[Elizabeth Waters]

word count: 568

"So, think you'll manage alright in there?"

The lucario inquired as she gave Elizabeth an uncertain glance. The ranger raised a brow at Raya as they stood outside the Ash City Ranger HQ. Tansy too gave the lucario a look that plainly stated 'Really?' Raya, ever the pessimist, returned the look with one of her own clearly reading 'Yea and?'

Liz laughed and shook her head at the pair. As her closest pokemon both had their own way of looking out for their trainer. Tansy was ever the supportive and positive force who pretty much believed her trainer could do no wrong. Raya being more practical and a realist knew that things weren't all rainbows and puppies and failure was always a possibility. Still she didn't doubt Liz could manage this just that it wouldn't be as easy as Tansy imagined.

"Hey, you go in, give it your best and see what happens. That's all you can do."

The pikachu atop the ranger's head added, her ears twitching toward the others. Cecylia too offered unconditional support to her trainer but she also knew the harsh reality of the world better than the others due to her blindness. Still she also knew, better than most, how Liz handled such realities and that she usually overcame them. Such as using their telepathic bond to give the pikachu almost a sense of sight through Liz's eyes when they were together, or teaching her how to use a crude form of echolocation to navigate when she was without her trainer.

This however hopefully wouldn't be as difficult as that had been. Liz cradled three pokeballs in her hand as she headed inside followed closely by Raya and Tansy. The headquarters was designed for larger pokemon to be present thus the rather large venusaur was relieved not to have to be recalled to her ball. Inside the headed for the main desk to check in.

"Ranger Elizabeth Waters reporting in. I'm here for my Ranger Student evaluation?"

The young ranger behind the desk glanced up then nodded and turned to scan through the schedule for the day. It took them a moment but soon they found the ranger's scheduled evaluation and turned back to her with a grin.

"Right on time Ranger Waters. If you'll follow me please."

Liz nodded and followed her fellow ranger to one of the back doors that lead out onto a vast training field filled with a wide range of potential obstacles for them to over come. The desk ranger waved to an instructor who nodded and waited for Liz to signal she was ready.

"I think you guys'll have to hang here and watch. Wish us luck alright."

The young woman grinned to her three and passed Cecylia off to Raya. The trio tucked themselves into a corner where they could still provide support for their trainer but also be out of the way. Liz looked down at the three pokeballs in her hand then tossed them onto the field releasing their occupants in front of her.

Sienna the lopunny, Visha the toxtricity and Halldis the stonjourner, three pokemon she'd manage to persuade to join her team without a battle but had yet to really get to know them very well. This session ought to at least prove interesting. The young woman looked to the instructor and gave a thumbs up indicating they were ready to start.

lrz7FCtEp_

Job: Ranger Student
Reqs: 3 Befriended Pokemon, 150 words min, 1/10 Posts
Rewards: 100 Pen, 5 Rare Candies, +10 Reputation, rank of Ranger Student

[Jenesis]

Nothing happened!

All rolls were passed.

Elizabeth Waters

The first challenge on your obstacle course is simple and straightforward: climb over a plain vertical wall and drop down on the other side.

[Elizabeth Waters]

word count: 831

Challenge number one, the vertical wall. This was a familiar sight, Liz couldn't count the number of times she'd had to tackle one of these in boot camp. And for this task the ranger had the perfect assistant. She turned to the trio and dipped her head respectfully. Initiating a psychic connection generally came pretty easy when doing it with her own pokemon but it still required some delicacy when doing it for the first time.

"Alright guys, are you all ready to give this a shot?"

The telepath's gentle mental voice touched the minds of the trio allowing them the chance to open up to her in their own time. Sienna was the only one of the group to have already been out with Liz before, the lopunny having traveled through the Weeping Forest into Ash City with her just the other day. The other two, Visha and Halldis, were still adjusting to having a disembodied voice inside their minds.

The toxtricity though took things in stride. His serious nature made it easier for him to accept things as they were. Halldis however being more bashful was a little less comfortable with new things. But she trusted the ranger meant her no harm, after all she had agreed to come with her. All three nodded in response to Liz who grinned pleased they'd heard her.

"Okay then, this shouldn't be too bad. Halldis?"

The ranger looked to the stonjourner who gazed at the young woman with some trepidation.

"Um... yes?"

Her own thoughts rested at the surface of her mind allowing Liz access so communication could be achieved both ways. Liz could act as a conduit between her six team members fairly well though it could tax the telepath at times and it was certainly easier the more willing and open those she was connected to were. This course would certainly make for a good exercise in their communication.

"Think you'd be comfortable helping us all over that wall?"

Liz inquired as she lead the group to the vertical wall. A rope hung from the top, the idea being you used it to help haul yourself up and over, but with the stonjourner, Liz wondered if they couldn't just use her as a make shift ladder. That is, if she was okay with it. Of course getting a stonjourner over the wall itself seemed extremely unlikely.

Halldis gave a slow nod, she supposed she could handle that. The ranger gave her an encouraging smile then patted the wall. Halldis got into position, she was as tall as the wall itself, and stooped as best she could to give Liz and the others a boost. Sienna clearly had no problems, the agile bunny simply hopped up the stonjourner and over the wall as if she were taking a stroll.

Visha however seemed more skeptical of the whole thing, as though this exercise was 'beneath him'. He gave Elizabeth a skeptical look but the ranger just nodded and gestured toward Halldis. Visha glanced back toward Tansy and Raya, the lucario looking less than impressed by the poisonous lizard's reluctance. That seemed to motivate him to give this 'challenge' a shot.

The toxtricity scrambled up Halldis's side and the stonjourner practically lifted him the rest of the way and unceremoniously dropped him over the top. Visha landed a little roughly but was otherwise fine. Sienna snickered at the electric lizard's undignified state. Liz too couldn't help a small smirk but she gave Sienna a gently, scolding glance. The lopunny looked a little sheepish and Visha just scowled at her.

Now it seemed it was Liz's turn. The ranger caught Halldis's eye and gave her a trusting nod. Halldis knelt over and extended a rocky arm. The young woman jogged forward then hauled herself up the stonjourner's arm. Halldis pushed upward and nearly threw the ranger over the top of the wall as well. Liz however managed to catch herself and gripped the wall tightly as she swung a leg over and straddled it.

Here now was the hard part. Halldis was at least a thousand pounds of sentient rock. It was possible she could try hauling herself over the wall but Liz wasn't sure it could even hold her weight. The ranger was a telepath not telekenetic and thus certainly couldn't levitate the stonjourner over the wall, not that she could even lift that much if she was telekenetic. There was the off chance Tansy's vines might possibly be able to lift her over the wall but Tansy wasn't part of the exercise.

Thus Liz did the only sensible thing she could think of. The ranger recalled the stonjourner to her ball then released her on the other side of the wall. Hey, they got her over the wall didn't they? The ranger threw her other leg over the wall and dropped down beside the trio. Well that was the first task accomplished, more or less. Now they looked to the next task.

KGi_0rg7p_

2/10 Posts

[bone]

A random event has occurred!

What will you do?

Elizabeth Waters

As you land on the other side of the wall, you feel a powerful pulling force at your feet. This must be quicksand! And, thanks to the magic of moves such as Sand Tomb, it's the fast-acting Hollywood type, not the far less threatening real life equivalent! Is there a Dutrio need to be gently told to cut it off, or do you just gotta slog through?

[Elizabeth Waters]

word count: 1058

So it was going to be one thing straight after another. When her feet began rapidly sinking through the surface the ranger had to fight the urge to panic. Logically she knew panicking would only make it worse but the thought of slowing sinking to the point of being buried alive flashed through her mind.

Liz grit her teeth and tried her best to focus on a solution rather than the sinking. She could sense Tansy and Raya's distress when they realized something was wrong. From their vantage point they couldn't entirely see what was going on behind the wall but the ranger knew they couldn't help in this situation. She sucked in a breath and shook her head as she reached out to them.

"No! Stay where you are, it has to be just us. Don't worry, we'll be fine."

She told them firmly, trying to be reassuring, but it was extremely hard to hide one's feelings from a telepathic link. Not to mention their own fear was pinging her empathetic response which didn't help her calm herself. To keep from hyperventilating, Liz sucked her teeth and forced her to breathe out through her nose. In through the mouth, out through the nose.

Her attention gradually turned to the trio with her. It looked like they'd managed to avoid the Sand Tomb but were now hesitant as to what to do in this situation. They were too far out to simply reach over and pull her out. Sand Tomb, Sand Tomb, Sand Tomb. The ranger quickly wracked her brain trying to recall the pokemon capable of using such a move. There were quite a few actually but as she didn't see any of the larger ones around and suspected whomever was behind the move was beneath them her likely suspects were a trapinch, dugtrio, or even perhaps a sandygast.

The sand was up to her knees by now and not slowing down. She had to use what they had at hand to get out of this. Vines were out, that would've been too easy, plus Tansy couldn't help. Now Halldis knew Rock Slide, there was potential she could create a rock ladder to give Liz some form of footing. There was also the slim possibility that Visha might be able to create a fulgurite. Though Liz didn't entirely know the how or why, she did know that a powerful enough electric strike on sand could turn it to glass.

However of course that came with it's own problems, primarily the fact that she was currently sinking into the sand she was considering turning to glass. That and Visha only knew Discharge, a rather imprecise attack. Him managing not to electrocute her or those around her seemed unlikely. Though perhaps the two attacks could be combined. Whatever she did she had to act fast, the sand was already up to her waist and it is most uncomfortable when sand gets into your unmentionables.

"Right so this maybe a bit complicated so listen close. The timing'll have to be perfect and both of you will need to be very precise. Sienna, go ahead and ready yourself with Agility, keep at it until these two start. Right now Visha, you'll need to use Discharge, but only fire it into the ground from yourself to directly in front of me. And Halldis, I need you to use Rock Slide but keep it in as a straight line as you can from yourself to me. What we're going to try to do is create a solidish surface. The rocks to provide some stability and hopefully prevent the electrical charge from reaching me, the discharge to bind them together with sand glass. Now Sienna you'll need to Quick Attack to me and pull me out alright?"

She held the gaze of the three each looking a tad trepidatious about this. It was going to require a great amount of control on both Visha and Halldis's part plus they'd have to time things perfectly. Visha's discharge was going to rip through the ground as incredible speeds but Halldis would have to slam Rock Slide into the ground just before the strike completely hit Liz. The hopeful effect would be that there'd be a line of rocks and glass connected together creating a path through the quick sand that Sienna could race across to get to Liz and drag her out.

Everybody took a breath and Elizabeth noted the anxiousness rolling off her observing pokemon. They had re-positioned to get a better view and she could tell the trio were not at all fond of this 'plan' of hers. Still, Liz trusted her newer teammates and gazed at each of them in quiet respect as she nodded letting them know she was ready. The sand was nearly to her chest now. Halldis summoned Rocks from the ground and brought them crashing down in a straightish line toward Liz. At the same time Visha released his Discharge, the majority of the electrical energy shooting in the ground and racing toward Liz. A few stray sparks narrowly missed Sienna who was darting side to side getting her speed up.

In a flash everything seemed to happen at once. The ricks thudded into the earth, the discharge surged through the sand and Sienna was a blur as she raced to Liz's side. The buneary reached out and grabbed the ranger under the arms her footing a tad unstable under the final rock. The discharge was still coming however not completely blocked by the rock slide. Sienna struggled for a moment to yank Liz from the quick sand and the ranger did what she could to haul herself onto the rock shelf. The pair felt the surge of electrical energy around them just as Liz managed to wriggle free.

Sienna half carried the brunette across the makeshift bridge which was rapidly deteriorating under their combined weight. All their hair was standing on end from the electrical charge in the air but they hadn't been hit directly. Sienna and Liz flung themselves onto solid ground and lay panting at Halldis's feet for a moment. Both the electric lizard and living rock peered down at them as they sucked in deep gulps of air. Well they'd managed it though Liz was pretty sure her heart was skipping a beat, or two.

XMVznjqdp_

3/10 Posts

[Connor Tavarin]

A random event has occurred!

What will you do?

Elizabeth Waters

While the plan worked and you're now free of the quicksand trap, that certainly did a number on everyone's stamina to pull off such a coordinated stunt. The next obstacle was a series of rope swings set up in multiple rows for rangers and their Pokemon to swing from. Beneath was a pool of water. In the event one falls in, they can simply swim to the net at the other side of the arena to climb up to the next part of the course.

[Elizabeth Waters]

word count: 906

The group paused a moment for a breathier while their audience of three cheered them on. The little experiment had probably cost them more in energy than was necessary. Still they had to press on. Next up, rope swings. No problem for Liz, Visha or Sienna, however, how does a thousand pound hunk of rock get over rope swings?

"Alright guys you go on ahead, take it slow though."

The ranger told the lopunny and toxtricity as the pair began one after the other. Sienna had the easiest time of it, her body naturally built to for flexibility. She swung from one rope to the other almost effortlessly though she was breathing rather hard as she hopped to the ground on the other side. Liz gave her a thumbs up and watch Visha take his turn.

The poisonous lizard too was fairly agile though not to the level of the lopunny. He started out strong the first three ropes easily clung to. However his timing was off on the fourth rope and he grabbed thin air. Visha flailed a moment before tumbling down into the pool landing with a good splash.

"Oo, you okay there Vish?"

Liz inquired leaning over the pool to watch the lizard's progress. Visha coughed and sputtered but was able to compose himself and irritably swam for the net. He scowled at Sienna who was having to keep from giggling at his blunder. Liz too had to bite her lip as she looked to Halldis trying to figure out what to do with the stonjourner.

"Well I'm not sure if that's weight rated for you. Maybe you could create a stone bridge for yourself across the pool?"

The ranger was pretty sure Halldis would sink like a literal stone if she tried swimming through the pool, plus rock types and water didn't really mix, and she doubted the durability of the rope swing, though one would think the rangers would take into account larger and heavier pokemon. But better not to chance it the ranger thought.

Halldis however figured she'd give it a shot. The pool was fairly deep and would require a lot of rocks to make a bridge that could support her. The rope swing was attached to a reinforced steel frame so hopefully it would hold. The stonjourner didn't have the longest arms but she certainly was strong. The large rock reached out and grabbed the first rope and tested it hanging halfway over the water. The rope creaked but looked like it would hold.

"Easy... easy..."

Liz cautioned as she watched the sentient rock's progress. Halldis took it slow, trying to support herself on two ropes at a time as often as she could. There was one moment near the middle where the beam above groaned from her weight but still managed to hold. Near the end however one rope wasn't quite as strong and as Halldis swung to the next rope it snapped! The stonjourner made a mad grab for the next rope and Liz thrust out instinctively with moderate telekinetic force very briefly trying to provide a temporary support for Halldis as she grasped hold of the final rope.

The strain of attempting to hold up that amount of weight however caused the ranger's nose to bleed and made her dizzy. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as she tried to steady herself. Halldis fortunately managed to slam down to the ground on the other side having successfully made it across. When the ranger opened her eyes again the others were all looking at her in concern.

"I'm fine."

She called aloud momentarily avoiding any psychic communication. Now however it was her turn. Liz gazed at the ropes then pulled on a pair of fingerless gloves. She sucked in a breath then grabbed hold of the first rope. The ranger gripped the base of the rope between her knees then rocked her body back and forth swinging to the next rope. She reached out with her hand to grab the next rope, wrapping it around her wrist for a better hold as she transferred her footing onto that rope. There had been about eight ropes and the ranger repeated her steady movement across for the next six. Yet once she reached the point where Halldis's rope had broken she now had twice the distance to cover.

The ranger was still tired from her previous telekinetic attempt so she began swinging the rope harder than the rest until she was nearly able to grab the beam above. At the last moment she jumped, launching herself toward the rope and just managing to grab hold of it with both hands. Though she dangled a bit over the pool, and her grip was just above the base of her rope nearly allowing her feet to brush the top of the pool water. Liz grit her teeth and hauled herself up the rope until she could get her feet to grip the bottom. The ranger hung from the rope a moment to catch her breath before swinging out once more and jumping to the other side, landing and rolling down the short slope to her pokemon.

"Well that wasn't too bad."

She commented as she got back to her feet and dusted herself off. They turned to the next part of the course hoping they still had the energy to handle what was coming up.

|DJc4Foyp_

(Roll for Stamina Skill Up)
p_

4/10 Posts

·

[bone]

A random event has occurred!

What will you do?

Elizabeth Waters

You're hanging in there, and doing a damn good job no matter how many obstacles stand in your way.  Your stamina feels exactly one point stronger than ever before, even if you're probably going to be sore in the morning. But stamina loss and fatigue are really starting to take their toll on you. Fortunately, there's a light at the end of the tunnel; a tree filled to the brim with amazing-smelling Pecha berries! This could be just what you need to keep yourself going!

. . . Yet, quite obviously nestled in the branches is a Starly nest. The offer of fresh berries is tempting, but would it be very Rangerly to disturb a bunch of baby birds?