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Ranger HQ Ranger Union HQ

Reader mode
The night air was cool, and filled with the chirping of insects. Clouds occasionally drifted in from the west, passing in front of the moon and leaving the plaza draped in shadow.

From Koa's high vantage point, he might catch a glimpse of... something. A momentary flicker of orange light in the distance, gone the moment he laid eyes on it.

Keen ears in the plaza might detect muffled footsteps near the entrance to the HQ.
 
Company? said:
"Hi!" said Sinopa. "What are we doing? Keeping watch?" She laughed – a high and musical sound. "I don't really need bodyguards, but you're sweethearts for being here. Can't say as I mind the company~"

She bumped Isidora's shoulder with her own
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Isidora received Sinopa with dull surprise. Though she really didn't mind the company either. "Ye-"

and relocated in a blink to the watchtower.
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And now she was staring at empty space. "Okay." Back to watching...

Her ears suddenly perked. Was that a sound? She scanned the entrances and exits to the plaza, trying to see if she could spot something out of place.
 
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Jackie Cat said:
"My word, how did you climb up here, fella?" she asked Koa, tilting her head at a severe angle. "You gonna get down okay? This spot's usually for the flying folks; colour me impressed!"
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Koa's head whipped around in surprise. He'd been so focused on watching for any intruders he hadn't been expecting the ethereal Espeon. "Oh hey Sinopa. Yeah I-"

Chibi Pika said:
A momentary flicker of orange light in the distance, gone the moment he laid eyes on it.
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His voice fell off as something in the distance caught his eye. He narrowed his gaze. A trick of the light? Or something else? "Did you see that?" he asked Sinopa. He scanned the area again, trying to pick out the flicker, or any other movement.
 
The night was quiet, and the air heavy. The tension was thick enough Archie could probably cut it with one of his scalchops. So, suffice to say. When Sinopa appeared, suddenly and quite noisily, it made the Dewott jump a bit even if he wasn’t one of the focuses of her attention. As she pinged, first from Isadora above and across from him, then up to Koa high up in the watchtower, Archie felt the knot between his shoulders lessen, and started to let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding…

The second sudden sound in as many minutes, however, brought an end to that. The Dewott silenced himself with a paw over his muzzle, crouching a little lower among the equipment and tools. It was a faint sort of sound, possibly footfalls. Coming from the entrance to the headquarters? Had their visitor gotten past them while Sinopa had them distracted? Or was this someone from inside creeping out? Archie’s gaze swept out over the plaza, trying to spot the source of the noise.
 
It was nice to see Sinopa again, at least. Too bad they hadn't had a chance to talk to her before they'd been assigned posts and all that; she'd probably have seen or sensed the most about whoever-this-was out of anyone here. At least she didn't seem too bothered, if the way she was casually bamfing from Wayfarer to Wayfarer was any indication.

Then there it was: her ears angling toward the sound slightly before she'd realized she'd heard it. Something moving, someone walking. Leaf held as still as she could as she strained her eyes through the dark—couldn't give up the whole game with a bunch of loud clop-clop noises—and readied a hypnosis just in case their little sneak tried to bolt.
 
Jade's ears flicked forward. She'd spotted Archie and Isidora tensing up suddenly before crouching out of view, and found herself scanning the plaza below for any movement. Nice to have eyes with decent darkvision--even if the novelty of it had worn off after a few months on Forlas, still convenient. But then, with this much moonlight and the staggering starlight out on the frontier with no cities for ages, it was almost unnecessary.

What was that sound...? Wingbeats? Yeah, definitely wingbeats. Except... it almost seemed like they were coming from two different directions. By the entrance, and high overhead. Jade narrowed her eyes at the archway that led into the hideout, trying to catch a glimpse of movement. There was... some kind of bulky shape there that she could have sworn hadn't been there earlier...

The thing high above dove sharply and without warning. Wings swept forward and a sudden gust rushed from nowhere and swept Koa over the edge, leaving the Electrike clinging to the tower's wooden railing, hind legs kicking against empty air.
 
Koa leaned out, trying to catch of glimpse of whatever was out there. It sounded like two somethings? Maybe something that could fly. But who-

A yelp slipped from him as a powerful wind swept him off is feet and over the edge. With a panicked cry he scrambled midair, barely grabbing the edge and digging his paws into the wood. "Up there!" he called to the others. "Something flying!" No sense keeping quiet or a low profile now. Whatever was out there was already attacking.

His legs windmilled, catching only air, and brief panic surged through him as he tried to find traction but found none. He dug his forepaws in harder. With great effort, he managed to pull himself up back into the watchtower, his chest heaving.
 
“Koa!”

Archie burst out of cover, all pretenses of staying hidden forgotten the moment he heard the Electrike’s panicked yelp. His heart leaped up to his throat when he saw the Electric Type’s legs, kicking out over the side of the watchtower. No way he’d be able to make it up there fast enough to make a difference. For a few stressful seconds, it looked as if Koa might not be able to save himself – Sinopa had gone up there hadn’t she? Could she do something? – but, mercifully, it seemed like with or without assistance, the Electrike was able to haul himself back in.

So then, back to the main event. The Dewott drew his scalchops, and wheeled towards the main entrance of the hideout, the source of the earlier noise – at least, the one on the ground. Between Koa’s shouting and his own lack of self control, there was no point in hiding anymore. “Show yourself!”
 
More footsteps, and then wingbeats, from two directions. Surreptitious, quiet... but not quiet enough, hah. Man, horse hearing was perfect for exactly this kinda job. More horses should be in spy movies. Did Forlas have movies? Maybe in Novelux? Black-and-white silent pictures at a minimum, surely? If nothing else, she had a blockbuster script to pitch when she got back home—

More wingbeats, then shouting. Koa shouting. Dammit, no, was he— no, no, okay, he was pulling himself back up to safety, thank god. But he was still by himself with whatever had attacked him and there was no way she could get up to him (wow, horses were kind of terrible actually, did you know that).

"Someone get up there and back him up!" Leaf hissed. There were like seventy cats here and at least one of them was magic; somebody had to be able to climb up and do something. Best she could do right now was make sure whoever was down in the plaza couldn't get away with anything else. She sprang forward and landed next to Archie, horn shimmering. Whoever this was was gonna get a face full of psycho cut if they took another step.
 
Jade's heart caught in her throat as she saw Koa flailing in midair, but then he managed to pull himself back up and she could breath again. But it was only a short relief as she caught a glimpse of the flying thing wheeling back around. Dammit, Koa was a melee fighter, he'd have trouble dealing with a flying opponent up there. Dammit, no one here could fly. He needed backup, he needed--

No time for thoughts. She was a cat, she had claws, she could climb. Seconds later she'd leapt down from the awning and made a break for the watchtower on all fours, scrambling up the wooden post as fast as she could.

Once he'd gotten his footing back, Koa could catch a glimpse of the flying thing cutting a path around the tower. Moonlight caught its wings briefly--smooth, cool-colored--but then just as quickly it'd slip out of view. The work of an Invisify Orb? Every so often there was that momentary orange flicker from just the right angle, but then it'd vanish as soon as it appeared.

The thing pointed its wings back and dove once more.

At Archie's words, the bulky shape by the entrance paused for just a moment, as if considering him. Then Leaf appeared at his side, and the visitor made a break for it with a lumbering gait, oddly muffled compared to what it should have been (a Sneak Scarf?)
 
Koa said:
"Did you see that?"
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"I sense it," said Sinopa, looking straight up at the sky. "That's a... Fire- and Flying-type. Talonflame?"

The pokémon dove and swept Koa with wind that affected Sinopa not at all.

"No, Charizard," she corrected herself. Then she realised her companion was in danger, and teleported 180 degrees in place with a sharp yowl of alarm.

His legs windmilled, catching only air, and brief panic surged through him as he tried to find traction but found none. He dug his forepaws in harder. With great effort, he managed to pull himself up back into the watchtower, his chest heaving.
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"I've got you!" shouted Sinopa, reaching for Koa's jacket or scruff or anything and taking hold with her teeth, helping to pull him back up. "You know Magnet Rise, Koa? Think you can learn it on the spot?"

It wasn't that Sinopa wasn't worried, but... there was a wild sort of delight in her 'eyes' of smoke and light, which were now as silver as a cloud veiling a full moon. This was interesting to her. Something fun, unpredictable, new.


Charizard? Not... not Owen??

Laura put a paw up to shield her eyes, and concentrated. Cat vision was great for this, and she had practice identifying fliers at speed, but... How could she tell either way? She hadn't seen Owen, anyway. This didn't feel like that, though, she couldn't sense any Shadow anywhere...

Jade shot up past her to come to Koa's aid, and Laura bit her lip. No. Don't follow after. They needed to cover the chokepoints, damnit. If they all rushed after the first points of concern, they'd be overextended and the infiltrators could just get right past them. And she wasn't gonna let that happen...

Laura dropped rom atop the awning to just below it, hanging from her paws. She'd be okay like this for a minute or two, long enough for it to look like she'd left her post with Jade or something...

She stilled her breathing, and kept her eyes on the entrance to the pueblos themselves.
 
Archie’s eyes were pretty good… For an otter. That is to say, he didn’t suffer from the myopia that was a common side effect of adaptations for underwater vision. But he wasn’t a cat, or a dog for that matter. His night vision wasn’t anything spectacular. As best he could tell, the bulky shadow in the doorway was big – far larger than anything that quiet had any right to be. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Leaf was by his side, and the figure was running.

“Try to cut him off, I’ll keep on his tail!” Archie yelled up at the Rapidash, before running after the figure. If anyone had a chance of getting ahead of their ground-based visitor, the Dewott figured it would be Leaf. Not to mention, as a strictly physical combatant, his usefulness against their airborne foe was slim. Better to focus on the one he could actually be useful against, and let the others handle the flier. Hopefully Leaf would see it the same way!
 
"Thanks," Koa said breathlessly to Sinopa. Magnet Rise had been something he'd meant to work on but never made much progress, and he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to risk the consequences of failing to do it right. He glanced over, relieved to see Jade as well. At least he wouldn't have to face the attacker alone. "Can you get a good look at whatever it is Sinopa? Jade, maybe something like a swift attack can hit it?"

Whatever it was was wheeling back around for another strike. Sparks gathered around his pelt. Even if he preferred close combat he still was pretty good at precision strikes, if his practice times with Steven were anything to go by. He tracked the flicker of movement as best he could, waiting for just the right moment, charging up as much electricity as he could and trying to stay focused. Then he fired the strongest thunder wave he could muster, hoping to stun it.

A grin spread across his jaws as a rather dangerous idea briefly crossed his mind. If this intruder got any closer, could he jump onto its back?
 
Icy claws at the ready, Isidora had already jumped down into the plaza and was running to provide backup. To who? Archie and Leaf had already engaged the ground target trying to get away. The aerial target, from what she could tell, was intent on focusing on Koamaru. Something about that bothered her. Why? Were they trying to provide cover for someone else?

Split between priorities, Isidora stopped a distance about halfway to the entrance, and as soon as she caught the faintest sign of the flier, she flung her Ice Shards, intending (hoping) to aim ahead of their path to disrupt or at least distract them. Her eyes then locked on to the fleeing target, and her claws gravitated to her shoulder. She knew she could catch up to them, but- Three in that direction would be too much. I can't commit to anything when I don't know what they're trying to accomplish. Not to mention Jade had climbed to join Koamaru on the tower, so someone needed to stay on the ground and defend the plaza from this flier...

...Wait, where's Laura? Isidora briefly glanced behind her, shook her head, then looked back towards the sky. Nevermind that, I need to focus on keeping this guy at bay. Her breath came out as an icy vapor in the already cool air. If she could get a clear view to land an Icy Wind, then maybe she could throw off their flight...
 
The intruder moved and Leaf sliced through the air, sending the psychic shockwave slashing toward them. She didn't wait to see if she'd hit, instead throwing herself into a run across the plaza as the figure tried to slip away. Adorable. Nobody outran her; nobody got away from her. That just wasn't how it worked, sorry, pal. Catch up, run alongside, swing the horn sideways to leg them up or hold them back. No getting away.

Leaf used Tenacious Soul! -1 Eva!
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Jade scrambled up the wooden watchtower post without daring to stop, so that she wouldn't risk losing her nerve. By the time she reached the platform up top, Koa had already pulled himself back from the precarious spot he'd been in. She paused for just a moment to catch her breath before immediately having to dig her claws into the wood to brace herself against another gust of wind from the winged attacker.

A Charizard. Owen? No, that didn't make any sense. And besides, its form was lithe, athletic, but totally unlike gangly-limbed, uncanny silhouette of the Charmeleon that had attacked them that fateful night.

No tail flame, Jade's brain pointed out, and her stomach gave a lurch, but no--every so often, there was the flicker of orange flares. It was there, just shielded somehow. Probably to be less obvious in the night sky.

Charizard's flight path was wild, full of dizzying loops and acrobatic dives. How on earth were they ever supposed to hit her? She swerved around a shard of ice fired from below, spilled air from her wings to dodge the wave of spark that Koa had let loose. Jade held her arm half-flexed, feeling the tingle of static building, but there wasn't an opening. C'mon...

Still, Charizard couldn't possibly dodge everything, especially not from multiple attackers at once (at least, not without that crazy super-awareness that Owen had). So, as long as she didn't have that--

A wave of cold air rushed upward from below, forcing Jade to shield her eyes with her left arm. Icy Wind? Charizard pivoted and let loose a Heat Wave to counter the Icy Wind, and the air suddenly turned sweltering. But that was the moment, while she was distracted!

Jade flicked her arm forward and fired the Thunderbolt, and the crack made her fur stand on end. Charizard noticed, barreling out of the way, but the bolt just barely clipped her wingtip, and then--

Another wave of sparks! Koa's second Thunder Wave washed over the fire lizard, and her wings faltered for a few seconds, long enough for her flight path to swing dangerously close to the tower...

As Archie rushed for the ground intruder, Leaf charged in from the side, and the figure was cornered between the two of them. The initial blade of psychic energy crashed against it with almost no reaction. Then the follow-up attack, a horn strike laced with fae aura. For Leaf, it would be like striking solid stone, but it worked, knocking the intruder back a solid few feet.

The intruder growled something in a low voice, but the words weren't intelligible. Then it stamped its foot and jagged stone spires burst from the ground, heading right for Leaf and Archie--!

The silence of the night had been shattered. Attacks tore the air. Already-muffled footsteps creeping from the pueblos would be almost impossible to make out now. The plaza had been deserted in the wake of the distraction provided by the other two.

Aside from the silver Meowth still hanging back from the others, alone. Maybe she'd catch a glimpse of a reptilian silhouette creeping through the shadows under an awning.
 
Leaf had to veer hard to the side to avoid the worst of the stones tearing up from the plaza. Annoying, but the breathing room was also kinda nice, if only for a moment; that'd been like trying to PIT maneuver a boulder. Which, ow, but also—

"Water, Archie! It's rock or something!" she called out. Would've been nice if she'd spent more time practicing drill run, but no time to worry about that now. Archie'd have it covered. The rapidash made a sharp turn back toward the intruder and crashed into them from what she hoped was their front, trying to drive them back toward the dewott.
 
The Dewott couldn’t help but smirk as Leaf burst into the scene, trapping the intruder between the pair of them. Now they just had to roll this one up and regroup with the others…

Of course, things could never be that easy, could they? Archie did his best to avoid the erupting stones, diving out of the way and only slightly getting clipped, enough to send him tumbling. A quick roll and he was back on his feet, grunting an acknowledgment to Leaf, “Got it!”

He needed to close distance quickly if he was going to have any chance of giving whoever this was a taste of his scalchops. Luckily, he had just the move! Cloaking himself in water, the Dewott launched himself at the shadowy intruder!

Archie used Aqua Jet!
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It was now or never. There was only so much he could do against a mobile aerial foe (he really needed to work on that) from this vantage point. A good couple blows to the wings and maybe head, and he could try and ground the Charizard and even the odds. He took a split second to gather himself and focus, to get the trajectory right. Then he leaped out of the tower and right for the Charizard, ready to unload several fistfuls of electricity when he landed.
 
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