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POSTED ON Mar 3, 2023 1:38:30 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]". . . Been a while, huh?"[break][break]

Isaac hadn't braved the abandoned warehouses of Slateport City in a long time. He'd simply had too much to do, too much to see. He couldn't hang around all the old spots like he used to. But Project Lockbox had its demands, and one of the safehouses they were tasked with investigating was tucked right among the rest of the inconspicuous warehouses.[break][break]

For Isaac, it was just another adventure. But Kurze, his Bisharp, seemed far more intense. He pulled the mantle that he wore tightly around his body, and found his eyes scanning every stray corner with his usual Laser Focus. It was as if, at any given moment, he was ready and willing to fight for his life.[break][break]

Isaac couldn't blame him. This was where he'd caught Kurze long before. This was where he carved out some turf of his own, after being forced into solitude in an incident Isaac never fully grasped. These warehouses had significance to him, and not the good kind. "You sure you're good for this, Kurze?" Isaac asked, only to be cut off by a downright hateful roar. He backed up in response, hands raised in absolution. "Alright, alright, I get it! Sheesh."[break][break]

Still, Kurze wouldn't be doing this alone. Standing by his side was Isaac's Heracross, Megalon. Since joining the group, the two had become surprisingly fast friends, a deviation from Kurze's usual antisocial nature. Maybe it was because the Heracross practically did whatever Kurze asked, but at least it was something. And there was no better duo to take into a potential high-pitched battle than one who always had each other's backs.[break][break]

That was also why Isaac had asked Jayden to come along on the mission. Even in the early scouting stages like this, it was far too reckless to go alone. He waited patiently for his friend and senior to arrive, Kurze watching the alleys like a hawk all the while.

[break][break]

[break]

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POSTED ON Apr 13, 2023 7:41:33 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","jaytop"]

[attr="class","littlejay"]

it had been a while.

[break][break] last time he and Isaac Merlo had spent time together, outside of the mandatory trainings that jayden had set up with all the recruits as part of his position as head of offense, it has been in the hospital. since then, jayden had gone into a flurry activity as all did post-meteor to make sure everything was in working order, but he still did his best not to neglect their recruits. though now Isaac Merlo could not exactly be called a newbie any longer. the man had proved his mettle time and time again, at least that was what jayden perceived.

[break][break] in a vapor of shadow, jayden appears before isaac with the power of PHANTOM FORCE. it was many of ghost's signature move, so it was not surprising that he would've chosen this way to travel.

[break][break] plus it was efficient.

[break][break] a flash of a smile as he steps towards the other.

[break][break] "have you been waiting long?" he says. "my apologies." as jayden steps closer, isaac would be able to see the bags of shadow beneath jayden's gaze -- though considering how hard the admin worked, perhaps it wouldn't be surprising.

[break][break] "you mentioned you'd found a bunker?"

[break][break] of course he'd read the report, but he'd wanted to hear it from the associate's own mouth.

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Isaac Merlo[break]
lockbox: scouting

☉

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The Liberator

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April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

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Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Apr 14, 2023 1:37:35 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Between his own Dhelmise's use of the move and his many assignments with Gavin, Isaac was no stranger to a Phantom Force. He held up a hand to stop Kurze as he reflexively glowered towards the shadow. After a tense staredown, the Bisharp backed away. His Heracross companion gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder for his troubles.

"Hey, don't sweat it. Not like this one's going anywhere," Isaac said. "After all, it's been here since before they even found the Meteno."[break][break]

"Y'see, this used to be a gang's hideout way back when. They tried to set up some front business, but it turns out you gotta actually be good at running one of those for the front to work. Never seen a mob pizza place with shitty pizza, y'know?" Isaac wondered just how incompetent you had to be to make a front business fail, but that was neither here nor there. "Somehow, place never ended up condemned. Their basement should be easy enough to fit into the network."[break][break]

"I don't know how much we're gonna have to mess around with identities. Might be more business titles than un-personing. But before we can get to that, we've got a bigger problem on our hands to deal with." The hiss under Kurze's breath may have made it clear what that problem was before Isaac even opened his mouth.[break][break]

"The place is a Pawniard nest now. And from what I'm gathering, not just one pack. I've seen at least three Bisharp milling around in there." If Isaac and Jayden listened closely, perhaps they would be able to make out the sound of scraping blades.[break][break]

"We should be fine if we can clear them out. But there's territorial, and there's Bisharp territorial. Something tells me we're gonna have to fight our way through the whole damn building."

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / jayden cross

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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jayden

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POSTED ON Apr 14, 2023 3:10:05 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","jaytop"] ♂ krsnik the shadow ninetales / drought / safeguard, hex, extrasensory, solar beam, inferno, shadow fire

♂ lukyan the h!tylphlosion / ability flash fire / rollout, double-edge, flame wheel, swift, infernal parade, shadow ball

[attr="class","littlejay"]

pause.

[break][break] "i don't suppose i've ever been to a pizza place before."

[break][break] it wasn't something that had been all that prevelant in kanto, and certainly wasn't something he sought out, but the logistics of the metaphor did make enough sense. front businesses were only effective when they actually worked as a form of cover.

[break][break] "i'm sure admin delaney can equip something adequate," he says, feeling a particular fondness for fern delaney, who was their head of forgery and counterfeit. this may not have been the kind of murder that jayden was used to, but the destruction of one's identity could sometimes be worse.

[break][break] "we'll be fine."

[break][break] reaching to his belt, jayden withdrew lukyan and krisnik. the latter bared his teeth, his glowing nine tales flaring out terrifyingly behind him. darkness leaped to his feet, commanding them with the power and intensity that only a shadow pokemon could.

[break][break] "plus, it will be good opportunity to assess your skill."

[attr="class","ooc"] Isaac Merlo[break]
lockbox: scouting

☉

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played by

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The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

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Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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POSTED ON Apr 14, 2023 3:32:59 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]"You haven't?" Someone needed to shake App Jayden by the shoulders and correct his lack of dreams and ambitions, because he had to add "try pizza" to the list. "After this mission, we're fixing that," he said, as if he was the one calling the shots here.[break][break]

But ultimately, Jayden was the one calling the shots. Those shots were that this was all going to be okay, and Isaac would have a perfect environment to show off his skills in. Frankly, Isaac couldn't disagree. If there was anything that motivated him to step up to the plate, it was protecting those he cared for. That didn't just go for humans. Kurze had been one of his teammates since his start with Rocket, and like hell was Isaac going to leave him hanging in his moment of need.[break][break]

Megalon's elytra fitted out in a threat display. Kurze hissed like a steam-pressed iron, his blades glinting in the light. They were ready. That meant he was going to be ready, too.[break][break]

Isaac moved to pick the lock, but he didn't even have the chance to. Kurze sliced clean through the door's hinges, a Night Slash swirling around his claws. As the door wobbled back and forth, unsteady, he booted it down with enough force to leave the walls of the hideous shaking.[break][break]

A Bisharp, rounding the corner just in time to see this, froze up in alarm. Before it could say anything, Kurze jabbed a bladded hand in its direction. His bellow was nothing like the usual hisses and clicks Isaac heard him make. If anything, it sounded almost like it was a challenge.[break][break]

The Bisharp returned Kurze's bellow, then motioned for his men to join him. Four Pawniard came scuttling out from the shadows, forming a protective formation around their boss. It folded its arms as its protection arrived, leaning back and just waiting for Kurze to spring into action.[break][break]

There was no finesse to be had. There was no preparation to be made. There was only a furious war cry as Kurze charged forward, Megalon scuttling behind him as quickly as possible.

"?"

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / jayden cross

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POSTED ON Apr 14, 2023 5:38:57 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","jaytop"] ♂ krsnik the shadow ninetales / drought / safeguard, hex, extrasensory, solar beam, inferno, shadow fire

[attr="class","littlejay"]

it had begun.

[break][break] jayden steeled himself as he allowed Isaac Merlo to take point, breaking open the door with the power of his bisharp. the metal door swung off it's hinge, and isaac's steel-toed boot sent it careening to the ground.

[break][break] impressive.

[break][break] if a little aggressive.

[break][break] but there was nothing better than an aggressive attack. a two-tone whistle echoes, sharp under his breath, as the admin orders his own pokemon to follow behind kurze and megalon. his ninetales is the first to move, leaping forward with fangs bared, as an INFERNO cascades down the hallway.

[break][break] a SHADOW BALL sears through the space moments after, crashing down into a group of Bisharp that rounded the nearby corner on the other end, aiming to ambush them.

[break][break] a flash of movement, and jayden's eyes widen.

[break][break] "watch out!" he hisses.

[break][break] the admin jumps in front of Isaac Merlo, flashing out a dagger against the pawniard's blade. metal clashes against metal.

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Isaac Merlo[break]
lockbox: scouting

☉

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The Liberator

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April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

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Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Apr 15, 2023 0:25:53 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Kurze was indeed aggressive tonight, but Isaac couldn't blame him. Though he didn't know all the details of his struggle, he knew that the grudge between him and the rest of this Bisharp pack was hateful and intense. He wasn't going to get in the Bisharp's way on this issue. While he tended not to enjoy needless violence between humans, the law of the urban jungle was very different.[break][break]

The Inferno left the first group of Pawniards scattered and disoriented. For a second, they turned tail to run, chittering fearfully in the face of such strength. However, their Bisharp overseer refused to let them. Grabbing one by the scruff of its helmet, the big, bad boss hissed in its face, then shoved it back to the battlefield. The other three followed suit, charging as their leader pointed towards Jayden's Pokemon.[break][break]

Being injured by the Inferno made them easy pickings. Kurze kicked one's leg out from under it, sending it crashing to the ground with enough force to knock it out. He picked the fallen Pawniard up by the ankle, swinging it into another incoming Pawniard and sending it flying. The third he met head on, the blades of their Iron Heads interlocked as he hissed dangerously.[break][break]

Were this the only pack of enemies, Isaac and Jayden would already be done here. However, another Bisharp lead its pack of four Pawniards in a strike from behind, hoping to secure an ambush. The Ninetales' Shadow Ball spoiled their fund, knocking the Pawniards over like bowling pins. Megalon was quick to follow up, rushing towards one of the Pawniard and pummeling it with a flurry of blows until it stopped moving. Another tried to jump him from behind, but Megalon caught it with his horn, suplexing it into the ground with all of his might.[break][break]

A shame it wasn't all fun and games. The Pawniard crews held a large number advantage, and they were ready to make that Isaac and Jayden's problem. The two Pawniard on the rear rushed Megalon's sides as he recovered from his suplex, grabbing ahold of his arms. They snickered as their Bisharp boss sauntered up, battering the Heracross with blow after blow of his metal claws.[break][break]

He could hold his own. But could Isaac? The Pawniard that slipped past Kurze rushed him with murder in his eyes, and had only been stopped from making contact by a timely catch of Jayden's knife. "Thanks for that, man," Isaac said as he fumbled around inside of his back. He, too, had a knife, but rather than the practical blade Jayden had brought his was an ornate dagger that resembled a polished Relicanth. Gaudy? A little. But it sure got the Pawniard reeling as Isaac used the hilt of it to knock the Pawniard to the ground.[break][break]

He punted it away, backing up to get a little bit of breathing room. Blades, unfortunately, were not the most effective against steel types. "Persistent little bastards. But we've got 'em outgunned, don't you think?"

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / jayden cross

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jayden

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TAG WITH @jayden

POSTED ON Apr 26, 2023 18:40:34 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","jaytop"] ♂ krsnik the shadow ninetales / drought / safeguard, hex, extrasensory, solar beam, inferno, shadow fire

[attr="class","littlejay"]

"anytime."

[break][break] jayden jumps back from the skirmish, allowing isaac to show his skills. it would be so easy to overwhelm them with his own pokemon, but there was a reason that the rocket admin had chosen to do this mission with isaac. outside of wanting to properly monitor the associate's progress, he also happened to enjoy his company.

[break][break] even in the middle of a turf war.

[break][break] artificial light fills the space ahead of them as the shadow ninetales DROUGHT ability takes place, triggering a sunny day. it was only so easy to scorch the next row of bisharp that came running for him with another INFERNO.

[break][break] a FLAME WHEEL from his typhlosion knocks them back like a row of bowling pins once more.

[break][break] "we need to find the boss," he instructs isaac. "any ideas?"

[attr="class","ooc"] Isaac Merlo[break]
lockbox: scouting

☉

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The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON May 7, 2023 21:48:27 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]The other Pawniard was strong. It might have been a contender for Bisharp status in its own right. However, against the might of a real one, a contender was little more than a pretender. Pushing forward, Kurze knocked the Pawniard down, then finished it off with a vicious stomp of a Low Sweep.[break][break]

Megalon wasn't having quite so easy of a time, stuck in a three on one confrontation of his own. Seeing this, Kurze looked from across the battlefield, shouting an order over towards his companion. Whatever he said, it seemed to resonate, Megalon, swinging each Pawniard towards his Bisharp foe's legs with reckless abandon.[break][break]

By now, each of Isaac's Pokemon was down to their main foe. Kurze was a head taller than his and made great use of that size difference, lashing out with Night Slash after Night Slash. His shorter foe, letting out a vicious hiss, lunged towards him to try and get into closer quarters. It was all the distraction Kurze needed; he waved his Disguise in front of the other Bisharp's face, getting it all tangled up like a bullfighter in a red cloak. As it tried to shred the tattered mantle off of its face, Kurze booted it in the small of the back to knock it to the ground.[break][break]

The drop of a bladed wrist was all it took; in a single Guillotine, Kurze claimed victory.[break][break]

Megalon's own Bisharp was far more dangerous. The Hearacross was forced to dance around its heavy strikes, its desire for Retaliation driving it into a frenzy. However, this frenzy was as much of an advantage as it was a danger. When a particularly heavy-handed strike left its blade embedded in the floorboards, Megalon saw his time to strike. Arm Thrusts rained down onto the Bisharp until its consciousness started to fade.[break][break]

Isaac's own fight wasn't nearly so dramatic. For the most part, he used his knife to parry the strikes of the incoming Pawniard, kicking it whenever an opening presented itself. After the third time of being punted away, the Pawniard thought better of his efforts and retreated. He was joined by whatever Pawniard were following after the latest pack to join the ambush, the Steel type's leader blitzed clean through by another one-two punch on Jayden's end.[break][break]

"These guys travel in packs, right?" Isaac asked. "Might be that each of these alphas was a packmate too, one time or another. Figure if there's about three to five of 'em to a pack . . ."[break][break]

"We're almost there. And the stragglers might show us the way." Motioning for Kurze and Megalon to keep quiet, he urged them onwards. If they crept after the retreating Pawniards, they'd surely end up encountering the big boss.

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / jayden cross

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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milky

jayden

he/him

december 25

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POSTED ON May 11, 2023 18:54:25 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","jaytop"] ♂ krsnik the shadow ninetales / drought / safeguard, hex, extrasensory, solar beam, inferno, shadow fire

[attr="class","littlejay"]

flames and heat lick the air in front of them as they engage in battle, easily eradicating each new wave of pawniard and bisharp that come their way. megalon and kurze fight their foes formidably, but the brutality in which krsnik and lukyan handle theirs are unmatched.

[break][break] rather than tossing or throwing away their opponents, they are burnt into ash.

[break][break] acrid smoke rises through the air, the smell of burning flesh. both are too used to it, as is jayden.

[break][break] the admin nodded in agreement to isaac's words, watching as krsnik bowled down another set of pawniward. her tails lashed about, as she belched out a SHADOW FIRE. behind her, lukyan's SHADOW BALL causes several other pawniward to crash into a nearby wall as he leaps and pins one to the floor, tearing off it's headpiece.

[break][break] jayden and Isaac Merlo skirt through cleanly enough, following the steps of his two pokemon who chase after the retreating pawniards.

[break][break] "you ever think about becoming beast?" jayden comments casually, hitting his elbow against an attacking bisharp. his dagger plunges into the pokemon's heart without remorse. blood splatters onto his shirt.

[break][break] "you are capable."

[attr="class","ooc"] Isaac Merlo[break]
lockbox: scouting

☉

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,311 posts

DOLLARS

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON May 16, 2023 2:28:01 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]As Jayden's team hunted down the bulk of the fleeing Pokemon, and Megalon pounded any stragglers to the ground, Kurze stalked on ahead of the group. He knew these halls better than anyone else that had been gathered here today, and it wasn't long before he was able to completely leave Isaac and Jayden in the dust. In the hectic battle with other Pawniard and Bisharp ambushes, would they even notice?[break][break]

Perhaps they would be busy not just with battle but with conversation. As Jayden found a gap in a Bisharp's armor and slid a dagger into its chest, he asked Isaac a question that he had honestly never expected to hear.[break][break]

"A Beast?" Isaac blinked a few times as he considered the question. "Shit. Can't say I saw that one coming."[break][break]

"I mean, it's not like I'm not skilled." As if on cue, a Bisharp tried to rush him from the side. He blocked its incoming strike with his blade, then put a heavy boot to the side of its raised ankle. Its stance buckled some, allowing Isaac to pull his blade back and ring its bell with the flat end.[break][break]

"And I've got some real good teammates to back that skill up." Cue Megalon, rushing in like an avenging angel. The Heracross speared into the dazed Bisharp, tackling him down to the ground with a heavy Megahorn. Before it could get up, he rained down a series of blows with his Arm Thrust; gut, ribs, chin, temple, neck.[break][break]

"But, man, going lethal's never been easy for me, y'know?" As if on cue, once the Bisharp was disabled, Megalon punted it aside. "There are a lot of Rockets that shine there. But, much as I've tried . . . I just don't have that It factor."[break][break]

He sighed, even as he returned a fist bump from the incoming Megalon. "I think if I could be anything, it'd be a symbol," he admitted. "Both for Rocket, and for everyone out there looking for something better." It had been the drive behind his activities as Blackjack. It had been one of the major reasons he tackled so many missions in his early Rocket days. It was a new incarnation of his old dream, of being not just known but undeniable, once he learned just how broken the world was.[break][break]

Now, in an age where Rocket had burned down Littleroot City, it felt increasingly impossible.

[break]

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / jayden cross

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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played by

milky

jayden

he/him

december 25

ballonlea, galar

bisexual

wyndon ceo

admin

5'10" height

we'll never get free, lamb to the slaughter

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4,142 posts

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TAG WITH @jayden

POSTED ON Jul 19, 2023 21:19:48 GMT

Zev Harcourt likes this

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[attr="class","jaytop"] ♂ krsnik the shadow ninetales / drought / safeguard, hex, extrasensory, solar beam, inferno, shadow fire

[attr="class","littlejay"]

irony strikes true as Isaac Merlo answers jayden's question, the sound of clashing metal giving a more proper answer to the admin's question than the blond could. despite what the other said, jayden saw the other as capable — more than the leagues of grunts that he'd seen passed through their training regimen. the fact that he could easily hold his own in this fight without even blinking spoke volumes of that.

[break][break] "take more credit," jayden says with a nod, just as he kicks a bisharp to the floor. "you are more than you give yourself credit for."

[break][break] "after all, you are Zev Harcourt's apprentice."

[break][break] it would have been an insult to the beast to insinuate otherwise.

[break][break] sure enough, eventually, the legions of bisharp and pawniard that once stood before them are either disposed of or destroyed. it's clear to see where the one's jayden had struck down - bloody, discarded carcasses - and which ones are isaac's - still groaning on heaps on the floor. jayden, however, does not say anything in regards to it.

[break][break] "beasts are symbols of rocket — they are looked up to, no matter what level in the organization." though jayden was no longer a beast, his reputation was one that followed him throughout it's ranks. they weren't merely just pawns for underbosses or admins to use — not just dogs chasing down a scent. they symbolized the strength and loyalty within rocket. for rocket. Isaac Merlo could be that.

[break][break] "you are someone who can inspire others, isaac. don't let that flame die."

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[attr="class","ooc"] Isaac Merlo[break]
lockbox: scouting

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Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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POSTED ON Jul 20, 2023 3:16:48 GMT

jayden cross and Zev Harcourt like this

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[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Zev Harcourt's apprentice? Really? Isaac's gut reaction was that Zev would laugh at the very concept.[break][break]

At the same time, it was easy to see why Jayden would think that. He fought like Zev, albeit with a touch more theatric flourish and a lot more restraint. He was one of the longest running employees at Zev's front business. At times, he'd even been a confidant to Zev, if only because his loyalty was so often assured.[break][break]

Things hadn't seemed quite so seamless between them lately. But, loathe as he was to admit it, Isaac really did owe Zev so much.[break][break]

It helped that Jayden had a way with words that made Isaac want to believe in them. In spite of everything, he felt his heart swelling with pride as Jayden told him he was an inspirational flame who could be looked up to by Rockets everywhere. Did Jayden seriously think that highly of him? Could he seriously make that much of an impact?[break][break]

Maybe he could. Beasthood still felt like the last thing on his mind, but the conviction in Jayden's words had taken root nonetheless. One way or another, Isaac would end up a symbol. Maybe he'd fall in line after all. Maybe he'd carve out his own path. But no matter what, no matter how, Isaac refused to let the flame die.[break][break]

A pained cry reminded Isaac that there were others he couldn't let die, either.[break][break]

"Kurze." Following the sound, Isaac charged through the carnage, looking for the Bisharp that he only now processed was missing. Megalon took off after him, elytra flared and wings buzzing as he skimmed off the ground. Together, the two arrived just in time to see a Kingambit looming over their fallen ally. Its foot was firmly planted on Kurze's head as he groveled at its feet, soundly beaten.[break][break]

"Not on my watch," Isaac hissed. "Megalon, get in there!" The Heracross, incensed at his battle brother's treatment, smashed a fist into his hand and charged forward. However, before he could arrive, Kurze lashed out, a Night Slash sending poor Megalon off course. The confrontation broken up, he went back to kneeling before the battle's victor.[break][break]

Was it over? Had Kurze's light gone out?[break][break]

Or was the canny bastard just buying time?[break][break]

His apparent obedience had dropped the Kingambit's guard, allowing Kurze to buck his head up in a beautiful arcing motion. Darkness swirled around his crest, seemingly another Night Slash in progress, only for the a massive golden blade to erupt from the maelstrom. Caught off guard by a textbook Kowtow Cleave, the Kingambit fell flat on its back.[break][break]

As Kurze's head bent back, the untamed mane of a warrior spilled out from his helmet. Seizing the advantage he had just claimed, he pounded down on the fallen Kingambit, sparks launching off of his fists with each pummel. In the light, they almost seemed to glow golden. It was a relentless onslaught, but also a repetitive one. After a few strikes, the Kingambit caught Kurze's hands in his own, locking the two into a dead stalemate. Bit by bit, the Kingambit got the better of Kurze, intent on putting the upstart in his place.[break][break]

Just as planned. Kurze pulled his hands back, causing the Kingambit to stumble forward. Kurze took this time to smash it in the chest with an Iron Head. As they locked up, two more blades erupted from the sides of Kurze's face. He wasted no time in using them to tear into his foe, carving into the gash his Kowtow Cleave had just opened up.[break][break]

It was over. The Kingambit had fallen, and Kurze was now its spitting image. He had evolved, triumphing over the one that had beaten him out of this territory long ago. Content, he sat atop his own mane, looking pensively down towards his nemesis.[break][break]

For a second, his crest grew a blinding white. Then, with a shrug, he dismissed it. A Low Sweep to the head was all the Kingabmit deserved.[break][break]

Content with his victory, Kurze rose to his feet. His reverberating roar echoed through the building, proof for any Pawniard and Bisharp still in the building that they were under new management.

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / jayden cross

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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played by

milky

jayden

he/him

december 25

ballonlea, galar

bisexual

wyndon ceo

admin

5'10" height

we'll never get free, lamb to the slaughter

awards

4,142 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @jayden