Mightyena snarled as he sunk his teeth into the prehistoric creature's leg, crunching through hard shell and electrocuting the soft meat within. It was super effective, but the strike prompted a counter of its own. The ancient sea beast exposed a pair of golden mandibles which sunk down through the canine's flesh. It drew blood and used his life essence to recover from the previous attack it'd suffered from. Mightyena yelped but wasn't giving up. He was determined to win the fight.

[break][break]With a shake, the dark canidae tore himself free from the shellfish's clutches. While it was distracted watching the Houndour cry out for help, Mightyena stepped around his prey in a wide semi-circle, hoping to get in a better position to land a critical hit. As he sneaked, Talonflame emerged from the bushes, slowly rising into the air as he pushed through the pain. Although only two of Zilla's Pokemon were actively engaged in combat, all three created a triangle around the Kabutops — with Talonflame to the north, Mightyena to the east, and Houndour to the west.

[break][break]Poseidon was surrounded.

[break][break]Talonflame screeched and, as if on cue, a powerful blast of water erupted from the treeline, cutting through the wood like a saw-blade. Though Houndour continued wailing, seemingly oblivious to what had happened only a short distance away, both Talonflame and Mightyena turned to look at what dared interrupt the fight. A Totodile emerged from the thicket. Mightyena's ears pricked and his hackles flattened at the outsider's familiar smell. He knew this Totodile!

[break][break]Unfortunately, the arrival of an unknown Blastoise made Mightyena go on the defensive again, and he let his disapproval show with a fierce snarl. Just before another fight could break out, the Totodile stopped the Blastoise and did his best to explain the situation. He pointed at Zilla's Mightyena, who perked up once more, and grumbled something in a desperate attempt to convey some kind of message.

[break][break]What followed sent Mightyena into a frenzy. It wasn't Isaac's words that made him giddy so much as the sound of his voice. Further proof of the man's identity came when he entered the smoky clearing. Blonde hair, brown eyes, a scrawny frame. The dark canine barked and wagged his tail before bounding over to the Rocket grunt, as if he'd been summoned instead of the Kabutops. Although the recognition was mostly one-sided, Isaac appeared to pick up on the sentiment. When he asked if the two knew each other, Mightyena barked again and jumped up, placing his forepaws on the man's chest while trying to lick his chin.

[break][break]By this point, Talonflame had fluttered over to Houndour and covered the pup with one wing, doing his best to calm the hysteric canine while still keeping a close eye on the procession. He'd met Isaac before — all three of Zilla's initial Pokémon had — but he didn't have the same kind of relationship with the blonde as Mightyena or even Zilla. Talonflame liked to watch and wait. Being overly friendly and excitable was definitely more of Mightyena's thing.

[break][break]In some ways, Zilla shared the fire falcon's temperament. She preferred to stand back and observe, especially if there was a perceived danger. Like now, with the Dracovish. Keeping her distance was optimal; unfortunately, the giant fish didn't seem to agree. It either became full or bored, as it was no longer satisfied with sitting and taking treats. It stood and lumbered in Zilla's direction. It wasn't running, exactly, but the display was intimidating nevertheless.

[break][break]A yelp escaped Zilla's throat as she lifted her arms up to cover her face. She prepared for some type of attack, to be tossed to the ground and trampled on like a scrap of meat thrown to the wolves. Instead, there was sniffing and then a series of licks. In a matter of seconds, she was drenched in saliva. Zilla couldn't help but giggle and playfully swat at the oversized Pokémon. "Okay, okay! I don't need a shower! Thank you!" she laughed while pushing the Dracovish's snout away.

[break][break]"You don't seem wild," she pointed out while using her free hand to wipe some of the slobber off her face, "So where's your trainer?" She felt her heart sink as her gaze shifted back to the treeline. Azurill and Wooper fled in seek of shelter, and smoke turned the sky dark with soot and ash. Zilla knew her team was in the forest somewhere, but was the Dracovish's trainer in there too? She looked back at the blue beast, fear visible on her face.

[break][break]

+ Isaac Merlo in Fire Force

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Though Zilla was growing steadily more impatient, her Sneasel was all too eager to help. When Kepler accepted the assistance and began providing instructions, the small blue weasel smiled wide and the feathery plumage on her rump flared out with joy. She hopped over to the fractured pane to better help the scientist pry a shard free, though it proved a difficult feat nevertheless. Though it was a small section of a much larger lens, it was still hefty and cumbersome.

[break][break]In truth, Sneasel probably did very little of the heavy lifting, but she tried nevertheless; ultimately, Kepler and his Marshtomp did most of the hard work. The group hurried back down the staircase — well, as quickly as they could while heaving oversized panes of glass — and made it to the nearby cliff-side as Zilla kept a lookout for anything that would have cut the process short. But nothing came to interrupt them.

[break][break]Kepler and the Marshtomp tossed lens pieces into the water far below, where an unseen beast gathered them up. Sneasel, who'd been too short and too physically weak to help carry the larger bits, had managed to collect a chunk that was no larger than a standard baseball. It was small enough to fit in one's palm but probably didn't have much use outside of looking pretty and maybe making some jewelry. Despite this, she wanted to keep helping, so she threw the piece over the edge and watched as it splashed into the water fall before.

[break][break]Once the glass panes hit the water, the group headed back up the lighthouse staircase to fetch more pieces. This back-and-forth effort continued a few times until Zilla eventually called it. "We'd better get going before the cops show up," she cautioned, and Kepler seemed to agree. That would tie over Rocket's science department for a while, at least. "Good work, dork," the grunt teased with a playful smile.


[break][break]

+ kepler brueshaber
[break]+ I'm down to archiving the thread for rewards if you are!

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This girl was all work and no play. A real shame...

[break][break]Though Zilla hadn't been outwardly smiling, she felt giddy at the thought of getting her hands on valuable jewels. Precious gems were worth a small fortune in the criminal underworld, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise when he got excited at the idea of stealing from this esteemed shopping center. And yet, Ichika was more focused on their primary task than on making some quick cash. It was a good trait for a grunt to have, Zilla couldn't fault her partner for that, but it still proved disheartening to see that they weren't in it for the same reason.

[break][break]Zilla did her best to stifle her enthusiasm as she listened intently to what the blonde has discovered. "Two guards out front... staggered patrol... take them out... more inside." Of course. It would have been reckless to assume there weren't additional guards patrolling the interior of the massive building. A Umbreon was summoned from its ball, and Zilla followed her partners lead by calling out a Weavile. The small silent killer would prove to be an asset, especially while they were scoping the place out.

[break][break]"Scout," the indigo-haired woman said, and the feathered fiend scampered up the nearest wall, disappearing from sight on the roof a few seconds later. "The way I see it, we can knock 'em out from quietly or make a distraction," Zilla said before her eyes narrowed above the mask, "Should avoid a fight if possible. Don't wanna have backup called." She didn't voice her stance against seriously injuring people — even cops — but she hoped they were on the same page about that particular position.

[break][break]

+ @ichika in A Diamond in the Rough

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Talonflame crashed through the treeline like a comet destined to wipe out all prehistoric creatures. He was hellbent on defending his allies and vanquishing the beast which stood in opposition to them. Despite the type disadvantage, his attack landed a critical hit, which not only dealt an impressive amount of damage but also sent the Kabutops flying backwards.

[break][break]The bird wasted no time rising into the air to avoid close-range combat, which would have been an inevitable outcome if he remained low to the ground. However, he didn't want to risk leaving the battlefield to launch another Fly attack, for he feared that the fossil Pokemon would retaliate against the helpless canines if he did. So instead, he stayed in sight of the Kabutops while gaining altitude and preparing a follow-up attack.

[break][break]As the Kabutops stood and launched a barrage of rocks into the air, Talonflame loosed a volley of embers. Flames rained down mere milliseconds before the bird was struck. With a screech of pain, he was stoned mercilessly. He managed to stay airborne after the first hit, but as subsequent rocks continued to strike his head, wings, and frail body, he eventually plummeted to the forest ground far below. He wasn't out of the fight, but it would take him a minute to shake off the pain and reengage, assuming the enemy didn't finish him before then.

[break][break]Kabutop's display of violence against Talonflame sent Mightyena into a frenzy. He dropped the Houndour without second thought, sprinted through the cinder-filled clearing, and attempted to clamp down on the Kabutops' leg with a fierce Thunder Fang. Houndour sat a few feet away, howling pitifully. She was frightened by everything that was happening and desperately wanted her mama.

[break][break]Zilla, unfortunately, couldn't hear the pup's cries as she was too far away, trying to survive on her own against a terrifying Dracovish. It sat as commanded, but its reflexes were a little slow. The treat bounced off its wide, blubbery face and fell to the ground. A solid 5 seconds passed as Zilla stood frozen in confusion and fear, and the Dracovish continued staring straight ahead, processing what just happened. The moment it understood, it leaned down, picked up the treat, and tossed it into the air to try again.

[break][break]It caught the cookie and crunched it into dust with long, jagged teeth. In that moment, Zilla felt a chill run down her spine. She couldn't help but imagine the creature eating a living animal. Its mighty jaws and powerful bite would be no match for a human's soft flesh, and it would take a very brave Pokemon to face off against such a foe.

[break][break]And yet, this particular Dracovish seemed as playful and slow-witted as a Maschiff. Even the way it laughed and danced in place was innocuous. Still, the Rocket grunt felt intimidated and powerless in its presence. At least the treats kept it complacent. Zilla grabbed another and tossed it at the blue beast's face. With any luck, Talonflame and the others would return long before she ran out of food. She hated to think about what would happen if they didn't arrive in time.

[break][break]

+ Isaac Merlo in Fire Force

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Fresh leads were one of the many perks that came with being a Rocket grunt. In exchange for her service to the organization, they would occasionally throw her a bone in the form of an address and time. Tonight, she was to meet one Ichika Takahashi at midnight in the alleyway just across the street from Lilycove Department Store. Rocket superiors wanted the duo to snag a couple highly valuable jewels that were recently brought in, but beyond that, the grunts were welcome to whatever they could get their sticky little fingers on.

[break][break]This was the perfect gig for Zilla. It was exactly the reason she'd agreed to join up with the crime syndicate in the first place. She was a thief and smuggler by nature, so breaking into some store after hours was child's play. Working with a pre-assigned partner — one she'd never had the pleasure of meeting before — was a bit of an unforeseen annoyance, but it was something the indigo-haired woman was willing to overlook in favor of the job.

[break][break]She was practically buzzing with excitement by the time she arrived at the arranged meeting spot. Her hair was pulled up into a tight ponytail, and the bottom half of her face was concealed by a black mask. Though her jacket included a red-and-black hood, she kept it down by her neck. Well-worn black boots stepped closer to the hunched figure in the shadows, whom Zilla presumed was the woman she'd been ordered to meet.

[break][break]"You're early," she whispered. The truth was that they were both early, but Zilla hoped the comment would help bring some levity to the situation. After all, they didn't know each other well yet, and it was important for the grunts to feel comfortable with one another in the off chance things went sour later that night. Some witty banter and small talk couldn't hurt. "Seen any guards?" Zilla asked while casting a glance in the department store's direction.

[break][break]

+ @ichika in A Diamond in the Rough

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Despite the pup's best efforts, her cries were drowned out by the sound of splintering wood and panicked Pokemon fleeing from the raging inferno. The scouting falcon's voice was loud and his eye-sight was sharp when not obscured by dense canopies and billowing smoke, but neither trait helped him detect the young dog's quiet response. Talonflame called out again, hoping it would prompt Mightyena to loose a familiar howl. But it didn't. The bird was at a loss...

[break][break]Or he would have been if a foreign howl hadn't responded instead. The avian scanned the foliage below for the source and quickly located a man looking up at the sky, hands cupped on either side of his mouth to help project the sound. It wasn't the response Talonflame had been expecting, but it was a lead nevertheless. The bird tucked his wings and dove toward the ground, zipping past branches and closing the distance in a matter of seconds.

[break][break]Things were more chaotic below the canopy. So many sights and sounds. So much unseen, especially when compared to a view from far above. How did Pokemon survive down here? Something could easily slip out of the thicket, and they'd be none the wiser. And the fire. They wouldn't be able to feel which way the wind was blowing or how the fire was spreading. Talonflame felt blind and helpless.

[break][break]To maintain some control and a vantage point over the situation, he opted to perch on a sturdy branch near Isaac, who called out two water Pokemon to help combat the hungry fire on the horizon. The male trainer took a moment to break up a rivalry between the Totodile and Blastoise, which inadvertently make Talonflame grow impatient. Perhaps this human couldn't help after all, he thought, the human was too preoccupied with his own party to lend aid.

[break][break]Talonflame let out another cry, the sound piercing and almost painful for all those standing directly below. It was answered almost immediately by a low, familiar howl. Without wasting another second, the red bird hopped off the branch and disappeared over a wall of fire. The Houndour, it seemed, was just on the other side. If Isaac wanted to investigate the situation further, he'd need to first extinguish the flames.

[break][break]As the pup howled and twisted, pawing at his own nose in a feeble attempt to strike Mightyena's maw, the larger canine noticed Kabutop's shift in attention and instinctively went on the defensive. Hackles raised, teeth bared, and a low growl sounded deep in his throat. He couldn't risk letting Houndour in order to fight off the outside, but he may not have had another choice. The Kabutop motioned at the fire then at the rowdy whelp, silently accusing Houndour of the wildfire.

[break][break]Mightyena could have shaken his head and refuted the claim the best way he knew how. He could have kept calm to show that they weren't a threat to Kabutops or the forest. Or he could have showed submission by expressing passiveness and regret for their part to play in starting the fire. But he didn't. Instead, his snarls grew louder, and he would have given a warning bark if his mouth wasn't currently filled with the bristled black fur of a Houndour.

[break][break]A wildfire was raging and the culprit wasn't as important as getting to safety or stopping the flames from spreading. So if this Kabutops was going to waste time persecuting Houndour, it would have to go through Mightyena first. Fortunately for the canines, backup came in the form of a furious bird.

[break][break]Talonflame emerged from the smoke and ash, talons bared, and attempted to land a critical hit against the Kabutops. He hadn't been around to see how the conversation started, but he had gotten close enough to witness his trusted ally going on the defense. Obviously the fossil Pokemon was the enemy here, and Talonflame wasn't just going to sit around helplessly and let it attack his canine friends. Arceus be damned, he was going to do something about it.

[break][break]As a heated battle raged on in the forest (pun intended), Zilla was desperate to get away from what she perceived to be a rampaging Dracovish. It charged at her, and her gut instinct told her to run, so she did. She darted behind a couple trees and peered out just in time to see a massive blue face approaching, tongue lolled out of its goofy mouth. Zilla jogged away a little before looking back to study the creature's demeanor again.

[break][break]It wasn't charging, exactly. It was following her. Like a duckling. And was that a smile on its face? It even appeared to have a jolly little bounce in its step. She took another few steps backwards, always keeping a few feet between herself and the creature, while digging around in her bag for one of the dog treats she'd brought with her to the training session. She pulled one free from the satchel and held it out so the Dracovish could see it better.

[break][break]"Can you... uh... sit?" she asked with hesitation in her voice. If it did as she commanded, she'd toss the cookie toward the beast's mouth for it to catch. If it didn't, she'd throw the treat anyway. Ultimately, she hoped the gift would keep the beast at bay. She didn't want it coming any closer, or else she risked being in real danger of bodily harm.

[break][break]

+ Isaac Merlo in Fire Force
[break]+ Not the cleanest post I've ever written. Please let me know if you have any questions!

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