[attr="class","orion"]


There was a well-known saying: fight fire with fire.

So, when he'd been called out to Oldale on reports of over-sized freaking dragons attacking the town and burning down buildings, he'd taken it upon himself to answer the draconian menace with dragons of his own.

Hydreigon lets out a thunderous roar to herald the ranger's approach before they reach the ground, the three-headed beast levitating just above the ground as Orion dismounts from his back and brushes back his windswept hair. He'd seen the devastation coming in, plumes of smoke billowing into the sky from the husks of burnt-out buildings.

Thankfully, he'd also brought his Swampert.

"Sorry for the delay." The apology is directed at the only other person mad enough to stray so close to the source of the attacks: he assumes that this man is either insane, or his mission partner. "Had to take a wide berth so they didn't knock Nidhogg out of the sky. When they said big, I didn't realise—"

He shakes his head, incredulous.

He's seen large Pokemon before, as well as those who were obviously the runts of their litter, but this? It was a whole new level.

"Ranger Lykos," he introduces himself. "Orion, if you prefer."

---

notes:
hope this works!

[attr="class","orion"]


"Giant Pokemon? No. Giant dragons?"

Dragon-types can be intimidating enough with their normal size, let alone when they were enlarged and threatening to burn down settlements. He's got a healthy dose of fear for his life when it comes to taking on a giant dragon, but he's also a ranger, and so there's a certain determination in the way he gears up to take on the threat.

Only, this guy apparently has no idea what a ranger is.

Orion laughs, more out of confusion than anything else. "Ah, no?" It occurs to him that this man might not be a Hoennian native, and in that case... "Do they not have rangers where you come from?"

He'd been born and raised in Hoenn, himself, and as a child had idolized the Rangers as his heroes. There had been little doubt in his mind about what he'd wanted to do when he grew up, and here he was.

"It was over that way," he explains, gesturing as he takes the lead with a confident stride toward the indicated direction. "Didn't get a good look at what it was, didn't want to get too close, but there was no mistaking that it's our culprit. As for a plan..."

His Hydreigon follows after them, a looming presence, but Orion releases two other Pokemon from their confinement: a Dragalge that floats gracefully in the air as if it were the ocean, and a Swampert that looks none-too-pleased about being woken from a nap.

"What've you brought?"

---

notes:
going to mod req our beastie now!

[attr="class","missionBG"]

[attr="class","orion"]


"I wasn't—"

He stops himself short as Pierce releases a somewhat-unfamiliar Pokemon from its ball. It's only somewhat unfamiliar because of the little creature crouched atop of the head of the larger, and the ranger stares openly for a moment.

"Shit, is that what Dreepy evolves into, then?"

He'd found his strange little ghost-lizard in the haunting confines of Sea Mauville, and his Pokedex had confirmed it as a Galarian species but hadn't been able to pull any data about whether or not it evolved. He thinks it would be rude to just whip out his 'dex and scan this guy's Pokemon without permission and besides, they've got much, much larger problems to deal with.

"I've got four," he corrects. "Dragons, that is. Just — didn't want to bring the Dreepy or Vibrava into something—"

He breaks off at the groan of steel and the rumble of the ground beneath his feet. Looking up, he realizes that the dominant shape across the horizon isn't a building but a Pokemon, towering above their heads. It's bigger than any living creature he's ever seen, bigger even than the Wailord he'd helped Laurence Anderson throw back into the sea.

"—dangerous," he finishes, tone caught between awe and horror.

He snaps into action almost immediately, as does his mission partner. Drakloak distracts the colossus, providing a perfect opening. The ground is already shaking thanks to the size of the beast, so it couldn't get much worse.

"Everyone brace yourselves! Schism, Earthquake!"

Swampert growls and slams its forelimbs against the ground, the quaking of the earth barely felt thanks to the Duraludon. It seems to affect the massive creature at least somewhat, but the wide guard that Swampert throws up does little to protect it from a flash cannon that strikes the dual-type directly. Schism resists the attack, digging his fins into the mud and looking angrier than ever.

Meanwhile, Orion's Dragalge camouflages itself against the husk of a nearby building, changing itself to normal-type.

---

notes:
~

[attr="class","orion"]


Orion gives a curt nod.

"Coverage. I can do that."

Two more flashes of light, and this time an Espeon and a Chandelure enter the battlefield. Espeon flicks her forked tail, immediately launching into action and drawing upon the powers of the morning sun to rejuvenate the injured Drakloak.

Chandelure lets out a ghostly wail, his blue-purple flames brightening as he launches a will-o-wisp at the skyscraper dragon. The burn leaves a black scorch mark against the dragon's steely body, and Orion hopes that the pain would somewhat limit its offensive powers. It's followed with a hex from the spectral chandelier, its effectiveness increased by the burn.

Dragalge utilizes the smoke billowing from a nearby building, wreathing it around the Duraludon. The smokescreen decreases its accuracy; though enraged by its burn, the hyper beam it launches in retaliation lances harmlessly past the Chandelure and collides with a distant tree.

"Delphi, I want you to lend them a hand!"

He gestures to Pierce and his gathered Pokemon, and the Espeon lets out a resounding cry.

The gem on her forehead pulses with psychic energy, ready to lend a helping hand to whatever offensive assault the other had in store.

---

notes:
~

[attr="class","orion"]


Orion's surprised by the other's enthusiasm and vigor. Though the ranger is fierce and determined in the face of their threat, he was hardly enjoying the experience.

That's why he's a ranger and not a trainer, he supposes.

Still, there's a rush of adrenaline that comes with watching their Pokemon tackle the colossal threat, Orion holding his breath as the Duraludon slowly turns to face the Bagon. With the power of Delphi's helping hand, the flamethrower seems enough to make the dual-type reconsider it's course: the sound of its pain is like the groan of twisting metal, harsh on the ears.

It falters, crashing down to one knee with force that shakes the ground and startles a flock of birds from a distant tree. Orion catches his balance on the wall of a collapsed building, holding on until the quaking subsides.

"I think we've almost got it!"

The sound of rushing wind heralds a twister that forms around the weakened Pokemon, his Dragalge summoning all of its strength to make the attack. She's barely visible against the building she'd camouflaged herself against, but Orion spots her and offers a smile of encouragement.

---

notes:
throw that pokeball! (also feel free to mod req/finish it if you'd like!)

[attr="class","missionBG"]

[attr="class","orion"]


Orion goes stiff as a board when Pierce throws an arm around him. Agh! Why was it that everyone seemed to think he would just be okay with the unexpected physical contact?

He's finally able to breathe again when Pierce retracts his touch, the skin-crawling anxiety subsiding just a little. It wasn't the first time someone had touched him without permission, and it wouldn't be the last, but it never gets any less unpleasant. Pierce dashes off toward the Duraludon and Orion mutters under his breath, "I live my life just fine, thanks."

It's quite a site to see the building-sized dragon suddenly blink out of existence, its being encapsulated in a tiny, shaking orb that Orion can just pick out in the grass up ahead. He had no idea that such a massive Pokemon could even be caught, but the ball stills as he watches it and there's an almost-strange silence in the aftermath of the battle.

"You caught it."

He addresses Pierce once he's strode within earshot, sounding surprised.

"Y'know, as a ranger I feel obligated to warn you to keep an eye on its temperament, and... uh, its size, but I think you know that." They had just conducted an intense battle against it, after all. "You all right if I mention your name in my report? I can leave you anonymous if not."

---

notes:
~