[attr="class","text"]

war is in full swing...[break][break]

never before has silverio imagined himself landing smacked dib in the midst of its crosshairs. alas, at this point in the few years in which he has traversed this region, suppose it is fair to say that being thrown headfirst into the fray was practically inevitable. regardless, there's a job to do here, that being to ensure the safety and security of hoenn's lands. easier said than done; each day, the challenges faced by the many hopeful individuals that seek to contribute to the region's salvation grow more gruesome. but even so...[break][break]

protecting the environment is a daunting task indeed.[break][break]

in retrospect, defending it is the very reason that silverio looks to continue his work with the pokémon rangers, despite recent experiences with certain colleagues that he wishes he could forget. to learn more of this land and the unthinkable phenomena that plague it is one of the more notable motives in the mind of the paldea-born ranger. after all, should these lands become undone by the impending chaos and destruction, then there would be nothing left of them for silv, or anyone, to study it. and yet...[break][break]

'...watch out for youself, too...', annalise henderson had once said to him.[break][break]

what a load of bullshit. was that truly what being a ranger is primarily about? tending to oneself? how far from the truth...? no, taking responsibility for others and their pokémon is part of the job too, is it not? in fact, had it not been for silverio's fast actions in sea mauville, it would've been possible for that captain to have sunk twenty-thousand leagues under the sea along with all of that rubble. even so, since then, questions began to sink into silv's mind...[break][break]

...does he genuinely belong here...?[break][break]

perhaps now is a better time than any to prove that he does. thus, he finds himself here, despite the losses that petalburg has suffered, in the hope of achieving some means of redemption. and yet, toxicity fills the air around him, pokémon are being forced out of there natural habitat. "what...!?" who can say what may have triggered this latest phenomenon - or who, for that matter. his sapphire eyes catch...[break][break]

"hey, you there! what do you think you're doing!? it's not safe here!" he calls out to a mysterious masked figure, with an arm shielding parts of his face. arceus help him if he were to inhale the toxins emanating from who-knows-what.[break][break]

Raziel Beckett

NOTES

✦ skirmish (1st of 3)[break]
✦ mp gained in this post: 210[break]
✦ total mp gained in this thread: 210

[attr="class","text"]

"so...you're one of those, huh...?" silverio mutters to nobody in particular.[break][break]

alas, this masked stranger wasn't looking to evade the crosshairs of battles that can potentially shape this landscape, that much is made clear to the ranger. but now this begs the question of why were they here to begin with. suppose that this stranger was correct in alluding to the idea of a sneak attack, but that's not the type of person that silverio was raised to be, and certainly not the type of battler -- or the type of champion for that matter -- of which he was back during his days in paldea; he would rather face the opposition head-on. while this can be assumed to be a critical flaw of his, it does not deter him from the matter at hand.[break][break]

"alright buddy, class is now in session..."[break][break]

playing into a scholastic metaphor now, silverio unloads two balls from his strap, both bearing green spots and a red stripe around around their circumference -- dusk balls -- and launches them in a swift side-armed motion, in spite of the stinging sensation that tainted raindrops instill on his bare hands, rendering his calloused fingers fidgeting in search of relief. for the sake of those that inhabit these grounds, he will dare to endure it in this fight. "first lesson for you..." from the two dusk balls come a beast donning a a sturdy iron hide and a fanged, flying scorpion.[break][break]

"is that i'm not backing down." not from this masked minion, or anyone else. but...something was off!? "huh!?" as the rain pours, both metagross and gliscor are drenched in the strangely toxic rainfall. suddenly, they are taken aback by a terrorizing sound of an explosive, not from a bomb however, but from a punk-themed pokémon that is now opposing them. "we'll be fine...now let's...go get 'em!" the ranger's words separated by whooping coughs, likely a result of the acidic downpour. the feminine gliscor looks to strike despite the severity of the situation, dancing her way to the bulbasaur in a round of acrobatics.[break][break]

meanwhile, metagross diverts its attention to the toxic punk rocker, zooming forward with its adamant willpower to unleash a zen headbutt. and the while, the poisonous rain would begin to take its toll on the ranger's duo, slowly but surely...[break][break]

Raziel Beckett

NOTES

✦ skirmish (1st of 3)[break]
✦ mp gained in this post: 210[break]
✦ total mp gained in this thread: 420

[attr="class","text"]

surely they'd be one to talk...[break][break]

about being stubborn, that is, because despite silverio's advisory words, this mysterious masked offender still stands in the way of the ranger's quest to ensure this land's safety. perhaps at this point in time, it's suffice to say that they won't be doing away with themselves quite easily -- not without a fight to say the least. in the case of the paldean himself, one may call it stubbornness, but he'd likely say that it's practicing bravery in the face of an oncoming danger. whether that would be credible enough to the opposition remains questionable in any case.[break][break]

regardless, a battle proves to be inevitable.[break][break]

both attacks from silverio's companions strike true, but not without consequence, or so it appears. the toxic bulbasaur responds in kind with a mighty swing of its chain. gliscor, although quick to zip through the air, could not outrun the chain's range. the fanged flying scorpion is swatted down like an airborne insect. the metagross, while natrually impervious to venomous strikes, is clipped unexpectedly which prompts its attention drawn to the bulbasaur. however, it now finds its shiny metal exterior coated with vicious toxins. a similar essence plagues the gliscor all the same.[break][break]

...at least they seem to know what they're doing; that's quite the strategy they're running, but we can fight through it...[break][break]

ringing thoughts held as a wave of electricity shoots towards the man himself, and surprisingly fast. silv's metagross was unfortunately not as quick as the massive spike in voltage. the gliscor, on the other hand? she wastes no time in soaring to her caregiver's aid, nosediving in front of him to take the brunt of the shocks, all the while silv barely manages to scurry away from the blast, but not without sustaining a few nicks and scrapes. it's to say that putting others ahead of himself has always been a recurring theme for the paldean, but here, it's vice versa; his pokepals ensuring their trainer's safety over their own.[break][break]

at the same time, however, gliscor and metagross are now feeling the effects of the toxic aura that haunts them, but in completely opposite ways. the toxins begin to chip away at the metagross alloy skin, whereas the gliscor appears to be strangely unfazed. persevering through the plague, it seems, and with a renewed vigor at that. the flying scorpion shoots forward, straight at the toxic bulbasaur with its fangs on full display and dressed in a coat of intense flames. a textbook fire fang. meanwhile, the metagross launches a hard punch at the opposing toxtricity, seeking to meteor mash it.[break][break]

Raziel Beckett

NOTES

✦ skirmish (1st of 3)[break]
✦ mp gained in this post: 135[break]
✦ total mp gained in this thread: 555[break]
✦ due to bulbasaur's corrosion, both of silverio's pokemon are now poisoned[break]
✦ due to gliscor's poison heal, it is recovering energy instead of losing it[break]

[attr="class","text"]

no words, only actions, for those are oftentimes said to be speak louder. but what form of action could prove to be enough in attempts to turn the tides of an unexpected battle in the favor of those who seek to protect the very livelihood of humanity and the creatures that co-inhabit the lands? suppose there are several variables to consider in that sense, but as of this moment, the momentum continues to shift to and fro, the waves of battle crashing onto the shallow shores beneath the ranger's feet. if this were to keep on, the tides may rise too far up for him to handle.[break][break]

as the suspicious stranger may learn soon enough, they aren't the only ones looking to prove their worth here. the gliscor's blazing hot fangs are rendered ineffective, namely due to the bulbasaur's sudden shift - crystallized in a aquatic blue, signaling the commencement of a phenomenon most familiar to the paldean. terastallization! cued by its commander, the bulbasaur blasts away at the flying scorpion with a strength empowered by its terastal energy which proves to be enough to down the creature.[break][break]

meanwhile, the metallic strong-legged being manages to strike down the menacing punk pokémon, but not without sustaining damage unto itself, as well as that taken from the punishing static force incoming. silverio, unfortunately, isn't quick enough to avoid it. the electricity trickles onto him, from the feet upward. the shock renders him immobile, crashing into the turf whilst his voice cracks, possibly from the high impact.[break][break]

"how...!?"[break][break]

seeing its pilot down, the metagross zooms towards silv. from his position, plopped on his side within the dirt below, silv's eyes meet the cast-iron pokémon's. it's at this moment where their connection is showcased; no words needed, the mechanical monster senses what needs to be done.[break][break]

finish the job![break][break]

and it will now launce an attempt to do so. in a fit of unbound fury and a newfound motivation, it rushes forward and it slams its heavy legs into the ground which will likely trigger tremors all around it and the opposition -- an earthquake. an attempt to shake up the toxic bulbasaur, the one remaining beast that poses a threat.[break][break]

Raziel Beckett

NOTES

✦ skirmish (1st of 3)[break]
✦ mp gained in this post: 385[break]
✦ total mp gained in this thread: 940[break]
✦ gliscor is unaffected by toxtricity's overdrive, but is struck by a water-based tera blast and faints from supereffective impact[break]
✦ silverio is shocked into submission; metagross responds with earthquake[break]

[attr="class","text"]

the battle has come to pass.

the damage is done, leaving the environment crippled in its wake. through that, however, it appears that silverio and his poképals will leave to see another day -- barely. battling through a venomous storm, a first for silverio (and hopefully the last), was a tall order indeed. yet somehow, the order is fulfilled, but at the cost of a man's physical stability or lack thereof at the present moment. regardless, the combined efforts of gliscor and metagross prove to be sufficient, or at least enough to drive away the opposition.[break][break]

for now...[break][break]

what sounded like a sharp breakage prompts silv's attention for a mere second before his dulled sapphire pupils return to view the terrain of which he's confined to. perhaps a strategic retreat on the part of the adversary, and considering the condition of both he and his pokémon, it's an outcome that he quickly need to come to terms with. on the bright side, no other people or pokémon have appeared to be hurt. a ball in his hands, silv sluggishly reaches out to recall the gliscor back to her chamber.[break][break]

metagross, by way of psychic willpower, lifts silverio to lug on its wide back and begins to trek along disoriented grounds -- a result of its own stampeding just moments ago. "thank you..." the paldea-born ranger breathes as he's carried away. surely he'd need time to recuperate, because at this rate, who knows if he can endure another scuffle like the one that he had just barely managed to scrape by...[break][break]

alone...[break][break]

Raziel Beckett

NOTES

✦ skirmish (1st of 3)[break]
✦ mp gained in this post: 85[break]
✦ total mp gained in this thread: 1025[break]
✦ gliscor is unaffected by toxtricity's overdrive, but is struck by a water-based tera blast and faints from supereffective impact[break]
✦ silverio is shocked into submission; metagross responds with earthquake[break]