A bright and pleasant smile touches the corners of Airi's soft lips as the warm sun kisses her somewhat tanned skin. She takes a moment to inhale, then exhale the crisp, yet briny air surrounding them. Her long, chocolate brown hair dancing around in the wind as their boat continues to cruise along the pristine ocean. She closes her deep azure eyes for a few seconds, enjoying the soothing sound of the boat's humming mixed in with the cries of the Wingull's flying above them.

Bean, Airi's trusted Mudkip, is zooming around the decent-sized boats, attempting to "chase" the folk of Wingull. The aquatic creature eventually bumps into his trainer's leg, causing her to open her piercing blue eyes. "Bean, are you done with the zoomies yet?" She giggled, kneeling down to pet the mudfish's head. The Mudkip nodded his before licking at his trainer's hand in an affectionate manner. A few more giggles escape from Airi's lip as she picks up Bean, then carries him towards the railing of the boat to take a look at the group of Corsola jetting through the peaceful water after Scout pointed out that the school of Corsola are in view. "Aren't they amazing, Bean?" She smiled, admiring the bubblegum pink and white sea creatures. Bean nodded his head and wagged his tail in excitement.

"Scout, if you do not mind me asking... How long have you been ranger?" She asks him, a soft smile curling against the sides of her mouth as she walked over towards him.


SCOUT WILDER

Airi makes her way towards him with her Mudkip in her arms. Scout's own Horsea is resting safely in its Pokéball; he figures it probably wouldn't enjoy doing the full, miles-long migratory swim with the school of Corsola, which seem to mostly enjoy floating along the waves and being propelled by the wind.

He takes a step back so as to maintain a comfortable distance. Quickly, in a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, Scout glances at her when addressed, then returns his gaze to the sea. The waves are quiet so far, but that can change at any moment.

"About a year," he says, vague, and declines to return the question.

AIRI WATANABE

"Ah, a year again, huh? I see. I have been a ranger for a few years. Every day is a different day. The job can be difficult it times, but it can be quite rewarding at times, too." Airi says, giving Scout another warm and gentle smile. Her deep blue ocean did take notice of Scout taking a few steps back to keep a decent amount of distance between the two of them. She did not take any offense to his actions at all. She figures that perhaps he is a little shy or maybe even a little guarded around strangers.

Airi turns her attention back towards the ocean. "It feels so much better being out here in here on the open seas instead of being trapped instead of the ranger station waiting for something to happen," she says, her deep ocean blue eyes keeping a watchful eye on the swimming Corsola.

SCOUT WILDER

Scout shrugs, vaguely affirmative. He does enjoy being on the water, though today's work is looking like a lot of waiting too. Ranger work, like fishing, has always been all about patience.

"If this whole trip is us waiting for something to happen," he says, "That'll be a good thing."

They're lucky that today the waves are calm and clear. It'll be easier to spot the roving bands of Tentacool that are the most prolific marine predators on this side of the ocean. Invasive Mareanie and Toxapex, recent introductions from Alola's seas, also pose a danger to schools of Corsola, but are less commonly found in Hoenn.

"I see something," Scout murmurs.

Trailing the seafoam left behind by the Corsola's wake, a shadow appears in the depths.

AIRI WATANABE

Airi nods her head in agreement with Scout's words. She never minds a little bit of an adventure here and there. However, she does prefer to take on missions that others may view as less dangerous. Unfortunately, she has not managed to climb up the ranks of the ranger command chain just yet. However, she does hope to gain a new title within the near the future. The higher the rank, the less she will have to go out into the field to do a lot of the heavy lifting. In fact, she will be able to focus more on paperwork and possibly even a lot of more to focus on rehabilitating injured or endangered Pokémon.

"Fingers crossed!" She giggles then flashes Scout with another one of her bright smiles. Sadly, their wishes would soon become ruined as Scout noticed a mysterious silhouette trailing behind the school of Corsola. A slight frown made its way across Airi's fair face as she her deep azure orbs made an attempt to identify the shadow of the Pokémon stalking the school of Corsola. What could it be? Sharpedo? Huntail? Tentacruel?


"Bean, prepare to attack, if whatever this is does decide to attack the Corsola." she orders her Mudkip. The small water-type nodded his head as his small, beady-eyes kept a watchful eye on the swimming shadow as well. So far, it has not made an attempt to strike the school. Could it be possibly that it could be Mantine or some other gentle-natured Pokémon that wishes to engage in some fun with the Corsola?

SCOUT WILDER

A lone Corsola, smaller than the rest — adolescent or simply runty, it's unclear — flags behind the group. The shadow in the water continues to follow at an even pace, foreboding.

Scout leans forward over the railings and cranes his neck for a better view. Something in his gut is raising alarm bells. His fingers go to his belt and close around the Pokéball containing his Horsea. But there's no use summoning it now; their motorized, albeit tiny, boat could go much further than the tiny water Pokémon could in the same span of time.

It's a tight balance they need to strike with navigating the boat: too far away and they won't be able to intervene in time should trouble arise, but too close and the waves could disturb the Corsola they're here to protect.

"We should get closer," Scout says, then turns on his heel to move to the back of the ship where the rudder sits. "I can steer. Can you get the spotting scope?"

AIRI WATANABE

A look of worry slowly creeps over Airi's fair face as her deep blue eyes take notice of the smaller coral-like Pokémon flagging behind the rest of the school. She starts to feel a slight flutter inside of her stomach as she becomes a little anxious. The lone aquatic creature will make the perfect victim for the mysterious silhouette if it does not catch up with the rest of the school within the next couple of minutes or so.

Airi turns her head towards Scout as he makes the suggestion that the two of them should move a little bit closer to the moving shadow. She nods her head in agreement before walking over to the spotting scope. Bean had jumped down from his trainer's arms and positioned his body against the railing as his eyes continues to peer out at the ocean.


Airi places her dainty hand around the spotting scope, positioning it towards the direction of the Corsola and the mysterious shadow. The spotting scope eventually comes into focus as Airi's ocean blue orbs notices an eerie glow of ruby red lights reflecting from underneath the water. A few more seconds later, the top portal of a Tentacruel could be seen emerging from the water. "It's a Tentacruel!" She warns Scout.

SCOUT WILDER

Scout doesn't have the best vantage point from the back of the boat; the pilot's seat is in a small cabin elevated above the deck, so he's better positioned to see far-off aquatic obstacles, but everything below the ship's hill is out of view. But that's why they have partners for missions, right? Airi's voice rings out a second later.

A lone Tentacruel? It's not what he's expecting; Scout's basic knowledge of Tentacruel seems to include the fact that they tend to hunt in packs, with others in its evolutionary family.

Though maybe... maybe it isn't alone.

Eyes widening, Scout realizes then that distant shapes of red and magenta, which could at first glance be easily mistaken for light refractions off the Corsola, are instead the characteristic glowing orbs of a school of Tentacool. They move in formation and begin to surround the Corsola, cutting off their path.


AIRI WATANABE

Normally, Airi would view the shimmering ruby, eye-like crystals reflecting the warm sunlight to be beautiful sight to behold and treasure in one's memories. However, in this current situation the sight of them are more like a nightmare. Airi and Scout are expected to protect the group of Corsola at all cost, but how will the two of them be able to make that happened with such a large army against them?

Bean is ready to spring into action, but Airi has him hold off for a while longer. "There are so many of them. We can't just rush in without a plan or else it could get ugly for Corsola and us, too," she tells him, biting down on her bottom lip as she tries to think of a game plan for them. It would be too risky to use any electric attacks to fend off the Tentacool due to the Corsola being so close to them.


"Scout, do you have a Pokemon that might be able to help the Corsola to escape? A move like Mist, Smoke Screen, or Haze?" She asks them. At the moment her plan sounds somewhat decent, and it might even keep the Tentacool away for a little bit, but would it be enough to keep them safe until the rangers are able to guide them to the next route?

SCOUT WILDER

Scout sets them to chug along ahead at a steady pace — the closest thing to cruise control you could get with this type of boat — and hops down to join Airi on the deck.

"Horsea can Smokescreen," he replies. It's a good thought. His gaze rises to meet hers for the first time this mission. "They absorb sunlight through the orbs, so it'll weaken and confuse them."

But... Scout looks overboard again, mentally assessing the size of the herd. Some of the Corsola have begun to notice the predators, and those at the front have come to a stop. Still, though, there are stragglers floating on the outskirts. "We'll need more than just your Mudkip to herd the group. Horsea can't do it if it's keeping up the Smokescreen."

He glances at the wet-suits. "You a good swimmer?"


AIRI WATANABE

"Great! Smokescreen, that would be perfect!" She beams at him. She then nods her head at the information that he shares with her about the Tentacool. "It makes a lot of sense," she adds. "I am confident that we might be able to pull this off and protect those Corsola," she tells him, giving her partner another smile.

Her sapphire blue orbs, glancing back over towards the ocean in enough time to notice the predators swimming slightly closer to their prey. "That is a valid point, but I believe that I can pull it off with some help from another friend," she smiles at him as she puts a single Poke Ball from around her waist.


She nods her head at his next question, then glances over at the wet suit. She does not believe that she will need a wet suit, but she decides to put one over her clothes just in case. "We don't have too much time." She informs him as she walks over towards the railing. She gives Bean a quick nod and he dives inside of the water. She then grabs one of the Poke Ball from around her waist and releases her Dragonair from it. The majestic, serpent-like creature lets out a soothing cry as she feels the cool, refreshing water around her slender body. Airi leaps off from the boat and lands gracefully on her Dragonair. "Bean, you lead the front of the herd. Cream and I will gather up the stragglers, then lead them from behind," she instructs her Pokémon.

SCOUT WILDER

While Airi puts on the suit, Scout figures he should too. Then he makes any final adjustments to the ship's course and slings a rope ladder off the side of the boat so the two of them are able to climb back up later.

He joins Airi and her team in the water. While treading water, Scout summons Horsea and passes along their plan, and they split up. The waves are choppy this far out from shore, but Scout is a strong swimmer, and the wet suit helps.

Smoke begins to fill the air from where Horsea huffs and puffs at the center of the school. It's disorienting for the Corsola as well, who bob around aimlessly. Some at the edges of the cloud attempt to escape but Scout herds them back inside to where they're protected from the Tentacruel. It's difficult to see and breathe even with the goggles from his wetsuit's mask — good thing they brought the oxygen tanks.



AIRI WATANABE even if Airi isn't getting in the water I think she'll still need the wetsuit because of the smoke, since they won't be able to see / breathe much