Matias' request is bizarre at best, but Skyler doesn't question it. The descending arc of the berry is abruptly interrupted when she catches it effortlessly in her outstretched hand. 

"You know, I've seen some weird things here in Hoenn - but that might be up there with the rest."

And while her expression wars between curiosity and soft disbelief, the captain ends up shrugging and tossing the berry high up into the air. After all, who was she to doubt legendaries when she had a connection of her own?

She's too distracted to notice the approaching Seadra and its panicked expression, even when it all but jumps onto the sand at her feet to get away from a particularly hungry (or playful) Wailord. 

She'd eventually find it fainted and capture it with a pokeball. 

Curiosity perches at the tip of her tongue, eager to manifest itself into however many questions necessary to get Skyler the knowledge she's seeking.

To swallow it takes no small amount of effort.

Subterfuge had never been one of Skyler's strongest suits, and it probably would never be. So when frustration flashes briefly across her expression, it is fully genuine - as is the unashamed, wry grin that follows it.

"Vague enough, Dr. Cav- Gavin?" Words curl easily into a harmless tease, lost to the briny breeze as they walk their way down the beach. "Good to know I was right to seek you out." A nod to the fact that he was, apparently, pretty high up in the Rocket hierarchy.

Now - how much should she reveal?

She allows the thought to stew in her mind for a few moments, at ease with the ocean at her feet. Even Lugia's oppressing pressure seems to alleviate somewhat - though not entirely. Never entirely. Adrenaline still swims close to the surface, sharpening her senses in a way that is not entirely unwelcome.

"Would you tell him that his gift was appreciated, if you can?"

"Sure, it shouldn't take too long. He'll be back before you know it." And it's not like this would take a big chunk out of her daily schedule, not when she had 40-something assistants helping her out. In less than a month Matias' Wailmer would be doing the rounds with the rest of them.

Her reputation pretty much demanded it.

An abrupt croak steals her attention away from the current conversation. Turning in the direction of the sound, Skyler can barely see the bulbous shape of a Seismitoad obscured by nearby bushes. Was it trying to ambush them? Huh.

Skyler throws a pokeball, hoping to catch it by surprise.

The tiny Tirtouga is still snoring softly on the captain's shoulder when she shifts to address Matias again. "I also heard," seen, actually, "that you were chosen by a legendary." It had been televised, after all.

"It's easier when you have many of them," she admits, looking over at the group of whales gathering close to shore, but not too close. "My first one was Nautilus - he's the one with the scars." Skyler points him out, but the glare of the sun over the ocean's surface makes it hard to see.

"He was with me on the Lilycove Warfront. Those tales of flying Wailord?" Silver peeks up at him, glinting with troublesome playfulness. "All true. Well, mostly."

The surf brings with it a tiny Tirtouga, its small plastic-wrapped body struggling to come ashore. Skyler frowns and bends down to pick it up, removing the plastic casing from around it - the remains of a pumpkin spice latte in a plastic cup, apparently.

"At any rate, once you've got a couple of very well-trained Wailord, they'll practically train themselves. Under my supervision, of course. I also spend some time with them individually." Enough to be able to tell them apart, which is quite a feat.

But she is the WailQUEEN for a reason.

Getting married. Hunting an ocean god. Making a deal with Rocket. Becoming an avatar. Dodging the Aqua Iniciative. Trying to find something about those Avatar assassins...

Skyler shrugs. "Not getting promoted, apparently." Despite the words, the lopsided grin that stretches across her lips is good-natured and genuine. "I'm happy for you, Sarge. Honestly. Someone has to do the hard work around here. And if you need something," and by extension the League too, "I'm glad to be of help."

For a price, of course.

Away from the shallows, the group of Skyler's Wailord has surrounded Matias' Wailmer, promptly hiding it from view. Skyler doesn't seem too worried about it, up until one Wailord reemerges nearby, glittering pink/purple in the sun. Its massive maw opens and a Gothorita slumps onto a leaf pile, unconscious.

"Again, Sloop? I told you, you can't digest such big meals..." There's a moment of hesitation, then the psychic-type disappears into the pokeball.

Skyler should be surprised that Melody fell for the trick, but the emotion is cut short by a swelling tide of pride over her own work. She'd spent hours meticulously drawing the lines across Whiscash's scales. The work was far from being a masterpiece - in fact, some of the lines were getting kind of suspicious because she'd forgotten to buy waterpoof paint - but it'd been worth it.

"Look, you don't judge a book by its cover," is what she tells Melody. As a distraction, two bottles of tequila are brought forth and opened. Skyler wastes no time before parting with one, offering it to Melody while taking a swig of her own. "They're plenty powerful when they're in the mood for it."

'Kyogre', at Skyler's not-so-subtle gesture, dives underwater and disappears. Probably never to reappear again given the streaks of red and white that briefly stain the surface of the ocean, and which disappear under a shallow wave.

"Things have been shit, huh? I was here when the Rocket invastion happened. Nasty stuff." She isn't sure from which side the violence had spawned, but people had been caught in the crossfire. Lilycove had become a haven for some of the Sootopolis refugees too. All in all, it's a whole ass mess.

"... How're things? You still the gym leader, right?"

That's fine. Skyler has more bottles in her boat. Enough to drown all of Melody's sorrows and then some.