Beginner RP: Graham Ford (Loot)

Beginner RP - Graham Ford - Non-Battle Post #8

Tella's dull blue eyes watched Tanegashima's body language. She couldn't understand Pokémon, not really— language was something only the most intelligent of Psychic-types and certain mythical or very ancient Pokémon were capable of— but she was able to pick up on the gestures and vocalizations that they used to achieve limited communication between species. The Froakie was clearly trying to de-escalate matters with the little bird, with little success.

Ford, though, had apparently drawn a conclusion from Tanegashima's actions. "Someone in there needs help, right?" he asked his Froakie. "In that case, it must be family. That's why Fletchling won't budge, even this badly outnumbered. Damn it..."

Tella's eyebrows rose with surprise: even she hadn't been able to glean that much detail, mostly because she wasn't familiar with Tanegashima's personality: the military man's ability to understand his Pokémon was likely much more advanced than he himself consciously realized; in estimating his combat-readiness, she'd underestimated his degree of connection to his partners. As for what he'd said about family, well... Tella knew she didn't have the right kind of life experience to connect those dots. Family wasn't something she'd ever had, not really; she'd have to take his word for it.

The Ranger wasn't sure where to proceed from here, since the young Fletchling didn't appear amenable to diplomacy; but at that moment, Ford surprised her again by withdrawing a Lava Cookie, the famous restorative that the National Park imported and sold as a biodegradable alternative to Full Heal bottles, from amongst his belongings. He tossed it at the bird's feet.

The wild Fletchling flapped violently, apparently attempting to appear threatening in response to a perceived attack; however, the little bird didn't hesitate in the least as soon as the nature of the projectile became clear. Seizing the cookie— which was almost as large as the bird's body!— in his beak, Fletchling lurched into the air and disappeared into the crevice.

"...I'm impressed. I wouldn't have realized all of that," Tella said honestly, her face deadpan but a little bit more respect entering her previously neutral tone of voice. "I think it's safe to approach, as long as we don't reach in there."

Within the crevice, Fletchling was pecking off a few crumbled bits of the Lava Cookie at a time, and feeding them to a very small, very bedraggled-looking member of his own species which was resting in a nest of de-thorned bramble twigs: a little brother or sister. Also in the nest were the same three eggs that Tanegashima had seen: these had been alone too long, and would never hatch.

The little bird's head whipped around to regard Tella mistrustfully with one eye as she peered into the dim stone grotto, but he made no aggressive movements: just stared at her, as if daring her to come any closer. The Ranger did not approach; instead, backing away from the crevice's opening, she frowned slightly, an almost imperceptible expression on her normally neutral features. "Have a look if you'd like," she told Ford. "You're correct that we'll need to administer proper medical attention; I doubt the first aid I know will be sufficient."

"Are you sure you don't want to just let nature run its course?" The Ranger asked, playing devil's advocate. "If we hadn't come along, that sick Fletchling wouldn't have a snowball's chance in Hell. It's not your duty to make it your business. If you do choose to help, you'll have to gain Fletchling's trust, perhaps by bringing food and helping to care for his ill sibling. It won't be easy."

Secretly, Tella had already decided that if Ford didn't do anything, she would... but Ford didn't have to know that, especially since going off to find food would be a breach of her Park contract: it'd constitute hijacking the Park excursion a Trainer had paid for to pursue personal business. Still, the military man had already surprised Tella with his ability to empathize— an odd but welcome trait in a soldier— so she had at least a little reason to believe he wouldn't end up putting her in that position...


Current Encounter: Fletchling

Fletchling: 100%


~~Park Run Statistics~~

• Trainer Name: Graham Ford
  
  
• Location: Mt. Deckbi
  
  
• Remaining Encounters: 2
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (since end of last encounter): 14,924
  
  
• Active Effects: None
  
  
• Pokémon Stats:
  Ruger the Monferno
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Blaze
  Nature: Bold
  Level-Up Moves: Acrobatics, Close Combat, Ember, Facade, Feint, Fire Spin, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Flare Blitz, Fury Swipes, Leer, Mach Punch, Nasty Plot, Scratch, Slack Off, Taunt, Torment
  Egg Moves: -
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  Tanegashima the Froakie — Currently out of Poké Ball
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Torrent
  Nature: Serious
  Level-Up Moves: Bounce, Bubble, Double Team, Fling, Growl, Hydro Pump, Lick, Pound, Quick Attack, Round, Smack Down, Smokescreen, Substitute, Water Pulse
  Egg Moves: Camouflage
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  
• Total Items:
  Park Ball x2
  Poké Doll x1
  
  
• Total Captured Pokémon:
  Bunnelby (Male, Impish nature)

 

“Listen dumbass, if you don’t eat, you’re as good as gone! The Army doesn’t need a dead sniper!”

“Yeah man, come on, don’t be stubborn, drop the bottle and eat something…”

The sight of the ill, malnourished Fletchling brought back long-forgotten memories to the forefront of Graham’s mind. More specifically, his early days in the original Blitz Unit…

It was their third-ever assignment. They were to raid a renowned terrorist’s hideout on the frontier between the Republic of Asbel and western Heiml, close to the Red Village of Surt.

Graham, fellow Private Garrett Wolfe and two other greenhorns were to storm the building, forcing the prick to flee… only to be picked off by the team’s designated sniper. Sven Larson, back then only nineteen-years old, was the absolute best with a sniper – two decades later, Graham still hadn’t met a better man on the trigger -, but he really was a… unique individual.

Idiot couldn’t shoot straight unless he was drunk. Never went into a goddamn mission sober and fed.

Like any proud sniper, Sven could lie in wait for his prey for days on end without food; that wasn’t really the problem, as far as Graham was concerned. But sobriety made Private Larson excessively aware of the strenuous circumstances of his role, and he was quick to become nervous. Soon he discovered alcohol made his hands stop shaking and the stress all but disappear. To his recollection, Sven had never become hopelessly plastered nor screwed a hit, but there was little doubt in his mind the young sniper’s habit would rapidly shorten his career.

And it did. Prick went and defected over to Blood Money the day he was finally suspended for alcohol abuse. Now it’s those traitors Ryker and Talbot who owns Heiml’s best marksman…

Not that any parallels could be drawn to the little Fletchling – but whenever Graham saw a good soul starve, he was always reminded of Sven and his strange habits. He couldn’t do anything to set his companion straight (or perhaps he simply didn’t care enough back in the day), but he wouldn’t allow himself to be indifferent towards this bird. The brother caring for him had already proven his valour, earning Graham’s respect, and if only for that, he was willing to make a detour.

He looked over to Tanegashima, somewhat apologetically (much to the frog’s surprise) and muttered under his breath.

“Looks like I get to play Nurse Joy. Come on Chansey.”

He was fresh out of supplies, which would make the rest of his run considerably harder. But that was a selfish thought to have, when the birds in that crevice had been out of food for Arceus knew how many days. They were the true survivors, if only by life’s cruel imposition.

Graham turned to Tella, his mind made up.

“Won’t leave a soldier behind, “nature’s course” be damned. Where do we start?”

 

Beginner RP - Graham Ford - Non-Battle Post #9

"Then it's settled," Tella said; and although her face remained nigh expressionless, her body language relaxed in a subtle sign of approval. "I know this area, and I know where we can get the supplies of seeds, nuts, and medicinal herbs we'll need to nurse an ill Pokémon back to health. It's the den of a very dangerous, very powerful Legendary Pokémon that just so happens to make its lair in the foothills; getting in and out undetected won't be easy, and will involve danger."

She didn't even bother to question whether or not this information changes Ford's intentions: both of them knew that nothing worth having comes easily, and the man wouldn't have expressed willingness to do this if he hadn't been prepared for trouble. "The creature known as Terrakion lives in a cave it hollowed out deep beneath a hill, almost two leagues west of here," the Ranger told Ford in her strangely formal way of speaking. "Other Pokémon inhabit the smaller caves that were uncovered when it made its tunnels; they are under its protection and will not hesitate to inform their master if they feel threatened. When we enter, we will have to remain quiet. If we make a sound and luck is with us, no harm will come our way; if we disturb the wrong rock formation and our luck forsakes us, we may all perish."

With that, she swung the small pack off her back and withdrew what looked to be a fire blanket and a pair of orange-tinted ski goggles. "I have my own ways of protecting myself from the elements, but you'll need more protective gear than what you're wearing to brave the storm."

The hazy brown sky spit sand at the travelers as they emerged from the crevice, and the two were forced to recall their Pokémon to their Poké Balls to protect them from the ravaging elements. A long, silent trek through the blasting sand awaited...

~~~~~~~~~~

After taking nearly two hours to travel the two leagues (which appeared to be Tella's odd way of saying about ten kilometres,) the Colonel and the Ranger arrived at a larger-than-average hillock that rose up like a tiny, steep mountain amongst the gradual slopes of the foothills. Instead of going to climb it, though, Tella took them walking around the base of it until they arrived at a truly vast cave entrance. The hole in the side of the hill was easily ten metres tall and just as wide, and the surfaces of the cave walls were smooth, as though something had blasted this hollow into the mountain. The indentation slanted downward, and further in it could be seen to grow rougher and narrow to a mere four metres tall by three metres wide, as though whatever incredible force had created the tunnel had been focused in this direction. From there, the hole in the rock continued straight onward into depths invisible amidst the darkness of underground.

At that very moment, trundling back and forth across the narrower part of the tunnel where the walls were only three metres apart, was a rocky blue Pokémon with tiny brown stone feet and a crest of the same hue atop its head. Its "face" was a hollow whose conical shape, by coincidence, echoed that of the cave through which it was wandering. Or... was it really wandering? After a few seconds of walking, the Roggenrola did a teetering about-face and trundled back the other way, for all the world like an earnest, eager, inexperienced guard patrolling his station.

Ford would need to somehow sneak by the Rock-type Pokémon without alerting it in order to reach the deepest and darkest parts of the cave where, Tella had explained, the supplies were kept...

Current Encounter: Roggenrola

Roggenrola: 100%

Spoiler

Ongoing ("Paused") Encounter: Fletchling

Fletchling: 100% (Back at the nest)

~~Park Run Statistics~~

• Trainer Name: Graham Ford
  
  
• Location: Mt. Deckbi
  
  
• Remaining Encounters: 1
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (counting towards Fletchling encounter): 14,924
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (since "pausing" Fletchling encounter): 2,808
  
  
• Active Effects: Sandstorm
  
  
• Pokémon Stats:
  Ruger the Monferno
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Blaze
  Nature: Bold
  Level-Up Moves: Acrobatics, Close Combat, Ember, Facade, Feint, Fire Spin, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Flare Blitz, Fury Swipes, Leer, Mach Punch, Nasty Plot, Scratch, Slack Off, Taunt, Torment
  Egg Moves: -
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  Tanegashima the Froakie
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Torrent
  Nature: Serious
  Level-Up Moves: Bounce, Bubble, Double Team, Fling, Growl, Hydro Pump, Lick, Pound, Quick Attack, Round, Smack Down, Smokescreen, Substitute, Water Pulse
  Egg Moves: Camouflage
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  
• Total Items:
  Park Ball x2
  Poké Doll x1
  
  
• Total Captured Pokémon:
  Bunnelby (Male, Impish nature)

 

War changes a man; Graham Ford used to be impetuous, easily excitable and passionate in his youth – but decades of fight and loss hardened him excessively, taking away that spark he still saw and appreciated in Privates like Nathan Hawke and Hanson Reed. But not even the grumpy Colonel could stay indifferent to Tella’s revelation.

Terrakion?!

What exactly was he getting himself into? How safe was it, not just for the two of them but the region in general, to disturb a slumbering titan like that? In his incredulity, Graham found himself reaching into his pocket and retrieving a slip of paper.

“Beginner Park Run. Yeah, right,” he mumbled out loud without really thinking.

The prospect was exciting, no doubt; he felt a similar rush when, still in his Private years, his squad was tasked with sabotaging the then-prototype Riot bipedal tank to be produced in he Asbel region; the mission had failed, as evidenced by the fact that, over a decade later, Riots were the main means of mechanized offense of the neighbouring country’s army, but Graham never forgot the thrill of those impossible odds. Now, it seemed he was faced with a similar situation – though only if he screwed up.

If everything goes according to plan, I might not even lay eyes on the monster.

Again he was remembered of his precious Squad Six, a recurring event since he first crossed paths with Tella. This time, he recalled his Demolitions expert, the giant Jackson Brody: the gang used to joke that he was the Heimlan Army’s very own Terrakion – dumb as a brick and strong as a bull. Young Hanson Reed was similar in a lot of ways, but from what little he knew about Brody’s protégé, “Werebear” wasn’t really as stupid as everyone made him out to be.

He was brought back to reality when Tella called him, extending a sort of thick blanket and a pair of goggles. The woman really had come prepared; it came as no surprise to Graham anymore, since it was clear that Tella was just damn good at her job, but he did wonder how far in advance she had foreseen this turn of events. Realizing they were in for a hell of a walk in the storm, Graham recalled Tanegashima, hoping his frog would get another chance to shine soon; young soldiers learned the fastest.


------


“Leagues” turned out to be a terrible distance-measuring system. No amount of walking remotely close to what they’d been doing should be resumed to “two” of anything. It felt like an eternity, made worse by the terrible sandstorm they had to endure all throughout their journey, but at long last, Tella seemed to spot what she’d been looking for: a seemingly unremarkable hillock protruding from the downwards slope of the terrain.

“What the?!…”

Going around the hill revealed something unexpected: a massive cave extended into the depths of the earth, like a colossal spear hurled by a giant had pierced the ground effortlessly. Indeed, the wound on the wasteland’s surface was initially wide, and became progressively narrower the further in Tella and the Colonel went. His emotionally-detached guide didn’t bother explaining, but Graham could put the pieces together – something big and insanely powerful had carved its way underground, and he had a pretty damn good idea who could’ve done it.

They proceeded cautiously, aware of what could happen if they made a false move – Terrakion was believed to slumber in the deepest part of the buried labyrinth, so their best bet was to keep quiet.

“Storm in, bolt out”. Heh, good times…

Blitz Unit’s old moniker suited Graham’s current situation perfectly; the longer they lingered, the worse their odds got of making it back out without some serious heat on them. Finding those supplies wasn’t the highest priority – it was the only freaking priority.

It was then that things took another unexpected turn. From the cave’s spacious entrance, Graham spotted a living boulder marching back and forth dutifully, like a greenhorn sentry on his first shift. Terrakion had its own personal guard, it seemed.

The Colonel grinned; things just kept getting better. As it turned out, Tanegashima’s opportunity had come sooner than he’d expected… Graham released the frog from the contents of his Ball, and brought him up to speed in a whispered briefing.

That tunnel is way too narrow for us to walk around the Roggenrola without being spotted. Wet behind the non-existent ears or not, the damn thing knew how to choose a spot.

It was evident to the veteran soldier that there was only one of two choices to go with: incapacitate the enemy on the spot, or lure it away from the choke point. The first approach was risky, even with Tanegashima’s tactical advantage due to their respective elemental affinities, considering the ruckus it would likely cause. And as such…

“Here, take this.”

Graham handed Tanegashima a large Clefairy PokéDoll, the single decoy provided in the care package handed out at the Park entrance.

“Camouflage yourself and try to lure Roggenrola towards the entrance, make it go after the Doll if you can,” instructed the Army officer, realizing the difficulty of what he was asking. “We’ll try to sneak past once you there’s enough room to slip by.”

If the Froakie could conceal himself well enough so that only the Doll was visible at first glance, they might be able to fool the Rock-Type. But camouflage was no invisibility, and the risk of being spotted was still real. If it came to that, Tanegashima knew he’d have to knock out Roggenrola as soon as possible, and he had just the right Pump for the job.

 

Beginner RP - Graham Ford - Non-Battle Post #10

"Beginner Park Run. Yeah, right."

Tella's reaction to Ford's muttered sarcasm was a slight quirk of the lips, a slip of her impassive mask so slight that most would miss it completely. Not Tanegashima, though; the little frog's sharp eyes were always on the move; they caught nearly everything that went on around him. Whether the Froakie understood the meaning of the subtle human shifts in facial expression, or would find a way to report his observation to his commanding officer, remained to be seen, of course.

Tella's involuntary smile as Ford donned the makeshift storm cloak and recalled his Pokémon was because, despite herself, she enjoyed his realistic attitude towards the Park Authority's claims of safety. The fact of the matter was, a Beginner Park Run was designed to be the safest, simplest possible sampling of whichever one of the National Park's various biomes a Trainer might choose. That was why they would be remaining in the foothills of Mount Deckbi today: Park regulations demanded she take Beginner runs no higher than a certain altitude in such circumstances.

As she led Graham Ford through the sandstorm, Tella thought on this, with a certain amusement. For the vast majority of Trainers— most of the hundreds Tella had escorted through the Park in the years since she'd come to work there— safe and simple described even the non-Beginner runs. Many of the Trainers were content to wander until they found one of the Park's many Pokémon that were rare enough not to be commonly bred in captivity, then leave early with their captures.

But then again, Tella had come to realize, there was a certain subset of Trainers: those who went the extra mile for the good of Pokémon, even wild ones; those who would do crazy, reckless, brave things, in spite of all logic and contrary to the cowardice that most people would claim were 'self-preservation instincts.' She recalled vividly a time when she and a Trainer on a Beginner Run to the Enigma Ruins had been deposited unexpectedly atop frigid Mt. Oktori in the middle of a blizzard. Tella and her Pokémon had constructed a temporary shelter, and the entire group had been prepared to settle in comfortably and wait for the Ruins to release them... but the building of the shelter had uncovered a Machop frozen and near death, and the Trainer had refused to simply let him perish. Tella had approved. The ensuing adventure had nearly gotten them both killed, mostly because Tella had only brought one set of warm clothing and they'd run into battles along the way. Since then, Tella had made sure to be prepared, carrying protective gear for another person at all times... in case her next Run proved to be with one of those crazy, brilliant Trainers.

And now here she was, hidden amidst a pile of rocks near the wide entrance to a cave, with exactly that kind of Trainer; and they were risking awakening Terrakion for the sake of a little bird. Underneath the heavy scarf that had protected her during the long trek, Tella allowed herself a rare grin. She wouldn't have had it any other way.

Tanegashima, his colours shifting perfectly to match the cave's background of mottled brown-and-black stone, vanished entirely from sight; but Tella's hidden talents allowed her to track his presence. She could detect his location shifting every so often, by tiny increments, as he took it slow and steady, hiding the brightly coloured Clefairy Poké Doll with his body for now. A twenty-minute stretch of time went by, which likely felt even longer for Ford if he couldn't pick out his camouflaged Pokémon's location.

Then, to all present. the pink Poké Doll popped out of nowhere, falling from the ceiling a short distance from Roggenrola and coming to rest in a standing-up position that looked surprisingly lifelike. A sharp pair of eyes would be able to see a slight bit of movement in the air above it: a long, thin tongue camouflaged the colour of the rock, sticking to the doll's back and bouncing it up and down a little like a simple puppet!

The wild Pokémon turned toward the sound of the doll hitting the ground; Roggenrola froze, its hole of a face pointed directly at the strange item. There was a long, tense standoff: the doll continued to move just enough to keep the Rock-type's interest; it helped that something that adorable and plush was barely even capable of seeming threatening.

Slowly, Roggenrola approached, wariness evident in its slightly crouched posture. It bumped up against the doll somewhat roughly, likely an ordinary greeting for its rock-bodied kind. When it made contact with the doll, the wild Pokémon froze again, this time with what could only be construed as amazement. In this biome of harsh elements and beings of rock and fire, it had never encountered something with this texture! Could this be... softness?

Completely abandoning its post, Roggenrola clamped its stubby legs onto one of the Clefairy-shaped Poké Doll's arms (a pinch that would likely have been unintentionally painful if that had been a real Pokémon!) and rolled away, dragging the doll along through the dust and sand that coated the rocky floor. It wanted to show its new, interestingly-textured playmate the rest of the cave!

Tella nodded at Ford, and led the way through the now-unguarded cave opening; as she did, she pulled her scarf down from where it was protecting her face against the sandstorm to once again loosely encircle her shoulders and neck.

Tanegashima appeared silently from the ceiling, his colours returning to normal, as he joined the two Trainers on their way into the depths of Terrakion's cave...

~~~~~~~~~~

The first thing that would become apparent as they entered was that the large tunnel Terrakion had excavated was now an entire cave network: wild Pokémon had taken advantage of the natural caverns and tunnels underneath the mountain, turning them into burrows or widening them into cave-like dwelling-places.

Tella led Ford down past a number of these, in which the quiet movements of Pokémon could be heard, before reaching a relatively bare stretch of tunnel where they could speak without being heard. She turned to Ford and whispered, "We need to quickly and quietly ascertain which way the storeroom is. The Legendary Pokémon is a guardian to all of these wild ones, and in gratitude they keep a store of food, herbs, and even sweets for whenever Terrakion wakes up. Can either of your Pokémon scent that kind of thing, or pass through small tunnels to scout efficiently for the cavern it'd be kept in? Mine are ill-suited to such tasks."

Spoiler

Ongoing ("Paused") Encounter: Fletchling

Fletchling: 100% (Back at the nest)

~~Park Run Statistics~~

• Trainer Name: Graham Ford
  
  
• Location: Mt. Deckbi
  
  
• Remaining Encounters: 1
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (counting towards Fletchling encounter): 14,924
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (since "pausing" Fletchling encounter): 8,340
  
  
• Active Effects: Sandstorm
  
  
• Pokémon Stats:
  Ruger the Monferno
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Blaze
  Nature: Bold
  Level-Up Moves: Acrobatics, Close Combat, Ember, Facade, Feint, Fire Spin, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Flare Blitz, Fury Swipes, Leer, Mach Punch, Nasty Plot, Scratch, Slack Off, Taunt, Torment
  Egg Moves: -
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  Tanegashima the Froakie
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Torrent
  Nature: Serious
  Level-Up Moves: Bounce, Bubble, Double Team, Fling, Growl, Hydro Pump, Lick, Pound, Quick Attack, Round, Smack Down, Smokescreen, Substitute, Water Pulse
  Egg Moves: Camouflage
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  
• Total Items:
  Park Ball x2
  
  
• Total Captured Pokémon:
  Bunnelby (Male, Impish nature)

 

Shouldn’t have doubted him. Way to go kid.

Graham, of course, would never go out of his way to outwardly praise a soldier, but that didn’t mean he didn’t acknowledge a good effort. And Tanegashima had never failed in that regard. And to think he almost considered refusing to bring him along…

Smartass Hawke spending my beer money at that goddamn Armoury. Almost shot him in the foot for that… in hindsight, good thing I didn’t.

He’d been one step away from self-destruction once he’d returned alone from that mission, the one which resulted in Squad Six’s disappearance. Overwhelmed with guilt and frustration of not knowing what’d happened, Graham almost took to drinking his sorrows away one more time, after two decades of complete sobriety. He’d given Private Hawke some cash to purchase a bottle of whisky on his behalf, but Nathan went and bought a Froakie from the HQ’s armoury instead, looking to spur Graham back into action to clear his name. The Colonel had seen it as an outrage, an act of direct disobedience toward a superior officer… but he was quick to acknowledge that he was only running away from his own problems and putting the blame on someone else.

Hawke knew what he was doing; I was wallowing in self-pity and he pulled me outta that hole. And whaddya know, Tanegashima turned out to be one hell of an ally.

Funny how, despite being named after a legendary rifle, the frog was yet to engage in any sort of actual combat, save for his sparring sessions with Ruger. But he’d already proven his worth in every other regard, and once again now that he’d successfully driven that Roggenrola away.

Like a freakin’ ninja.

Now free to explore, Graham and Tella moved deeper into the cave – but in the latter’s case, this was no exploration whatsoever. Instead, the guide seemed to know exactly where to go, which paths to tread and which to avoid, like paying visits to a murderous titan was part of her daily routine. Clearly she’d been here before, and that made Graham wonder how much she actually needed the extra company, or if even now, with the risk of enraging Terrakion, she was just patronizingly testing him like he was a damn rookie. Although now, he actually had to admit he was at a loss.

Tella wanted to know if any of his Pokémon could catch the scent of far-away food, in order to ease the search. And, in all honesty, he was pretty sure they couldn’t. Ruger was a fighting machine, meticulously trained in the art of combat, even if he was hopelessly hot-headed and impetuous. But the finer arts of tracking and stealth eluded him completely, so disinterested was the ape in such boring trivialities. On the other hand, Tanegashima’s senses were all around sharper, and he was much more observant than the Monferno, but his nose wasn’t particularly powerful either.

Tracking down that food stash by scent ain’t gonna happen.

But the guide did present an alternative, and that one the Froakie could get behind. Understanding that a smaller Pokémon could manoeuvre around the tunnels easily, the nimble Tanegashima quickly stepped in front of Tella, immediately volunteering for the job – but Graham had a word to say in the matter too.

“Forget it,” he growled. “You’re not doing this on you own, you damn fool.”

The Colonel had complete trust in his Pokémon, but the idea of Tanegashima going off on his own to explore Terrakion’s territory was absurd. If he ran into trouble, Graham wouldn’t be able to issue instructions, and the Froakie was yet to have a real fight; he had the means to fool that Roggenrola earlier, but not anymore, and there was no telling what would happen if he accidentally ran into the Sword of Justice in the flesh.

And yet, just like Nathan when he’d refused to return the Poké Ball to the Armoury, Tanegashima also didn’t budge. His stare didn’t meet his Trainer’s, but rather the impassive Tella’s, as if reassuring her that he could pull it off regardless of Graham’s lack of confidence. Stubbornness had never been a trait the Heimlan officer saw in Tanegashima, being much more characteristic of Ruger; perhaps this wasn’t just the Water-Type being hard-headed – Private Hawke was also absolutely adamant about his decisions when he was certain of something, even if it meant disobeying a superior officer.

It’s scary how much they are alike. It’s as if Hawke himself came along with me.

Sometimes, a soldier had to prove a higher-up wrong to cement his place. Tanegashima was looking to do just that, and as much as Graham hated it, maybe it wasn’t his place to tell the Froakie what he could and couldn’t do. Failure was the greatest teacher, after all…

“… Ugh, fine. Just try not to get yourself killed.”

Reluctantly, he looked at Tella, still wondering if she was hiding more than she was letting on. Right now, he needed her, and the realization pissed him off.

“Any pointers you could give him, that’d be golden.”

 

Beginner RP - Graham Ford - Non-Battle Post #11

Tella observed the exchange— an utterly unspoken power struggle between Pokémon and Trainer which Tanegashima somehow won— with her best attempt at neutrality; but her sharpened senses, her increased heart rate, and the pace of her breath (just a little too fast to be normal) all betrayed her mixed feelings of exhilaration and mortal terror: a combination that she hadn't wanted to admit she'd missed. The fact of the matter was, after a childhood spent in a perpetually heightened state of alertness, with real danger lurking around every corner, the safe haven she had come to seemed somehow false and temporary: to Tella, the world felt dimmer, less real, whenever anything less than mortal peril was at stake. That wasn't to say that the Ranger sought out such things— on the contrary, she did everything she could to avoid them, and had only come to the tunnels surrounding Terrakion's lair because it was truly the only way she could think of to save the ill Fletchling's life— but in the moment, she couldn't deny that being there was like waking up from a long and dull dream.

"I can tell you this: any Pokémon here will recognize you as an outsider in an instant, if you're seen; but they aren't alert, since this is a safe place. It should be simple to travel through the smaller tunnels, the ones dug by Diglett and Sandshrew: they can get you nearly anywhere down here. Look— one of the entrances."

Sure enough, in the far wall of the tunnel Tella and Colonel Ford were standing in, there was a hole about the size of a human's head. Tanegashima would fit with plenty of space to spare, even should the hole begin to narrow deeper inside. From the hole came a slight drift of fresh air, as the small tunnels which connected the whole cave complex like a dense honeycomb conducted a slight breeze and kept the underground air breathable.

"I'll remain here; my Pokémon and I will do our best to keep the rest of us hidden while you're away, Tanegashima."

With all the efficiency his important mission required of him, Tanegashima saluted at Colonel Ford with one webbed forelimb— clearly mimicking something he'd seen back at the Armory— and leapt into the hole. Immediately, Tella closed the shutter on the small electric lantern she had been using to light their way, plunging the tunnel into complete darkness and hiding the two outsiders from the denizens of this underground place.

~~~~~~~~~~

A long and tense while passed without any sign of Tanegashima's return. With no way to keep track of the time, the minutes stretched on... The underground tunnels teemed with the sounds and smells of Fire-type, Rock-type, and Ground-type Pokémon: the grating scrape of stone on stone echoed frequently past the two Trainers, and occasionally a little bit of light would reflect around the corner as a nearby Slugma, resting somewhere in the next cavern over, let off a jet of blue-hot air from a bubble in its body. Sometimes, flickering firelight emanated from the other direction as some other Fire-type Pokémon breathed flames. Once or twice, Ford thought he caught a faint gleam of light from somewhere in Tella's direction, too— nothing concrete, just the intimation of a tiny bit of brightness amidst the dark, followed by nothing— giving him the impression that she was doing... something, with some kind of light source. Maybe the lantern? Seemed a risky thing to be messing with when discovery could mean the mission's failure, or worse...

A few times, shuffling noises in the midst of the blackness indicated the presence of a wild Pokémon passing by, but Tella and Ford flattened themselves against the wall and allowed the invisible figures of those Pokémon to pass by without so much as noticing them. Oddly, despite the Pokémon down here being used to pitch darkness and possessing stronger senses of smell than humans could even dream of, none of them seemed to notice the humans pressed up against the side of the rocky tunnel. Such a failure of alertness on behalf of wild creatures could be explained by this cave being a safe haven for these creatures, where no one would dare instigate violence under Terrakion's nose... but even so, his and Tella's apparent olfactory invisibility would seem unusual to the seasoned Colonel.

After a particularly long pause between wild Pokémon, Tella whispered something, so quietly that it was drowned out by the ambient noise of the tunnels and Ford almost missed it. A few seconds later, she repeated herself, only marginally more loudly, well aware that any more sound than this could carry through the corridors.

"You don't make decisions like soldiers I've met. It would have been more efficient to leave after that Bunnelby was captured. Why are you here, if not for a new weapon?"

Spoiler

Ongoing ("Paused") Encounter: Fletchling

Fletchling: 100% (Back at the nest)

~~Park Run Statistics~~

• Trainer Name: Graham Ford
  
  
• Location: Mt. Deckbi
  
  
• Remaining Encounters: 1
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (counting towards Fletchling encounter): 19,829
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (since "pausing" Fletchling encounter): 13,245
  
  
• Active Effects: Darkness
  
  
• Pokémon Stats:
  Ruger the Monferno
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Blaze
  Nature: Bold
  Level-Up Moves: Acrobatics, Close Combat, Ember, Facade, Feint, Fire Spin, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Flare Blitz, Fury Swipes, Leer, Mach Punch, Nasty Plot, Scratch, Slack Off, Taunt, Torment
  Egg Moves: -
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  Tanegashima the Froakie — Currently on a solo mission!
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Torrent
  Nature: Serious
  Level-Up Moves: Bounce, Bubble, Double Team, Fling, Growl, Hydro Pump, Lick, Pound, Quick Attack, Round, Smack Down, Smokescreen, Substitute, Water Pulse
  Egg Moves: Camouflage
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  
• Total Items:
  Park Ball x2
  
  
• Total Captured Pokémon:
  Bunnelby (Male, Impish nature)

 

Seeing Tanegashima go off on his own wasn’t an easy sight to digest. He had complete trust in his partner, a trust that had been fully earned by the Froakie, but still… what if things went awry?

Rebellious behaviour was altogether uncommon in the Heimlan Army. He could count on one hand the amount of times he’d witnessed insubordination during a mission, and there was a simple reason for that: they were Heimlans. Raised on the principles of trust, discipline and perseverance, they often came across as moody and unsociable to foreigners. Obedience was always a cornerstone of the national Army, and their methodical approach to missions was lauded as unparalleled. Which was why rogue behaviour was almost unheard of, and Graham could recall every single instance. Tanegashima’s behaviour would be the third time he’d seen a soldier go against a superior officer’s orders; before then, only Garrett Wolfe in his Private years had dared do something similar during a Blitz Unit raid, albeit with spectacular results… and the duo of Ryker and Talbot, whose actions dictated the end of that very Unit and the foundation of the Blood Money merc group.

Don’t screw this up… please come back safe.

After Tanegashima vanished into one of the narrow corridors, it was only him and Tella stranded in enemy territory. But all throughout their attemps at evading patrolling Pokémon, Graham never once felt at a disadvantage or under real risk of getting caught, and that was decidedly… strange.

No unit on patrol duty is this relaxed, this careless, no matter how dim-witted they are. Damnit, it’s like we’re invisible… is this Tella’s doing? What the hell is she?!

He finally decided to confront her on his suspicions, but it turned out the woman had something to ask him as well, and she spoke up first. “Up” being a gross overstatement, as she had to repeat herself to even be heard by the Colonel. And her question, much to his own surprise, sounded revolting to his ears.

“A new weapon?”

He couldn’t deny that was his initial plan when enlisting for a Park run. He only had Ruger and Tanegashima in his ranks, and it’d take many more units to successfully cross a warring Heiml in search of his lost Squad. But after all that had happened, how could Tella still assume a weapon was all he wanted?

“Soldiers aren’t weapons. If I just wanted to stock up on heat, I’d have gone shopping at Edda City’s GyaraDome,” he muttered in a low tone, not wanting to overextend the limits of whatever good luck spell Tella had cast on them. “The Bunnelby’s fine, more than capable by its species standards actually… but that’s not what I need. Hand a rookie a rifle and he’ll do some damage, sure, you just never know which side will be shot the worst. I’d much rather my handful of troops walk outta here with some actual experience than with a whole army of greenhorns that will get me killed when things get rough. And besides…”

He thought back to how useless he’d been in the face of Sven Larson’s self-destruction, and how thing shad ended up because of his own inaction.

“… a good soldier is always worth going the extra mile for. The Fletchling back there has been risking his life daily, fighting a losing battle. Think it doesn’t know yet? Trust me, it does… It knows his sibling is doomed to die, but it hasn’t stopped hoping. That’s what soldiers do, y’know? One day, a care package might just drop from the sky; a rescue party might just show up. Rarely does, of course… but it just might. And that’s good enough to keep on fighting.”

By all accounts, he shouldn’t care. The longer he lingered here, the worse his odds of finding Squad Six became. But he had his own moral compass, his own rulebook like Private Hawke always said. Leaving those birds behind wasn’t an option, because that option wasn’t in the damn book!

“My turn. Haven’t taken a proper bath in weeks, I smell worse than a Muk’s corpse. Care to explain what’s going on?”

It was more of an excuse to get his mind off the fact that Tanegashima still hadn’t returned, but he was genuinely curious. This girl might hold the secret to perfect undercover ops… and she wasn’teven a damn soldier. Was she?

 

Beginner RP - Graham Ford - Non-Battle Post #12

There was a pause as Tella digested Ford's explanation of his attitude; and, despite herself, she found herself admiring his ability to hold onto his humanity despite whatever hell he'd gone through to survive being a soldier this long. There were so many people she'd met who saw Pokémon as tools of war, and not all of them were even professional killers like Ford was. Some of them lived ordinary lives, but just stopped caring; Ford no doubt had his share of confirmed kills, but he still viewed his Pokémon as compatriots, not as weapons.

And then he asked about the way the wild Pokémon were merely passing by without noticing the two humans. Tella took a deep, silent breath, and then held it as another grating, stone-on-stone grinding noise signalled the arrival of something large and rock-bodied around the corner. It trundled past, still making that grinding noise against the far wall; and as it did, Tella's normally dull blue eyes gleamed ever so slightly with the colour of dim sunlight reflecting off of ice. Then it was past, and the noises receded into the distance.

"Any army worth its salt has countermeasures against psychics," she finally whispered by way of explanation. "I mean both Psychic-type Pokémon, and those few humans who wield minor psychic powers. I'm one of the latter; grand displays are beyond me, but it's a simple thing to nudge even an alert mind into the comfortable assumption that everything is all right. Especially if there's no clear evidence to the contrary. It's not something that can be taught; I've tried. Oh— your soldier is back."

A moment later, with a quiet ribbit and the faint sound of sticky digits clinging to the tunnel walls, Tanegashima emerged from the same hole he'd come through, and leaped down to crouch in front of his Colonel in the stiff, upright position that was the closest his anatomy could manage to "at attention." Clearly, the little Froakie had found what he was looking for, and was awaiting the order to lead Ford and Tella to the target location.

Spoiler

Ongoing ("Paused") Encounter: Fletchling

Fletchling: 100% (Back at the nest)

~~Park Run Statistics~~

• Trainer Name: Graham Ford
  
  
• Location: Mt. Deckbi
  
  
• Remaining Encounters: 1
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (counting towards Fletchling encounter): 19,829
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (since "pausing" Fletchling encounter): 17,419
  
  
• Total Characters Written by Trainer: 68,178
  
  
• Active Effects: Darkness
  
  
• Pokémon Stats:
  Ruger the Monferno
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Blaze
  Nature: Bold
  Level-Up Moves: Acrobatics, Close Combat, Ember, Facade, Feint, Fire Spin, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Flare Blitz, Fury Swipes, Leer, Mach Punch, Nasty Plot, Scratch, Slack Off, Taunt, Torment
  Egg Moves: -
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  Tanegashima the Froakie — Currently out of Poké Ball
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Torrent
  Nature: Serious
  Level-Up Moves: Bounce, Bubble, Double Team, Fling, Growl, Hydro Pump, Lick, Pound, Quick Attack, Round, Smack Down, Smokescreen, Substitute, Water Pulse
  Egg Moves: Camouflage
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  
• Total Items:
  Park Ball x2
  
  
• Total Captured Pokémon:
  Bunnelby (Male, Impish nature)

 

Tella’s explanation wasn’t so much of a surprise as it was an annoying confirmation – she did in fact have a special gift, but one that could not be passed down to anyone else. He’d heard of humans like these, people born with enhanced mental fortitude to the point where they could manifest actual psychic powers; the most prominent example was, of course, Sabrina of Saffron, Kanto Gym Leader and, some said, formerly affiliated with the villainous Team Rocket.

If only I could be so lucky. Tracking down those guys would be so easy…

He had always – for some strange, inexplicable reason - imagined Psychics to be linked by some sort of higher consciousness, a kind of hive mind that connected them all, the enlightened few. And if that were the case, maybe with powers of his own he could track down at least Van Dillan, the Espionage expert of Squad Six who Graham could swear was a Psychic too, what with the unnerving manner in which he seemed to know everything about everyone.

The possibilities would endless with a handful of Psychics in our ranks. Covert ops would be a goddamn breeze, if Tella’s display is anything to go by. Come to think of it, is that how Lauther did it?...

Wolfgang Lauther was an infamous name within the Heimlan Army, a cause of shame and case for reflection to this very day. A man arrested for political reasons – undisclosed, of course, to the average soldier – almost ten years prior, Lauther had pulled off a legendary escape from his underground cell at Central HQ in broad daylight, and had been untouchable since then. Back then, Graham was a mere Sergeant, and he was never told anything of Lauther’s political background or motive for imprisonment; what he did know was that, since then, the “White Wind of Heiml” became a symbol of the anti-system, a hero to everyone who opposed General Roderick Tannhauser’s approach to the ongoing war with Saigo. Was he a Psychic like Tella after all? Was that how he’d slipped away right under Tannhauser’s nose?...

As he pondered on these matters – later realizing how excessively relaxed and over-reliant on Tella’s ability he was becoming -, he caught a glimpse of movement from the corner of his eye, a blue speckle appearing from inside a nearby wall. Tella all but confirmed what he already knew: Tanegashima had returned, mercifully!

You magnificent bastard.

Not only did he appear to be safe and sound, his body language was a dead giveaway that he had also found exactly what they’d been looking for. That, he realized, was both a blessing and a terrifying confirmation: if there really was a stash of provisions somewhere in this cave, then it pretty much dissipated any lingering doubts of a Sword of Justice dwelling somewhere nearby. Part of him still tried to believe it was all just myth and lore, but of course, Tella didn’t seem like the kind of person with an inclination for humorous pranks. Terrakion was damn real.

The trick now resided in following the Froakie around the path he’d taken initially; there was no way either him or Tella could fit in the tunnels, and that meant Tanegashima had to find an alternate route that led to the same destination. This, in turn, implied manoeuvring around the many “soldiers” patrolling the traversable paths…

“You lead. Hug the wall, heel before toes,” he instructed almost instinctively. The guidance, of course, was meant for Tanegashima; far from him to even consider telling their guide what to do. Some soldiers worked better without a captain. “We’ll handle the heat, focus on the path.”

The Water-Type nodded dutifully and pressed his small back against the wall. After a brief moment with his eyes closed, retracing his steps inside the tunnel maze, Tanegashima motioned for the group to follow him.

For a Legendary Beast, Terrakion didn’t seem too concerned with putting together a functional group of soldiers. Could be because the Sword itself was impervious to mostly anything, but whatever the reason, it thankfully made their current job a heck of a lot easier. Thanks to Tella’s uncanny powers, Tanegashima’s sense of direction and Graham’s expertise in infiltration tactics, the group progressed with little difficulty for a considerable while – the Colonel would trace each Slugma and Roggenrola’s patrol routes, giving the order to move out accordingly, while the mysterious guide rendered them mostly undetectable by the Pokémon’s senses. However, despite the advantage Tella’s powers provided, Graham couldn’t help but wonder how long she could keep it going, herself having stated to possess only minor Psychic prowess. He really didn’t want to push his luck; the sooner they got to the stash, the better.

Thankfully, Tanegashima once again proved reliable, and before long the little frog was peeking around the corner and grinning. He motioned to Graham, signalling that their destination - and all its glorious Loot – was literally just around the corner, a nearby opening on the wall that lead to the cave they’d been searching for. After making sure the coast was clear before making a final run for it, Graham took the front for the final stretch and passed through the entrance first.

“Woah…”

 

Beginner RP - Graham Ford - Non-Battle Post #13

The first thing that would strike Ford was that here was a supply depot. Not an orderly one, but there were enough nonperishable goods here to supply an army. Strewn in no particular order across the perfectly square cavern were an assortment of goods including blocks of rock salt, makeshift racks upon which hung cured meats, all manner of nuts, seeds, hardy Apricorn fruits, and dried or salted berries, and— most importantly— stacks upon stacks of herbs that looked to have been dried with the breath of Fire-type Pokémon.

All of this was tribute to the cavern's creator and owner, and all of it was untouched: the Sword of Justice seemed to prefer eating whatever could not be rendered lasting, or going out to hunt; as a result, Terrakion seemed to have amassed all this edible wealth. What this resulted in was a mountain of food that the smaller Pokémon who flocked here were unwilling (or afraid) to touch.

"Woah," said Ford quietly.

Tella shut her mouth, which had dropped open, too. "This is... more than I ever expected. What in the world could Terrakion want with all this?" she whispered.

Tanegashima, ever practical, wasn't wasting any time goggling. Crawling along the wall up above the doorway into this cube-shaped chamber, he stealthily checked for danger behind the closest of the many piles of food and herbs; with a muted croaking noise, he signaled back to Ford that there were no hostiles— Pokémon or otherwise— here.

It was the work of less than two minutes for the practical-minded Ford and Tella to scoop into their bags as much of the food and medicinal herbs (which Tella identified for Ford with a series of silent gestures) as they could carry. Then they were leaving; Tella was leading the way to the exit, running full tilt back the way they'd come.

The two humans and the Froakie ghosted past the dim silhouettes of many a wild Pokémon— some large, most small— as they retraced their steps and came to the entrance chamber. Off to one side were the sounds of rock clacking against rock as the Roggenrola from earlier continued to play with the Clefairy Poké-doll (which was now extremely dirty and damaged, with stuffing trailing from innumerable tears in its soft exterior.)

The reason for Tella's hurry made itself apparent just as Ford, Tanegashima and Tella burst out into the cave entrance. Behind them came a roar of displeasure that shook the very stone as the scent of foreign beings finally descended to pollute the air in the sleeping-den of Terrakion, the Sword of Justice.

"ThatwasfasterthanIthoughtjustkeeprunning!!" Tella shouted as the Roggenrola 'guard' turned to face the cave entrance from which all this hubbub was coming. Before the startled Rock-type could so much as react, the three were past it and running out into the sandstorm...

~~~~~~~~~~

Much later, having braved the scouring sands that effectively hid all trace of them from any attempt Terrakion could make to track them, Tella and Ford arrived back in a familiar-looking crevice that sheltered the pocket of mercifully still air within. A disgruntled Geodude— having only just reclaimed its territory— glared at them but made no move to react as they passed by and, panting from the grueling journey, took a break before delving deeper in to where the Fletchling nest awaited.

Now was the first opportunity the two would have to talk since fleeing Terrakion's lair. Tella cleared her throat with a dry rasping sound, and coughed a little instead of successfully speaking— her mouth and throat were parched from the dry air of the sandstorm, even with the heavy scarf for protection. She grabbed a two-litre water bottle from a netting bag on the side of her pack, drinking deeply before wordlessly offering the rest to Ford.

Spoiler

Ongoing ("Paused") Encounter: Fletchling

Fletchling: 100% (Back at the nest)

~~Park Run Statistics~~

• Trainer Name: Graham Ford
  
  
• Location: Mt. Deckbi
  
  
• Remaining Encounters: 1
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (counting towards Fletchling encounter): 19,829
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (since "pausing" Fletchling encounter): 22,598
  
  
• Total Characters Written by Trainer: 73,357
  
  
• Active Effects: None
  
  
• Pokémon Stats:
  Ruger the Monferno
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Blaze
  Nature: Bold
  Level-Up Moves: Acrobatics, Close Combat, Ember, Facade, Feint, Fire Spin, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Flare Blitz, Fury Swipes, Leer, Mach Punch, Nasty Plot, Scratch, Slack Off, Taunt, Torment
  Egg Moves: -
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  Tanegashima the Froakie
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Torrent
  Nature: Serious
  Level-Up Moves: Bounce, Bubble, Double Team, Fling, Growl, Hydro Pump, Lick, Pound, Quick Attack, Round, Smack Down, Smokescreen, Substitute, Water Pulse
  Egg Moves: Camouflage
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  
• Total Items:
  Park Ball x2
  
  
• Total Captured Pokémon:
  Bunnelby (Male, Impish nature)

 

The hell… this is way too much food for a single Pokémon, even a goddamn Terrakion. Not that I should care, but…

But he did. Something about the absurd amount of rations left him uneasy, more so than happy. He would have settled for much less, but more importantly, so should Terrakion, unless…

Come on, what now?!

Tella was urging him to get a move on with silent gestures, and that pissed him off. Even when he was in the Unit, it always irked him when somebody told him to speed up – he was the absolute fastest in the Division when he wanted to, so what gave them the right?! Same went for his current tour guide– okay, she was probably nimbler, and he was older now, but that didn’t make him a freaking idiot all of a sudden. Grumbling, he picked up the pace and finished packing, then left the cave muttering stuff under his breath he was pretty sure the Psychic girl would be able to hear just fine anyway.

And then, something happened.

Shit! Damn it all, just my freakin’ luck!!

He didn’t need to have heard it before - the first time it roared, Graham knew it was the Sword of Justice itself starting to awaken, aware of their intrusion. And that, in turn, meant they were all in deep shit... waist-high in it.

Tella – who had been running ever since they’d left the rest of the ungodly stash behind, for reasons now apparent – took the lead, and if the severity of the situation wasn’t already obvious, her shouting made it abundantly clear. All the more so because that was the first time Tella’s voice rang any louder than a whisper in the Colonel’s ears. The trio bolted out of the underground maze as fast as they could, Tanegashima eventually taking the lead with a string of evasion-adapted Quick Attacks; he was the first to make his way outside, and was forced to stop as soon as he did – the humans were yet to catch up to him, and there was no way he could pierce through the sandstorm on his own…

“We… we… made it…” said Graham in between desperate gasps for air. “W-well done… soldier…”

He recalled the Froakie, exchanged a glare with Tella and resumed running, ready to brave the elements one more time. He would’ve enjoyed one last breather, but another violent roar from Terrakion dissuaded him pretty fast, and so it was back to the Fletchling family for them… if their bodies held out for that long.


----


“Thanks…”

Graham contemplated the bottle for a moment before gulping down its contents eagerly. Water… he had always believed that, in a distant future, it would be the primary reason for war between nations. When it came down to it, people could live without pretty much anything else – but water was life, and the moment it ran out, it could well mean the end of civilization. And that thought, in turn, gave rise to an equally frightening one.

Heiml and Saigo… what are they really fighting over?

He was a soldier – a high-ranking officer, but a soldier nonetheless – and that meant he followed orders. He had never cared about politics; he worried about extraction points, executions, covert ops and rescue missions. He cared about the end result. Ironically, he had been the one who first saw the armed conflict with the Eastern nation coming a mile away... But months removed from the actual conflict and the battlefield, the runaway Colonel could afford to look at the bigger picture from a… different perspective. Tannhauser never discussed backstage issues with the people wielding the actual guns; they were fighting for Heiml, and that was all they needed to know. Was that still good enough for him?

Maybe Wolfgang Lauther knew; maybe that was his “crime”. And what about Wolfe? He outranks me… Does he know what this is all about?

He made a note to ask his closest friend when he finally found him. The cloth of duty temporarily removed from his eyes, Graham was beginning to discover and enjoy other faces of reality… and maybe that meant he couldn’t go back to just following orders blindly. In a way, Tella had changed that about him too.

“Hey… thanks,” he mumbled clumsily. Damn it, he hated this part. “Couldn’t have pulled it off without you.”

As much as it pained him to admit it, it was true. He’d have been powerless to help the Fletchling on his own, and she’d have been well within her right to force him to complete his Park run as the rules dictated. Tella made him understand something he’d neglected his entire life: there were remarkable Trainers outside of the army and Gottfried’s Elite. And those Trainers cared nothing about wars, nationalistic pride, ranks, guns or medals… they were powerful, capable in their own right, and the last thing they wanted was to fight under a flag. Maybe those were the true heroes – conquering the hardships of life without the Government machine backing them up, providing them with combat-ready, bred-for-perfection Pokémon…

“For what it’s worth… don’t stop doing this. Your talents aren’t wasted here,” he concluded, rather presumptuously. As if she’d ever told him she wanted out. “Come on, let’s hand the goods to that bird; hope we ain’t too late.”

He walked over to the crevice, bag in hand, as he released Tanegashima from his Ball one more time. If anyone deserved to see the results of their labour, it was the prodigious little Water-Type. He stopped just as he was about to reach the tiny cave and peered over his shoulder, having just remembered there was one more thing he had to ask his guide.

“… Is Terrakion gonna be a concern down the line?”

 

Beginner RP - Graham Ford - Non-Battle Post #14

"Doubtful," Tella said, struggling to keep her voice even. She was thankful for the scarf that covered her face— despite herself, behind it she was grinning widely, and she didn't want Ford to get the wrong idea and think she wasn't taking his concerns seriously. "We left no trace, so it will be unable to track us. And we need not worry about it coming beyond the bounds of Mount Deckbi's environs; Terrakion is known for tantrums when disturbed, but they rarely last long. In fact, rarely does the Legendary Pokémon emerge from its den except to forage. The Rangers keep tabs on its movements, since it's one of the few that can reliably be found in one spot."

This whole time she spoke, Tella was carefully controlling her giddy impulse to laugh and tear the damn scratchy scarf off and dance around. They'd really done it. They'd gone into the den of Terrakion and come out the other side!

She couldn't care less for Ford's praise— the opinions of most other human beings mattered little to Tella, no matter how highly she thought of them— but Tella hadn't realized how much she'd missed the feeling of risking everything and doing something that just needed doing, damnit. She'd felt empty, just guiding people through a simple run, maybe a bit of danger here and there but nothing she couldn't handle. This was the first time in... what, three years? Four? Well, it was the first time in a long time that Tella had had to go up against odds that were truly overwhelming: these were the first circumstances since then that required her to put herself in danger, circumstances in which there was no other way. (Self-destructive thrill-seeking was a dubious luxury that Tella had never allowed herself. Survival was still too ingrained into her world-view for such foolishness.)

And Ford, of course, had necessitated this. Some Rangers would've been livid at the foolishness of a Trainer who insisted on doing the dangerous but right thing, who put his own life and theirs in danger; in contrast, Tella was ecstatic. And she couldn't ever let him know that was the case. If he knew how happy she'd been to undergo that trial— to risk his life and her own— and told anyone, she'd lose her job in an instant: the Park did not encourage recklessness with its patrons' or its employees' lives, because it sure as Hell didn't need that kind of bad publicity!

So Tella kept her body language neutral and her face hidden behind the scarf as she silently watched Ford and Tanegashima turn back to the hiding spot in which lay the abandoned nest.

~~~~~~~~~~

Two weary little birds raised their heads to regard Ford and Tanegashima as they poked their heads into the cave entrance. One little bird, weary with illness, quickly subsided back into restless slumber. The other, weary with the stress and wakeful hours of watching over his ailing sibling, stirred weakly and drew one protective wing over his sister in an empty gesture of protectiveness.

Then the gifts began to pour across the floor of the little cave. Nutritious, protein-rich foods; dried berries with medicinal seeds within; and a cornucopia of herbs with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and even antiparasitic properties. The tiny, bowl-shaped cave was almost full of them up to the edge of the nest— which resided on a raised platform near the back of the cave— by the time the bag was empty.

The little bird barely hesitated, fluttering down to haul the medicine up and into the nest, painstaking leaf by leaf. An ember from his beak turned one herb to aromatic, healing smoke: when the smoke reached Ford and Tanegashima, they felt the overwhelming urge to turn away from the cave and cough, the medicinal herb's properties clearing their lungs of soot and phlegm from the ash-laden storm. Tiny coughing noises from inside signaled the leaf's effects on the ill Fletchling within.

"He'll be at it for some time," Tella tells the two in a quiet voice, so as not to disturb the Pokémon in the nest. "The Pokémon around here have an instinctual, in-born understanding of how to use the local herbs. Wait a few hours; then we'll see if we were as successful as I think. In the meantime..."

She hesitated for a moment, then forged onward. "...is there anything you're curious about? I think it would be a good thing if you were to return here, sometime when you have more time to really see the Park."


Current Encounter: Fletchling

Fletchling: 100% [Fetch-Quest Complete: Willing to join]
Tanegashima: 100%


~~Park Run Statistics~~

• Trainer Name: Graham Ford
  
  
• Location: Mt. Deckbi
  
  
• Remaining Encounters: 1
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (counting towards Fletchling encounter): 25,309
  
  
• Total Characters Written by Trainer: 78,837
  
  
• Active Effects: None
  
  
• Pokémon Stats:
  Ruger the Monferno
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Blaze
  Nature: Bold
  Level-Up Moves: Acrobatics, Close Combat, Ember, Facade, Feint, Fire Spin, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Flare Blitz, Fury Swipes, Leer, Mach Punch, Nasty Plot, Scratch, Slack Off, Taunt, Torment
  Egg Moves: -
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  Tanegashima the Froakie
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Torrent
  Nature: Serious
  Level-Up Moves: Bounce, Bubble, Double Team, Fling, Growl, Hydro Pump, Lick, Pound, Quick Attack, Round, Smack Down, Smokescreen, Substitute, Water Pulse
  Egg Moves: Camouflage
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  
• Total Items:
  Park Ball x2
  
  
• Total Captured Pokémon:
  Bunnelby (Male, Impish nature)

 

It was with a rare smile that Graham watched the Fletchling put the (literal) fruits of their labour to good use. Like Tella had said, it did seem to be a matter instinct – the bird knew precisely which herbs to pick and burn, which food to pick, and it did so with unfailing diligence. A soldier indeed.

Tanegashima, too, witnessed the scene in silence. Whereas Ruger would’ve been more than glad to brag about his achievements, the Froakie didn’t manifest such inclinations; he was a perfectionist, and as driven as any soldier Graham had ever met, but he didn’t seem to revel in his accomplishments – instead, the Colonel could sense a lingering frustration tormenting his partner, despite the frog’s overwhelming success in the life-threatening mission.

You think you ain’t good enough yet. That’s the problem, right?

Tanegashima was overly Serious most of the time, but he was extremely competitive as well. He carried the burden of being an “armoury Pokémon”; he never met his parents, all he knew was that he’d been bred to serve in the Army and, as such, he’d only been allowed to hatch because he had acceptable potential. Fate had wanted him to serve a remarkable man, away from the front lines of faceless soldiers and their rifles – he was chosen, for whatever reason, to serve a greater purpose… but that only made things harder for him. Not only that: he was part of a team of titans, an outlier in a group of the Army’s most powerful Pokémon. Nathan’s Sauer, Wolfe’s Wesson and, above all, Graham’s own Ruger… He was an afterthought compared to them. He’d expected to grow stronger in this journey, to find the power that could match his rival’s… but he felt nothing different, he was still the same forgettable Froakie with the weight of the world on his skinny shoulders.

Heh… you idiot.

The birds would be at it for a while; that was his assumption, and Tella soon confirmed it. He was interested in seeing the end result, of course, but standing around idly until the Fletchling got better just didn’t suit his style. Inaction had been one of his greatest sins several times in the past – starting with Sven Larson’s downfall all the way to the disappearance of Squad Six -, and as a result Graham developed a strong intolerance to wasting time. If they were forced to wait anyway, they might as well put that time to good use. Again, he’d have to rely on Tella for that.

“You wanna know if I’m curious about anything? A bunch of stuff, yeah,” said the Colonel in reply to the guide’s inquiry. “Especially now that I realize the kind of dangers that lurk nearby. I wanna get to know this Park better… I think it’ll do me good.”

It was the first time in decades that Graham got to experience life away from the East Division. He couldn’t afford to lose sight of his origins, and especially not his current, unsanctioned mission… but it felt good to just live it out like an ordinary Trainer. The thrill of exploration, going into uncharted territory with no plan and no certainties. Facing goddamn Legendary Pokémon. He craved more of that, he realized now…

“We got time to kill before they’re done, right? I get the feeling Tanegashima’s looking to stretch his muscles some more… Anything else you could show us before we wrap things up?”

The National Park had provided more than he could’ve ever hoped for – combat experience, missions, recruiting opportunities… bonding time. Now that he was forced to stay away from operations and the war itself, this turned out to be an unexpectedly great place to improve himself and his team. After all, he still had to find his missing unit and, when the time came, bring down whoever was responsible for their disappearance. Not knowing who he’d be up against, he couldn’t afford to neglect his training… while a newly awakened side of his yearned for more adventure and exploration away from the watchful eye of Tannhäuser’s men.

Make no mistake about it… I’ll be back here pretty damn soon.

 

Beginner RP - Graham Ford - Non-Battle Post #15

"Anything else about this park that I could show you, you say?" Tella's body language was still studiously emotionless, but now she allowed a hint of a smile to enter her voice as the subject of conversation was squarely within her duties as a Park Ranger. "Well, it's not safe to go back out there until Terrakion calms down... but I do believe I can do you one better."

Tella, her face still hidden behind her scarf and goggles, held out one hand palm-out as though indicating "stop," but the gesture held a different meaning. A sensation like a slight pressure at the front of Ford's brain, coupled with a presence gently nudging his very mind, indicated something— or someone— politely asking for access. Judging by Tanegashima's reaction, the Froakie was feeling something similar.

"I've been here a number of times on my own, scoping out the mountain. With your permission, I can bring you and your Froakie along."

Colonel Ford's vision began to tunnel and fade— a sensation eerily similar to losing consciousness— as a new, conflicting set of perceptions began to shift into place over top of his ordinary senses. Were he to push these visions aside, Ford would find them receding quite easily into the background; but by letting them blanket his awareness, he would enter a movie of sorts, an immersive experience in which he inhabited (no doubt uncomfortably) Tella's very skin...

~~~~~~~~~~

Ford's view was from the top of a hillock: he could see the cracked, dry landscape of Mount Deckbi's foothills stretching out as far as the eye could see, not choked by a sandstorm at this time; the grass and shrubs that eked out survival in this place were dimly lit by a red glow from above...

The memory didn't restrict itself to just sights— Ford could feel the cold night-time winds of Mount Deckbi pressing their way through his (Tella's?) thick layer of protective clothing, and in response to the chill breeze, the sensation of goosebumps forming on skin that felt strangely sensitive and soft to the weathered veteran. The ash-filled wind pattered against the orange-tinted goggles covering Tella's eyes; Ford could feel the vibrations as keenly as though the goggles rested on his own face. A hand— slender and feminine even through the black gloves— rose without his bidding to shield his/Tella's eyes against a glare of light from above: the active volcano's caldera far above amidst the ash and sandstorms illuminated the entire landscape with that crimson glow even at night.

A voice spoke in his head, one that was somehow both utterly strange and weirdly similar to the one that articulated his own thoughts. So this is Mount Deckbi. The other Rangers made it sound so fearsome... But mostly, it's just cold out here. I wonder if I, too, will come to fear this place before I leave.

Then the vision diverged for a second as Tella's mind did some kind of wierd acrobatic his own mind couldn't follow; instantly, as reality settled back together, a barely perceptible tremor ran through his/Tella's body and the cold of the wind lost its bite. Then an unexpected movement of his own body (no, wait, it was Tella's) caught Ford off guard, and he instinctively tried to lean backward as an unbidden step forward carried him down the side of the hillock and towards the immense mountain towering above all...

Everything shifted, and now he (Tella) was climbing a sheer rock face, those strangely sensitive hands and feet expertly seeking and finding places to grip... and those fingers and steel-toed boots digging into the solid rock with impossible, supernatural strength where a handhold or foothold could not be found. Below yawned oblivion; above, nothing could be seen but ledges and the hazy red glow... the sensation of adrenaline flowing and the urge to survive this trial like all the others egged him on, spurring him up this mountain...

Another shift: now he was standing perched at the top of a narrow mountain spur that looked down on a deadly drop on both sides: one side, as Tella shifted their gaze over it and looked down, held a brutally high cliff that fell to a valley that then dropped away again into the hazy distance and presumbably the foothills so far below that even Tella's keen eyes couldn't make them out. The other side swung into view, and the heat of it assaulted Ford's/Tella's face even through the goggles and scarf swathing them. Blasting heat rose in waves from the vast lake of lava far below: mostly a crust of black rock with patches of red gaping through it every once in a while, it bubbled and shifted like the strange amalgam of liquid and solid that it was. Between the precarious perch Tella held and the lava lake was a set of steep, almost vertical cliffs, sloping down in jagged crags of black igneous rock connected by brief near-level switchbacks. The scale of it was dizzying: there was easily another small mountain's worth of rock here, with Ford/Tella at the peak and the lava a deceptive "sea level" far below.

This place, fearsome? No... Terrific. Terrifying, but... terrific. The thoughts— intrusive to Ford but natural to Tella at the time— faded, as something like intention ignited in Tella's chest. A slight smile quirked Tella's/Ford's lips and a renewed rush of adrenaline flew through their shared system as she leapt from the top of the crag, flying dangerously out from the cliff and over a horrifying drop like some mad skydiver without a parachute...

The scene shifted again; now Ford (in Tella's perspective) was sweating in the heat from the lava lake (still far below, but not as far; Ford had no idea how Tella had survived the death-defying drop.) She/they peered over a formation of hardened black stone, squinting into a cave carved into the igneous rock at the shadowy bulk of two large but hidden wild Pokémon rumbling about...

Another shift; something huge and very, very fast swooped down from overhead, and Tella only dove them for cover just in time to avoid being snatched up...

A shift, this one to a moment of peace and the lingering feeling of exhausted exhilaration. Sitting against a wall in another of those caves in the walls of the volcano's caldera, with the heat and dryness kept at bay for now by a mist of water droplets spouted by Tella's Poliwrath...

The beginning of a Pokémon Battle— Tella's Blaziken versus a wild Typhlosion— and Tella's wry thought: Even here, a test of strength is the best greeting. As it must be, in this most welcoming of places for the Park's most fiery creatures...

There were more: many more moments of elation, adrenaline, even heartwarming snapshots of camaraderie as Tella's Pokémon emerged from their Poké Balls one by one, each one first appearing freshly rested and ready to help her not only to survive this self-imposed trial, but to thrive, to make the heat and danger of this mountain a part of her like all her life's other challenges before it...

Nearly an hour of experiencing being Tella passed; Ford might have felt as though he'd lived a lifetime's worth of these brief and disconnected scenes, but practically, he could deduce based on the steadily mounting wear and tear on Tella's Pokémon and gear that the whole trip couldn't have spanned more than three weeks' hiking, foraging, camping, battling, and most of all living. During that time, Ford would come to know each of Tella's Pokémon like a close friend: simple, honest Lade the Gallade; Champ the Machamp, surprisingly gentle for her size and ever seeking Tella's approval; perceptive Venn the Venomoth, who noticed everything; Stoic Rath the Poliwrath, who gave input so rarely because he understood so little, but who felt everything so deeply; and of course Blaze the Blaziken, Tella's first Pokémon, dependable and infuriating in equal measure... Blaze, who would do whatever it took to keep Tella safe and his own well-being be damned (Tella watched him carefully and made sure he took care of himself.)

They were young and crazy, but all of them bore the distinct signs of those who knew what it was to fight for their very lives: they responded decisively— not always with harshness, but always with finality— to any challenge that showed signs of becoming a genuine threat. They supported Tella, and she supported them. She and her Pokémon battled only those who left them no choice, slept in loose shifts with at least one always on guard duty, and most of all they watched each other's backs. It might all seem rather familiar to Ford; if so, it would be a strange familiarity, given that Tella and her Pokémon were distinctly not soldiers; they lacked the rigorous discipline, the rituals, even the reality-focused attitude of every soldier he'd ever known.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Slowly, the visions faded, and some of the information with them; Ford could no longer remember exactly what it was like to be Tella: to leap from a precipice side by side with Venn; to sneak deep into the cocoon-like interior of a Braviary nest and leave without touching anything, just to see if she could; to wrestle hand-to-hand with an overconfident Lairon that thought it couldn't lose (had that really happened??) But the feeling of it all stuck with him, and certain sights remained burned into his memory. The breathtaking heat welling up from the lake of lava; the view from the dizzying heights to which Tella had climbed; snapshots of the intense duels she and her partners had had along the way against wild Pokémon who sought to test their skills in battle against such strange outsiders.

A twittering noise brought Colonel Ford the rest of the way out of the odd trance Tella had given him, and in front of him was its source; the Fletchling from before, tilting his head at Ford as if to say, now what? The little bird seemed completely without fear: he knew that this odd, featherless Pokémon was someone he could trust.

A second Fletchling fluttered down beside her brother, and gave an earsplitting TWEET of greeting, as if to prove that her lungs were fully recovered. Taking flight again, she began to whizz circles around Ford and Tanegashima, spitting little tongues of fire from her beak. It seemed the young Fletchling was well and truly healed, and— unbelievably to everyone watching, including her dumbfounded older brother— ready to prove it by battling!


Current Encounter: Fletchling II: the re-Fletchening

Fletchling: 100%
Tanegashima: 100%


~~Park Run Statistics~~

• Trainer Name: Graham Ford
  
  
• Location: Mt. Deckbi
  
  
• Remaining Encounters: 0
  
  
• Characters Written by Trainer (since last encounter): 3,963
  
  
• Total Characters Written by Trainer: 82,800
  
  
• Active Effects: None
  
  
• Pokémon Stats:
  Ruger the Monferno
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Blaze
  Nature: Bold
  Level-Up Moves: Acrobatics, Close Combat, Ember, Facade, Feint, Fire Spin, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Flare Blitz, Fury Swipes, Leer, Mach Punch, Nasty Plot, Scratch, Slack Off, Taunt, Torment
  Egg Moves: -
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  Tanegashima the Froakie — Currently out of Poké Ball
  
• HP: 100%
  Gender: Male
  Ability: Torrent
  Nature: Serious
  Level-Up Moves: Bounce, Bubble, Double Team, Fling, Growl, Hydro Pump, Lick, Pound, Quick Attack, Round, Smack Down, Smokescreen, Substitute, Water Pulse
  Egg Moves: Camouflage
  Tutor Moves: -
  Special Moves: -
  TM Moves: -
  HM Moves: -
  
  
• Total Items:
  Park Ball x2
  
  
• Total Captured Pokémon:
  Bunnelby (Male, Impish nature)