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Orion listens in stunned silence, dark eyes cataloging each individual bandage and wondering at the injuries beneath. A Pokemon was responsible for all of that?[break][break]

He knows Fernando to be a competent battler. A gym leader. Yet it had taken six of his Pokemon to so much as deter whatever had done this to him? The words ring in his head: a Pokemon I've never seen before.[break][break]

"Do you think it was another Beast?"[break][break]

In his mind's eye, the Pokemon twists into hideous shapes resembling the clown that had detonated the New Years ball, the thing that had possessed the commissioner.[break][break]

"Do you have any idea who's involved? Someone here?"[break][break]

Why else would Fernando be worried about security if not for the concern that their own coworkers could access places others couldn't?

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Orion's considering a name when a thud against the door makes Avery gasp and the councilman startle in surprise. He turns his head, expecting a Pokemon — like a wingull, maybe — has flown into the glass. He's instead greeted with a sheepish gardener whose aim had been a little off.[break][break]

He smiles, shakes his head.[break][break]

"I've never thought of asking my Pokemon to water the plants, that's a good idea..." He's used to utilizing his Pokemon in a Ranger's sense, tracking and protecting. Shaking his head, realizing he's gotten distracted, he glances back at Avery. "A name... Idun, maybe."
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It's a name from a tale he remembers relating to apples in some way, the humorous association that Orion appreciated.[break][break]

"What would you call her?" he asks, curious.

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Predictably, Orion doesn't give a damn about Fernando making himself at home. The space is open to him with its blinds closed against the dying sunlight and the scattered files across the desk. There's an Espeon dozing under the desk who pokes her head out to investigate the commotion, quickly losing interest and curling back up in her favourite spot.[break][break]

Risky?[break][break]

Orion's eyes are wide, concerned, but the mention of security has him turning the lock on the door — just in case. It was rare that anyone walked in without asking unless he was expecting them, but this rings of serious.[break][break]

"Secure? Like, is it bugged or something?" He's never thought of that. Probably should have, honestly, given his background. He wouldn't put it past the nest of vipers that were his family to bug someone's workplace. Still, he's never noticed anything of the sort, and it's not like the place is a mess... "It should be secure. Jeez, Fernando, are you OK?"[break][break]

He's not asking about his physical state, now.

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Orion's sitting at his desk, re-reading the same few sentences on a document until the words blend together, when a gentle tap against the door draws his attention.[break][break]

He might've mistaken it for the bustle of the office if not for the voice that sounds from the other side. He opens his mouth, about to offer a quick 'Come in' to his fellow councilman, but something in the wording gives him pause.[break][break]

Open the door. He'd even said please.[break][break]

He pushes back from his desk and opens the door to just about the last thing he'd expected to see. Raw surprise molds itself quickly to concern, then a wincing sort of sympathy. Fernando's in the worst shape Orion's ever seen him in.[break][break]

"Fuck, what happened?" He gestures the other inside before gently closing the door. With a tone caught between humour and genuine worry, he adds: "Ever heard of a phone call, Silph?"[break][break]

To think that he'd dragged himself to work in this state — Orion can hardly process it.

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"Is that safe?" Far from critical, Orion sounds amused as he turns away from the glittering ocean to regard Kyle. "What if one backfires and like sets the boat on fire or something?"[break][break]

Had they been on land, he'd have voiced much more complaint about the wildlife. Out here, on the open water, he's more worried for them.
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His mouth waters as kebabs heat up on the grill, but he forces his attention back to the horizon. His sunglasses keep slipping from his forehead to clink against the binoculars, and he eventually removes them from his hair and balances them precariously on his knee.
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This time, when he glimpses movement, he doesn't call it out right away. It had been a product of the shimmering heat last time, and he doesn't want to get Kyle's hopes up. This time, he zooms in until he can identify several men on board with their shirts off before he's satisfied that what he's seeing is real. He lingers a little longer before feeling like a voyeur and quickly zooming back out.
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"Got a ship heading our way, buncha guys on board. Not sure if they're pirates or what."
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The fireworks are a good idea, he thinks. They'll draw the eye.
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"Light one of 'em off," he suggests. "See if they take bait."

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At this point, Orion's running, doing his best to keep up with the Snorlax whose momentum picks up like a snowball rolling down a hill.[break][break]

With their team of reckless belly drummers, they're absolutely crushing the course. Quite literally, in Orion's case, the councilman wincing at the splintering of wood beneath Snorlax's bulk and reminding himself to check the big boy for splinters later.[break][break]

Unlike others, Orion feels no need to attempt any of the targets himself. Even if he just tried one of the wooden boards, he'd be more likely to break his hand than the target.[break][break]

sN4pXs|W +60

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Where most Pokemon and trainers opted to punch and kick their way through obstacles, Snorlax seems determined to flatten them under its weight. It's slow roll continues to build speed, and soon Orion's having to jog slightly to keep up with him.[break][break]

To think he'd once called his Munchlax "little guy"![break][break]

"Look out, everyone, Snorlax coming through!"[break][break]

The last thing he wants is for the bulky creature to flatten another trainer in its destructive path.[break][break]

jkZ8365l +60

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Orion's Snorlax takes up an obnoxious amount of space on the course, and the councilman offers an apologetic glance to his teammates as he does his best to peer around the normal-type's bulk at the course ahead.[break][break]

When prompted, Snorlax DRUMS ITS BELLY and lets out a deep, sleepy laugh. It's honestly quite terrifying, but not as much as when the massive Pokemon begins to roll toward a line of targets. Well, it was certainly one way of getting things done.[break][break]

NzF|2iUs +60

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Wind whips at Orion's hair as the jetski he'd borrowed from the seashore house carves a path through open water. Reports of pirates and poachers had been all too frequent along Slateport shores, and he saw it as his duty as both ranger and councilman to investigate the matter personally. In the wake of the boat, a purple Swampert's fins betray its presence beneath the waves.[break][break]

"Almost there, Schism! Get ready to board!"[break][break]

The silhouettes of two ships dominate the horizon, figures moving across decks and looking like ants from such a distance. Innocuous at first, the tension becomes palpable as Orion draws close enough to hear the screaming.[break][break]

He tosses a pokeball high in the air, yells: "Get me onto that boat!"[break][break]

His battle-scarred Noivern swoops low, grabs him none-too-gently by the shoulders and plucks him from one watercraft to be borne onto another. He lands hard on his ankle, stumbles, but regains his footing with intent. He's shocked to recognize the familiar, terrified face of one avery jones, but has little time to dwell on it before the pirates are converging. He's one man against several, but he'd brought the firepower of his Pokemon partners along.[break][break]

"Cover your ears, Avery!"[break][break]

Noivern's BOOMBURST rips through the air, a devastating sonic blast. The boat's railing groans beneath Schism's weight as the Swampert clambers aboard, throwing up a WIDE GUARD to protect Avery and her Pokemon from the auditory assault.

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