Poke.

Suddenly and tragically impaled by a pike, the empty beer can was lifted in the air and swung about in a practiced arc, getting dumped inside a hanging basket on the back of a straw hat wearing youth.

Proving once again that he was willing to do anything so long as it didn't involved school, Doug wandered about the sandy beach of Slateport with trash picking gear and a cheerful look, spinning his pike about as he glanced around, searching for more.

After a moment, he checked behind himself, looking over the little troupe of bugs (plus one big Mantis) following him. "How's it lookin' over there, guys? Missed anything?"

Whatever he missed was being used as a toy by the group of baby bugs. A bunch of discarded beach toys were currently swirling about in the Dewpider's water bubble, much to her and everyone else's (sans the Mantis') amusement.

Doug snorted, before turning his attention back to the job.

It wasn't a particularly hard task- Slateport wasn't about to let one of its main tourist attractions get completely demolished by litterers. But given the recent events that had nearly seen the city leveled, it wasn't surprising that the city's government had not been diverting as many resources as before in order to keep the beaches clean.

Which was where he and his new friend came in, as the cheapest of laborers: Volunteers.

Speaking of whom...

"Oh, there he is." He said as he saw a rather large silhouette crowned with red in the distance, easily standing out amongst the light, common looking crowd of beach goers.

He was just on time- Doug had gotten early, cause he had nothing else to do other than school, and the deities knew he wasn't going to even entertain attending class.

Without warning, the youth bellowed out a loud, careless greeting. "Yyyyooo!" He had his arm raised high, waving the pike about. As he got closer, he tipped his straw hat at the larger man, his next words tumbling out of his mouth with a drawl. "Zac, m'dude. Slept well?"

He paused, blinking slowly for a moment before glancing over his shoulder, then back at the larger man.

"Oh, right! You only met Kama yesterday, didn't cha? Meet the rest of the troupe!" He said, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb, before looking over it. "Oi, y'all! Say hi!"

---

TAG: Zac Ramsay

The troupe (once again, sans the Mantis) lined up in neat little row and stood straight proudly, eating up the red head's praise while in the background, the Scyther seemed to just realize she must have looked exactly like them last night, and was deeply regretting it, her face getting several shades of green darker.

"All right, Enough with the praise." Said Doug while laughing, crouching down rub the head of Joltik as well, grin wide. "The little ones are even less self aware than Kama; they'll be tripping over each other trying to impress you all day if you keep at it."

And they tended to be rather clumsy- he would rather not see what kind of foolishness they got up to if motivated.

"For the record- found him 'round the same place we met. It's the best part of the city if you are looking for cute little buggers." He said, tipping his hat before turning his attention to Zac's own pokemon.

"You got some big friends, m'dude! Seems like Kama and I won't 'ave to worry 'bout the heavy lifting 'ter all!" He said, looking over his shoulder as he did. "Ain'tcha glad you don't gotta touch any big dirties with them fancy claws?"

She snorted.

"She's glad." He said with a nod, before grinning up at the big pokemon. "Pleasure to meet'ch'all. Nice working with ya."

He then squatted down, nodding at the smaller mons as well.

"You too, little dudes." He said, before sluggishly rising back to his feet and facing Zac.

"Right behind ya m'dude. Been a while since we saw any litter; might as well deal with the big stuff now."

---

TAG: Zac Ramsay

He could see it now that it had been pointed out- it was the largest thing in the beach, though it fit the scenery so well (and was so virtually impossible for Doug to do anything about) that he had blanked it out until now.

Well, the big boys were here now, so...

The youth grinned, tipping his hat slightly.

"Do we need to go in? I'm sure they'll come out and greet some rowdy trespassers if they knock hard enough." He said, glancing over his shoulder towards his little troupe.

His gaze settled onto Larvesta. She jolted the moment their eyes met, and his grin only grew wider.

"Mothra, baby! With me!" He said cheerily, drawing a panicked squeak out of the little larvae.

Despite this, she fell in line all the same, though clearly hesitant. The youth marched on to the ship, until the pair was.. relatively near.

"Metal's durable as hell- but it's innate soundproofing is terrible, I hear." He said while scratching at his neck, noting to himself that something he learned in school was being useful, for once.

"Y'all might wanna cover your ears." He warned everyone as his own hands came over his ears. "Mothra, be a dear and... screech." He said.

In response, the little larvae reluctantly nodded, rearing back its head-

Before letting out a shrill, high bellow towards the ship that seemed to disrupt the very waves coming and going nearby.

---

TAG: Zac Ramsay

Several clangs began to echo within the ship little after the screech.

It sounded somewhat big. And heavy. Needless to say, Doug fetched Larvesta into his arms before beginning to back away from the ruined hunk of metal, humming.

For her part, Kama's eyes narrowed as she stepped in front of the troupe of buggers, her wings beginning to flap behind her as she began to hop in place from one leg to the other, as if warming up.

"Uh, thanks! Sounds like a big guy in there, huh?" He said as he came to stand besides Zac, still holding onto Larvesta as the sounds got louder.

Reaching into his pockets, he began fumbling with his many pokeballs, quickly the troupe to their little safe havens, all the while stepping back.

Just in time for a... thing to step out of the wreck and into the light.

"Kama, you are definitely up here." He said, staring at the pokemon in front of him with some mild confussion and slight aberration at all the... hands going on here.

As if on cue to that, several other hands, previously seeming like no more than regular barnacles along the abandoned hull of the ship, suddenly began to emerge.

"Don't think Hoenn's family reunions are my cup o' tea." He said, adjusting his straw hat as he quickly tried to take stock of what he was dealing with, and how to deal with it.

And that's when it decided to chuck every bloody rock at them.

"Vacuum Wave!" He said snappily and immediately, prompting Kama to spring to action, her scythe's flashing as she swiped them across the air several times.

The very air around them seemed to shimmer and throb as barely seen masses of air contested against the rocks sent towards the two trainers, the boulders exploding into clouds of dusts as they clashed against them.

---

TAG: Zac Ramsay

"Thanks-!"

A thunderous roar, the sound of grinding, tearing metal, and the shrill cries of K.Od Binacles shook the battle field in quick succession, one after the other. The battle was a loud one- he was only now realizing how quiet his bugs tended to be.

Focus. He nodded at Zac's request, tipping his hat as he fetched one of his pokeball's from earlier before rearing his arm back.

"You got it, dude. Finish this, Goran!" He shouted as he threw a pokeball towards the struggling pair of rock types, the device opening wide to unleash a ray of light near them- one that quickly seemed to turn to nothing.

Of course, this wasn't quite the case.

"Let's wrap this up with a nice bow!" Doug said, swiping his arm in front of himself. "Electro Web!"

As if on cue, a luminous, electrifying webbing seemed to splurt out from the Rhydon's horn and onto the Barbaracle's face, the sticky fabric quickly fastening to its face as shock and lightning arced through its fibers and into the Water/rock type's body. Suddenly spasming from the shocks, it no longer proved no match for the Rhydon's overpowering strength-

And got slammed into the sand with an sonorous crash.

That was the loudest sound to come from the battle yet.

The Barbaracle did not move from where it had been slammed, its body being rocked by the occasional spasm but remaining otherwise still.

It was soon confirmed to definitely be knocked out when Kama approached it and gave it a good poke in the sensibilities, for good measure. It twitched, but little else.

"... Yeah, that's one knocked out ugly. I would say that's a wrap." He said cheerily as he tipped his hat at Zac.

From there it was a simple matter of taking it into custody and dropping it off with the nearest authorities- they knew what to do with pokemon like it.

They had to turn back and deal with the ship remnants soon after. The big boys ended up doing most of the work, but Kama came in useful when something needed to be cut, which happened often enough while they searched for the old man's safe.

It was hard work- but before the day was over, they got it done.

It had gotten dangerous there for a hot second- but Doug could honestly say he had fun with his new friend. Didn't get a single second to think about home-

And that's what he called an absolute win.

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TAG: Zac Ramsay