Was he okay?[break]
…He hadn’t been entirely sure.[break][break]

Not for the present him, and not for future him— but the truth that he saw simply enforced that dwelling upon the matter for any longer would be useless and unnecessary unless his sole goal had been to stress himself out. Her gaze lingered upon his arm within a similar manner as his, but rather than accounting for much else, he merely inhaled slowly and deeply before nodding.[break][break]

He took her response into account.[break]
He nodded soon thereafter.[break][break]

”...I’ll be fine enough,” he murmured at first, finally shifting his gaze just enough to give her his own attention. Though a sense of pensiveness lingered within his eyes, he glanced towards his arm for just a moment more before ultimately pulling it away. ”It’s just…shock. …Shock that’s more or less worn off, now.”[break][break]

Not really a lie in itself.[break][break]

With an idle eye, he watched as he curled his own fingers into a loose fist, holding them together as such prior to relaxing, and then curling, and then relaxing once more. He quirked his lip and began to roll his wrist, slowly, afterwards, but only for a shorter amount of time before pushing himself back to his feet.[break][break]

”...Worst case, I’ll get it checked out. …No big deal~,” he added on lowly, a small smile tugging upon his lips in equal parts instinct and self soothing, alike. ”I’m…pretty sure that was the last Absol, though. …Better to go back and give a report instead of lingering on it and wasting time~.”[break][break]

Even if the sensation would be something he wouldn’t forget for a while, if at all.

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: absol absolved (bws)

☉

Even as he saw the rocks forming, he already began to urge the person he’d taken aboard the back of the Gyarados over towards the to-be platform, furrowing his brows as he gazed swiftly across the horizon and pulled himself back up from the waves. His eyes shifted towards the swimmer for a second time—though just quick enough to ensure their proper and safe ascent onto the stones—before leaning forward and catching as much of a view as he could from over his Pokemon’s head.[break][break]

”I already got eyes on at least a couple more…!” he called out, looking past the aforementioned people before turning his head towards another uproar in the distance. Narrowing his eyes, he leaned forward in attempt to get a better look.[break][break]

’Ah. Looks like the cops have everything under control.’[break][break]

He assumed as much, at least, from the manner in which the authorities seemed to be gathering and organizing amongst themselves, seemingly diverting more attention to rescue endeavors, rather than pursuits, by then. He breathed a quick sigh of relief, glancing back over his shoulder towards the neighboring woman atop his other Pokemon.[break][break]

”It looks like we’re just focusing on rescue, now…!” he called out, gently leaning forward and applying pressure to the back of the serpent’s head; a gesture which, in itself, immediately prompted him to jet faster through the waters in tow of the recently released water types. ”Bring ‘em back to the shore! Help the medics and shit when you get there— I’ll meet you once I grab these people and clean up any other stragglers!”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: kyogre soaker (bws)

☉

”Nothing important,” she told him.[break]
Somehow, he couldn’t help but doubt.[break][break]

Nevertheless, he had always been one to be prideful over his social cues throughout all the time he’d honed them within his absences from home, so he hadn’t quite dwelled upon it for her sake. Rather than that, and rather than anything else of the sort, he merely continued to eye the passing hues strewn upon the heavens above them before shifting within his seat.[break][break]

He leaned on his arm while glancing over again.[break][break]

”And you’d say you’re not the same with your own~?” he hummed, raising a brow in equal parts amusement and curiosity all the same. ”Yours seem to be pretty taken to you, too~.”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: corsola conservation

☉

Ah, but that one.[break]
That one absolutely meant some harm.[break][break]

It took a moment for it to settle, but within his next several steps, a sudden bout of fatigue weighed heavily upon his shoulders without even so much as a warning, and it had only been from reflex alone that he’d managed to catch himself before a fall. Nevertheless, the strength from his legs briefly faltered enough to prompt a stumble, and before he could properly realize that he’d been the victim of a Mega Drain off to the side, the only thing he could hear was the loudest hiss yet, courtesy of the self same lizard perched upon him.[break][break]

By the time he’d turned around to assess the source, the Salandit already seemed to have laid down a Toxic upon the passing Pokemon, and before it could react, immediately followed it up with a Venoshock.[break][break]

So, the man found himself staring at an unceremoniously downed fae as he still continued to muster what remnants of composure that he could.[break][break]

”...Y’know what…?” he mused, furrowing his brows and pressing his lips thinly while eying the lizard once more, ”I appreciate it, but, like…I think you could stand to take it down from a hundred to maybe about sixty next time? Preferably lower? Yeah~?”[break][break]

(tl;dr: skipping)[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] @charname [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-salandit"]

Regardless of whether or not the words she’d spoken had been genuine, or whether they had simply been spoken as a means of conversation and to play along, the Stone merely gave a soft nod as he continuously leaned back against the inner makings of the boat. The tips of his fingers danced upon the distant makes of plastic and other material composing the parts in which his arm dwelled upon, and before long, he opened his eyes, narrowly, to gaze upon the hues of blues the like lingering far above.[break][break]

And then he noted the quieter words amidst the waves.[break][break]

He thought for a bit. He hummed. ”...Envious for a specific reason~?” he asked idly, raising a brow as he lounged back.

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: corsola conservation

☉

”Mmn... I guess you could say that, yeah~.” Another chuckle escaped his lips as he gazed past the one who’d spoken, instead peering beneath the water’s surface once more within the unseen trail that the aforementioned Pokemon had left within his midst. ”He’s been with me for a while, after all— back when he was still a Magikarp~.”[break][break]

He smiled at the memory, breathing a soft, absentminded sigh under his breath upon remembrances long passed. Though he knew that those of his specimen—his current specimen, that was—had been far from new or unseen within the world, he would have lied if he claimed to know many that had enough patience to nurture such a feeble fish to its full potential.[break][break]

He knew the rage that his own Pokemon was capable of.[break]
He always figured that it was the kindness that earned him the reprise.[break][break]

”..I definitely assure you, though,” he continued on, closing his eyes to bask within the sunlight shining down, ”that it’s not just the bias~.”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: corsola conservation

☉

Deep breaths.[break]
With or without the advice, he was already trying his best to do just that.[break][break]

Though the pain and discomfort had thankfully already subsided, there had been some smaller part of him that instinctively jolted his arm away upon initial contact, but after eying her and realizing what he’d done, he sighed softly before righting himself just as swiftly. The jolt in itself had been minute enough, after all, and for the sake of averting his attention and calming his own headspace, he shut his eyes while allowing her to take his arm with ease.[break][break]

”Yeah… Yeah, I know…” he murmured, nodding more to himself rather than to confirm and acknowledge as the words left his lips. Another, heavier sigh escaped his lungs before he finally opened his eyes, glaring down at his arm for yet another time as she began her own motions. ”I just—...”[break][break]

He trailed off, furrowing his brows. Although he was no professor by any means, there was a fair amount he knew about Pokemon and their mythos, demeanor, and other rumors. To some degree, it was his job to do so in order to ensure accuracy in the things he took part in creating.[break][break]

…It was that knowledge that found him lacking words.[break][break]

Lacking from thoughts. Lacking from assumptions.[break]
Lacking from a hunch that already imbued a sense of paranoia within the lingering shock.[break][break]

”...Were the other Absol already safely accounted for?” he asked with a dull tone in attempt to curve his own thoughts away.

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: absol absolved (bws)

☉

And he intended to be ready as soon as possible.[break][break]

Though his eyes narrowed within the midst of the oceanic sprays throughout travel, he did his best to keep the figure he’d seen within sight as they so rapidly approached. With careful footing, he leaned over towards the side of his Pokemon, crouching down and firmly curling his fingers around a group of scales upon his form for a secure grip before allowing himself to lean slightly into the rushing waters as the brine continued to dampen his clothes.[break][break]

Raising his voice, he called out as loud of a, ”Hey…!” as he could to garner the swimmer’s attention, holding his remaining arm out for them in gesture to prepare themselves. Much to his relief, it hadn’t gone unnoticed, and they’d only slowed for just enough time to get them onboard before beginning to jet across the waters once more.[break][break]

Glancing over his shoulder for just a moment, the man called out while still doing his best to begin searching for more people. ”We’re good…! Bring ‘em back to the shore for a checkup— just be sure not to fall while we’re moving!!”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: kyogre soaker (bws)

☉

With a thoughtful hum being his initial response to her prior speech, he soon stared at her again, though less in concerned disbelief that time, once the shock had settled.[break][break]

”Uh huh. Says every person that’s gotten scared shitless~.”[break][break]

A chuckle left his lips as he eyed the Gyarados from afar, from the moment it submerged itself once more, to the moments it sped beneath the ripples within a blur, and then the one in which it broke the surface once more. He craned his head up and over the boat a little bit, giving a smaller, almost growling grumble as he nudged what would then be clearly seen to be his trainer.[break][break]

The smile upon said trainer’s lips broadened as he reached a hand out, gently one of the beast’s monstrous cheeks.[break][break]

”Good job, Pisces,” he hummed, pulling his hand back. ”Just protect us a little while longer~. I’ll get you a treat for your hard work after we’re done, just like I promised.”[break][break]

Another roar before the serpent vanished beneath the water’s surface once more, leaving the Stone, himself, to lazily gaze over his shoulder for yet another time.[break][break]

”...He’s actually really gentle once you get to know him~,” he mused on, raising a brow towards the floating nurse by him. ”Cross my heart. Only a threat if you make yourself a threat~.”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: corsola conservation

☉

He was taken aback for a moment as the normally lax lizard accompanying him gave a significantly more hostile, disdainful hiss.[break][break]

It provided enough whiplash for him to almost assume that it was in response to none other than his idle musings— but as he trailed her gaze across the clearing, the Stone blinked in recognition prior to breathing a softly amused sigh of exasperation. Bringing his feet to a gradual ease and cease beneath him, he turned his head in tandem to the little Amaura as he minded his own business.[break][break]

”...I’m sure he doesn’t mean any harm, Meda~...” he chuckled, grinning while running his finger along his companion’s head. A more hearty laugh escaped his lips as she only seemed to slink away in further disgust, narrowing her eyes towards the wild creature all the while.[break][break]

”Man… Touchy, touchy~...”[break][break]

(tl;dr: skipping)[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] @charname [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-salandit"]

”Yeah? That so?” he snickered softly, leaning his head along to rest his jaw against the rise of his shoulder yet again. His eyes continuously trailed after the blur in the distance before settling upon the woman as she began to seek comfort within herself. ”I mean…blatant disregard for your own safety aside, it is pretty nice, right~?”[break][break]

His eyes shifted into the distance for yet another time as a figure broke the surface of the water, sending several smaller waves careening along the water’s surface in ripples. Despite the suddenness, he merely eyed it with a lazy demeanor as the sight of a Gyrados breaching the surface registered within his senses.[break][break]

He hummed as it roared, seemingly sending what seemed to be a familiar looking fin jetting far away from where they resided as the Corsola continued along their own ways.[break][break]

”...I’d recommend learning how to swim sometime,” he added in addition, only shifting his attention away from the distant fin once it became little more than speck within his sight. ”The ocean’s scary at first, but it’s beautiful. …It’s fun to just kick back and explore every so often~.”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: corsola conservation

☉

She arrived. She asked him a question.[break]
He hadn’t realized right away.[break][break]

Despite his own outburst, another dose of Aromatherapy had seemingly been all that was needed to further console the Absol before him— though he, himself, had been a completely different story as he remained there, clutching onto himself. With breath ran ragged, and with lingering shocks of residue, falsified pain scoring clear across his mind, his fingers dug desperately into his skin as if cradling it so would make the pain subside.[break][break]

It burned beyond anything he’d have dared to imagine, and yet as he stood there, gazing upon his lack of injuries, he knew that all was well.[break][break]

”I-I—...” he started off, instinctively, to the tune of a voice he hadn’t even properly recognized at first, only bringing himself to gaze towards the side towards a seemingly confused woman some time after. His breath remained hitched. It shook. He breathed out again, curling the fingers of his hand before turning his head to gaze down upon them again.[break][break]

He glanced towards the Absol again, watching as his own Hattrem began to ferry and escort it away before scoping out the nearest rock.[break][break]

”I—... That Absol…” he muttered hastily, and in confusion, and with either fright or shock, all the same. With the bend of his arm still held within the hand of the opposing, he sat himself down with a mild grimace as he slowly began to move and flex the fingers of the seemingly affected hand. ”I—... I-I touched it. I-I just…touched it to try getting it to follow me once it calmed down—same as the others—and then I—... M-My arm—”[break][break]

He gazed down for a bit longer, furrowing his brows before giving the woman another glance from the corner of his eye.[break][break]

”I…don’t know. As soon as I touched it, I just…felt this fucking pain shoot through my arm…” he murmured, his chest and shoulders rising slowly and heavily in attempt to further steel and compose himself. He shut his eyes as the lingering sensations dwelled and began to taper off, hissing a soft sigh through his teeth. ”I don’t…think anything happened? I-I can’t describe what it felt like, though, a-and I just—...”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: absol absolved (bws)

☉