[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Arceus. Okay. Rock climbing, it turns out, was hard work. But even harder than making it up to a perch on Route 115's meteor studded cliffs was getting back down in one piece. Isaac groaned as he looked over the lip of the ridge, the enormity of his mission making itself clear. "Shoulda brought Echo," he muttered.[break][break]

Okay, so that would've killed the point of rock climbing. A sunset was always nicer when it was fought for. But now that he enjoyed his nice, peaceful sunset, couldn't he just easy mode the rest of the journey?[break][break]

Oh well. Down he went. Bit by bit, Isaac wormed his way down the ridge, feeling the pulling in his arms and burning in his guts.[break][break]

By the time he was done, the dusky forest couldn't be more of a relief. Isaac stumbled into the treeline like some kind of bigfoot, practically collapsing against the first tree sturdy enough to rest against. No more introspection. No more sunsets. No more hard, physical work. Only fresh green grass and a gentle forest breeze.[break][break]

Maybe if he was lucky, he could finally get some peace and quiet.

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[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Remiel Calcifet Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Remiel Calcifet Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]The Cradily's ferocious warbling sent the route's smaller Pokemon scrambling for cover. However, the route's larger Pokemon were not so tactful in their disgruntlement. A Lunatone fell from the tree that Isaac sat before, its red eyes flashing as it let out an irritated grumble.[break][break]

Isaac barely had a chance to react. Mistaking him for the source of its irritation, the Lunatone began to glow a neon white.[break][break]

Panic set in. Desperately, Isaac flung a Pokeball before him, hoping that whoever he chose would be able to make a difference. His Runegrigus, Balor, showed up to answer the call. It couldn't have been a better choice. She rushed to surround the Lunatone, her cursed stones walling it in on all sides as her shadowy body embraced it.[break][break]

Her body rippled outwards in the face of the Explosion, but both she and Isaac were perfectly unharmed.[break][break]

"We better see what made that sound," said Isaac, Balor nodding once in response. She followed him from the shadows as he rushed onwards, curiosity and apprehension alike in his movements. This wasn't the rest he was hoping for, but neither would being bombarded by more exploding Pokemon. Might as well nip the problem in the bud.

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Remiel Calcifet Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Remiel Calcifet Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Faster, faster, faster still. Isaac and Balor moved as fast as they could, knowing even a moment's slowdown could spell disaster for them. If the Cradily's warbling had already set off many of the route's wild Pokemon, an explosion would set the others off in no time.[break][break]

Case in point: the Lairon stampede that Balor barely yanked Isaac away from.[break][break]

Lairon, and the Aggron that led their herds, were rarely the fastest Pokemon. However, once they started moving, Arceus itself couldn't stop them. Made of metal, mountain, and momentum, they barreled past Isaac like a living avalanche. It was only when their rumbling faded into the distance that Isaac deemed it safe to come out.[break][break]

As he did, a faint click of steel on stone caught his attention.[break][break]

Unlike many Pokemon, Aron were basically larvae. They weren't built to charge around at full speed ahead. In a stampede, they usually tucked themselves into the holes in a Lairon's shell. This one must have fallen off or gotten left behind, and now futilely tried to chase after its herd. It wasn't a fun predicament to be in.[break][break]

Worried, Isaac reached for two more Pokeballs. Neo the Aron and Rampage the Rhyhorn emerged, the two Pokemon offering the lost Aron sympathetic looks. "Neo, let it know we don't mean any harm," he said, the Aron nodding. As the two communicated among one another, Isaac slipped himself onto Rampage's grooved saddle. "Rampage, once they're back?"[break][break]

"We're bringing this Aron home."

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Remiel Calcifet Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Remiel Calcifet Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Route 115, as with every part of Hoenn, was no stranger to oddity. By this point, more of the region had been meddled with by gods, kings, and madmen than had been left untouched. Here in the Hoenn region, if a day was simply weird instead of dangerous, it was a good day by all accounts.[break][break]

Even by those standards, seeing a Rhyhorn crashing through the treeline with a pair of Aron on her head was quite the strange sight![break][break]

The chaotic group came to a halt near a cliffside, a rest stop for the Lairon in the aftermath of their stampede. Already, Isaac could see the Lairon using their steely crests to scrape stone off of the cliffside, offering it to their own Aron packmates. It was a sweet sight, and one that Isaac could tell was filling their Aron stowaway with longing.[break][break]

"Its okay," Isaac said, motioning for Rampage to kneel down and lower her head. "Go to 'em. I know they miss you."[break][break]

That encouragement was all the Aron needed. It slid off of Rampage's head and toddled over to its packmates, the Aggron at the head of the pack turning towards the Aron and peering suspiciously. It leaned down, sniffing it twice. For a second, Isaac's heart caught in his throat. Did their meddling mess things up?[break][break]

After a few tense moments, the Aggron rumbled happily. It scraped some stone off of the cliffs with its horns, then offered it to its wayward child. Isaac let out a sigh of relief, turning his back on the happy scene as the Aron was reunited with the pack.[break][break]

Far from any explosions, stampedes, or clashes, Route 115 suddenly seemed so peaceful. The route had stilled. The Pokemon had settled. The riverbank drifted past so gently.[break][break]

And Isaac realized that he wasn't alone.

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Remiel Calcifet Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtag"]Remiel Calcifet Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","wildnote"] WHAT WILL YOU DO?

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Remiel Calcifet.[break][break]

The first man to make him feel like his thoughts on Rocket weren't so farfetched.[break][break]

The first man to show him that he didn't need to just sit around and accept their insanity.[break][break]

The man who, deep beneath Granite Cave, treated Isaac like an enemy. A nuisance. Something not worth taking seriously, despite his feeble attempt at helping.[break][break]

The man who had been right to press on, because Rocket beat the odds and beat the League. They'd needed all the help they could get and it still hadn't been enough.[break][break]

The man who had been wrong, because Rocket was taking hostages and he could have been among them. Just like Elinor Anderson. Just like annalise henderson.[break][break]

Just like Caleb Harcourt.[break][break]

"What are you doing here?" It was a question and an accusation and an exclamation all in one. Untold emotions, left behind in the caves of Dewford, poured from his heart. Surprise. Relief. Betrayal. Guilt.[break][break]

All wrapped up in the package of a single question.

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