by Namielle along the path. "With this much moisture in the air it will be harder for the fire to spread further. We prepared well. Good job." He said to El as they continued to walk. "Hear anything yet? Your Goodra seems on edge. I haven't heard anything out of the ordinary just yet."

Setsuna kept an ear out as well. He always had a good head on his shoulders and an overall attunement to the world around him. He could feel when things were thrown out of balance. It must be a benefit for Pokemon who had the power of Aura. Part of Toki wished it was something humans could learn to tap into.

They were beginning to see fewer fleeing Pokemon. They must have all fled by this point "Alright, stay low, stay quiet. Let's listen for anything out of the ordinary." Toki instructed. He gulped. What was he doing offering advice like an instructor? He was still new, all things considered. Was he overstepping?

El Sunderland

At the mention of Namielle, El glanced back to their Goodra - lifting their free hand to pat his shoulder. "Namielle's just a little timid-natured - that he's not immediately going to hiding with Acid Armor's a good sign." They reassured Toki - Namielle probably wasn't the biggest about being around multiple people he didn't know, either. But, that being said... "That is a good question, though - anything stand out to you, Namielle buddy?" El questioned their Goodra, moving to hold his hand.

Namielle, blinking, glanced down to El - making a soft, shy burble... Before shaking his head no, squeezing his trainer's hand. There wasn't anything yet - but there was a part of him that wanted to be cautious. Careful. This wasn't the place for a Goodra like himself to be, after all - let alone a couple squishy-dry humans.

El nodded in understanding, reassuring "It's okay, buddy. I've got Toridcless, Akero, and Amalthea on my belt. Toridcless will help tons if we gotta protect ourselves," Not that El wanted it to come to that, of course, "And Amalthea and Akero are there to help if we get hurt."

But, it seemed as though they were nearing the heart of the wildfire. Before, there were fleeing wild pokemon who were more than happy to use the path that the two Rangers secured as an easy escape route. But now, those numbers began to thin - prompting El to have much the same thoughts that Toki did. The group stayed close to one another - eyes scanning their surroundings...

... And past the crackle of the flames that burned around them, beyond the safety of the cleared path, there came the distant rumble of some pokemon. El tensed a little at the sound - taking a second to tap Toki's shoulder and gesture in the direction - though they couldn't tell quite yet what pokemon this was.

Toki Akiyama

Toki looked at Namielle with a bit of concern. Poor thing was not in his element right now in more ways than one. He didn't seem to notice any signs of a clue yet, though that was fine. The search was just beginning in earnest, after all "Well I hope he knows we appreciate his bravery today. This is the sort of thing I wish no one had to ever deal with." He said, slowly reaching over to give Namielle a reassuring pat on the side.

El had all his bases covered here. Admittedly Toki's strategies were limited, though he had a first aid kit and potions just in case. "I may need advice on how to better build teams. You have so much covered. I accepted this mission when all I had was Azura for reliable water coverage." He said with a sigh "But let's not worry about that now. It's not the time for me to be insecure about these things."

The second they reached the origin of the blaze, Azura quickly went to work alongside Namielle to dampen the area. Toki began to examine the ground quickly for tracks "No feathers, no hoof tracks...no trail. Talonflame's family, Slugma and Magcargo, Ponyta and Rapidash...all off the table. Could be a Houndoom...that could be bad to deal with. Growlithe, Charmander, and Vulpix families could also be responsible...though there are too many other tracks to be completely certain."

As they pushed back the fire, Toki would look for any signs of poaching or injured Pokemon. He kept his ears out for Pokemon cries "If you see it, keep a good distance. Offer it food and back off, keep a potion on hand when it's calmed..."

El Sunderland

El smiles as Toki praises Namielle. "He's a good boy, for sure." They agree.

The praise and attention seems to get a tiny, shy, smile - but an appreciative one nonetheless - from Namielle, who nods softly in response.

Toki's talk about teams, too, would get a sheepish laugh from El. "I just, uhm, been wandering a ton. You sometimes can't really be choosy about the sorta pokemon you find, but... If you ever wanna go look for a specific variety of pokemon, I'm happy to search with you." They offer with a smile.

But, as the duo approached the origin of the blaze - not too far from Petalburg Woods, though technically more in Route 104 - a lot of the chatter would die down. El listened carefully as Toki made his observations, to which they agreed. There weren't any distinct tracks amongst the foot traffic from the fleeing pokemon, and there wasn't any feathers, or tufts of fur stuck in any undergrowth....

... But as they moved, even if there was no pokemon in sight, there was one thing that El found - and the sight jolted their heart. A broken chain, attached to a long post driven into the earth. Around the site, gouges in the earth, displaced fallen leaves and torn grass, traces of food... And patches of dried blood.

"A poacher's trap, I think..." They murmured - there must've been something at the other end of the broken chain, but... Where was it? The answer, perhaps, would be in the blood trail - which led into the undergrowth. The tracks here looked as though a limb was being dragged along, as whatever pokemon moved...

El's expression twisted into that of deep sympathy. They had their suspicions of the state the wild pokemon might've been in... "... I don't think the poor thing is far from here - but it's probably hiding..." And the question now, was where..?

Toki Akiyama

Toki nodded "Yeah...sometimes it's best to see what you can find and which Pokemon work well together than worrying too much about it." He always was the type to overthink things and worry too much about a lot of things. To him, El had a lot of wisdom that they should be proud of, but for now it was time to focus on what was happening around them. "Azura, keep it up. Dampen the heart of the blaze the best you can and we'll get this settled soon. Aigis, do you notice anything?"

Aigis' looked around without a sound save for the whirring of its body. Its eyes lit up as it scanned for anything out of the ordinary to focus on. While Aigis looked around, El had found something troubling. He looked over the chain and blood with a wince "Poachers...there are enough problems in Hoenn right now, and they're still exploiting Pokemon to feed into their own selfishness." Toki felt anger bubbling up but he closed his eyes and calmed himself. Nothing to be done for it now aside from help the Pokemon that was caught in it. Aigis looked at the trail, then slowly panned its head across the trail. Its eyes lit up and it pointed to a nearby burrow.

Cautiously, Toki took steps towards the burrow. He tried not to make any noise as he circled to the entrance. "...There you are." He said softly as he spotted an injured Quilava, trap still clamped around its leg. Its mane and tail flared out as it growled in a mixture of fear and agitation at the approaching human. Toki slowly  crouched down, hands at his sides to avoid startling it further. "It's alright...everything is going to be alright." He promised. "El, do you have any berries on you? Carefully toss one its way. When it eats and has its fill, I'll try and keep it calm while you take a potion, some bandages, and try to get the trap off." He said as he handed El a potion "It's good quality. It should numb the pain near instantly if we're quick about it. I'll go on your mark."

El Sunderland

El's expression was one of sympathetic - empathetic, even - pain in seeing the Quilava. They weren't sure how long it'd been hiding here for, hurting like this, but any amount of time was too long.

As the two rangers settled down, El would gesture for Namielle to stick with Azura. The fewer people crowding the burrow, the better. "No berries, but I do have a few treats..." They murmured - reaching into their bag. They pulled out a couple of them - sweet-smelling biscuits, made for pokemon - and would lightly toss them towards the Quillava.

The fire-type would jump a bit as the biscuits landed nearby - and at first, its gaze would flick between the Rangers and the offered food. But, its stomach audibly rumbled - and as it took notice of the smell, its nose began to twitch as it sniffed the air. Slowly, hunger won out over fear - and carefully, it'd shuffle a bit closer to take one of the biscuits and crunch down on it.

"If Aigis is like my Iron Valiant, they might be able to help," El murmured softly to Toki, adding "They might not be Psychic-type, but they have similar abilities to the Gallades and Gardevoirs they resemble." Empathetic and telepathic, surely able to help soothe the Quillava.

Either way, with Toki's help to keep the fire-type calm, El would begin a careful shuffle forth - scooting forward on their knees, to avoid having to stand. They'd use a bit of the bandages to protect their hands from the edges of the trap as they slowly managed to pull it open.

And once the leg was free, they'd set the trap aside so that they could use the potion Toki provided. They began spritzing it over the gashes that the trap had left, and would wrap some bandages around it to keep the wound clean.

Toki Akiyama

"That's it..." Toki said in a reassuring tone as the Quilava began to eat the treats El had provided. He listened to El's advice "Aigis? Can you do that? Can you help us calm it down?" He asked. Aigis' eyes lit up in its own way of showing its understanding. Aigis went up to the Quilava with the others and knelt down, eyes brightening as it gently communicated psychically with the injured Pokemon. It encouraged feelings of safety. That it was going to be okay. It quelled its guilt over the fire, emphasizing it wasn't its fault. Whoever hurt them was no longer here, and they can start healing.

Toki handled the trap, pulling out bandages and padded gloves to get a good grip. "One...two...three!" He said with a grunt as he pulled the trap apart. The Quilava growled and hissed in displeasure, but as soon as the potion touched the injury, its breathing began to slow into a cautious, but calmer pant. El and Toki bandaged it up while Aigis encouraged it to take it easy on the injured leg for a little while. The Quilava staggered a little, but it began to slowly move now that it was no longer in pain. Surprisingly, it was already trying to help stop the fire by smothering the flames with its own flame-resistant body. The smoke was beginning to clear, and the orange haze slowly began to fade as they worked together to snuff out any remaining embers.

It took a few more hours of work, but soon the forest fire had been dealt with. Toki sat down, back against a tree with a heavy sigh as he wiped his brow "Oh thank Arceus that's over." He said, glad to finally have a chance to breathe. "Good job out there, El. You've become a really good Ranger. You're...really an inspiration." He said with a smile as Toki's Pokemon gathered around him. "Hey everyone...you all good? Here, let me get some burn heals out..." He inspected his Pokemon and applied burn heals when needed. Thankfully none of them were hurt that badly.

"El you really did great out there! You kept calm, did what needed to be done, and we got through it all in one piece." He sighed a little bit "I feel like I'm growing as a ranger too. It's been a tough road, but...I think I'm going to do good things while I'm here, you know?" He said, thinking about the future. "Ah, but...those are thoughts for the future. Let's get back to town and grab a bite. I think I heard there was a new malasada place in Petalburg!" Toki really was growing as a person. He was beginning to truly believe in himself and what he was capable of doing. He didn't like the feeling of second guessing himself or stumbling over every word. He stood up and stretched "Let's go find it! My treat."

El Sunderland

El smiled as the Quilava seemed well enough to move. To give an additional helping hand though, they would let Amalthea out long enough for the little ponyta to give the fire-type a Heal Pulse. Between that and her Pastel Veil, it'd help give the wound a kick in the butt to heal fast and cleanly.

With the source of the blaze soothed though, there was only the fire left to handle.

And once the last embers were doused, El couldn't help but share in Toki's sigh with an exale of their own, sitting next to him. "We both did great!" They chirped happily - smiling bright. "Having Aigis around helped a ton with keeping the poor Quillava from freaking out." An injured pokemon tended to be more prone to fight or flight, after all - which could be dangerous if it didn't feel like flight was an option.

El's own pokemon would begin to gather as well - and with everyone in one place, they had the perfect way to help everyone patch up. Letting out Akero, the Togekiss would drizzle down a Life Dew for everyone - swooping overhead with joyful little whistles.

As Toki continued to speak though, El smiled to him once more - nodding in agreement. "You're already doing a lot of good," They'd comment with a giggle - helping stop a fire and tend to a hurt pokemon was great as it is!

The mention of malasadas, though, got El's eyes lighting up. "Oh heck yeah, let's go!" They responded - getting up onto their feet, leaning into their cane a bit. "And afterwards - your Valiant. Aigis, robot, I see what you're doing there~," They teased lightheartedly, snickering softly. They knew a fellow nerd when they saw one! "You oughta come to my place, and we can talk 'n play games!"

Eager to move though, El would take Toki's hand and charge on forward - looking forward to some sweets and downtime with a friend...