"T'anyone else, you don't know—" At the explosive sound, Matus would turn just enough to catch the Typhlosion. Watching with a raised brow the scene that played out before him, patient enough to wait for the dust to settle before he'd continue on; turning his focus back onto Josh with a curious glance towards the other Pokéballs.

"... As I was saying. To anybody else, you don't know my name. Even on paperwork, I'm usin' the Alias. You're gettin' a special privilege here, pipsqueak." The harsher tone to his words could almost be ignored with the way Sila kept bobbing around in concern.

"Once you ain't keelin' over at the thought of touchin' the saddle at those top speeds, you owe me a rematch." A marginal pause, as he'd think for a moment. "... I'll even be so gracious as t'let you pick the course, squirt."

There, that was fair, right? Surely if Josh picked a place he couldn't possibly be tempted to fall.

---

Sepkat — Liepard — OK
Sila — Togekiss — OK

Josh Devlin

Note: Skipping this round

Well... Now that Matus was actually in the water, he didn't... actually want to get out. So, maybe another round of just checking to see what things may have been lost to the seabed below was in order... Just a real quick look. Then he'd get out and back to fishing.

... Maybe.

mI1F|ham

---

Found Ability Capsule x1

There had to be some sort of cosmic being that was pointing and laughing at him right now. The sheer number of large—and rather... goofy looking pokémon that he'd managed to fish up already was just getting comical. Though as fascinating as it was to stare eye-to-eye with the large Huntail... That wasn't exactly what he was searching for, and so he'd just... kinda shoo it away with his hands.

Surely someone was getting a laugh out of this, as yet another line was cast.

XXnCQOg6

---

ALREADY CAUGHT
MANTINE — Dynamax (97)
LUMINEON — Average (51)
WHISCASH — Extra Large (86)
HUNTAIL — Dynamax (94)
GYARADOS — Average (38)

The effort was monumental, the restraint Matus had to show to not slap a hand against his face and sigh with the force of thousands of tired men. Even as awkward as it was, that pain wasn't intentional; which meant an apology was needed if any of those... behavior... helping... classes... were to be listened to— But, well. It seemed Sila was, once again, beating him to the punch.

As the Togekiss would startle backwards at Twilight's reaction; wings barely twitching with a sharper whine in the floating fairy's throat at Josh's cry, to then creep closer as slowly as he possibly could to not trigger any other abrupt and sudden reactions from the Absol. The very body language of the Fairy-type practically crying 'I'm sorry! I'm sorry!', hell it even had tears already streaming from its eyes.

"Sila-" Once more, another attempt to get the Togekiss to listen— usually he listened perfectly fine! but now he was just being stubborn— and once again, Matus was ignored in favor of Sila starting to frantically shake its head, even though it looked more like the Togekiss' entire body was shaking from side-to-side instead; scattering the gleaming tears sporadically around the group, as if hoping the Life Dew would be of any help to soothe Josh's pain.

The commotion at least had brought Sepkat padding back over; the feline having already gone a bit ahead without seeming to realize she no longer had company. Just, calmly settled back and watching the show with the same guarded expression that a Liepard could wear.

But even as Josh would continue to speak, Matus would keep his attention focused on Sila, already well-versed with what the Togekiss was trying from the many time it had panicked over the small scrapes he himself would end up with on the... less than ideal racing tracks. "... Times are changin' pipsqueak, gotta be a fool not to see it." Though what the ranger said was cheesy as hell in all senses, it was a small reassurance.

Hell he'd tried to kill the kid when he met him, and he was still being this nice? Despite the fact he was being as welcoming as hugging a Cacturne? It was almost enough to make a ground-type swim. Ah, there it was. There was the sigh of a thousand eternally exhausted men, complete with Matus' attention going anywhere else aside from the current subject of conversation, and the entire just... tired posture properly coming up, slumped shoulders and a slouch that seemed to make him lose a couple inches of height.

"... Call me Matus."

---

Sepkat — Liepard — OK
Sila — Togekiss — OK

Josh Devlin

Matus had to step away. Fishing was starting to get a little frustrating, and probably pretty bad for his mental health if his stare off with the Whiscash had been any indication. Enough so that he was willing to check around to see what else was going on. Which led him to the diving.

... Eh, what the hell. It was just a quick trip into the water. In and out, 10 minute adventure tops. Why not see what he could find in the process of clearing his head?

0_lN4Q0n

---

Recieved: Salac Berry x1 (rolled 78)

Even if he pretended not to heard Josh's answer, the further easing of his shoulders would give it away. Some distant part of him satisfied with hearing he'd at least be going to get medical attention, even if it was just someone looking at a leg and going 'yep thats swollen'. Matus had pointedly not looked back towards Josh as he'd spoken, like he was trying to enforce the idea of him not having a single care towards the other.

At least, he'd been 'ignoring him' until he'd started talking about Sila... Which had also drawn said Togekiss's attention as the huge Fairy seemed to teleport between them, disappearing from Matus' side in one moment, and appearing practically in Josh's face the very next. Though, whether it was just the Togekiss being particularly fast, or happening to use a very short burst of an Extreme Speed—albiet for an incredibly dumb reason.

"Sila." That time, at least; the tone Matus held was a bit more warning, though the Togekiss seemed to just... entirely ignore him, instead busying itself with the worried hovering closer towards Josh's legs; evidently fretting in its own way about the swelling it was seeing. "Ignore Sila, He does not understand boundaries." It was almost like he was trying to avoid the questions Josh had asked, but honestly, not the entire truth. Rather, he knew just how alarming and offputting a sudden massive blimp of a pokemon suddenly appearing in someone's face, actually was.

"... To answer your question... No, I have not." Well, there was the answer, finally. "I have been spending more time handling... Other things," Matus didn't exactly feel the need to elaborate there, it was probably obvious from the other terms Josh had set down that even allowed him to walk around freely like he was. "... I do not want to run Sepkat ragged, so we are searching for others who can handle it." Oh, well. There was the Liepards name, for the first time, and the actual reason he was out there aside from just 'fire-types'.

Baby steps.

---

Josh Devlin

Sepkat — Liepard — OK
Sila — Togekiss — OK

Tick... Tock... Tick... Tock.

The longer Matus sat there and stared at the fish; the longer it continued to stare back at him, huge whiskers barely twitching with some mocking, goofy smile and beady little eyes that made the Whiscash look far more like some stuffed toy a kid had lost in the ocean, than a fish that had actually grabbed the line and held on with the fury of a thousand sharpedo. He didn't even know that Wishcash were in this area!

... Nope, as goofy as it looked, and as innocently as it was staring at him after eating an entire extra handful of bait that it somehow managed to puppy-eye out of Matus, he'd send the fish off. Gently reaching into the water to splash a bit in its direction. "Go on, get outta here. I'm done having an existential crisis over you."

There had to be other, less goofy looking water-types in the area, he refused to believe otherwise.

W0y9SlWj

---

ALREADY CAUGHT
MANTINE — Dynamax (97)
LUMINEON — Average (51)
WHISCASH — Extra Large (86)
HUNTAIL — Dynamax (94)

A sharp hiss from Sepkat had the man glancing in her direction—watching the posture the Liepard had taken, and allowing his gaze to shift a little further over towards what had her attention. A Barbaracle that had inched marginally too close to the path—though now it had taken a couple steps back out of its own precautions from the hostile feline.

Of course that wasn't the type of Pokemon that they were searching for, so he wasn't going to stop her behavior. Simply continuing on with a nudge of the Liepard's harness, and another glance back towards Josh as he spoke. Though there was the look again towards Josh's legs, before he'd speak, a faint note of concern there despite the cold treatment Matus was giving him. "Don't gotta race for it right now. Take it slow, looks like you need it."

There was a begrudging respect there, nothing would be a 'fair' race in Josh's current state, when it looked like even slightly too much effort to keep him on the saddle would actively cause the man harm.

A much softer chime had Matus turning his head back again—blinking a few times towards where Sila had apparently decided to rejoin them; circling excitedly around the Pignite that Josh had already noticed. "Fire, yes. But not what we need." The tone Matus took towards the Togekiss could easily leave how he spoke to Josh as being glacially cold, a softer rumble to his voice as he'd approach it to shoo the Pignite away himself—and gently shushing Sila's softer whine.

---

Sepkat — Liepard — OK
Sila — Togekiss — OK

Josh Devlin

OOC: Skipping this round too!

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Matus's tracker

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Play with Fire ^{w/ @ Josh Devlin}

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A hand on Sepkat's snout had the Liepard beginning to settle, bristling fur gradually smoothing out as the feline glanced between the pair with a low grumbling huff. A false annoyance towards him easily betrayed with how the cat was leaning her shoulder into his back. Though his brow would raise at Josh's tone, watching the hands lift in an attempt at showing innocence; something that caused a marginal lowering of his shoulders. Not entirely trusting, but it was enough to have Matus easing up a bit, even if Josh was being almost painfully excited about him walking away from the trouble he'd been in.

The mention of the Absol had his attention shifting towards her; staring at the Dark-type's face a moment as he waited for it to click. He'd seen so, so many pokemon. But, after a few moments he'd give a slight nod. "I recognize her." And if he didn't, at the very least Sepkat did from her original reaction. As Josh prodder for his own name, Matus could only offer back a grin, showing more tooth than anything.

The feeling of the Liepard beginning to start moving again was enough to prompt the man to follow; tossing a look over his shoulder towards Josh and Twilight. "You don't get my name yet, boy. Now c'mon, don't just stand there flappin' your gums, pipsqueak. You can walk and talk, can't you? Don't gotta use your legs when you're riding that girl right there. We're lookin for fire-types."

Was that him offering an olive branch? Not quite. More like keeping the starving jaws from snapping on the feeding hand.

---

Sepkat — Liepard — OK
Sila — Togekiss — OK
Josh Devlin

Well... A Lumineon was a rather nice catch, elegant in the water... but he wasn't looking for one. As nice as they were, a Lumineon wasn't quite up his alley. So it would be carefully returned to the water before the bobber would return to the water.

RD58WOpW

---

MANTINE — Dynamax (97)
LUMINEON — Average (51)
WHISCASH — Extra Large (86)

Matus had been enjoying a relatively peaceful walk; basking in the comfort of the moderate weather that currently graced the desert-touching route. Enough that he'd almost forgotten what he'd been out there for—if it wasn't for the nudging of Sepkat's nose into his side. "It's really you, isn't it?" Lost as he'd been in his mind, Matus hadn't even noticed the approach of the Ranger.

If it wasn't for the protective stance from the Liepard at his side, Matus would've simply pretended that he hadn't heard him. Though he'd finally look towards Josh proper, the once-over not exactly subtle as he took in the other's condition. There was some leg swelling, but that was about all he could see. He couldn't even try to feign ignorance, not when Sepkat was standing as tall as the feline possibly could to stare as threatening as she could over his shoulder. "What, are you here to try and drag me by my hair to the cops, pipsqueak?" As neutral as he could keep his voice, it still held a smidgeon of mistrust.

Though he could see the blot of Sila's form in the sky hovering there, either watching to see whether or not the Togekiss was needed, or surveying the route for any signs of a fire-type.

---

Josh Devlin
Sepkat — Liepard — OK
Sila — Togekiss — OK

Oh now that was a big 'un. There wasn't much doubt in his mind that he'd settle on keeping that hulking Mantine, but there was still the possibility of something else. A Mantine wasn't that fast... but they were graceful. Ultimately, he supposed, it would come down to whether or not the Water-type was good in a race. Perhaps it had the endurance? ... Again he would simply have to see what else the ocean hid away beneath its waves.

qx4aZqYr

---

Caught
MANTINE — Dynamax (97)
LUMINEON — (51)