It had been an accident-- well, more of a miracle, really.

They’d tried to run-- Onyx hated it when they ran-- and one had tripped over the other and fallen against the tree, all rubbed up with sticky honey. Eyes whale-wide with terror at their inability to free themselves, they’d grabbed in a panic for the second mark, who’d beat at them with sheer fright to make them let go-- honestly, by the time he’d caught up, they’d done most of the work for him.

He’d knocked the free guy to the ground and slipped one foot under his kneecap, like a stirrup; lifting with that foot and stomping with the other levered the man’s leg nicely to hyper-extend it backwards, the joint popping free with a crackle like radio static. Onyx muffled the downed man’s pained howl by stomping his foot into the soft, loamy soil-- perfect for growing berries and clogging throats.

He stepped up to the poor sack still stuck to the tree-- he’d almost unstuck himself by shedding his shirt. Unfortunately for him, almost only counted in horse-shoes and hand grenades. Onyx pressed his head back to the tree by his cheek.

“You shouldn’t have run,” he said, face spiraling into a grin, as the pummeling began.

He was equal-opportunity muscle, one-half part technique and one-half part pure brutality. For this one, it was the latter.

When he was done, his mark was unconscious; the guy with the now-bum knee had crawled a short ways away, unable to rise because of his aforementioned bum knee. Onyx stretched as he walked unhurriedly after him, grasped him by the ankle, and dragged him back, kicking and screaming, and stuck him to the tree.

“Hey, this stuff is pretty handy,” he said with glee, standing back to admire his work. “I gotta get me some."

Then he wound up and soccer kicked the dude in the groin.

Amazingly, the guy didn’t faint. He did vomit, however, shoulders rolling as he spat bile and remnants of what looked like… corn? All down the front of him.

“Gross,” Onyx said with a laugh, waving his hand in front of his nose as if to ward off some terrible smell. “Ugh, how embarrassing.” He wound up to kick again when--

Oh.

He froze, mid kick, foot falling as he turned in the same motion. His first thought, as he locks eyes with the unwitting stranger, is his face looks familiar.

There’s a half a heartbeat before the guy starts moving, and Onyx knows he can’t have that. He gives an almost imperceptible nod of his head; immediately following, a shadow swoops above them.

Ziadem lands in front of Andres with all the menace a seven-foot-tall armored raven could produce. Not immediately in front of him, so as to pose a direct threat, but enough so that his path was blocked. She lines up an eye with him, beady red beam mirroring Onyx’s own-- though some would say far more intelligent.

“Going somewhere?” Onyx drawls as he pushes his way through the underbrush, nonchalantly examining his cuticles. He flicks a speck of blood from beneath one of his fingernails, bored.

andres buenaventura

☉

He doesn't like this set up. Off the beaten path, concealed by thick flora. He doesn't force himself through past the pokemon, freezing when she stared him down. The brutal scene before him was far worse than anything he'd ever done when he was at his worst, and he'd felt guilty enough over it. This? This wasn't something someone who was capable of guilt did. [break][break]

There's also the Corviknight that almost seemed to be giving him a look that read, 'don't fucking try me', and try her he would not. But this is still bad, and he can't afford to get stuck here, so he's already planning his next move. He just needed to make it back to the city right? Chuchi makes her appearance then, growling and glaring at the Corviknight, posing her own challenge. [break][break]

He appreciated Chuchi, he really did, but he wished she wouldn't do that when the bird was so close to 'eye-pecking' level. His shoulders hunch upwards instinctively. Something about Onyx's voice is setting him off. Fuck, fuck fuck- Think. "Uh-! Yeah, lunch! Late lunch, early dinner you know how it is." he said, grinning something practiced. He doesn't try anything, unconvinced Onyx was actually that distracted. "You h-hungry? I don't mind company, hermoso~" he added in tat typical idiot Andres fashion. He hadn't fought someone in years sober. And even if he could, he wasn't going to fight this guy. [break][break]

Before Andres can continue Chuchi snarls, and it's something more fierce than the warning growl she gave Ziadem. She's shaking, but unlike her trainer its not fear. It's fury. Big, brown eyes are narrowed and her face is scrunched up into such a tight point. Tiny fangs were barred and her nose wrinkled. She knew this guy. She didn't like this guy at all. "Chuchi please-" he hissed, for once wishing she would stop trying to fight EVERY altercation.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub | mission prompt: honey trap [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Zia nonchalantly lifted herself up to her full height, head cocked to the side; her pupil dilated as she focused in on Andres, like a blood-red camera lens; she gave her tail feathers an innocent flick, as though daring him to try her. She cants her head at an angle to look down at the growling Eevee, more curious than threatened.

Onyx thinks nothing of the snarling creature; Zia’s picked her teeth with Pokemon three times Chuchi’s size. What Onyx has in pure, chaotic malice, Zia is organized terror. She’s worse than he is on a good day, let alone a bad one.

Which is what this skinny knucklehead is about to be having.

“Lunch, huh?” he asks, using one finger to pull thin tendrils of black hair out of his face. “I might have to take you up on that invite. What’s on the menu?”

Here’s a hint, it’s you.

It’s not really like Onyx needs to do anything to the unfortunate interloper-- he’s under strict instructions to keep things clean and neat, because that’s what they’re trying to do in Hoenn. Dragging unwanted parties into the thick of things is the antithesis of both clean and neat, but Onyx is an old-school kid in a new-age environment.

He takes a step closer as Chuchi whirls on her paws and focuses on him, now. Like his raven, Onyx lifts one eyebrow, examining the threatening Eevee with a less than impressed air.

Still, he can’t shake the feeling that something about this seems… familiar.

andres buenaventura

☉

He's not sure how fast he is to the draw. Whether running. or summoning another pokemon. He wanted to avoid it either way, pretend he'd never seen anything, and go about his day. Unfortunately, Chuchi is all her fat fucking glory was making this her problem. Despite her threats, she's not engaged yet, which only makes the growling and shaking even worse, growing more and more pissy she was being overestimated. "Uhh- well- c-can't ever go wrong with a burger, fries and a chocolate shake." he began, pulling shit out of his ass as fast as possible. [break][break]

"We can also just- uh- you like Mexican? I know a good place that sells enchiladas and nachos." he added as he ran through his options. All the fucking dates he'd had in Mauville and he couldn't remember fuck all about the places he'd gone to. Damn, he was getting rusty. Chuchi is furious and nearly dart's to snap Onyx's ankle when he dares come closer only to be swiftly lifted with ease by her trainer. [break][break]

Despite her heft and the feral energy coming off her in waves, Andre's concern is as evident as the grip he held his partner in. "Chuchi it's ok- Really!" he hissed. He didn't remember a time his partner wasn't calm and collected, smug even. But now- She barks, no doubt a slew of curses and death threats in pokemon. She knows. [break][break]

She knows. She knows. SHE. KNOWS.

[break][break]

And Gods help her if she wasn't ready to destroy one little bastard, no matter who stood in front of her. That's why she turns on Andres once more, fangs barred and eyes wild. She bites him, and Andres is flashed back to the last time she did this. The only time she did this. Where they were cornered, where she was ready to take on horrible odds for him. Where he'd forced her into captivity and taken the beating and the escape all by himself. She'd waited so long inside that pokeball, not knowing what had happened and fearing the worst. [break][break]

Its this behavior, so out of the blue, so old that shakes Andres to the core and he grows cold. Realization grips him, and he's afraid of something else entirely. He's small again, alone and cornered. "I- I- can see you're busy though, g-guapo so I'll jsut head out." his voice shakes, his vision blurs, and he takes a careful step back. Despite himself he's back in that headspace. He's bigger, and older...but against onyx straub he's helpless. Chuchi's demeanor shifts briefly, and her ears flatten as she tried to comfort her trainer as he tried to keep himself calm. [break][break]

Then her fury returned in full force and her eyes turn to Onyx, struggling against her trainer again. She wanted revenge for this. Fuck Onyx Straub.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub | mission prompt: honey trap [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

The air was fraught with tension, tight enough to snap. The interloper’s little brown rat was taking slow, stuttering steps towards him, snarling up a foam. Likewise, Onyx is drawing closer to his prey, almost without realizing it-- but that’s the aim of the game when you’re a carnivore. You get as close as you can without the target noticing, saving your energy for the final burst, for the kill.

Not that Onyx was planning on killing anyone today. He’d done it before, of course; there was no moral high ground left for him to stand on. But prone to violence he may be-- and he was quite skilled at it-- the actual taking of a life was a tool in his kit he preferred to leave unless he absolutely had to.

Jett had always turned the other cheek when it came to his rumbling; she’d died before she could watch him become a murderer.

He’s close enough now to see the perspiration on Andres’ skin, and the whites of his eyes; there’s a glassy sheen to his gaze that isn’t because of the situation. It isn’t the look of a man on the verge of panic, but instead, the vacant gaze of the already deceased. Onyx can tell he’s reliving something-- a distant memory brought forward to be so real, so recent, it’s like reliving it.

He has his own nightmares.

There’s a strange… something, like a tendril of warmth, snaking up through his gut that makes him want to reach out and… comfort the poor bastard; Onyx grinds his teeth and pins that feeling to the inside of his stomach for the acid to dissolve. That feeling is not welcome here.

He holds still when the rabid beast takes a chomp at his ankle just for her trainer to reach down and grab her up; Onyx thinks, for the briefest of moments, it’s amazing what can be said about the loyalty of Pokemon wherein she doesn’t just turn her savage fangs on her trainer-- but then she does, the glass shatters.

The first thing Onyx thinks when he realizes who it is he’s just stumbled upon is god fucking dammit, he’s taller than me now?! Scathing, incandescent rage boils through him, burns him clean, and turns his eyes blood-red with wrath. He wants to reach out and strike him, this pathetic excuse for a human being; wants to see his head snap backward and his milky, pale skin color under the force of his blows.

But he also… he also doesn’t want to acknowledge that he’s here. He doesn’t want to let Andres in again, in any capacity. That was a different him. A different Onyx. A different life.

Lips pressed bloodlessly thin, Onyx spits on the quivering man’s shoes.

“Get the fuck out of here,” he snarls, making long eye-contact with Chuchi, because Andres isn’t looking at him.

He rolls his shoulders and turns away, returning to the poor sods he left stuck to the tree.

Zia opens and closes her beak in nigh-on disbelief.

We’re just letting them go?!

She doesn’t move from their path.

andres buenaventura

☉

Despite his best efforts, Andres can slowly see the shift in attitude in Onyx. Chuchi has given them away, but she doesn't care. Andres could never fight his own battles. That's why he needed herm needed assholes for friends. Even now, he was fucking useless, pacified after years of comfort. But all Chuchi had ever known was conflict. [break][break]

And she was always dead set on making it go her way. [break][break]

Andres can't even hide the cold sweat racing down his spine and the trembling in his voice. Any built up confidence from a few moments ago that he had managed to muster was fucking gone. If his bladder had been full he would've pissed himself. He felt lightheaded. He knows him. He knows who he is and Andres is so fucking sorry he couldn't get over this and pretend he didn't, because he can't. And Chuchi? Chuchi would never forget all the bullshit Onyx had put them through. [break][break]

The blonde lets out a small gasp, flinching at the sudden move. His arms raising to block, defend, anything really. Its instinct, something Onyx and his friends had drilled into the back of his skull. Chuchi doesn't flinch though, only further incensed by the order. "Chuchi, please-" he begged, weakly wishing she would let it go. The last thing he needed was for the worst person form his past to clock him for this long. He'd left Galar without a word on purpose. He'd avoided social media as long as possible, resorted to nicknames, changed his looks and style. Not just to fit in. He wanted that scrawny brunette to disappear forever. [break][break]

If he didn't, he'd just become a target again. [break][break]

Chuchi, meanwhile, would see that Onyx would regret turning his back on them. Without hesitating she takes Zia's distraction for an opportunity to strike, sprinting at her with surprising speed for her fat form launching herself to BODY SLAM the Corviknight. If she remembered correctly, it was just the same bitch of a Rookiedee from before. [break][break]

She's taken bigger shits than her. Her eyes flash with a sentiment Andres can't see. [break][break]

What's up danger?

[break][break]

"DON'T-!" his scream is guttural, ripping through his throat as Chuchi slips through his fingers and initiates combat. [break][break]

They are so fucking dead.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub | mission prompt: honey trap [break][break]
- Chuchi the Eevee used BODY SLAM

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

It was just the same bitch Rookidee from before.

Yes. The same bitch Rookidee from before. The same bitch Rookidee that Onyx had to scramble through the mud and the briars for. The same bitch Rookidee that he lured in with breadcrumbs and raspberries, trying to drop a box over; the same one that attacked him, gouged at his eyes, pecked holes in his flesh until he could finally, after weeks of hunting, wrest her into a Pokeball. At 3:00 AM on a starless night in the middle of a lightning storm. He’d gone home and immediately been bedridden with pneumonia

While Andres’ mommy went out and caught him a Yamper.

The same bitch Rookidee from before.

You believe that, Chuchi.

Everything went from impossibly slow to dangerously fast in the blink of a second. The little brown rat weaseled her way free of Andres’ grip and hit the ground, launching her snarling form right at Zia, who was momentarily blindsided by her trainer’s willingness to let their quarry go. Zia squawked once in dismay and stumbled backward, before lifting herself up to her full height.

For all she had in vim and vigor, Chuchi was still only a foot tall; Ziadem, though. Zia had grown. As Chuchi scratched and snapped at the feathers on her chest, Zia aimed a decisive drill peck straight for the middle of the Evolution Pokemon’s spine-- the junction between her shoulderblades. Striking like a hammer, Zia stabbed downward at the scrabbling creature, using her wings to lift her in tandem, grabbing for Chuchi to pin her down and turn her into mincemeat.

Onyx turned back to them, suddenly incredibly weary. He just wanted to finish beating the shit out of his mark so he and Zia could go home and he could forget all about Andres fucking Buenaventura being here, of all places.

He was so, so tired.

He wanted to call Zia off but he couldn’t really do that while Chuchi was actively trying to savage her.

“Get your fucking rat under control, man,” he snarled, arms crossing over his chest. Andres may have been taller than him, now, but he was still broad. He hated how aware he suddenly was of it. He hated that his quivering, mewling, shivering, sweating, pathetic excuse of a human being should evoke any feelings in him besides pure, unadulterated hate.

andres buenaventura

☉

The attack landed but at what cost? Andres and Chuchi had often been praised for their ability to stay in sync, and for his trust in her to make snap decisions while out in battle. They couldn't be even more disconnected right now with his partner frothing at the mouth and itching to get her claws into not one but both Onyx and Ziadem. [break][break]

Before Chuchi can pursue the attack, Zia counters. She's not thinking straight. Strategy is not at the forefront at this attack but hatred, and malice. She's only in it to inflict as much pain as possible, losing sight of the flow of battle with ease. Andres can't fucking stop her, no one can. The Corviknight slammed her down and a shrill scream comes out of Chuchi as she landed belly first on rough ground. [break][break]

She's pinned, and claws dig into flesh and it should hurt but it doesn't. She's not aware she's beginning to bleed. Activating COPYCAT, Chuchi smashed her nose at Zia's claws attempting an escape and snarling as she began to forcefully pull that rainbow glow to a gemstone on her collar. Horrified, Andres covered his mouth, as the matching keystone began to resonate asking for permission to attack. [break][break]

It's worse than he ever thought it'd be and for a moment he's back in Galar, imagining one tiny Eevee that imprinted on him getting torn to fucking shreds by five other pokemon. His knees felt weak and the only thing that snaps him out of his despair is Onyx, calmer than he thought he'd be but still dangerous. His eyes drift to the man's marks behind him and a part him wondered if this was the result meant for Straub. Was this why he'd been so fucking cruel all those year ago? Did it make sense? "I-I'm sorry! I'm so-sorry Onyx!! She-she's just- She's upset- The g-g-guys-" he began uttering out any and every excuse to rationalize Chuchi's behavior despite the pokemon have lunged for the both of them twice now. He scrambled for his pokeball, still sputtering broken phrases as he did. [break][break]

Chuchi barked in protest at being called a rat, hateful eyes turning onto Onyx once more. Andres was terrified. Chuchi wasn't in control. But any other observer would never expect the very manifestation of Andres anger to be in control right? Simmer, festering, honing herself until she saw the little rat faced fuck again. [break][break]

And then, in a flash of red light she's gone, slipping out from under Ziadem. Her shrieks cut off as she transferred into the pokeball again, swapped out with another. This Manectric stood calm, confused but overall glaring at Ziadem as Andres shouted, "GUARD." Takis stayed close to his trainer and Andres held his hands up, Chuchi's pokeball in his hand. "S-She's gone." he sniffed.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub | mission prompt: honey trap [break][break]
- Chuchi the Eevee used COPYCAT -> became DRLL PECK [break]
- Chuchi the Eevee is swapped out for Takis the MAnectric

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

A shrill cry of glee strikes through Zia like lightning as she grips the flailing rodent in her feet. Her beak tastes fur, then flesh, then fresh blood as she savages Chuchi’s back, her shoulderblades, the nape of her neck. A scattering of black feathers, iridescent as though slicked in oil, come to rest on the ground. There are small red pricks of blood on her chest from where Chuchi managed to tear the pinions free-- they’ll itch as they grow back, but it’s not much of a bother.

Only when, by some miracle of Pokemon biology, Chuchi manages to drill into the underside of Zia’s foot does she squawk and lift up-- just the one limb, the other one still has her pinned by the hind end-- but there’s blood, now, from Zia’s toe, as the tip of her talon hangs limply in the air; Chuchi is wriggling free, wriggling and her mouth foam is flecked with blood.

Onyx can see Andres’ eyes going a bit blurry, telescoping in on the unconscious and very broken men behind him, then coming back to his face. Andres’ skin has gone pale. His legs are shaking. He’s blubbering like an infant, saying he’s sorry, trying to explain away Chuchi’s behavior. Part of him wants to comfort the man, as sickening as it sounds-- it’s not Andres’ fault he’s partnered with a rabid, no-account rodent.

It’s not really much of a comfort.

Onyx does little but scoff and rolls his eyes. He knew, eventually, either Zia would win or Chuchi would get away. Onyx’s world was very black and white, and he had full confidence in his partner. She was a force even more malicious than he was.

Eventually, Andres wrapped his shaking, sweating fingers around Chuchi’s Pokeball and called her back, leaving nothing behind but a streak in the dirt and blood splattered across the grass. The Manectric that remained stayed close to Andres, listening intently to his trainer.

Zia let off a string of loud, raucous calls that Onyx recognized as her laughter. They were ear-splitting noises from deep within her chest. Onyx let her gloat a bit before he gave a sharp whistle; considering herself the victor, the crow lifted off the ground-- skimmed close over Andres’ head to frighten him-- and cruised up to some height.

In the silence that follows, Onyx drops his hands. He steps up to Andres, and for all he lacks in height, he makes up for in menace. His eyes are ruby-red, though Andres may be able to see the dark, purple bags plaguing his face.

“You keep your mouth shut,” Onyx says, “or I’ll find you. I’ve got your number, Buenaventura.” He lets that sink in, as tactile as a plummeting anvil.

After he’s made enough threatening eye-contact, he turns away. “Now, I mean it. Get the fuck out of here.” You don’t want any part of this, and there’s a stab of bitter disgust in his gut that this could be in any semblance, shape, or form, a version of him protecting Andres.

“I won’t ask nicely again.”

andres buenaventura

☉

His apologies are not just for Onyx, but Ziadem as well. Though, he can only wonder what his bully's partner thought of him after the weird history they had. Still, he's partially surprised and very relieved the bit of defiance hadn't earned him or his partner a harsher punishment. Chuchi was hurt, yes, but at least it had been a fair fight. At least he'd gotten her back before Zia could carve into her flesh once more.

He's startled by the Corviknight's laughing and even yelped when she flew so low she almost grazed the tips of his hair. But she settled next to her trainer. And as Onyx moved up, staring at him, his foot moved back the flight instinct from so long ago kicking in again. Onyx is calm, unbothered by the sight of fighting and the people behind him. Being responsible, he supposed he didn't care too much. But still. To Andres, that calm, the stillness in his demeanor and movements is akin to a calm before the storm and he doesn't want to be next. [break][break]

He'd been beaten before, but nothing ever like what lay directly behind his old classmate. "Y-Yeah!! Sure!!" he said. This day would go to the grave with him. He'd seen nothing, he knew nothing. "I'm no s-snitch." he said, a phrase that had been ingrained into him years ago. Running away and denying everything had always been easier. He couldn't' bear the consequences of confronting Onyx or his friends. [break][break]

His body can't handle the grip of so many memories charged with so much emotion. A couple of tears drop to the ground as Onyx turned away from him. He's so fucked. His back is to him. He can't see him crying, but the harsh way he gasped for breath after hesitating for only a moment is probably a dead giveaway. Takis takes after him a few seconds after trailing behind as he cast a wary eye on Zia and then her trainer. [break][break]

He only looks back once, face wet and terrified. He still can't believe it. After all these years. A pained look at Onyx and he's gone, frustrated and scared. Onyx wasn't the only one who hadn't changed. [break][break]

After all these years Andres is still just as pathetic as then.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub | mission prompt: honey trap [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]