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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]The thing about Dracovish was that "in need" was kind of their default state.[break][break]

Sometimes, it was their snuffly breathing making it sound like they were simultaneously suffocating and drowning, whether on land od on water. Sometimes it was their lack of limb, which made it seem impossible for them to stand from a laying position until suddenly they could. Sometimes it was the fact that their poor motor skills and legendary clumsiness made even the most tame of situations seem like disasters.[break][break]

In this case, it appeared to be a choking hazard. A Dracovish's eyes bulged out of its head as it staggered from side to side, an entire watermelon clapsed between its jaws. Its snuffly breathing only grew more and more intense with each second, all as the watermelon quivered inside of its mouth.[break][break]

Yet Ashley wouldn't need to fear for long. With a shiver, a quicker, and an earth-shaking CRACK, the watermelon exploded gloriously in the Dracovish's mouth. Shell fragments, pulp, and the occasional inexplicable perfect slice rained from above as Dracovish gleefully chewed up whatever was left.[break][break]

Interestingly enough, Ashley would also see that the Dracovish wasn't alone. A Totodile burst from the waters, dashing up to Dracovish and pointing to a slice of watermelon that it was holding. First, it pointed to the green shell and white rind. After doing so, it shook its head, making a gagging sound. Then, it pointed to the sweet, red flesh. This time it nodded eagerly, giving a few rasping barks of approval. To emphasize the point, it then took a big, hungry bite of the slice.[break][break]

How curious. It was almost as if the Totodile was teaching it how to eat.

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Watson, upon hearing the man's commentary, perked up a little. He turned, then fired the best pose mimicry he could work up in response; folded arms and a big, toothy grin. Was he taking pride in stepping up to a big boy human job? Or was he just following along as he saw it? It was hard to say.[break][break]

At the mention of a trainer, however, the little croc perked up. That's right! He did have a trainer! He wasn't just any Totodile: he was a Watson, and he had an Isaac! He let out a bark of affirmation, then reached up to snatch the other trainer by the hand. Upon doing so, he'd begin excitedly running and hopping towards the direction of where Isaac was. The Dracovish would follow in his wake, his body practically flopping backwards as his legs moved faster than his head did. It was equal parts comedic and disturbing.[break][break]

Poor Isaac didn't even know he had become Slateport Beach's most wanted. Right now, he was just sunbathing on the beach with his Aggron, taking advantage of the steely guardian's iron plates to basically serve as tanning mirrors. "Holy shit, I should've thought of this ages ago," he groaned, very much enjoying the feeling of warmth being beamed directly into his body.[break][break]

He didn't expect Watson to excitedly bound into his arms.[break][break]

He definitely didn't expect the Dracovish to follow his lead.[break][break]

Where Ashley once saw a boy and his croc, now there was simply a massive fish-beast faceplanted in the sand. Ow.

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]"I'm okay," wheezed Isaac. Between the squanched ribs and the bigass fish currently covering his entire body, his voice was barely audible. However, aside from the strain, he sounded like he was in good spirits. "Takes way more than that to kill me."[break][break]

A few pats on the side were the sign for the Dracovish to get up and give Isaac a breather. It let out a gurgle of understanding, then proceeded to get off by rolling right off its trainer. The poor guy was pancaked even more now, but at least he could breathe. The Dracovish wasn't so lucky. Upon rolling off of Isaac, he was left flat on his back staring up at the sun. With no limbs and no knees, the poor guy was having a hell of a time standing up.[break][break]

Sighing and rolling his eyes, Isaac popped to his feet. "Alright, alright. I got ya, you big goofball," Isaac said. He turned to Kiryu, who Autotomized a metal plate off of her tail right on cue. Isaac took the plate, then offered it to his Dracovish, who chomped down on it with reckless abandon. With a heave, a ho, and a back-breakingly hard tug, Isaac managed to give enough counterweight to help the wayward Pokemon back onto its feet.[break][break]

No wonder Sawyer said it seemed like Isaac had his work cut out for him! "Yeah. Bunch of coworkers handed me this fossil and told me it'd turn into a really cool Pokemon," Isaac admitted. "Though, y'know what? Fuck 'em, I think Grimace here is pretty damn neat. Kinda reminds me of Watson, if he was bigger."[break][break]

Wait. Isaac glanced from Grimace to Watson and back again. Then he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Oh god, there's gonna be a two of you," he muttered, the realization finally hitting him. In response, Watson and Grimace could only offer their biggest smiles.[break][break]

With that, Isaac turned to Swayer, grinning. "Aaanyway. You already met these two. And I'm Isaac. Nice to meet ya," he said, sticking out a hand for a shake. "And, hoo boy, yeah. I've seen a lot of misfit Pokemon in my time, but. Man. We're really on another level here."

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]"Heh. I like the way you think," Isaac said, returning the grin and the handshake alike. The two had a heck of a grip on that shake! Considering how much trouble their partners got into, though, it was clear that was a necessary defense mechanism.[break][break]

For instance, right now! Watson accepted the recorder, giving it a curious look as Bongo gave him a little demonstration. And then came the beat. Oh, yes! This was happening! Loudly and proudly, Watson began tooting into the recorder. His stubby little arms couldn't really reach the buttons, and he was quite off pitch and tempo, but it was clear that he was having a blast playing. He hopped up and down in time to the song he hastily strung together. Soon, Grimace had caught wind, the Dracovish swaying its head from side to side in a dance of its own.[break][break]

Yeah. These things definitely needed help.[break][break]

"Huh? Choking?" asked Isaac, tilting his head a little as he tried to figure out what Sawyer meant by that. "Oh! Weirdest thing, I think it just kinda breathes that way. It gets really snuffly on land, and really bubbly on the water. I kinda think it'd got, like. Both gills and lungs? Evolution must've been real, real weird over in Galar."[break][break]

"Still, can't say I'd mind some care tips. Whatcha got for me?""

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]"Realtalk, man? I have no idea what he has handled at any given moment," Isaac admitted. "It feels like it's always, like. A moment away from disaster. But then it walks out of those disasters without a scratch on it. I can't tell if it's helpless, invincible, or both."[break][break]

Isaac could feel eyes burning a hole in the back of his head. "Huh? What's with the look, Watson?" he asked, the irony in his words lost on him.[break][break]

Sawyer wanted to see Grimace in action, it seemed. No reason not to oblige. "Sure thing! C'mon, Grimace, follow me," Isaac said, heading into the water. He swam out, the Dracovish excitedly flopping after him. They got further . . . and further . . . and further . . . until soon, Isaac was bobbing up and down fairly far into the tides.[break][break]

Dracovish was nowhere to be seen. At least, not until Isaac pointed to the froth of bubbles rising to the surface in front of him. "That's how I can tell where he is," Isaac said. "Though if you look real close, you'll notice something real strange. See, look?" Isaac sawm a bit to the side to make room, pointing at the waves.[break][break]

Rather than swimming, Grimace was running on the ocean floor. At the very least, the buoyancy of the water was helping him out with the whole head placement thing. Instead of flopping backwards, he was standing up straight, running across the sandy sea floor in great leaps and bounds. It almost looked like he was in his element, even if each gasping breath left bubbles kicking up to the surface.[break][break]

"Pretty weird, huh? I don't think I've ever seen him actually . . . y'know. Swim."

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[attr="class","skullbody"]"You think?" Isaac asked, tilting his head quizzically. "I mean. You're right. It seems to be getting on just fine. But sometimes its like it really, really has no idea how to be a fish. Or a dinosaur. But maybe that's okay, y'know? Even if it sucks at being either of those, it seems like it really likes being itself. Maybe that's all it needed to be."[break][break]

Something about saying that left Isaac's throat closing up. He coughed, blushing and averting his eyes.[break][break]

Perhaps a good thing, too. He was just in time for the show! A Krabby crawled along the ocean floor, and Grimace saw his opportunity to strike. He charged off at, frankly, nightmarish speeds, letting out a gurgling war cry that sent ripples through the ocean. As he ran, he began spinning his entire upper body, head swiveling around in a lightning-quick Brutal Swing. The Krabby didn't even stand a chance, being battered about and sent flying away. Grimace was quick to follow, stooping down to pluck the fallen crab off of the ground in its jaws.[break][break]

Once it reached land, Grimace tossed the dazed crab into the air, catching it in its jaws on the way down.[break][break]

"Well, uh. That's portion sizes for you!" Isaac said. "God, I really hope it didn't throw that entire-ass watermelon before eating it."[break][break]

At Sawyer's compliment, Isaac couldn't help but smirk a little. "You're not half bad yourself," he said. "I mean, anyone whose Pokemon is having that much fun being with them is a cool guy in my books, y'know? Deep in his heart, Isaac knew anyone who could get a Grookey's eyes lighting up like that couldn't be a bad person.[break][break]

That said, Isaac wasn't the only one vying for Sawyer's attention here. At the mention of belly rubs, the poor guy would find the sun blotted out. Grimace was looming right over him, wheezing expectantly.

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]"Hey, I'll have you know I make that job very hard for them," Isaac joked as Sawyer commented on Grimace's responsibilities. "But maybe that's a good thing. Clearly, if they can handle my bad luck, they can handle anything."[break][break]

Not that Grimace had the brain cells or general awareness to discuss luck and pluck today. He was far too busy enjoying the belly rubs, beady eyes bulging and purple tongue lolling as he wheezed excitedly. It was a little bit gross and a lot bit adorable. What a strange, strange creature.[break][break]

Grimace giggled as Bongo bonked it with his stick, the little bit of content enough to get the Dracovish's flexible neck swinging around like a tetherball. Its grin was bright and excitable, and it responded by gently bonking the Grookey back with its own forehead. All the while, Watson merrily played . . . something indescribable on the recorder, a nice little bit of background noise to herald the meeting of many new friends.[break][break]

"You know? I think this is really the best help you could give the guy," Isaac admitted. "A lot of people seem kinda . . . well, y'know. Alarmed. But look how happy it is to have a friend!" The Dracovish was practically dancing in place, wheezing a little with every footfall. It may not have been able to help how it had been born, but it sure was happy to be alive.[break][break]

A cheeky grin spread across Isaac's face. "Clearly, that means you gotta keep hanging out with us to make sure the job's done."

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