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“Mm, and here you are, thinking you know everything.” Fern sighs forlornly, head lolling to the side as their shoulders slump with an air of dramatism. “So high and mighty.”[break][break]

Banter with this one would go nowhere fun. What a shame.[break][break]

Already, they had grown bored with this particular interaction. They had a designated appointment to make and a mood to build back up between now and then. This wore on their patience.[break][break]

Particularly when the tera blast didn’t seem to bear much impact. Fern frowns, brows knitting together behind the shroud of their mask. How in the world? It was just a normal wigglytuff, as far as they could tell.[break][break]

The narrow streets don’t give the typhlosion much dodging room, and she bellows as the neutral tera blast sends her rolling back. Fern grits their teeth, displeased with the damage dealt to one of their more prized pokemon.[break][break]

She is hardy, though, and the extra layer of protection serves her well.[break][break]

“Hit harder, Nim.” Despite the flourish from before, Fern spoke calm and level. As the typhlosion continues to sparkle with crystalized light and unleashes a powerful LAVA PLUME, Fern begins to look for an exit opening.

[attr="class","bottom"]John Sullivan [break]



clash 3/3![break]

SPOILER: Click to show

+ thread participation (50mp) + ic post x4 (40mp) + use of poison barbs (10mp) + use terastralization (10mp) = 110mp

[break]

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There is no moment worse than this one.[break][break]

At least in the two prior instances where Fern has helped jayden cross, he was alert and looking back at him. Now, though, he’s limp and cold.[break][break]

They can’t be too late.[break][break]

“C’mon…” they shook him one more time to little avail. “Pulling you out of danger isn’t a habit I like making.”[break][break]

This can’t be happening, it can’t be real. They don’t even know CPR. Fern hails their goodra, who quickly channels a LIFE DEW that glows around the other admin in hopes of pulling water from his lungs.[break][break]

Fern’s breath shakes as they work to stay calm so that they can think through this whole moment step by step. Jayden won’t come to quicker if they go to pieces in the process.[break][break]

The voice that cuts through the quiet on the beach, though, startles them. Fern looks up frantically–to ask for help, to ask the stranger to do something, anything, but the sight of him emerging through the pink mist freezes them in place.[break][break]

My brother had white hair.[break][break]

They lay eyes on an older, pale-haired version of Jayden. Sharp red eyes glaring daggers at them in a way that makes their heart lurch uneasily. “You don’t know that. You’re not–” Well, he shouldn’t be real.[break][break]

He was supposed to be dead, not Michail.

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Fern sighs, head falling back as if looking up at the sky. “You don’t know the first thing about what I prefer,” they reply simply– a lick of irritation seeping through the cracks of their showboating. He doesn’t know that it’s something Fern has had to grow hardened to, that it doesn’t come naturally.[break][break]

But that’s a weakness they can’t afford to expose. Not with their rank. So that guard shutters back up, and they patch over the cracks. “I am hilarious, though. That’s totally on the money. But oh, snarky banter is so fun.” They sigh forlornly, bordering on a sulk. “But have it your way.”[break][break]

The shadow ball dissipates without harm, much to Fern’s chagrin. How troublesome. Another grin cracks across their face, however.[break][break]

“Aw, pinky is pretty cute.” Fern coos before their head tilts toward the spectral typhlosion. “Take it down.” The tera orb in their hand is finally brandished and activated.[break][break]

Bright white and red light collects around the creature, stamping out the ghost-typing to make way for pure flame. The shimmer of a red and orange crystalline coat over her plum fur catches the light of the dying flames from her earlier infernal parade.

Twisting to the side, Nim takes the mimicked shadow ball on the flank. Skidding back a few steps before thundering forward again, a fiery TERA BLAST unleashed at the wigglytuff in her wake.

[attr="class","bottom"]John Sullivan [break]



clash 3/3![break]

SPOILER: Click to show

+ thread participation (50mp) + ic post x3 (30mp) + use of poison barbs (10mp) + use terastralization (10mp) = 100mp

[break]

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“Well, that’s my top skill, so–” they broke off, ducking out of the way of a poorly aimed vine whip, “–can’t really blame you for being fooled.” Fern winked at her with a mocking giggle for good measure. It was all in good fun, of course. Partnership with Marza was a bond they valued. Brains and brawn, yannow? [break][break]

“Oooh are we betting now? Better up the ante, then.” In a beam of light, their typhlosion joins the goodra. Opening up her mouth, Nim spewed a LAVA PLUME at the pesky leafeon trying to snare Fern with its moves.[break][break]

“You should get moving, bestie! Time is of the essence~” They called out in singsong, looking to redirect their goodra into using POWER WHIP on the ankles of a retreating ranger.

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“Yeah..hey,” Fern mimics the greeting in a lower, dopey tone. Underneath their mask, their eyes roll in annoyance.[break][break]

What were they expected to be? Benevolent?[break][break]

As Mint chimes in, they jerk a thumb over at their buddy. “What he said. Nooo can do.” Their words stretch slower, and the frown they’d been sporting morphs into a slow spreading grin. All wolf teeth. They’re not as physical as the beast alongside them is, and they make no direct effort to throw punches at Ollie.[break][break]

The memory of an ill advised battle with Gwyar Wledig lingers to remind them of what often happens when they try to buck against those who are bigger and stronger than they are.[break][break]

Instead, they lift a hand and snap their fingers. Medb’s weaving dance comes to a halt and her maw stretches wide to fire a beaming DRAGON PULSE directly at the Evergrande captain.

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“Oh, would you like that? I could probably arrange it.” They trill back as they step out of the shadows to observe the young man go up in flame. Their nose wrinkles at the smell, the bright blaze quickly overtaking him.[break][break]

And yet he seems to regenerate. Something that gives Fern pause, brows furrowing in puzzlement as they observe. “How strange.” New. Ah, well—they’re not going to let some fancy healing tricks deter their effort.[break][break]

“You son of a gun, that could've been a civilian! You're supposed to pretend to be the good guys!"[break][break]

Fern’s head tilts with false innocence. “Wow, gee! Really?” they reply before their expression shifts to something more exasperated as they sigh. Their smile is a coy thing—all vulpine and shifty. “Well that’s probably why I’m actually more of a son of a bitch than anything else.”[break][break]

(Sorry mam—wherever her poor, dead soul rests.)[break][break]

They shrug, unbothered. “I do my fair share of that. You’ve just caught me in an ill mood.” How strange, though. He certainly is quite sturdy. Fern will give him that much.[break][break]

Their Tera orb slides from pocket to hand, charging up energy—though they don’t unleash it on the typhlosion just yet as Nim opens her maw wide to spew a SHADOW BALL at the youth.

[attr="class","bottom"]John Sullivan [break]



clash 3/3![break]

SPOILER: Click to show

+ thread participation (50mp) + ic post x2 (20mp) + use of poison barbs (10mp) = 80mp

[break]

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Fortunately for Fern, they are well versed in working with dragapult. Given the fact that it is their preferred creature above most others. As quick as Medb is, however, they curse themself for not bringing their more practiced mount. But after Mt. Pyre and the near loss of his oldest companion, it isn’t a risk they were willing to hedge bets on.[break][break]

At least, not this time.[break][break]

The froslass, however, is no more than a means to an end. And so it isn’t paid much heed when the two dragalge emerge from hiding. Fern whistles their own command and the spectral pokemon twists to meet the pulse of hydro pump with a blast of POWDER SNOW – aiming to cut through the torrent and freeze one of the two dragalge before she’s knocked back and thrown like a rag doll as the dragon pulse lands.[break][break]

Freya’s saccharine grin is met with a shared look–their own smile sharp and leering as they click their tongue at Medb. The rocket admin lifts a hand to their opponent, and wiggle their fingers in kittenish taunt. The dragapult darts forward and then away, spreading an INFESTATION to take hold of dragon and rider alike.

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Their goodra glides through the frigid ocean, steady despite the rugged push and pull of the waves. Above them, Fern can see Astlik flitting to and fro with obvious anxiety. They call for her to follow from the air before allowing their attention to move back to the surface of the sea.[break][break]

Where is he? Where is he?[break][break]

Fern’s heartbeat is loud in their ears. Frantic as they try to catch sight of him from where they cling to Brigid’s back. Calling his name will do no good, because he’s nowhere to be seen until a strong surf brings him to the surface.

Never a strong swimmer, they still tear free of their anchor and sink into the water as they reach for him—fingers curling first around heavy, wet fabric. Then an arm. Then his middle as they flounder and try to haul his limp body back to the goodra who meets them halfway.[break][break]

The lilac dragon descends and then re-emerges below them so that jayden cross is draped over her back. Fern whistles for Astlik again, then fumbles to release Medb into the air with her before they pull him back to shore.

Washed up on the sandy beach, Fern leans over him. Frantic as they search for a pulse or some sign of life as he lays there. “You owe me three times over now,” they chide in a voice wobbly with fear, shaking him in a weak attempt to rouse him. “Wake up. Right now.”

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Beira roars as the ROCK SLIDES fall over her as well. Though given her size, it's not quite as impacting as it might be on the smaller duosion. A stray DAZZLING GLEAM smacks into her side and she thrashes away from the sparkling pink glow. Lashing out at the spritzee that had attacked, and yeeting it away.[break][break]

They sigh dramatically, shoulders sagging dramatically even as they wave the baxcalibur forward. Almost as if the fight itself is secondary to the conversation, which is sort of true. "Oh, gonna hold that over my head?" Fern pouts as they glance over, "We can change that. You know, after today."[break][break]

Not noticing the duosion getting squashed, Beira thunders forward and twists as she swings her DRAGON TAIL into the mass of leaguers and their pokemon while they try to scatter and run from the large, icy dragon.

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An aerial fight isn't exactly what they intend, but it's not something that Fern will shy away from, either. As dragon and rider ascend, their dragapult tries to twist out of the way before impact. They spin and weave around the opposing pair in a DRAGON DANCE.[break][break]

Tucked close, Fern is comfortable like this, but perhaps not as natural to it as she seems to be on the back of the salamence, who by far overshadows the smaller dragapult. At least Medb is nimble and quick - evasive as she flits around the space with a reptilian shriek that borders on a spectral howl.[break][break]

Another pokeball rolls into their hand from their pocket. In a beam of light, Fern's froslass springs free to drift along after them from below. Stirring up the air around her, she channels an OMINOUS WIND in an upward current toward the salamence. Quick to make the game uneven for the time being.