Look at you: Wandering through the desert, under the burning sun and amidst the drifting sand, covered in bandages from head to toe... If anyone makes that joke right now, you're gonna punch them in the mouth.

Lucky for you and him alike, howard slayte is too busy digging through the dirt to pluck the low hanging fruit, so your temper remains cool and his teeth remain in his gums. Still, though, dragging you all the way out here to indulge his ruin fetish... What a pain in the ass. Doesn't he have better things to do with his time? Because you sure as hell do.

Idly, you glance left, towards Grigori Sokolov and walter delmar. Then, you glance to the right, where your Drednaw marches dutifully alongside you. Some might say that three pack mules is too many. You? Could do with another seven or nine of them. And maybe some kind of fancy carriage to pull you along, too. With a small sigh and a shake of your head, you look forward once more.

There's so much fucking sand under your bandages right now it's unreal.

"What the fuck are we even looking for, anyway? And why was it so important that I had to cancel my surgery for it?"

---

howard slayte Grigori Sokolov walter delmar

Through the veil of sweat on his face, Walter attempted to keep a brave smile. Paldea's bright and sunny shores couldn't prepare him for this kind of heat. Not even the Asado Desert near Cascarrafa could do it. A pirate in the desert was about as useful as a...well as a pirate in a desert.

Walter stared at the strange ancient Pokemon on his shoulder. Howard had given it to him for the expedition since most of Walter's Pokemon were poorly built for the environment. What was it called again? Omanyte. He couldn't believe this Pokemon over millions of years old was on his very shoulder.

The captain perked up and inquired the group with a dry voice and gestured to the cooler on his back.

"So, anyone need water? You know I brought some sea breeze lemonade if anyone needs some wind in their sails. Brought it straight from Paldea too."

He didn't dare drink first. A brave captain would never. Though...that lemonade wouldn't stay cold for long.

---

Shred Grigori Sokolov howard slayte

“Please, Mr. Walter,” Grigori called over the desert winds. “I am in dire need of water.”

He took the bottle with his one free hand, undid the cap with his teeth, and drank deeply from the reserve. It lasted seconds, and shoved into one of the many bags he carried along for the two ‘important’ people. He couldn’t litter, even in an alien world. That’d just be wrong.

Though he had half a thought to dump the heavy luggage forced onto him by howard slayte and Shred . Mostly the archeologist– he’d carry many things for Shred, despite their lack of real conversation in the last few months. The Beast could use the help. At least they picked the right man for the job.

There weren’t many other Rockets who would bear the weight of sin, four bags full of equipment, and whatever insanities presented by their bosses with tight lips and an even tighter resolve.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Fox, I predict that any Pokémon we do run into will be quite large,” he said. Rumbles rocked the landscape periodically, a reminder of the massive scale of their environment and the proportions of any beasts they’d also face. “And I can’t recall the reason why we’re here. But it must be rather important.”

Important enough to dispatch a maimed beast to defend a self-admitted coward archeologist, helped by one of their top grunts and a literal sea captain. Truly, the best and brightest they had.

Unlike the sun, which suddenly disappeared. Blocked by…

“You spoke too soon, Mr. Fox,” Grigori stated. He released his Runerigus, a perfect defender for any time of need– and looked like that was now.

---

howard slayte Shred walter delmar Roy Aker

"We're out here because the deserts shifted! We could find new ruins, some fossils, or who knows what else?"

Their main objective was to inspect the area, do a survey, and come back. Team Rocket wanted intel on The Lost, so why wouldn't they send their best archaeologist and an ensemble guard to ensure that information was secured? He should've briefed Grigori on their way here, but the older grunt was constantly out running errands for Howard.

When the ground began to shake, the admin's blood began to chill.

"Here it comes." Howard turned to the trio. "Watch ou-"

The dunes began to shift as a Claydol emerged from the sands like an ancient construct. Empowered by the crackle of Dynergy, it reminded Howard of Regice. As much as he wished to use the golem, it was currently being kept in reserve in case the situation across the desert escalated.

"Here it comes! Orthworm, hide us!" Howard shouted as his Orthworm erupted from the sands, skipping across the dunes and kicking up a storm. "Scatter!"

A sandstorm hid the quartet as they prepared to engage.

---

Grigori Sokolov walter delmar Shred
USING SANDSTORM, SHIFT
MOVESET: Iron Defense/Earthquake/Dig/Sandstorm/Harden/Mud Slap
MOVES REMAINING: Iron Defense/Earthquake/Sandstorm/Dig/Harden/Mud Slap
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Well, you didn't find any new ruins, but you sure did find a really big Claydol. Really, really big. Really, really unhappy to see you, too.

This? This is why you're here.

As the group scatters amidst the sandstorm, you break off forwards, heading straight towards the towering idol. First thing first: You've got to shatter those defenses before this thing can start spinning up, both literally and metaphorically. To that end, you come to a stop before the effigy, and call out to your Pokemon.

"Drednaw, Stone Edge!"

"It's DREDNAWING time!"

Hunkering down for a moment, the hulking turtle readies itself, before--

"It's Drednawing Time"? For a split second, amidst the brewing havoc of the battlefield, you find yourself completely stunned. Huh? What? What the fuck? What does that even mean? Is that supposed to be... Y'know what? No. Just, just no. Don't even acknowledge it.

--Anyway, Drednaw readies itself, before launching forth, retreating into its shell mid-air and crashing into the dynergy barrier with a crushing STONE EDGE.

---

howard slayte Grigori Sokolov walter delmar
DREDNAW MOVES: Stone Edge/Rock Tomb/Head Smash/Sandstorm/Rock Polish/Protect, TERA ROCK
CRUSH - Moves that deal damage and have 100 base power or higher and one-hit knockout moves receive a +20 modifier.
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A pirate knows treasure when he sees it. And this was certainly one massive treasure emanating with hatred. Sand whirled around the battlefield, obscuring the vision of both the Rockets and the gigantic Claydol.

It was finally time to work with Omanyte. The two barely knew each other yet here they were, fighting against one of the greatest foes Walter has ever faced...on land.

"Omanyte! Stealth Rock port side!" The captain barked with bravado.

Lucky for Omanyte, the captain went over ship directions before the journey for future reference. Omanyte lept off of Walter's shoulder and scattered jagged rocks around the tomb guardian. The slightest movement would trigger the stone blades to pierce the Claydol.

"Great work, Omanyte! Let's see if this beast can sail past the jetty, aye?"

Omanyte plopped onto the ground awaiting for its captain's next orders. They may be smaller than everyone else, but they had a gusto to rival the Sea Basin Pokemon itself.

---

howard slayte Shred Grigori Sokolov
OMANYTE MOVES: Shell Smash/Sandstorm/Protect/Stone Edge/Rock Tomb/Stealth Rock
AFFLICT- Apply a damage-over-time effect that removes 10 HP from the boss each round for the rest of the thread. This effect can only be used once per team for the entire thread.
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Grigori closed the distance between him and Howard, “Mr. Fox, to cover!”

Options for cover weren’t impressive– or even adequate. There were several small sand dunes that lined the sides of their trail, and he forcibly dragged the admin to the nearest one. It was a molehill compared to a literal mountain of a creature, but it’d have to do.

“Mr. Howard, Stone Edge!”

With a flash of light, a body of ruined rocks appeared from a Poke ball. Art given life from death and shape with shadow tendrils. The ground shook even more, and a jutted column erupted from the depths of the sandy earth. Probably from a long lost and forgotten ruined, buried beneath the ocean of yellow.

“It reminded me of you, Mr. Fox,” he explained without giving the admin a second glance. “Something to be preserved, and value. I thought so in the moment, anyway.”

---

howard slayte walter delmar Shred Roy Aker

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CRUSH: Moves that deal damage and have 100 base power or higher and one-hit knockout moves receive a +20 modifier.
Moves Left: Earthquake/Stone Edge/Will-O-Wisp/Crafty Shield/Destiny Bond/Sandstorm

"I can't use Stone Edge, you dingu-"

The admin let out a shrill scream as Grigori dragged him to the cover of a dune. It was a mediocre barrier against a colossus capable of blotting out the sun, but a paltry blockade was preferable to nothing at all, especially as the Claydol caused massive ruins to erupt from the sands under its monumental bulk.

Howard really wished that he had brought Crumble. As the Claydol revved up an Earth Power, Howard gestured towards his Orthworm as a ruined pillar prepared to fall on top of Grigori and Howard.

"Harden!" The Orthworm's body grew stiff as it stopped the pillar from collapsing onto the duo and their Pokémon. In the meantime, Howard's gaze turned to Grigori. "You named it after me?"

His voice was like a proclamation of doom, before Howard's eye began to sparkle with appreciation.

"Thanks, Grigori!"

---

Grigori Sokolov Shred walter delmar
MOVESET: Iron Defense/Earthquake/Dig/Sandstorm/Harden/Mud Slap
SHIELD: PROTECTED IF YOU ROLL A 90+
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So, "Mr Howard", huh? And yet, there was no "Mr Shred"...

Oh well. There's time to be bitter about that later. Right now? You need to buckle up and keep up the pressure on this Claydol, lest it get out of control. And to that end? You're going to need to hit it hard and fast. Hard is easy, Drednaw can do hard, but fast... Well, that's a little harder for a turtle, isn't it? Lucky for you, you came prepared.

"Rock Polish!"

"YEAH!"

Standing up on its hind legs, the turtle proceeded to vomit water all over its rough underbelly, before thoroughly scrubbing itself with its forelegs. That'll speed it up nice and good... Somehow. But getting swift and slippy takes time, and you can only hope the others can hold down the fort until he's ready to rock.

...Heh. Rock.

---

howard slayte Grigori Sokolov walter delmar
DREDNAW MOVES: Stone Edge/Rock Tomb/Head Smash/Sandstorm/Rock Polish/Protect, TERA ROCK
BOOST - Moves that raise the user's attack, special attack, or speed add a +20 modifier to the user's next attack in the following round.
iDuLXn5r + 10 from Sandstorm

Golden sand blew like a storm. They had barely managed to land a blow on the mighty beast. Time to unfurl the sails and ride the desert wind to victory. The captain bellowed an order.


"We got em on the rocks now, Omanyte. Let's set sail with a Shell Smash!"

Now was the moment for Omanyte to prove his worth as a crewmate of Team Cove. The ancient Pokemon's shell shook and cracks soon formed. Water burst out of the cracks like geysers shooting bits of rocky shell onto the ground.

Yo ho! If Omanyte proved anything to Walter before this journey, it was gusto. Never had he seen a more daring Pokemon. Hopefully by the end of this adventure, they'd wind down on the sunny beach reveling in their new treasures.

---

howard slayte Shred Grigori Sokolov
OMANYTE MOVES: Shell Smash/Sandstorm/Protect/Stone Edge/Rock Tomb/Stealth Rock
BOOST - Moves that raise the user's attack, special attack, or speed add a +20 modifier to the user's next attack in the following round.
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“I’m unsure this is something to thank me for,” Grigori said as the Claydol started to spin. Faster than Howard's own, in that Arceus-forsaken cave. A physics anomaly, given the absolute bare minimum he knew about the subject– but it spun fast and looked like a menace.

Not enough to cause concern for his other two comrades. The Drednaw gave itself a bath, and the Omanyte smashed its shell. Both gave him concern, but he had to trust they knew their strategy better than he. For himself, there was only one possible option

“Mr. Howard, Will-o-Wisp!”

A streak of flame erupted from the stone of the Runerigus, and floated straight toward the massive Claydol. Ghostly flame engulfed the Pokemon, until miniature puffs of fire exploded all across the body of their foe.

“But the thought is appreciated nonetheless.”

---

howard slayte Shred walter delmar Roy Aker

WUoQ7QC7

Afflict - Moves that inflict or have a chance to inflict poison, burn, frostbite, apply entry hazards, perish song and leech seed apply a damage-over-time effect that removes 10 HP from the boss each round for the rest of the thread. This effect can only be used once per team for the entire thread.
Moves Left - Earthquake/Stone Edge/Will-O-Wisp/Crafty Shield/Destiny Bond/Sandstorm