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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]It wasn't every day you saw a clown getting shot out of a cannon. It wasn't every day that both the clown and the cannon were Pokemon. But Joyland wasn't your everyday destination, even if the Funtasia was putting that fact to the test. The Mime Jr. shot through the air, a Dazzling Gleam highlighting it with every twist and tumble.[break][break]

Not to be outdone, the Golurk cannon snapped into action. It twisted around, configuring itself from cannon mode to flight one, before rocketing into the sky after the Mime Jr. At the apex of its firing arc, the Golurk caught it, hands clasped around a shimmering Barrier. The Golurk stuck its arms out, tilting back and forth as the Mime Jr rolled from side to side. It then raised the ball on a single figure, giving the Mime. Jr space to do a death defying Teeter Dance.[break][break]

Man. Seeing a Golurk flying around like this brought back memories.[break][break]

Speak of the devil, and it would come. As Isaac walked away from the show, he noticed that familiar shock of white-blonde hair. Of course Fortree's gym leader would be enjoying his town's spin on the festival. Why would Isaac expect anything else? He moved over to say hi, but before he could noticed they weren't alone.[break][break]

There was focus in Alex's eyes and a child perched on his shoulders. Isaac's mind went to Eris Halla; he knew this scene all too well.[break][break]

"Fortree's finest on duty, even on a day like this," Isaac quipped as he emerged from the crowd, falling in step with Alex. "You two need a hand?"

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Yeah. In a crowd like this, it could take a bit." Isaac hummed thoughtfully. Right now, Alex was certainly working hard. But he was just one man. If he kept walking around in circles, and the girl's parents did as well, the chances of them passing each other could be high.[break][break]

What if they worked smart instead?[break][break]

It was time to appeal to Alex with the help of a shared interest. Isaac tossed a Pokeball on the ground, a Chatot popping out from within it. She circled the air around Isaac, orbiting his head just enough to be a pain in the butt before landing right on his forehead.[break][break]

"I think I've got an idea," Isaac said, a glint of inspiration flashing in his eye. "Polly Roger, you're the best bird there is at doing voices, right?"[break][break]

"Best bird!" Were it not for the smug was Polly Roger started preening herself, it would have seemed like Isaac was repeating himself. "Polly Roger is the best bird there is!"[break][break]

Secretly, Isaac was relieved that Polly Roger was too busy being smug to be a jerk about this. Sometimes, all it took was the right push to make a Pokemon behave.[break][break]

"How about we hit a landmark? Someplace where we can be found easily, but won't get swallowed up in the crowd? Like . . . the Magikarp fishing game!" Fortree City wasn't exactly the most water-logged part of the region. A big old fountain full of Magikarp would stand out quite a bit from the usual dense network of trees. "Polly Roger's quick and has sharp eyes, so she can help you find your parents in a snap."[break][break]

Now Isaac turned to the girl. His "we're men on a mission tone" gave way to a softer and warmer tone as he spoke to her instead. "Can you tell us what your parents look like?" he asked, a gentle smile on his face. "And give Polly Roger a little message to tell 'em?"

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]If Isaac felt bad about how Polly Roger might behave before, now his reservations went flying out the window. The two brats were practically made for each other.[break][break]

If anything, it meant Polly Roger was more likely to play nice. She listened with uncharacteristic attention to the girl's descriptions, snickering when she got particularly sassy with a description. "Wish she ever listened to me this much," Isaac grumbled, shooting Alex a quick eye roll.[break][break]

Once the girl was done talking, Polly Roger spread her wings and puffed up her chest. "Best bird giving some help!" she confirmed, her voice shifting back and forth between Isaac's and Alexei's like a DJ remixing their words. "Best bird gotta get that stupid Shuckle shirt! Best bird'll know where they are!"[break][break]

"Maybe don't mention that part," Isaac suggested. "You don't wanna get your friend grounded, do you?" At that, Polly Roger sagged a little in disappointment, but they understood. They'd have to keep their search for the stupid Shuckle shirt a little bit less pointed.[break][break]

With that, they took off, a chorus of "Get me a Skitty balloon! A shiny Skitty balloon!" following in their wake. Even if Polly Roger missed that stupid Shuckle shirt (somehow), the sound of their daughter's voice would probably end up getting her parents' attention. Would it be a little jarring getting told their daughter was lost by a freaking bird? Maybe. But, oh well. Shouldn't have lost their child in the first place.[break][break]

Whether they found the family first, or the family found Polly Roger first, she would perch in front of them and repeat their daughter's demand request.

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Both Alex and Polly Roger were doing their part to get this girl a Skitty. Polly's methods just happened to be . . . blunter.[break][break]

"Best bird! Best bird!"[break][break]

If the Skitty balloon bobbing up and down above the crowd wasn't enough of a giveaway that their mission was complete, Polly Roger's squawky impressions sure fit the bill. Despite the smug look on his bird's face, Isaac paled for a second. That Skitty looked quite familiar. Had they bought the wrong color?[break][break]

Then Isaac turned to the prize wall, where a big pink Skitty plush was being hooked off of the wall. Right next to it was a smaller, peach colored Skitty punch. Was that his lone eye talking, or did those colors basically look the same?[break][break]

To think, this was what that cheeky little brat started all this chaos over.[break][break]

Content that her job was done, Polly Roger perched right on Isaac's shoulder. He leaned a little to the side to give her space to preen herself, then stepped to the side so the girl could reunite with her long-lost family.[break][break]

It was bound to be Something, that's for sure.

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]All was well that ended well. Even brattier kids had a way of lighting up when they knew everything would be okay. Isaac smiled softly as he watched the happy family trail off into the distance.[break][break]

His smile took a turn for the intense as Alex made his next offer. "Been too long since we last clashed, man," he said, fondly remembering their race through a sky full of Golurk-sized obstacles. "Though I'm gonna guess this time it'll be with our butts on the ground."[break][break]

Aerial bumper cars would've been insane, even by his standards.[break][break]

Regardless, it was clear from the energy crackling between the two that there wasn't a shred of hesitation. "You're on, buddy," he said, and for a moment he was in the gym challenge all over again.[break][break]

His champion assessment had flamed out, if only by his own choice. 20 years of perspective and a reminder of what truly mattered in life made his heart far less uncertain. A part of Isaac knew that, were he to give it another go, he'd easily earn his chance to walk among the immortals.[break][break]

He just had one thing left to do.

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Part of Isaac didn't want to imagine what it would be like if assholes started getting into crashes in flying cars. Another part of him wanted to live in a world where A) he had another motorcycle and B) that bitch could fly. Life, sometimes, was a land of contrasts.[break][break]

Bumper cars was not. There was no subtlety. There was no consideration. There was only carnage. Isaac slipped into a rust-colored bumper car, giving his car's motor a quick little rev for emphasis. It didn't actually do anything, considering the cars were electric powered and kept on track by a direct connection to the ceiling. But it was the gesture that counted.[break][break]

As soon as the cars roared to life, both him and Alex had the same idea. They'd find each other the second things kicked off, and then they'd smash and bash the crap out of each other. With them being pretty robust individuals, and the cars being safe as can be, they'd be able to bonk each other around with little to no issue.[break][break]

At least, that was the case, until a third party tried to hit them with the bump and run. "Now that's no fair," Isaac said as he blew past them and sped away. "We gonna chase him down for that one?"

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[attr="class","skullbody"]"Its gotta be," Isaac said back, his voice a whisper despite the fact that there was no way their man of mystery could hear them over all the carnival excitement. "Nobody's tries that hard to not bump cars at bumper cars."[break][break]

It was true. The guy in the yellow car had been very shifty since the two of them were bumped by him. He'd smash and crash his way into confrontations, then drive off before anyone present could retaliate. It was as if he was trying to "win" at bumper cars, but in the least interesting way possible.[break][break]

"You go for the left, I go for the right," Isaac said, drawing out a little path with his fingers to help make the plan all the more apparent. "One way or another, come hell or high water, we're gonna make sure this guy's got a good bumping."[break][break]

Only with their honor restored could they kick back, relax, and rejoin the fun.

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