El's eyes lit up with a bit of curiosity at the mention of an Entei paradox indeed being a thing. "You'll have to tell me more, when we head out there!" They spoke - adding "I'm sure Isaac's Suicune will find at least a little interest in, uhm, knowing these exist..." Though, perhaps the Northern Wind would just find it strange. It'd certainly be weird to El, if they had learned that there were strange almost-clones of themself running around.

But in any case, as the Gym Leader opened the gate, El nodded. "Yeah, let's go!" They spoke, eagerly double-timing it out of the research station. Maybe, if these paradoxes were running around, they'd be able to find one of their own to learn more about..?

And, perhaps, to get some funny reactions out of their brother and his patron. They could only begin to imagine the looks that Isaac or the true Suicune would have, if they came along astride a Glamrock Raptor...

Mochi (18) :

SPOILER: Click to show

- 5 - Sneasler
- 3 - Hammers
- 5 - Latias
- 5 - Statues

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Sneasler; there certainly wasn't a pokemon with a more fabulous manicure than these poison-types. Were this under any other circumstance, El would be absolutely fascinated with watching this normally solitary species gathering in one spot...

... But, the presence of the poisonous mochi is a concerning one - that, and the fact that these lone hunters are where hikers are known to pass through.

To be in Jagged Pass again - and so close to home - is a strange feeling. But in the moment, they simply focus on the task before them, having Bibidi and Huckebein encourage the swarm to disperse with their psychic attacks.

At first, the azure Wake was eager to join its brethren in the hunt - to gang up on MUGEN, and take it down before it even had a chance to fight back. But as it attempts to shoot the Genesect out of the air with a Dragon Pulse...

... The attack is intercepted. Baron parts the blast of energy with a Spirit Break - swinging his spear through it, any draconic energy that lingers sliding harmlessly off of the fairy-type's metallic chassis. He stares the Walking Wake down, shifting his grip to hold his spear in one hand.

The Wake, meanwhile, seems to study him - the gears in its head visibly turning. The two circle one another, slow, careful, calculated...

... Until Baron charges, attempting to swing his spear at it in a Dragon Hammer! However, the raptor is swift - leaping aside, and letting loose a Noble Roar that has the Iron Valiant flinching back. It is quick to follow up with a Aqua Jet that bowls him over - though before the raptor can capitalize on pinning him down, he is already gone through a timely use of Double Team.

Which puts both combatants in another standoff - watching one another, not daring to turn their backs on the other, lest the other opponent is given an opening.

El, meanwhile, is watching - thinking. They can feel Baron occasionally brushing against their mind - him briefly checking for counsel and input. But thus far, there was one thing on their mind. "If we don't keep them occupied, they're gonna gang up on one of our pokemon... Baron's keeping the other one occupied so far..."

... But if one of them slips up, and the two raptors can gang up for long enough to take either machine down, things could quickly go awry... El was thankful, at least, that Baron wasn't the only fighter on their team right now.

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Isaac Merlo

El shrugged a bit at the subject of the names. "I suppose; but it's probably better than calling em just, 'that funny metallic Hariyama'." They mused with a lighthearted smile.

But in the present moment, as the mist and steam alike roll across the water... El's free hand drifts down to their belt - prepared to switch pokemon out as need be. They had come prepared for whatever may happen, and had a pair of trump cards ready if worse comes to worse.

Which, it was quickly becoming a possibility. MUGEN's Techno Blast sails across the waters - mist and steam alike briefly parting in its wake, as the beam slams into the crystals on the opposite side of the lake. There is a flash of blinding light, the sound of something shattering, and a howling cry not unlike Suicune's own...

... A cry, that seems to layer into itself after but a moment.

As vision returns, it seems that the mist and steam are still present - but it begins to thin enough to allow for vision. Two silohuettes begin to form, two figures striding across the waters - leaving barely a ripple, though it's hard to perfectly tell as MUGEN's attack had left the water's surface disturbed.

El finds themself a bit alarmed, however, as the figures reveal themselves to be not one, but two Walking Wakes! Identical in shape, but not in color - one is true to Suicune's own ordinary coloration, while the other is in shades of cyan and deep blue. Both raptors let out low growls as they gaze upon the group, twinned tails lashing.

As Baron readies his spear, El recalls Haro and Bibidi to keep them safe. They trust Bibidi will reemerge on her own if need be - but they weren't about to pit Haro up against a pair of Paradoxes...

But before they can think to make a first attack, the blue Wake acts - throwing back its head and howling to set up a Sunny Day for the both of them..!

TTHlfBzP
Isaac Merlo

As Josh spoke of 'Raikou's temperament, El hummed - thoughtful. "Maybe it's because this place is familiar, so he feels safer here? A lot of pokemon can get stressed or spooked by changes in environment - even the more intelligent ones - and they react to that stress or anxiety in different ways." They mused, as they scritched under Raikou's chin.

A pokemon putting on an aloof air because it doesn't feel safe or calm in an unfamiliar place wasn't all that farfetched, really. "Could try seeing if giving him a 'home away from home' in the gym would help him settle in." They suggested, with this in mind - their eyes lighting up a bit as they got to flex their nerd muscles a bit. "That, or just some safe quiet time to warm up to and get used to the changes."

As far as what that 'home away from home' might look like, though, El thought hard on it. "I dunno where I'd place Raikou or Suicune as far as taxonomy go - but feline and reptillian pokemon both like having their hidey spots, and avian or dinosaur pokemon like having flocks and nests. Quiet places to warm or sun themselves would most likely be a hit with the both of them, too."

The latter bit, of course, being based a bit off of what El had observed with other more ancient-type paradoxes. "But they know what they like best - so see what the two of them gravitate to."

With the steam clearing though, Josh was ready to keep moving - and El, in turn, nodded. "Sure - let me refill my water here and we'll be good to go." They spoke - already working on preparing themself to head back out into the caverns.

As they soon returned to Josh's side though, a question occurred to them. "So... There's Raikou, and there's Suicune... Do we know if there's any Entei-like Paradoxes out there? Or what it'd look like?" They wondered, glancing to the gym leader.

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Josh Devlin

The rain is harsh and heavy - almost too much for Akero to fly. And yet, the Togekiss persists - because the particular pokemon affected is a worrisome one.

A Latias has fallen ill from the Toxic Chain - and El's heart twists in seeing the way the worried Latios flits about. "You need to keep your distance - or else you'll get sick, too!" They call to the counterpart - or at least try to, over the howling winds. "It'll be okay - I promise - but we need you to be safe, as well!"

They pray - hope upon hope - that the duo will be able to leave safely. They see the way pieces of the Toxic Chain rain down, and they just know that it's an ill portent...

El had been aware of the Toxic Chain situation for awhile now, and amidst it had been doing their best to help in keeping things under control whenever things cropped up...

... But, there is something about this incident in particular that disturbs them. Namely, in the fact that these toxic chains were even affecting steel pokemon who would otherwise be unaffected by standard poisons.

They could at least brush it off with the Revarooms before, with their part-poison typing perhaps being a catalyst, but here..? Was it because they were part-fairy, which was otherwise weak without the steel? Or was this something far more malignant than one might otherwise believe?

At the very least, the most that they could do was try to contain the outbreak - keeping a close eye on things from Akero's back as Lagombi fired off a Pyro Ball at the nearest rampant Tinkaton.

Who better to be a demolitionist than Behemoth? Though the Nidoking may be a runt, a good Earth Power is enough to take out the statues without dragging anyone else into the line of fire; freeing many of those infected.

El, meanwhile, has Bibidi and Baron both readied to help back up Behemoth and ensure he can work uninterrupted. What in the world was going on here, they wondered...?

The sight of the Raging Bolt was a impressive one, to say the least; El watched with an impressed sort of awe as the Raikou-like willingly allowed Josh onto its back. Really, the biggest thing that stood out to them was that it seemed to be one of the few bigger (not in size, but in presence) pokemon that seemed to have an actively amicable and cooperative relationship with Josh.

They had actually seen one like this in particular, while exploring with Desiree - but the fact that there were Suicune and Raikou paradoxes practically set in stone the existence of an Entei paradox, whatever it may be.

A Theropod, a Sauropod... What would the third one be like?

As Josh introduced the 'Raikou' though, El would smile to it. "Well, aren't you a sweet fella? And real cool, too." They mused as they gazed up to the Raging Bolt, audibly admiring it. "The two of you seem to have a good bond already; what's this one like?" As they spoke, they'd hold out a hand for the Raging Bolt - either for it to sniff, or to offer it attention.

Just cause these paradoxes took after gods, didn't mean that they couldn't enjoy scritches if they so desired!

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Josh Devlin

El considered Isaac's guess - indeed, he had gotten the gears in their head turning for a moment. After a few long moments though, they mused "Maybe... Although, it's not like these Type: Nulls themselves are being spawned from the mist and crystals like other paradoxes are, else we'd be seeing a lot more of them now, right?"

And Josh's own 'better god' seemed a bit volatile.

But as Suicune made a quizzical sound, and Isaac made his own baffled remark, El couldn't help but snicker a bit before nodding. "I mean, it's pretty Suicune-y, so I don't blame him. Similar crest, mane, colorations... It's not like we got a more official name for these guys, either, like how Baron's an Iron Valiant..."

... Though, after a moment, they softly laugh as they add "It made it a bit hard on my brain, trying to talk about his Suicune and our Suicune at the same time, though."

"It was able to like... Heat up the water in the area, and turn the place into something like a sauna. My guess is it's probably powered up in the sun, like the other less metallic and more ancient-y Paradoxes." Which would be a bit strange to think of; usually, water-types didn't do as hot in the sun!

But, as Isaac and Suicune bantered in their own way, El couldn't help a giggle. "I'd think that maybe Josh dreamed them up, with how devoted he is to the Johto legendaries - but I dunno if he much has dinosaurs on the mind, either, unless they're fast."

... Though, then they pause. And ponder. "... What if it was because of one of his avians like Bladestorm." They flatly wondered, looking as though they had a brainblast in that moment. Bird pokemon were often linked pretty closely to dinosaur pokemon, to the point where some people liked saying they were one and the same...

When Bibidi pat El on the head with a heavy sigh though, they couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, okay, maybe I'm overthinking it a bit... But honestly, if you had to pick a speedy or nimble dinosaur, a Theropod or some similar raptor-type is probably pretty up there out of the three."

And, perhaps, the time to actually test that theory was approaching. Because the group's wanderings soon led them to a sizeable cavern - one with a lake in the center - the walls and the basin the lake sits in lined with glimmering Tera crystals. Safe to say, El is awed at the sight - smiling over to Isaac. "This is real pretty; look at how the light's bouncing off of everything!"

Indeed, the water's surface was glimmering as well, as it and the crystals reflect one another. It was a perfectly picturesque sight, to say the least, as El steps forward - giggling to themself as they splash in the shallows a bit with Haro...

... But, danger is soon heralded as a familiar pink mist seeps from the gaps between some of the crystals; rolling across the water's surface, to soon fill the cavern. And with it, the temperature seems to rise, as steam begins to mix with the beguiling mist...

El and their pokemon take note of this - and they are quick to begin backing away, back to Isaac's side... Something was out there...

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Isaac Merlo

As Desiree mentions that the wound was being treated, El relaxed a bit - exhaling softly and nodding. "I'll trust you guys to keep tabs on it, then; just don't let it get infected." Antibiotics or not, it would likely not be a fun experience if it did.

But, then came a number of Phanpy and Cufant, the pachyderms stampeding off in another direction. Fleeing with were some arachnid pokemon as well, like Ariados or Galvantula! Haro would make a few chirpy beeps as it noted down the pokemon, but... El couldn't help but blink at this - feeling as though something was wrong, even from just the sight alone...

... Which proved to be correct, as then the earth began to shake. And though it started only as a light rumble, it was quickly escalating into a full-on earthquake..! "W-woah..!"

Desiree made for her Tropius, and neither El nor their pokemon were far behind - quick to come with. Bibidi, through use of Telekinesis, would help El (and Desiree, if she needed a hand,) onto the grass-type's back; whereas the Alakazam and Porygon2 both could float on their own without trouble.

Once they were settled in on Madame though, El would deflate a bit with a heavy exhale. "Geez... What in the world caused that?" They wondered out loud - trying to scan their surroundings for any further sign of danger.

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DESIREE BLOOMS

El nodded as Josh responded; really, they stil weren't sure if the Paradoxes had whatever spark the true deals had that let them choose Avatars like they did. "Yeah; Suicune, er... Isaac's Suicune, is a pretty hands-off teacher." They commented with a chuckle. The Northern Winds was one to simply give him the tools and tell him to do whatever; and really, they felt like that was where Isaac thrived most.

As far as they understood, it only really ever stepped in if something was beyond Isaac's capabilities.

But, as they entered the station proper, Josh suddenly seemed a good bit more serious - to which, El blinked a bit. But, after a moment's processing, they nodded. "You have my word, Josh." They responded solemnly, though they did distantly wonder what was so serious about these Paradoxes in particular that they had to be a secret.

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Josh Devlin