[attr="class","body"]

a soft gust of wind stirs, carrying with it a strange energy that prickles along nick's skin, raising the fine hairs at the nape of his neck. he pauses mid-stride, his feet crunching against the stone, and turns his head slowly, searching the horizon for signs of disturbance. it's hard to tell in the fading light, but he swears he sees a shimmer, a wavering heat that doesn't quite belong.[break][break]

a shape solidifies out of the twilight, and nick's eyes widen behind his glasses. it's a pokemon, or at least the semblance of one - a solrock, its body wreathed in a strange, ethereal light that pulses and glows. but it's… wrong. the colors are too bright, the edges too sharp and too blurry at once, as if reality itself is struggling to contain it.[break][break]

in the distance, a woman is drawing near, her figure small and determined, a puppet dangling from one hand and a chatot perched on the other. nick's eyes widen as his mind makes sense of the scene.[break][break]

he had been sent here to check on anomalous reports related to the sightings of odd pokemon glowing with brilliant light, but he had not expected someone to get there before him, much less someone who would dare to get so close. he remembers what happened last time he tried to get close to one of these things. this could end in a bloodbath if he's not quick.[break][break]

racing forward, nick pauses across from morrighan, the odd solrock suspended in between them. he holds out one hand, eyes wide. "wait! don't get any closer!" he calls out. "it might attack!"

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]


Just short of arriving near the clearing that the mysterious Solrock has taken dominion over, a figure intercepts and makes her halt immediately, blinking at what the stranger is telling her. "Pardon?" she wonders out loud, not quite understanding the rather frenzied state of the other, but still taking the precaution to leave some distance between her and the brilliant Pokémon. "Might I take that you are familiar with this kind of ... occurrence?" she asks, taking the cue that it might be more appropriate to be quieter.[break]
[break]
In truth, there is something eerie about this strange sight - she has looked at her own Solrock for enough times to notice the subtler differences, too, something that adds to a feeling of distortion. But perhaps it's a same sense of familiarity, too - as wrong as it may be -, that she feels a curious pull towards it. A wildcard, truly, and she still reserves judgement.[break]

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

nick blinks, startled out of his flustered state by the woman's calm, measured response. he had expected her to argue, to demand an explanation - but instead, she seems almost… thoughtful. cautious, but not frightened.[break][break]

he lets out a slow breath, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "i, uh. yeah, i've seen these before," he says, his voice rough with disuse. "they're poppin' up all over the place now."[break][break]

the memory of a frenzied, violent golurk glittering in a similar fashion spears into his mind, and then swiftly fades.[break][break]

"they're not normal pokemon. they're… something else. like spirits, maybe. they don't stay for long, and when they go, it's violent."[break][break]

he looks back at her, his gaze piercing even through his glasses. "they seem to protect certain areas, and will attack you if you get close," he continues, then pauses, and adds in a softer tone, "but i don't think they want to hurt anyone. i think they're just scared, and lost. like they don't know where they belong."[break][break]

his eyes flick back to the solrock, and he feels a pang of sympathy, of kinship, in his chest. he knows what it's like to be lost, to not know where you belong. to be scared and angry and lashing out at the world around you just because you don't understand it yourself. a terrible, self-effacing ritual that nick has partaken in for many years now. he hopes he can champion a new era in his life now.

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]


Curiosity outweighs any kind of other emotion in this moment, making her listen to the other with as much attention as she can spare with a volatile Pokémon - volatile spirit-of-sorts nearby, the peripheral of her eyes ever-looking for that strange brilliance now again. It's ... odd for sure, though the voice of the other - marked by prolonged silences - is also revealing a different tale. It urges her to study this phenomena altogether all the more, but ... of course, danger cannot be fully exempted from such a thing.[break]
[break]
"I see ... thanks for warning me, and for sharing what you know with me," she remarks in turn, bowing politely to emphasise her words. "I guess my curiosity nearly got the better of me," Morrighan hums, although she still very much desires to observe those glowing creatures from closer-by, it doesn't seem like they would be prone to such a thing. Instead, however, there is a different kind of interest piqued. "It almost sounds like you are quite familiar with the situation yourself-" is as far as she comes next, however, words interrupted with a sudden movement in the corners of her eyes-[break]
[break]
Immediately, she brings out Chrysanthemum the Lunatone, putting it between the glowing Solrock and themselves, "Harden, quick!" She doesn't like seeing her partner take the damage for them, but it's the quickest she can think of right now.

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

fear sparks along nick's veins as he catches sight of movement, the solrock beginning to twitch and shudder like a frightened animal. and indeed, perhaps it is frightened. like calls to like, and nick feels the thrum of panicked energy pass through him like an electric current.[break][break]

he doesn't think, he just reacts. "leonius!" he calls, sending out his altaria in a burst of light. "take down!"[break][break]

the mighty bird flaps its wings, its body coated in a swirling vortex of air, and his body thrums with pulses of energy, rippling like heatwaves - and then, with one powerful beat of its wings, leonius races towards the solrock, who gathers a beam of light in front of its face.[break][break]

the solrock reels as the attack hits it head-on, its body flaring with sudden brilliant light. then, the solar beam releases, cutting a smoking swath of light through the surrounding trees, an attack that was certainly aimed for morrighan had the solrock not been displaced. for a moment, then, the thing is quiet and still, staring blankly at the scar it cut into the foliage. against his will, nick's shoulders lower.[break][break]

then, the solrock turns towards him. its eyes glow a disconcerting ruby red.[break][break]

"shit."

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]


Morrighan is typically quick on her mind in social situations, a witty remark or a handful of wisdom always ready to leave the eloquent tongue, but in such a thing as this? In a battle where life and death may very well be on the line? She feels very much out of her depth, taking a moment to process the situation that she nearly walk in herself, all things considered. But there is no time to dwell on such a thing as a powerful Solar Beam is barely missing her by inches thanks to the other's diversion, but now ...[break]
[break]
"Come out, my dear Chamomile - Calendula, on your mark!" she is quick to bring out her whole arsenal (minus the Sinistea), a Chatot and a Solrock, unglowing, joining their sides. "Hyper Voice - Chamomile, prepare a Solar Beam of your own," she instructs as the glowing Solrock's attention is yet on the other, but hopefully the loud screech of the bird flying closer to the foe is enough to disturb them that perhaps, there is a chance for escape if they aren't able to take it down.[break]
[break]
Walking behind a twice-Hardened Lunatone, she approaches the stranger, "perhaps we should flee ..."

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

for a moment, time seems to stop, the air going thick and heavy like molasses. nick can feel the blood pounding in his veins, the adrenaline surging through his body. the thrill of danger, of fear. the knowledge that one wrong move could end everything.[break][break]

the solrock's gaze is locked on him, its eyes glowing red, and he can feel the heat of its power washing over him like the blast of an open furnace. then, the chatot's hyper voice pierces through the air, disrupting the momentary stalemate, and nick feels a surge of something like hope.[break][break]

"niamh!" he calls, sending out his toucannon in another burst of light. "use bullet seed!" the bird leaps into the air, wings beating furiously, and unleashes a hail of glowing seeds that pelt the solrock like machine gun fire. nick celebrates with a tightening of his fist.[break][break]

the glowing pokemon staggers, its light flickering and pulsing erratically. it looks like it's about to go on the attack again, but then chamomile releases its solar beam, striking the solrock head-on.[break][break]

the force of the blast sends the solrock hurtling backwards, its body crashing into the stone with a resounding crack. for a moment, it lies still, its light flickering weakly.[break][break]

then, slowly, it rises, its body pulsing with a renewed brilliance. it hovers there for a moment, glowing like a miniature sun, and nick realizes exactly what is going to happen next. it will explode. he looks at morrighan.[break][break]

"yeah," he agrees, almost breathless. "we need to get as far away as we can."[break][break]

with that, he turns and begins to dash into the surrounding wood, both of his pokemon flying closely after him.

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]


It's quite a strange feeling that begins to settle despite the urgency of the battle, the life-or-death situation they have at hand - the sinking feeling of her own inadequacy, in ways, that for certain, a mere story collector and linguistic researcher wouldn't be quite able to face such brutal brilliance on her own, that they actually worked in tandem to get out of this situation alive. Maybe something to muse over at some other point, but as Chamomile's Solar Beam is ending - ending the strange form of a Solrock, something ... odd is happening.[break]
[break]
With Calendula instinctively flying away - ahead, and both Rock-Psychic types must be feeling the end of a star.[break]
[break]
It's almost poetic, if not for the surging of power that Morrighan is feeling in this very moment as all of them move to run as far as they can from this singular occurrence. Still, she can't help but to halt for just the faintest of moments, looking back over her shoulders to the defeated Solrock to see as its glow is growing brighter and brighter, rays of pure light bursting in awing brilliance.[break]
[break]
Quickly, she turns around to head further, only feeling a chill on her back as everything surrounding them is covered in starlight - sunlight for all but one moment, a strong breeze nearly making her stumble before it all fades into nothingness. The day is restored - there is nothing to fight anymore.[break]
[break]
Still, she keeps on running for a moment, until halting to catch her breath, looking over to the stranger she just encountered this with. "So ... does that happen often these days?" Morrighan asks, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible as she straightens her posture, dusting off her clothes a little. And yet, there is a slight quiver audible in her voice, an inquisitive look cast into the faraway distance - towards where the strange Solrock used to be.

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

eventually, nick slows to a stop, his chest heaving with exertion. his legs burn, his lungs ache, but he's alive. they're all alive.[break][break]

he turns to look back at where the solrock had been, at the brilliant explosion of light that had consumed it. the forest is eerily quiet now, the only sound the distant rustle of leaves and the soft twittering of birds. he can see the trail of smoke rising from the spot where the solrock had been, a black scar against the blue sky.[break][break]

"no," nick answers morrighan's question without thinking, but pauses and amends it. "well, it's out of the ordinary, i guess. i've been a ranger for five years now, and this is the second time i've ever seen this phenomenon. it's happening all over the place this month."[break][break]

he shakes his head, dismissing the thought. "either way, it's not something i want to run into again anytime soon. or ever, really." he looks back at morrighan, his expression serious. "you should be careful out here. there's a lot of dangerous things out here."[break][break]

with that, he recalls his pokemon, their bodies disappearing in a flash of light. he hesitates for a moment, then nods at morrighan. "thank you for your help. i don't think i could have taken that thing down on my own."

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]


Now that the danger is slowly fizzing out of her system - now that she can regard this strange happening with the curiosity of a storyteller, there is some intrigue in there that almost makes her want to go back a few moments, to truly observe what she just witnessed, try to piece together the story that was there. There is almost a faint feeling, too, as if she heard a voice - words, somewhere, about a point of no return ... but she couldn't make heads or tails out of it. It does seem, however, that this is an unusual occurrence that only started to appear recently.[break]
[break]
"I see ... these are the strange times, for sure," Morrighan remarks in turn, "May I ask what kind you first encountered? It was - took the appearance of a Pokémon, I assume?" It does seem like it wouldn't take another shape, though it was hard to say. Looking at her own Solrock, there is certain semblance that typically exists between this and another individual of the same specimen. This felt ... oddly void, yet. "I'll heed your warning with attention," she replies to the other, an assuring smile on her face as she offers a hand, "Morrighan Cahill is my name, by the way - I'm a ... story collector, you could say."[break]
[break]
Yet, as quiet returns to this forest after a supernova of a warning, her gaze keeps returning to the place where it all happened. Over her lips, a mutter escapes, "The death of a star ... may be just the birth of another. I wonder what will await Hoenn in its future ..."

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

"it was a golurk. twice as big, standing like a sentinel near petalburg." nick hesitates, then shrugs. "it was aggressive. scary, almost. looked like it would do anything to protect the place where it stood."[break][break]

he nods in agreement with morrighan's observation about strange times. the world had always been a dangerous place, full of mysteries and threats, but something about this new phenomenon feels different. more ominous. like it is just the beginning of something bigger and more terrifying.[break][break]

"nick steele," he introduces himself in turn, shaking morrighan's hand briefly. his grip is firm and strong. "i'm a ranger."[break][break]

he falls silent for a moment, considering morrighan's words about the death and birth of stars. it's a poetic thought, one that fits the strange and otherworldly nature of the phenomenon they had just witnessed. he's about to respond when there's a sudden rustling in the bushes nearby, followed by a series of loud, raucous cries.[break][break]

in a flash, nick has reached for his pokeball again, ready to release one of his pokemon at a moment's notice. but when the source of the noise emerges from the bushes, he relaxes. it's a flock of flock of spearow, their brown feathers ruffled and their beaks open wide as they squawk and flutter about.[break][break]

the sight of them brings an unexpected smile to nick's face. "huh. looks like life goes on, with or without us," he muses, watching the birds hop and flutter around. "there's something comforting about that."[break][break]

he looks off into the distance. "hope your story seeking goes well. i should get going."

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]


A Golurk ... now that is one fearsome creature to encounter in such a state, especially twice the size ... She would only love to inquire more about how such a foe was slain, if it's even appropriate to call it such - though they have been hostile towards them, that doesn't necessarily mark them as evil creatures, not? For all its worth, perhaps humanity is the one steering towards a most tragic end, at the hands of their own ... but who is to say, really? "Well, I'm grateful you made it out alive, or else, I wouldn't be so sure about myself today," she only remarks in turn, keeping the more grim thoughts to herself as she muses on the words, turning and turning them around like pirouettes on thin ice.[break]
[break]
Nick Steele is certainly a name she shall remember, though before she can voice such a sentiment, a flock of Spearows is emerging from the bushes where they just had a life-threatening encounter in, a brilliant display in its own way - of life that continues, life that goes on. Looking at how it makes a smile on Nick's face emerge, she can't help the small chuckle either, a scoff in a way with upturned lips. "I couldn't have said it better myself," she tips her hat - somewhat having made it out unscathed - in turn, a sign of respect. "And I wish you well also. May our paths cross under more ... favourable stars the next time."[break]

[attr="class","credit"]