kyle is uncertain how to respond at first, but realizes that he's better off not thinking much about it. if he can console someone as unstable as a certain member of the elite four, surely, that means he's a natural at this.

"then don't set the bar too high. at least you convinced them, even if you had to, uh, beat them into tears. i think that's good enough."

he's not exactly a prodigy, but all he had to do was do his own thing to get where he currently is. with the region as unstable as it is, being a rock is as good as it can get for those around them.

"oh, yeah, speaking of lending a hand, do you mind if i can get help soon?"

surely, a brother won't reject a request from him.

"can you guess why the league had to set up guards here?"

he turns behind them where the rift that connects to ultra deep sea lies.

"yeah. they probably have their own means, but this is like the main gate of sorts."

kyle does have one, and it wouldn't be surprising for rocket to have one as well.

"we just prevent rocket from taking over this entrance," he explains frankly. "but since the last shift already exited the post and only two other guys came in, i'm guessing people will take advantage of it."

he realizes that maybe he's explaining it too much. kyle always goes off tangent with his explanations, which he really should work on, so he oversimplifies it the moment he catches himself in the act.

"it's basically capture the flag, except with violence, i guess."

"all i want is this day to end. i think i can go home once twenty-four hours have passed."

the intricacies of the planning all goes to the higher ups, which kyle can go help with, but decided not to. it doesn't help that his position as part of the slateport police force cements him as the region's protector.

"i'm just speculating about the gate thing and i'm not even sure if we have intel about it."

his mightyena's ears prop up as it quickly sits up straight. its eyes stare directly at the corridor they came from, nose twitching as it distinguishes scents from people and wild pokemon.

kyle turns to jett, and then back to the entrance of the opening they came from.

"i'm sure it'll be fine. worst case scenario, we can just ditch this place with my teleport 'mon."

if one can compare this kyle to the past one, it's clear that he has been jaded by the events over the course of time.

"it's not about winning. it's about not overdoing it. can't have their pokemon all broken up, you know."

kyle tries to ooze of overconfidence befitting his title, but fails as he crumbles on the false swagger he puts up.

he laughs at himself as soon as he says the line. "yeah, sounding arrogant doesn't feel like me at all." the message rings through for him still, but it's a statement he always followed but not

the mightyena stands up eventually, and along with kyle. he leans over and picks a pocky from jett's box, holding an end of a stick by his teeth. he waits for the other person to react.

"quick, they're about to come."

the mightyena barks and two grunts appear to challenge them. they radio in something in their radio that kyle can't quite understand, but it wasn't like his attention was at them in the first place.

at first chance, they bring out a magmortar and an electivire.

"oi," he calls him, trying to take his attention away, "how are we sharing a pocky?"

his hands hold jett's shoulders to keep him still, seemingly ignoring the adversaries. the pocky sticks firmly from his mouth, with the other end pointed at jett.

"i need you motivated for this."

as kyle forces himself on jett, the mightyena takes the matter on its own paws.

the electivire, separated from its partner, fires off a thunder wave at the mightyena as their trainer tried to keep the champion's pokemon down. unbeknown to them, quick feet doesn't let the paralysis stop the dark-type.

it charges through the weak bolt of electricity, legs starting to move faster even with the status effect. the electivire goes for a punch as the mightyena gets closer, only to get dodged by the pokemon's quick feet and have his arm yanked to the side with fire fang, pulling it to the cyclizar's path.

there's no eye closing for mister kyle lopez. he nibbles down until the last second before biting down just before their lips touch. the snack breaks with a satisfying crunch as he pulls away with a dynamic back step, feet almost fumbling on their own.

"no eye contact?" he teases, which he's gotten good at recently.

as carefree and playful as he was being, the grunts did not take it as such, viewing it more as arrogance than anything to concentrate on something else other than the fight they initiated.

the two pokemon crash together, much to the rocket's chagrin. disoriented by their collision, both the cyclizar and the mightyena has an opportunity to tag team for a moment.

rock smash comes from the mightyena, directed more at the ground than the pokemon. a ditch forms underneath, throwing rocks that have resulted from the impact to push both pokemon towards the cyclizar.

they spring back backwards, where the mightyena lay await, using the lowered position to charge back at the two, pushing them again forward for a one-two combo.

the rockets bark their orders. a protective smog from the magmortar and a light screen from the electivire tells that they're trying to recover from being pushed around, literally.

upon seeing the honedge, kyle's eyes start glowing with excitement.

"oh, shit, you have a honedge? i've always wanted to try something out, but i haven't taken the time to train mine yet." other pokemon were on the priority list to be trained that his personal projects had to be pushed back. "people always had its evolved forms, but not a honedge."

without informing the other trainer of what goes on in his head, he whistles for his mightyena's attention, and then motions to the honedge with his eyes.

the dark-type lunges for the sword, maw gripping on its hilt. as soon as it happens, kyle activates his tera orb, terastallizing the mightyena into a fairy-type.

it's a good typing to keep the power dynamic between the two pokemon, or so kyle's philosophy goes.

the mightyena takes the honedge and swings the pokemon with its maw at the aggron.