[attr="class","merrkI"]
people moved out of the way to let the challenger through and shinra would admit, the guy had some serious pokeballs on him. shinra was half expected someone with a lot of machismo to try and one up him, but a guy about half his size? that was a bit unexpected. Exciting though. "That's true fella, but! A pebble can't topple a mountain!" his words were more for the crowd as he raised his arms and flexed, his biceps bulging as their cheers grew in volume. their smiles were reflected in shinra's as he dropped into his own stance and circled noah, each step slowly bringing him closer to the kid.

that's when he snapped forward, his step being larger than the rest as he closed the distance and aimed an uppercut coming from his right into noah's cheek. just because the guy was smaller didn't mean he was going to give him an easy time. sure the bigger they are the harder they fall, but you gotta knock them down first after all.

[attr="class","merrkI"]
A volbeat came out from the bushes. shinra sighed in relief that it was a rather harmless pokemon. or rather something that was easy to deal with. reaching into his belt he let out a new member of his team, a venonant who's cry attracted the attention of the bug type. "put 'em to sleep venonant, then let's bounce." shinra commanded and the venonant chirped in agreement as its antennae began to glow with specks around it and flung them at the volbeat who suddenly began to feel drowsy as it fell to its side into a deep sleep. venonant's sleep powder sure was effective, shinra could probably use that, for now they had to just continue walking.

+ skipping volbeat

[attr="class","merrkI"]
the woods were sort of a favorite place of shinra's. maybe it was the fresh air brought on by the trees or just the sounds of it when one was all alone, honestly he couldn't quite put his finger on it. maybe it was because back home he used to have a lot of open space and access to the woods behind his house and would just wander around there for hours as a kid. it was probably because of that. even if this was a whole different region all together there was something about the forest that just felt nostalgic. perhaps that's what convinced him to go out on a little hike through them this fine after noon.

there was one thing he did remember though, the dangers that these kinds of places could bring. he would always get scolded by his folks for trying to run up to some dangerous pokemon in an attempt to pet it. yeah there were a lot of small and young pokemon that could probably do little to a child, but the bigger ones? oh those were the most dangerous, if not their size that was a problem it was their temperament that caused them to be territorial or just downright hostile. memories of such encounters suddenly flooded his brain as he heard the rustling of foliage and hid what he could of his massive frame behind a tree as he caught sight of a bush moving about.

[attr="class","merrkI"]
he kept up a smile as he watched her grab the blanket and sit down next to him so the both of them could warm up by the fire as they and their pokemon enjoyed a good meal. he didn't want to come off as like he was trying to make fun of her. he did find her attitude a little funny but just because to him it seemed like she really wasn't trying to be grateful. maybe it was just his imagination.

"oh well, i like camping." it was probably a bit too basic of an answer to her question. he did enjoy camping but he would be hard pressed to disagree about the weather like right now would be some great camping weather. "its sort of a tradition i sort of made up ever since i moved to hoenn. every holiday my family would barbecue and grill outside till nightfall and hold a big party. now i can't really do that with myself and a handful of loveable critters, so we just do our own kind of thing. a smaller party with just us, a big campfire, and tasty treats."

remembering all those times he spent with his family was starting to make him feel both warm inside and also heavy, like a weight was building up in his chest. "i know i know. its pretty weird. but hey everyone's got a weird thing they do or two don't they?"

[attr="class","merrkI"]
of all people he could have met up thanks to this blind date a pirate was not an option he considered. honestly he didn't think it even was an option as she approached him. he did have to admit that she was really rocking the costume. maybe it was her figure, or just how well put together the outfit was. either way she was an absolute looker, shinra was gonna have fun tonight.

"well everything's better now that your here captain. let's have some fun today huh? actually have a place in mind where we can grab some grub if your feeling hungry." it was taking a lot of energy to make a joke about treasure. but really that was probably low bearing fruit as well as insulting as well. "so captain, you got a name? mine's shinra. now you in the mood for some good beef? its kind of a specialty of this place i know."

[attr="class","merrkI"]
Now it was shinra's turn to feel embarrassed. he himself never really had any family either here, what with him moving on his own once he had a way of supporting himself. thinking about it now when was the last time he contacted his family? the more he thought about it the more guilt was starting to build up in his chest. Wanting to shake it off he did catch what the guy said about using it as an excuse for an extravagant meal over the holidays.

"well i usually camp out during the holiday. y'know kinda just hang out with my pokemon under the stars and around a big fire. crap i might have to make a bigger fire. gotten a lot more mouths to feed nowadays." how many pokemon has he caught within the last month? feels like a lot. like an entire teams worth. "and before you ask yes we'll be fine. I have a few fire types to keep us warm. plus we know how to forage berries.

he's been asked how he even survives doing something like that and well, surviving for one night isn't that hard? well it was never a problem for shinra but maybe he just had a knack for it or was really more invested than he could admit. "hey...is that the town in the distance? i think we're almost there. ain't that great delibird?" he asked the bird who just gave him a glare, making the man gulp and swallow his excitement.

[attr="class","merrkI"]
the crowds went wild as they watched the fight inside the battle hut take place, normally this place was reserved for all out pokemon battles but a few times out of the month they would change it up a bit. instead of pokemon it was people getting into a ring and having it out with one another. one such combatant was really owning the house tonight as he managed to suplex nearly all of his opponents out of the ring. shinra was really enjoying himself to a great amount in this, and earning a nice little cash on the side as well.

he did get a faceful of fist however as the other guy was quick with his jab, but shinra just grinned through it and tackled the guy onto the ground to mount him and began wailing on him with his own fists. the other guy managed to buck him off with enough strength and shinra allowed him to get to his feet before delivering a kick to his chest that sent him flying into the ground. the crowd erupted with cheers. "c'mon! is that the best you guys can throw at me?!" he roared to the crowd who at the start of the night doubted him because they recognized he was just some pro wrestler from tv.

a fake. a guy who "performed" for the masses.

Oh how wrong he wanted to prove to them, and he was pretty sure they were all signing a different tune now. "c'mon fellas i'll take on anyone in here if they're brave enough!"

[attr="class","merrkI"]
his blood was boiling! another gym challenge was going to be under his belt soon, heck it was pretty much all but guaranteed! that was what shinra was telling himself as he came into view of the gym with a little bit of a skip in his step. that skip vanished as soon as he got closer to it and was greeted by someone, someone awfully familiar as the two locked eyes and shinra furrowed his eyes as well in response. "Well if it ain't Mr. Steel Steps himself."

shinra crossed his arms with tense muscles, he had to know if this guy was here to challenge the gym himself. if he was...well perhaps a rematch would help decide on which of them deserved it more? "so what are you doing here eh? come to challenge the gym leader? don't think they take kindly to guys who cheat in fights. not that i'd expect your pokemon to do something like get themselves disqualified."

[attr="class","merrkI"]
"well now who's fault was that huh?" shinra rubbed the rag across his nidoking's horn and sprayed a bit of potion onto it. the pokemon himself just turned its head like it didn't know what shinra was talking about. running into a tree was probably the lamest way one could hurt itself if it was just as big and powerful as dervish. "ok...hand me another band aid." holding out his hand he was handing their first aid kit by a venonant, a bug that had seen their little training session and curiosity got the better of it and decided to check out the duo. there was something about its compound eyes that just moved shinra's heart so much that he let it hang around. "that ought to do it. now we're gonna think about running into trees for a while aren't we?"

dervish let out an indignant huff that shinra was just going to take that meant he agreed. "aaaand we have our little friend here to help with you, you giant dumbass. say thank yoooooouuu." the nidoking and venonant locked eyes with one another, and the bug type let out a happy chirp as shinra gently tapped a pokeball onto its head. "and your coming with us little guy."

+catching venonant

[attr="class","merrkI"]
shinra tried to stifle a laugh. he still came out nearly bawling his eyes out at the girl's explanation. "sorry sorry...its just...I uh. feel sorry for ya then. c'mon and sit down then and warm up. its gonna get even colder just standing there." he reached down with a stick and poked it through one of the slowpoke tails and held it up to her, waving it around as it slightly wiggled on the stick. "sides making the best of it is what we do down here." he took another grilled slowpoke tail and set it down in front of annie's pokemon to enjoy before getting to his feet and walking over to his tent and pulling out a large quilt blanket. "Well if you need something around yourself for warmth we have this. or you can sit in dante's lap, he's pretty warm." he gestured to the large feline cat who was flicking small twigs into the fire.

[attr="class","merrkI"]
shinra was tossed against a tree as the nidoking's tail slammed into his gut and sent him flying. the nidoking seemed all too pleased with himself for nearly killing his trainer. "ok...that's....a good one....ow." shinra staggered to his feet as best as he could using the tree as a support for him not to fall over. "now try that again. bet i can dodge it." he held out his hand and made a "come here" gesture towards dervish who nodded his head and kicked at the dirt before charging again.

that was when it appeared, a serviper that looked angry at all the noise going on, as well as in the way of the oncoming dervish who didn't seem to notice it. "hey derv wait your gonna!" shinra was too late as he watched the snake get trampled under the nidoking, its body popped like bubble wrap as he rolled out of the way as dervish crashed head first into the tree.

+skipping serviper