Let's cover each other!

Not wanting to divide your collective strength, you instead decide it would be best to overwhelm the feral as quickly as possible. Knowing you’ve only moments to propose your plan, you turn to Arro and say, “We need to stick together for this.” The Vaporeon cocks his head slightly to show he’s listening, not wanting to take his eyes from your shared foe. You continue with, “I’ll try to exhaust him, keep him off balance.” You motion to Arro before concluding, “If he tries to give me a soak…”

“Then I shall drive him back.” Arro states firmly. One look at the man shows that he’s adopted a more stoic tone, eager to be done with this infected monster. “Worry not, Kale. He will never get the chance.” You nod at his declaration, taking a bit more confidence in your crazy scheme by knowing this one has your back. Just as you are about to step forward to meet the Quagsire’s pace, you feel a smack on your arm. You glance down to see Arro’s tail retracting behind him before he warmly adds, “Be quick~”

“Be ready.” You reply evenly as you focus once more on the threat just 10 feet before you and closing. Your timing is good as a deafening bellow from the feral pokemon signals its charge. You hold your ground, staring daggers at the oncoming menace. Your mind whirls as you face down the mass of raging blubber, forcing yourself to maintain your stance as the feral comes within a few stomps of you. Another angry growl comes from your opponent as he engages, and with it, comes the predicted right swipe.

Your hope that the Quagsire would be too enraged to sniff out your feint pays off as that lethal swing passes harmlessly overhead as you drop to a roll. Coming up on the charging pokemon's left side, you spring up from your dodge and loose a fast kick to the back of its head. Upon connecting, you are rewarded with a howl of pain as the Quagsire stumbles forth, nearly falling prone. Not one to dither an opportunity, you come up quick with a couple light jabs hoping to keep the feral off balance. While they connect with the intending target, that bothersome layer of pudge covering the Quagsire absorbs much of the impact.

Fully intending to make you pay for your attack, the Quagsire spins wildly, bringing that thick left arm in a blind backhand. The move catches you off guard as your fists didn’t have the desired effect. You take most of the hit as a glancing blow across your shoulder. Whilst the reactive swipe lacked focus (likely saving you a crippling strike to the head), it still took some of the air from your lungs as you are sent skidding back along the pier. You are already back to one knee before your slide comes to an end, eager to get back in the fight. You are dismayed, however, when your gaze comes up to see that drooling maw clenched tight and its lips beginning to purse.

That is, until, a jet of pressurized water from the right of the Quagsire collides with its side, forcing its own shot wide. Arro is upon the reeling infected in no time, running up and going into a spin to send that deadly tail whipping across its unprotected chin. The feral, despite the staggering impact of the hit, stubbornly remains standing, albeit a bit more wobbly that you remember. You take the well timed distraction as a chance to right yourself and close in on the dueling water-types.

Arro maneuvers about his target, dodging heavy swipes and using his tail to deflect those that he could not. You are almost sorry to interrupt their savage dance, but know that this needs to end as quickly as possible. If not for your sakes, then that of those still left in the village. Arro also seemed to be slowing a bit, perhaps due to that surprise hit he took from the door earlier. Either way, you had to find a way to halt the bulky feral long enough to deliver a decisive blow. With your plan still coming together in your head, you wave to your Vaporeon ally, signaling him to push the Quagsire back towards you.

Thankfully, Arro is able to comprehend your meaning and using one of his dodges, quickly positions himself so that the feral was between the both of you. Realizing your one chance was fast approaching, you snarl inwardly as you unsheathe those accursed claws in preparation. Your intense focus wavers, however, once those razor sharp protrusions extend to their full length. The sensation is almost foreign to you, having kept them hidden for most of the year you’d spent away from your kin. As they glint in the early morning sunlight, you are taken back to that fateful moment, transfixed by the memories that have so haunted your dreams..

Your lapse is shattered when the sound of another powerful tail slap forces your attention back to the fight at hand. Arro had done his part well and the feral was reeling from the **** of his latest hit. As the infected pokemon stumbles back, you steel yourself and raise high your clawed hand before bringing it down into the boards directly below the coming back step of your unsuspecting foe.

You barely feel the bite of the wood as your hand plunges straight through the thick material, leaving a rough hole nearly the size of a coconut. You don’t pause to appreciate your work as your opponent continues backward, **** to find its balance. Luckily for you, it finds no such thing as you manage to pull back your fist just as the heavy limb crashes into the opening you’d created. In an instant, the weakened boards give way under the weight of the Quagsire, causing it to fall and become lodged up to the knee. A stunned grunt comes from the confused pokemon before it immediately begins to thrash at the pier trapping its leg.

Having created your opening and knowing you have precious little time to capitalize on it, you call out to your ally, ensuring he's readied himself. A quick nod in the affirmative from Arro is all you need to begin. As you run toward the still turned away Quagsire, you shout out, “When I set him up, hit him with everything you’ve got!!” Not waiting to see if Arro understood your intentions, you run up the tail of your snared foe, using the momentum to vault yourself over the raging pokemon. As you flip yourself in the air, you hurry to coat your clawless hand in as much ice as possible. You land hard on the boards just before the beast and as it's about to take its anger out on your slender frame, you end your maneuver with a defiant scream, launching your frozen fist upward directly into its unprotected chin.

You surprise even yourself with the **** of the blow to say nothing of the disoriented water-type, the impact having been sufficient to lift it up enough to free its stuck foot. Your strike had terribly over-balanced, however, causing you to sprawl backwards onto your rump. Not a horrible turn of events, you realize, as the second after you plop down a furious torrent of water rockets just above you to collide violently with the chest of the groaning infected. You watch as the until now impregnable wall of blubber and muscle is sent toppling onto its back and skidding along the slicked wood, only coming to a stop just a few meters before the elder’s home.

Amazed that your plan had come together, you hop back to your feet as Arro jogs up beside you, clearly ready for more. “Quite the tactician, you are.” You hear as the Vaporeon joins you. “Though the flip might have been you showing off~”. You cast a bemused look toward your teasing friend but decide to take the compliment. Returning your eyes to the Quagsire you see it struggling to stand, its legs wobbling under its own weight. Offering it no quarter, you assume your battle posture once more, daring it to try your united front once more.

Its heaving visage seems a lot less confident after your first bout and a grim satisfaction creeps into your mind as those pale eyes quickly alternate between you and Arro. After a few moments of weighing its limited options, the corrupted pokemon suddenly sneers at the both of you before turning tail and charging headlong into the Chieftains open doorway. You are shocked at this quick reversal of fortunes, not wanting to have your hesitation be the end of another innocent pokemon. You begin to give chase before a hand paw firmly grips your shoulder.

You turn to see a grinning Arro, seemingly not grasping the seriousness of the situation. Sensing your panicked confusion, he offers a vague, “Patience, my friend..” You are about to protest when you overhear the sound of commotion coming from inside the ancient hut. You are once again resolved to give chase before you feel Arro's' other hand grab your arm and tug forcefully, staggering you to the side. Not a second later, punctuated with a yowling shriek, the infected Quagsire is expelled from the doorway with such velocity that you’d likely have taken a nasty hit had your friend not pulled you to safety. Whizzing past the both of you, the feral pokemon continues to slide along the boardwalk, coming to a halt in a pitiful heap just before the edge of the pier.

Looking back to the hut, you gawk wide-eyed as a statuesque figure emerges from within. Having been **** to duck her head under the frame, a lithe Milotic female meets your stare with a fierce glower. As she rises to her full height, you know that she easily doubles your own. Breaking eye contact (Much to your relief), she sets her glare upon the intruder that had so upset her home. The now completely battered Quagsire is barely able to lift its head to face your growing alliance. Presented with a potential three on one fight, the infected pokemon seems to call upon what remained of its reason before turning to crawl over the edge of the boardwalk. The resounding splash signifying the end of battle, you let your shoulders slump and take a well needed gulp of air.

Turning back to who you presume to be elder Lyra, you begin to thank her for the help. Your words catch in your throat, however, as that mirthless visage scrutinizes you once more. After a few moments of staring you down, she turns her attention to Arro who, completely unfazed by the withering eyes, warmly calls out, “Elder Lyra, we appreciate your assistance.” He gives a polite nod before gesturing to you, “This one came to us on the cusp of yesterday's downpour. He sought shelter and wisdom.” You shoot a thankfully glance to your host as he attempts to smooth the tension in the air. The Vaporeon adopts that haughty grin that you’ve grown accustomed to before concluding, “Despite his many, MANY shortcomings… I vouch for him~” This seems to temper the aquatic matron's disposition a bit, her posture relaxing slightly.

“Not outside.” comes her stoic response. Sizing you up once more, she then turns back toward her home and crouches low, waving a hand for you both to join her. She is once again **** to bow her head before making her way inside.

Looking to Arro for guidance, he cheerfully quips, “I'd say that went rather well!” He walks up beside you before motioning after his village leader.

“Ladies and vagrants first~”