Well that got a reaction out of them. It also revealed something that Kaz himself wasn't sure what to do it. He certainly didn't want to be stuck here and turn into some kind of ugly monster. Looking at the choices in front of him it started to feel like he lucked out of the bad ending of some visual novel route. If only kyle lopez was here to give him a hint or some words of encouragement, that guy was probably a wiz at these kind of things.

Still he gave a little bit of thought as he crossed his arms and tapped his finger against his chin. The Ruler did seem pretty angry that he was stuck here and in the job he was in. The lightbulb in his brain started to flicker but he needed a little more of...something. If he wasn't the Ruler anymore he would just turn into a Beast and while Kaz would love to slap the guy once he didn't want to be that cruel. If he was willing to tell him about the Beast rule of this place then maybe there's something else he could dig up...

"Alright. So I take it you hate being here yeah? I think I can sympathize. Ya wanted paradise, got it and had no idea what to do with it and stuck with it. You must be bored outta your mind then. So...how about I take that name of Ruler off ya? In return I help ya get back to your world! Its the role of the one named Pokkenger to help those with troubles after all! Hell we can even call ya...Wanderer if ya need a new name!"

"Eri?" A voice calls out as a Blastoise slowly drifts up to the shore sliding his belly along the sand of the shore with a look of content on his face. Aboard his shell is Kaz sitting on top looking down at the young girl. His eyes scan the pixie that stands with her, he heard news about a kid having one of the lake trio in their possession. Who would have thought it was her.

Maybe now she won't end up-no. No she wasn't going to end up like that one. Not ever.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Language isn't a concern of his even if others might chide him for it. Growing up with a dad with a sailor's mouth desensitized him to it.

He slides off his partner's shell and his feet splash into the water as it reaches up to his ankles. A shiver is sent up his spine and he can't help but let his teeth chatter as he quickly steps out of the water. "Its freezing today, you out having a little adventure or something?" Kids her age were always found out and about the region but he couldn't see anyone else but her come out all the way out here during this cold. It wasn't worth it.

[continued from this thread...]

Lights slowly started to flicker back on along the streets of the volcano town filling it with light. Some were relieved, others worried or angry, such a power outage rarely happened on this scale. Surely something must have gone wrong.

They would be somewhat right.

A "blip" echoed in front of the local Poke Center as a golden Arcanine holding a bloody mess appeared out of thin air. Gently lowering its cargo it sniffed the body and let out a whine as it nudged it. Kazimir opened his eyes to a blurry sight as he looked at where he was brought and frowned. Even if he couldn't see clearly he recognized the shape and logo on the building plenty.

"No...no buddy. Not here...a hos...hospital.." It hurt to talk and the proof was in the hacking he started to do. Zev Harcourt sure did make sure that he was on the edge of death this time even if he didn't realize it was him that did this. The Arcanine started to whine even louder and shuffle his paws as he started to let out loud barks to try and get someone, anyone's, attention to come and help his trainer.

A ditto could become anything it wanted to be. There was some sense of jealousy to be had with that, after all why wouldn't you want to be able to change yourself in an instant? Still that would be living a lie wouldn't it? But wasn't there a way to turn that into the truth? One would have to work really hard to make that work though.

Was Kaz really up to that challenge? Change who he was? The more he thought about it the more he didn't think he could. Maybe it was just nerves getting to him. "Alright let's just...get this over with." He needed a distraction. Getting out a Pokeball he locked eyes with the Ditto as it morphed into a double of himself and Kaz just smirked.

He could totally kick his own ass. So he tossed the ball forward.

Maybe he needed to be fierce like a dragon. Skill and strength was something he had proven to many before yet nowadays it didn't seem to phase his enemies. Then again how can he compare to some of the threats that have faced this region already? The only thing close that could compare was etching his name into the region's hall of fame as one of its champions. Or well Top Champion if he wanted to prove himself.

"Top Champion...yeah..." When news about the changes brought to the league he couldn't help but scoff. Even today he scoffs thinking about it. Sure those who passed would be considered "Champion" level trainers but there was still someone on top, someone that the League planted there because of who he was. He didn't believe for a second Kyle would still be up there if he didn't have to be. The only time he saw the man take any sort of initiative was during the treasure island business, and even then the guy seemed different than usual.

"Maybe I should...be like a dragon?" The thought intruded as he watched an Applin roll around coming in his direction. It was cute and assuming but Kaz was familiar with the species somewhat. Back home giving one meant giving your heart to someone and he knew that being part dragon made them rather resilient and powerful if properly taken care of. Slipping a ball out of his pocket he stepped in front of its path and held out the ball. The little apple stopped and looked up at him and gave a little hop as it charged at Kazimir as he threw the ball at it, ready to tame yet another dragon even if it was a small one.

"Used to be friends with the Avatar of Solgaleo way back then, friends with a few that aren't around anymore actually. Guy was someone I respected and sort of looked up to. He was a literal wall when it came to conflict around here, almost reminds me of Dewford's own Sheriff in some ways. Long story short before that Three Day War we managed to get into Ultra Space to rescue someone that got trapped inside." He lets out a sigh as his face quickly turns sullen as he focuses on the ground. He always hated this part of the story, how he wished he could do it over and over again to get it right.

"That was the plan anyway, we ran into those Megalopolans for the first time. They ended up eating one of our own. As we tried to leave Solgaleo managed to open a portal to kick us out but got stuck on the other side. For a while we figured he was okay cause those Avatar powers never left him but soon...soon we found out traces of it were gone. Then you guys got to him after taking Sootopolis." His gaze turns back to Howard and for a moment there's a look of accusation at him, at Rocket, before it looks sullen once more.

"Recently found out after that he joined you guys and went back to Kanto to help out over there. If you ever heard of a Balder Schwartz then that's him. Couldn't believe it when I heard it. Knew he had problems with League but never thought he'd changed sides. Kinda...makes me rethink what I said to ya before." If someone like him could find something in Rocket...then maybe...

He had to wonder if what he was doing for the League was worth it anymore. Doing stuff like Ranger work was just a matter of formality for him in the past, starting up a Gym might be right up his alley but he never considered himself the teaching type. Then there was going back to the Elite Four except he missed his chance after Michael Navidson was promoted. Hoenn had a bad history with keeping all four members together for a while but even he didn't want to wish that luck on the new guy. He could go back to being Pokkenger but his old deal with dahlia goode might be a problem if they decide to crack down on him trying to play hero.

Maybe playing the hero was what wasn't working out anymore. Hoenn needed a change, and maybe he could help bring it about a different way.

"...Y'know I was knocked down here. Last thing I saw was one of our councilwoman sending a blast right into league forces without a care. You'd think they'd send someone to look for me, an ex member of their Elite Four and Team Aqua, and they probably do have their hands full sure. But it feels like I'm nothing to them anymore. To anybody there." His hand snakes up the back of his head, running through the dirt in his blonde hair as his eyes start to water, "I'm sure some people like be still but I feel like I got no more trust with them, that they don't think I can do anything to help with anything. So why waste manpower on someone like that."

Finally he sits next to Howard, his face trained on the smoldering embers left of the little campfire as his knees are brought close to his chest. His Melmetal despite having a body of iron still carries a heart and strokes the top of its trainer head with a smooth but heavy lugnut hand, "Think I saw you make a dive for a buddy before I went over. He's lucky to have a bud willing to try and reach out to him."

"Well but-" A flash of a bundle of kids having his features flash in his mind. At one point in a far off dream he did have kids. He did find them annoying at times but he could also say that the short time with them was always a blessing. He doubt the man trying to pry himself out of bed would even believe something like that though, he didn't seem like he was in the best of moods.

Evident by how he forgot it was Saturday of all days and that kids normally don't go to school on that day. The retort from the kid did put a bit of a smirk on Kaz's face as he he put his hands on his hips. "-But I'm also a guy with parents, so believe me when I say that the kid's just worried about you. We were both at the island, we both got roughed up pretty badly."

He puts a hand on the older man's shoulder, its not to push him back onto the bed but to just hold him in place, to stop him from taking another step forward. A gentle but firm signal from one wounded man to another. "Just take it easy ok? What's the worse that can happen if you're not up and at it right away?"

Kazuya Yoshida

"Nah, if only I was that lucky." He'd give a lot in order to find Solgaleo again, even if it was just some other one from some different world than ours. Hoenn needed the light of the sun back one way or another. Yet he knew that each day he was failing it by not even making an effort to search for it.

"Its more of a...illusion? Double?" He walks over to a small clump of Tera Crystals near them and kicks it with his foot. It shines brightly and the roar of another Solgaleo echoes through the chasm as mist surrounds them and another barrels overhead before crashing into the wall above shattering into dust yet again. "Dunno how they do it but I think these crystals just bring about Pokemon we really want, but they're not exactly ones we can catch. Even a little flick makes them turn to dust."

Speaking of he reaches for a waffle, the dust of the tera crystals still giving it a glittery coat as Kazimir takes a bite out of it. There's an audible crunch from his bite and he gave it a bit of a shake to shake off more of the glitter. "Needs syrup." He gulps.

"You said this was your punishment right? What the hell did you do to get on your boss' bad side? Thought you were the great Admin Fox or something. Didn't you kill a bunch of Pokemon that belonged to some big shot trainer or something?"

Watching the Petlil skip around the flowers he had to wonder if there was always a chance for him to bloom into a flower a second time. Yeah something like that didn't happen in real life but real life around here was sometimes more crazy than fiction. Legendary Pokemon as of late made sure to turn that into a fact.

"Man I've been thinking too much. My head hurts." Even the gentle rub of fingers along the temple didn't even seem to soothe his headache. Yet when he felt something nuzzling his angle looking down he saw the face of the little flower bud looking up at him. Kaz couldn't help but crack a smile as he knelt down beside it and pulled out one of the many treats he always brought along with him to the park.

Handing it off to the little flower he also took out a ball and rolled it around in front of the grass type to get its attention. It stared at the ball before letting out a happy chirp and a little jig. It seemed to understand what he was asking it to do. "Think we'll get along great little...gal? Ya look like a gal."

He watches the warrior angel stand after rolling in the dirt the wings he calls fists rising once more to come at a destroyer. What will be destroyed here is uncertain, the hold on a folk hero an angel has or the body of a man who fights even against another world. Perhaps both will perish under this blue sea.

As the man calls for him to meet him a tongue licks away at a bit of blood that leaks from the mouth. A smirk reveals teeth stained with red as he readies for him. As two fists soar towards each other skin grinds against skin as they fly right past each other. The wrong angle aimed for? Maybe an uneven floor to catch him off balance perhaps? Maybe its the man deep under the poison letting out one last piece of resistance from under the spell.

Whatever the cause is one man's saving grace as Kaz's fist brushes against Navy's cheek while the Sheriff's fist finds itself slamming against his solar plexus. A beat, then a cough as flecks of red with a hint of purple stain the warrior angel's arm as Kaz falls to his side like a sack of bricks as the last bit of consciousness he has is taken by a lack of air and a burning poison in his blood.