[attr="class","body"]

The gentle lull of ocean waves are a soothing lullaby to Alina’s ears as she makes her way to Slateport beach. The sea-salt tinged air grows stronger on the edge of her tongue as she moves closer to shore, and it was a dearly missed sensation. The ranger takes in a deep breath, a soft smile blooming across her features. It smells like home.[break][break]

Where sea meets land has always been her comfort zone, but since arriving at Hoenn, she hasn’t had a chance to seek out a similar haven. Ranger life hasn’t been easy to adjust to, often pushing her to the extreme with the long training hours, and sometimes she just wished that she had the luxury to spend an entire evening watching the sun tenderly kiss the sky goodnight.[break][break]

Needless to say, it felt like the universe was finally aligning with her when she was asked to escort the recent clutch of baby tirtougas home safely. Not only was she killing two wingulls with one stone, but maybe for the first time in a while, she’d feel less like a failure. After all, this was what she did best - guiding others back to where they belonged. Not scaling cliffs that threatened to collapse from erosion, or riding pokemon that could break her neck if they so pleased.[break][break]

At least, she assumed it would be smooth-sailing. Just as she recognized the hints of home, the youngest member of her team recognized them as well. The young totodile had abruptly bolted towards the shore, leaving a flustered Alina behind. Despite getting acquainted with the pokemon over the last couple of months, he was still one of the many wild cards lately that Alina couldn’t quite grasp. She hoped this trip to the ocean would relieve some of his overabundant energy, but considering that everything was either food or foe to the adolescent, this was starting to seem like a poor idea.[break][break]

“Ronan!” She called out, picking up her pace to chase after him. So much for relaxing! A million scenarios buzzed in her head as she frantically searched for the blue reptile. When her feet finally reaches sand, she makes out two blurry figures, only one of them the one she was hunting for.[break][break]

Alina makes out an older man as she reaches the pair, and her heart drops as she swiftly puts two and two together. “Oh my goodness. I’m so sorry,” Alina said, clearly flustered. Although she hasn’t previously crossed paths with her assigned partner, she was given his basic description before she left. And of course, she (or her totodile) hit jackpot.[break][break]

“I hope he didn’t bother you - or the Tirtougas, for that matter.” She says as the Totodile started dive bombing into the sand, snout eagerly sniffing out his next meal as he sprays thick sand in his vicinity. Alina lightly nudges him away with her foot, scrambling to appear more collected in front of the older ranger. “I’m Alina - you must be Nicholas? I’m, um, the other ranger that was assigned to escort the Tirtougas back to sea.” [break][break]

Yup. There goes her first impression. [break][break]

Ronan, stumbling from his spot and landing on his bottom, glares at his trainer, venom burning in his gaze. What did she think she was doing?! He wouldn’t stop her from indulging in a seafood buffet![break]

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

nick looks up from where he kneels in the sand to see the stranger - alina - jogging towards him, a worried expression painted across her features. beside her is a wild-eyed totodile, energetic and more than a little fierce. the baby tirtouga in nick's hand flinches at the sight of the predator, instinctive fear filling its tiny heart.[break][break]

"no, no, he didn't bother me or them. not really," nick says quietly, as reassuringly as he can manage. he's aware of how his voice tends to convey less warmth than he means it to, but he tries anyway.[break][break]

it's difficult, sometimes, to remember that he was once more like her. young, eager, and less certain than he wanted to be. now, when he looks at her, he doesn't see his own youth. he only feels the heavy weight of the years that separate them.[break][break]

nick stands, brushing sand from his knees. he watches her for a moment, noting the anxiety written in the tight lines of her shoulders, the uncertain set of her mouth. it's not an expression he recognizes from his own face, but he knows it well enough from others. he's seen it often enough on the faces of young doctors, fresh from university and thrust headfirst into a world they weren't prepared for. nick remembers, dimly, what it felt like to be so wholly out of his depth.[break][break]

"i'm nick," he says, after a beat.[break][break]

"if you want to help the baby tirtouga into the sea," he tells her, voice low, "they're there, by the dunes. it's hard to say why, but they seem to prefer climbing over sand."[break][break]

he begins to move, slow and careful, to keep his balance on the shifting sand.[break][break]

"i hope the sea is good to them," he says softly, wistfully. "they deserve it."

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

although alina was probably more well-versed in ocean than she was human, she liked to think she was still relatively perceptive with the latter. thus, even with the man's flatter intonation, she feels a wave of relief wash over her and subtly relaxes in stance. she releases the breath she didn't realize she was holding. drops her shoulders. loosens her jaw. [break][break]

"nick." she echos softly, blue and gold orbs following him as he shows her where the baby tirtougas roamed in the sand. he was a steady presence amidst the unexpected chaos, and it was an energy she missed dearly in her own life. it seemed so long ago when she was also the cool and collected one, with two feet planted firmly on the ground. lately, she felt lucky if she even had a toe skimming the surface. [break][break]

alina immediately gets to work upon his guidance, slowly shifting her weight across the uneven ground. "ronan, you can play over there." she tells the totodile as she leans down, pointing towards an area a few feet away. the reptile scowls at his trainer in response before wandering into the waves begrudgingly, but alina knows him well enough by now. it won't be long before he attempts to hunt for his next meal again. [break][break]

her fingers dip into the sand to collect one of the many newborns, some of the egg shell fragments slipping away from her touch. the tirtouga seemed so frail even within the palm of her hands - how could it possibly survive out in the ocean, relying on pure instinct alone? alina could not imagine what it is like to navigate the world with such effortless, naive confidence, but it brings her a sense of peace knowing that this creature has the capability to do so. it is proof of its possibility. maybe one day, alina would get a taste of it too. [break][break]

cautiously, the woman approaches the shore, keeping her hands level as she lowers the baby tirtouga to the water, gifting it a final moment of steadiness. "i hope so, too. it is not always so kind." she says, her eyes following the creature as it fights resolutely against the waves. she knows first-hand how brutal the ocean it can be, watching it take just as many lives as the ones it gave over the years. she would like to believe that for this clutch of tirtougas, it was more tender than it was cruel. [break][break]

"it's admirable how brave they are, really. the way they launch forward without a second thought, despite not knowing what's waiting ahead of them." alina remarks quietly as she turns around to help another turtle. she's normally not so sentimental upon first meeting, but perhaps setting lives free amidst a hazy orange glow did that to people sometimes. [break][break]

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

it's always strange, for nick, watching others interact with pokémon. it's something he tries not to think about too hard, but sometimes it slips through his guard - the sheer disbelief that other people can touch and hold pokémon without feeling like they're committing some sort of sacrilege. that they can touch the untamed, wild thing and not feel it thrumming through their very bones.[break][break]

but he supposes that's naught more than his own self-importance talking.[break][break]

the water's edge laps gently at their ankles, a soft, soothing sound in the steadily darkening evening. nick kneels to place another turtle in the waves, his orange glove a stark contrast against the dull cream of sand. as the pokémon disappears into the surf, nick straightens, gaze falling to his feet. he watches as the sea rushes in, burying his boots in sand, only to tug it away again with the next swell.[break][break]

he thinks, suddenly, inexplicably, of his past. he's not certain why. perhaps it's something in the way she holds herself - tentative, nervous, but with a careful warmth that makes him think she would be good at handling people if she let herself.[break][break]

or perhaps he's just growing old, and the memories are getting restless. growing sharp edges that dig into his brain and won't let go. either way, he takes a long breath, weighing his words with care.[break][break]

"bravery isn't about the lack of fear," he says eventually, each word measured and precise. he doesn't lift his head. "it's about not letting it rule you."[break][break]

a pause, the silence swelling around them as the only other sound - the distant song of an unseen pokémon choir - weaves through the air. "and about knowing when it's worthwhile to be afraid."[break][break]

his eyes close, just for a moment, and in that space of time, it's as if he's not a man standing on the beach, but a bird flying through the storm clouds. only for a moment - then his boots are wet again, his hands empty, and it's time to move on to the next tirtouga.[break][break]

he does so quietly, the weight of the conversation settling between them like mist.

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

knowing when it's worthwhile to be afraid. [break][break]

a tirtouga is engulfed by a particularly harsh tidal wave, and alina thinks it just may be one of the unlucky ones of the night. she holds her breath, seeking for another glimpse of its' silhouette. five long seconds later, the pokemon emerges victory from the depths once again, and she releases the breath that was gripping her chest. [break][break]

as she continues to watch over the tirtougas, nick's words echo softly but unwaveringly in her head, a layer that only she can hear complementing the simple marine song. these are words she wished she had ten, eight, or even five years ago. she'd like to believe that her parents would have bestowed them to her if they were still around. [break][break]

alina moves to the next turtle in need, the repetitive sensations of sand and water a steady anchor as she lets the words settle in her. it feels nice that there doesn't seem to be a need for an immediate response with the older man. by now, the younger ranger has met a decent amount of people, and with most of them there had been an uncomfortable desire to fill the silence with words, jamming the wrong pieces into a puzzle. this is not like that. she enjoys being able to leave the puzzle alone, waiting until she has the right words to say. [break][break]

she claims to be someone that has two feet planted firmly on the ground, but was she really? sometimes alina thinks she has fooled herself into thinking that she was standing on solid earth. in reality, she was trapped in quicksand, where even shifting a foot feels like drowning. before she even realized what she was doing, she had stopped moving at all, and found herself stagnant for the last twelve years. [break][break]

her impulse move to hoenn had been her first tentative step, although the sensation of sinking has prevented her from taking any more of them. if only nick's words could drag her out the quicksand through their sheer impact. [break][break]

the tides crash against them dramatically once again, sputtering seafoam against the edge of alina's cheek this time around. briefly, it feels like even mother nature wanted to enunciate the weight of this brief exchange. [break][break]

she releases yet another tirtouga before lifting her head to speak. "you sound like you speak from experience." she ventures out at last, breaking the consistent melody that had been swooning around the pair. [break][break]

she is grateful that ronan has yet to ruin this moment of serenity. she prays it will stay with them a little longer.

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

the older ranger lifts his head from where he stoops over a particularly tiny turtle, fingers brushing the edge of its shell before disappearing into the sand once more. his gaze meets hers, and she may be able to see the memories written in the tired grooves of his skin, the pain that never seems to fully leave the corners of his eyes. there's a heaviness there that is nigh impossible to fathom, a sadness that clings to him like seaweed to driftwood.[break][break]

it's not an expression nick shows often - or at least, not an expression he lets people see. it takes him years, sometimes, to fully open up to someone, and even then, it's a slow and arduous process that leaves him breathless and dizzy. but something about the way she speaks makes him wonder if, maybe, she knows a thing or two about heaviness herself.[break][break]

it makes him want to tell her everything, and nothing at all.[break][break]

nick's words come slow, like honey dripping from a spoon, each one heavy with thought. "i've seen fear take people down paths they never thought they'd walk," he says softly, the admission feeling strangely intimate. "i've watched it destroy lives. i've..."[break][break]

he falters, correcting course with an almost imperceptible shake of his head. "i've seen a lot. but there's a difference between fearing the ocean and fearing the water you're wading in. one is an acknowledgement of something vast and powerful beyond yourself. the other is just an excuse not to move."[break][break]

he releases the turtle, watching as it slips into the water and swims with fierce determination out to sea. the movement seems to remind him of something, of a feeling he'd long since buried beneath layers of resignation and apathy. a feeling of hope.[break][break]

"we're all afraid," he continues after a moment, voice soft but insistent, a gentle but unwavering force like the tide itself. "but if we let that fear control us, we'd never do anything worth doing."

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

most, if not all of the people of hoenn, are scarred in some way or another. alina knows that much by now, and if anything, her burdens are probably objectively lighter than most, untouched by the suffocating chains of betrayal, unresolved mystery, and injustice. but despite standing in a land brimming with all sorts of tragedies, the closest she's ever come to witnessing her own reflection is in the face of the man in front of her. [break][break]

the weariness across his features is all too familiar, particularly from the way they seek shelter within the corners of his eyes. eyes are the window to one's soul, they say. while it is rare for a window to stay locked forever, it is always a privilege to be greeted by an open one, intentional or not. [break][break]

so when nick crafts his words together with the utmost care, alina drinks them like they are the elixir to life. and while she doesn't know it yet, they instill new life within her ribs, kindling the flame that had dwindled from standing too still. [break][break]

she follows his gaze as he releases another turtle, and for the first time this evening, alina sees their fight to sea in a brighter light. they felt less like helpless infants, where their fate was already written in the stars and the skies. instead, they swam with a warrior's spirit, with the innate belief that life would persist, as long as they tried. [break][break]

"you're right." she says quietly. "i suppose i get too caught up in these...feelings, and think they are only mine to bear, when they're an universal experience." alina turns to glance at him again, and she is surprised to find that the weight against her shoulders are a little lighter now, even the slightest of action feeling more at ease. "thank you. i hope i do. find something worth doing one day, that is." she smiles, soft and gentle, akin to the tides kissing their ankles. [break][break]

alina returns to work shortly, basking in the newfound serenity as she scoops the tirtougas to freedom. she's quickly interrupted by a loud splashing, however, and the moment was ruined, stolen from alina's grasp just as she finally managed to cradle it close. she closes her eyes, exasperation quickly replacing the content that made home across her features prior. without turning, she calls out, "ronan!" and mutters a "i am so sorry," before swiveling away to pull her totodile out of the sand. [break][break]

he pops himself out before alina could get to him, however, and soon initiates a wild goose chase. not only was the young reptile quick on his feet, but he took advantage of the ranger's concerns for the tirtougas, intentionally dashing around the turtle-infested regions. he cackles to himself, turning back to grin at his trainer, oblivious to how he was dashing towards nicholas at full-speed.

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

by the time nick spots the runaway totodile speeding towards him, his heart is in his throat. the words die on his tongue—something about fear, and the ocean, and facing it all head-on—because suddenly there's a snappish creature zipping across the wet sand at a breakneck pace, spraying water in its wake. nick doesn't know what to do. does he run? does he try to catch it? does he—?[break][break]

decisiveness is a fickle friend, but fortune favors the bold. maybe.[break][break]

nick leaps into action, feet pumping beneath him, his movements jerky but precise. he's always been fast—faster than he looks, a friend from his university days once told him, back before life lost its sheen—and he uses that to his advantage now, closing the distance between himself and the totodile in a few short strides.[break][break]

just as the totodile draws near, nick lunges. his hands reach out, gloved fingers curling around the scruff of the totodile's neck and then, miraculously, his body, and then he's somehow holding the flailing creature at arm's length, his heart pounding a frantic beat against his ribcage. nick holds him tight, wary of snapping teeth and writhing, trying not to get his fingers bit in the process. he's grateful for his gloves in that moment.[break][break]

nick's breath comes in short bursts, the adrenaline already beginning to fade. "you," he huffs, accusingly, "are a handful."[break][break]

he glances towards alina, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. he can't help it. the whole situation is so ridiculous, so absurd, that it tickles something deep in his chest. "is he always like this?"

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

as the young reptile lunges towards nick at full speed, alina thinks about how she must have unknowingly pissed off arceus lately. ugh. out of the many scenarios she braced herself for tonight, making a fool out of herself in front of a fellow ranger while getting freckled by muddy water wasn't one of them. [break][break]

she'd take looking like a flailing shroomish over ronan gobbling up the tirtougas, though. she'd definitely quit on the spot if that had happened instead. [break][break]

time seems to slow down as nick lunges for the totodile. alina's footsteps find more ground on the sandy earth, the ocean waves land a longer punch against the boulders, the sputtering seafoam dance a longer sequence across the dimming skies. when nick successfully wrangles the totodile in place, she's not sure if she feels horror or relief. [break][break]

the woman skids to a stop, leaning over to catch her breath. she wipes her face roughly with the back of her hand, missing a good number of stains on her right cheek, and lifts her head to meet nick's gaze meekly.  "oh my arceus. i - " alina breaks off, catching the humorous expression skittering across his face.[break][break]

her jaw twitches. an exasperated smile of her own threatens to bloom across her lips. "a handful he is," she agrees, with something between a huff and a laugh escaping her ribcage. [break][break]

alina cautiously extends her arms to free nick from ronan, tsking as the pokemon swats a claw in her direction. "thanks for stopping him," she says as she attempts to make another grab for him. by now, she's lost count of how many times he's struck her already, and a few more scratches wasn't going to kill her. [break][break]

"yeah, unfortunately, he's like this the majority of the time. i've only had him for a couple of months, so we are still getting....acquainted." she sighs, an echo of defeat. "he's what i imagine a human toddler would be like, but ten times worse. i swear he's going to be the reason i don't have kids." 
 [break][break]
there was also, you know, the never-ending war and the impeding destruction of the world. she refrains from mentioning that.
[break][break]

alina smiles wryly again. despite the annoyance and frustration that laced her words, there was an undeniable fondness in her gaze for the azure reptile. "if you have any tips or suggestions, i'd gladly take it." [break][break]

she tries to refrain from assuming one's age, but nick seemed like he was old enough to be a parent. and if not to a human child, he's probably dealt with at least one pokemon tantrum, right?

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

the moment stretches out between them like the endless expanse of sea and sky. it's a moment nick knows well, the kind where the world seems to pause in its rotation and everything narrows down to just two souls standing on the edge of the world. he's seen it in the eyes of veterans and widowers, patients and their families, people who have been hollowed out by the world and left with just a shell of themselves to hold together.[break][break]

but he's never seen it quite like this before. there's a sort of quiet resolve in her stance, a determination that speaks of countless battles fought and won and lost. it's a look he recognizes from his own reflection, and that makes him feel closer to her than he would have ever thought possible.[break][break]

nick glances down at the squirming totodile in his arms, and then back at alina. he can't help but chuckle, a sound that comes from deep in his chest and bubbles up into the night air like an offering. "well," he drawls, a teasing light in his eyes, "there's always beer."[break][break]

it feels strange. it's been so long since he's made a joke like this. it's the kind of thing he used to annoy his estranged daughter with.[break][break]

"no, but seriously," he says, once the laughter has died down into comfortable chuckles. he shifts the totodile in his arms, allowing her to take the squirming reptile. "they grow out of it eventually. the wild ones, anyway. the domestic ones—"[break][break]

nick glances at the totodile again, and then back at alina, one eyebrow raised, "—mmm, they just become more creative with their chaos."[break][break]

he grins, and for a moment, it's as if they're sharing an inside joke that spans across years and oceans and continents.[break][break]

"but really," nick says, voice turning soft, earnest, "just... be consistent. they may not always listen, but they'll understand that you mean what you say. eventually."

[attr="class","credit"]

[attr="class","body"]

nick's joke draws out a laugh from alina, the sound light and airy in contrast to the heavy crashing tides around them. when was the last time she opened her heart to a mere stranger, exchanging both heartfelt words and quips alike? she did not know, but what she did know is that she had been gifted with such a precious lightheartedness today, she would cherish it for the days to come.  [break][break]

"oh, i've been tempted before, trust me." alina says, eyes still twinkling with amusement as the laughter slowly fades away. there has been days when she gets home to a tantrum after a particularly rough shift, and all she wanted to do was crack open two cans instead of one. "he's lucky i never carried through." [break][break]

as they spoke, ronan attempted one last great escape, opting to push with an explosive force instead of his earlier squirming. surprised by the sudden swing in movement, alina stumbles, but keeps her hold on the reptile firmly. he admits defeat unhappily. [break][break]

"i'll take your word for it." alina says, smiling back at nick. she was never the type to rely on time, despite knowing deep down that it was often the remedy in life. it made her feel so helpless and frantic, sitting back instead of scraping together a new solution with her two bare hands. but perhaps that was the issue - an inherent disbelief that things will work out, and failing to stay consistent enough to see if it does.  [break][break]

"hopefully he understands sooner than later." she peers at the totodile, azure blue figure deflated fully in her arms. "but maybe by the next time we're assigned to the same mission, you wouldn't even recognize him." the woman says, teasingly. a girl can dream, right? [break][break]

"talking about missions," alina clears her throat, dropping the totodile back on his feet. she shakes his pokeball at him, a silent threat, which he seems to take seriously for once. the reptile waddles back into the ocean, relieved for his newly-granted freedom. "we still have some tirtougas to get to sea, yeah?" she says with another smile, fiery evening light casting an orange rim against her silhouette.  [break][break]

perhaps she was imagining it, but her jaw was getting a little sore. it's been ages since she practiced such pure, visible joy. she thinks this is something she can get used to. [break][break]

[attr="class","credit"]