“Come on, man. Let’s not go and make this morbid.” Navy, in the throes of his determination, is doing a helluva good job compartmentalizing. No thinking about anything except this battle and all the strategies that might lead to victory. His mind is working itself out of the funk it’s been in. Frankly, it’s the best mental exercise he’s had in months. A real battle that’s making him reflect on the way he’s trained his Pokemon thus far.[break][break]
“I’m not here to kill your Pokemon.” He admits. He wouldn’t mind beating up a few Rockets. The shadow of a dead Mienfoo hangs over him after his Garchomp went on a rampage, but he’s in survival mode. There’ll be time to mourn and reflect after he gets out of here.[break][break]
For now, the ice spreads across Ironsides. Navy thinks, for a moment, that the bird might end up frozen solid. It’s something he’s seen in battles before. That’d be a lame way for this to end. Ironsides seems more frustrated at the surprise attack.[break][break]
He gives into the stupidity of his youth. He flies right through the beam, the joints of his armored body creaking as he level another swing. It’s a forward, reckless attack. His whole body becomes a blade. Navy’s seen him use this twice before to great effect.[break][break]
“You’re gonna get yourself knocked out, you crazy bastard!” Navy asserts.[break][break]
Skarmory simply does not care. He takes after his trainer too much.[break][break]
The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long. And gleaming off the cave, half-frozen, injured, addled from a flashbang earlier, this bird is burning so very, very bright.


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+ 90 MP, Brave Bird! priam conrad

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“Man,” Navy promptly outs himself as a hypocrite, “you watch way too many sports movies.” That’s how it always went down in the movies about the old greats of Pokemon Battling. They have to pull things together, come together as a team under their trainer at the last minute.[break][break]
Ironsides is in poor shape. The clever interplay of water and ice moves leaves his joints frozen. It’s not enough to utterly restrict movement or freeze him solid, but moving grows increasingly difficult. Were it not for the downtick in his opponent’s firepower, he’d be out already. Ironsides huffs.[break][break]
It really is like a sports movie. Between his own reckless antics and the other trainer’s peppy attitude, he’s not doing so well. The Skarmory takes solace in having taken out the twin of this monster of a Pokemon. But he’s not done yet.[break][break]
“Ironsides. I’m not gonna tell you to stop. You’re the same kind of idiot as me. You don’t know how to do anything less than go all the way.” Navy bumps his chest with his fist and then holds it out to the Pokemon. “But if you do it, you gotta put your heart into it. I’ll take care of you.”[break][break]
Ironsides turns back to his trainer. He sighs, nods, and turns to face the Samurott. It’s like Navy said. Here for a good time, not a long time. It’s been a long day. He can’t keep going like this…[break][break]
But he does it anyway, backed by his trainer’s support.[break][break]
Spreading his wings wide, he soars once more like a missile towards the Samurott. On a collision course that’ll lead to his own knockout, but he’s going to make sure the Shogun Pokemon remembers who he is!


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+ 100 MP! Skarmory brave birds while on his last leg!

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It really is like something from the old samurai flicks. A brilliant flash. One final attack where both warriors put it all on the line. Behind them were the hopes and dreams of their trainers. Even knowing what’s to come, even knowing the carnage going on around them elsewhere in the cave, Navy is only thinking about one thing.[break][break]
“Ironsides! Give him heeeeeell!” He shouts after his Pokemon. He, too, feels bold. Sadly, that does little except make his cry more spirited.[break][break]
Their blades meet. Ironsides skids past his foe. It’s an exchange that’s over faster than the eye can blink. Skarmory lands on the other side. He does not turn to face the Samurott.[break][break]
For a single moment, Ironsides simply stands there. So still that it feels like any movement, any sound in the cavern will shatter the moment entirely.[break][break]
Ironsides coughs a spurt of blood. He falls over.[break][break]
Navy springs into action at once. Jumping through the field of spikes and hidden rocks. Avoiding most of them, but a few dig into his feet. Until, at last, he’s at his Pokemon’s side. Checking his pulse. Ironsides is still alive.[break][break]
“…you did good, buddy.” He gives Ironsides a stroke along the neck. It murmurs a weak nonanswer.[break][break]
His opponent’s right, though. That would make the other guy the villain.[break][break]
“So, what comes next?” He asks the man with apprehension, wondering how far the man truly wishes to push this.

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+ 110 MP! Ironsides faints!

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“I’ve only got one left that’s in fighting shape.” It’s a lie. He has two. One is the dragon resting in the black and yellow ball. Something beyond his ability to control. If he lets that monster out of its ball, it won’t be fun and games anymore. It’ll be a battle for survival. Both for him and for the other guy. Vortigern just wishes to devour.[break][break]
“…guess we’re both kinda in bad shape, huh?” He pulls out another Pokeball. Roland, his Gallade, comes out. He looks to the Rocket, to his Pokemon, and then to Ironsides. He does for the Skarmory what he has done for all the rest of Navy’s team. He mends him with the healing waters of life. Dew drips onto the Skarmory’s wounds, healing them. Soon after, Navy withdraws Ironsides into his ball. Roland takes up a steadfast post beside his trainer. [break][break]
“Look, it ain’t in our best interest to fight it out here, but I’ll tell you what. You seem like a fun guy to fight. When this is all over, contact Navidson Solutions in Slateport anytime for a rematch. On the house.”[break][break]
It really is a shame. If everyone on Rocket’s side was like this guy, Navy could at least pretend that they weren’t all bad people. Just idiots who love fighting like him.[break][break]
“It doesn’t benefit either of us to knock all of our Pokemon out of the fight just yet. Your guys probably need you to take on someone more important than me, huh?”


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+ ooc notes

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“Ya caught me.” Navy raises his hands in a dramatic fashion, swaying them back and forth. “Really though. Rematch whenever ya want. We’ll meet somewhere at midnight, dressed in black. Have ourselves a nice brawl. Or maybe we’ll see each other the next time this happens.”[break][break]
There’s some small measure of resignation in Navy’s voice when he says that. An acceptance that this will probably keep happening. A world of troubles plagues Hoenn. Whatever the League and Rocket bigwigs are fighting over, there’ll be something happening in a few months. That’s just how it goes.[break][break]
“Don’t get yourself killed out there, man.” Navy says with genuine hope. He doesn’t want this guy to bite the bullet before he can have a good fight, go all out against him. If he wants to fight his way to the top, he has to beat everyone on the road up there. That’s just how it goes for someone who promised a bratty younger brother he’d walk the path of champions.[break][break]
Roland grabs hold of Navy and teleports him out of the field of rocks and iron spikes. As Navy goes to leave, the Gallade gives a wave of his hand and sends a wave of dew rolling towards the Samurott. If he doesn’t dodge, he’ll find himself affected by the same healing properties Ironsides received earlier. A parting gift for the road.


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+ 130 Posts + 10 Paranoia + 10 Knocked out a Pokemon + 50 Participation + 50 Ironsides K/O + 100 Caves Completion + 250 Tie =

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