Rock N' Roll

i used to dream in the dark of palisades park

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Magnetic

Admin Fox
He/Him
28
May 9th
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Archaeologist
Rocket Admin
An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.
Single
5'9 (with hat) height
5'9 (with hat) height
The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.
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howard slayte
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Aug 24, 2023 8:37:42 GMT
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"You're sure this is a good idea, chief?" Howard asked as they trekked up a small, rocky hill near Granite Cave. He was still in Dewford, and still hard at work on his paper regarding the wrecked ship that he and Navy had explored, salvaged, and exploded, in that order. It was coming along swimmingly, but Howard knew that his Pokémon were getting antsy from all his writing and none of his exploring.

If you left a Pokemon out to dry for too long, they would turn into a fossil, and get covered and dirt. Their skills were no different.

"Like, I'm not doubting you or anything. Shirley's a big girl, but a Pokemon belonging to a Gym Leader...? Isn't that a bit much?" Howard looked up at the sun and wiped his brow with a bandana from his pocket. High in the sky. They had spent some time trekking out here, and the granite on the ground was beginning to heat up something fierce.

Good thing he was wearing boots, not sandals.

"Not that I'm calling you out, Michael. I trust your judgement... Howard hung his head. "Guh, I'm not making things sound better, am I?"

Man, this always happened. He got tongue tied when faced with authority. During a mission, it could be excused. Here, less so. Especially since Navy was doing Howard a favor. Man, why did he always make things so awkward? Authority was something to be cautiously stepped around. It was something he learned from Team Rocket. Treat those above you with reverence, and don't dare look up.

Sometimes, it was hard to shake that for normal life.








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Teddie

Michael Navidson
He/Him
33
October 13th
Slateport
Heterosexual
Elite 4.
Sheriff
5'10" / 177.8 cm height
5'10" / 177.8 cm height
In the warrior's code, there's no surrender. Though his body says stop, his spirit cries, "NEVER!"
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Navy
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Aug 24, 2023 8:48:36 GMT
Navy Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","arties"]

Navy.” It’s a gentle correction, but firm. Insistent. It takes a very beautiful woman to get Michael privileges, considering how much he hates the man who gave him that name. The two trek through the hills near Dewford. It doesn’t take long and they’re back in the cave. Here be monsters. Here be terrible creatures.[break][break]
All sorts of things make their home here. Vortigern, great black wyrm, has taken a bride for himself and with her sired a brood. Occasionally, Navy sees Gible trot through the cave and give him a wave. Fierce as they often grow up to be, the ones that hatch from his Garchomp’s line seem friendly enough. It’s enough to make a man reconsider his opinion on his ace Pokemon.[break][break]
C’mon, not much farther now. Junior’s…well. You’ll see. He isn’t really much of a fighter, despite what his size would have you think.”[break][break]
Turning around a corner, they eventually come upon a snoring Tyranitar. Junior was evolved too young. Though he might have the body of a fully grown Tyranitar, he still has a child’s mind. Footsteps make the bubble forming on the edge of his nose pop. Looking up, he beams like a baby when he sees Navy. His footsteps make the cave rumble. Loose dust is kicked up. He moves toward Navy and wraps his trainer in a bear hug.[break][break]
G-Getting the idea yet?

[break][break]


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played by

Magnetic

Admin Fox
He/Him
28
May 9th
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Archaeologist
Rocket Admin
An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.
Single
5'9 (with hat) height
5'9 (with hat) height
The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.
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3,510 posts
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howard slayte
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Aug 24, 2023 17:46:50 GMT
howard slayte Avatar
"Sorry." Howard dipped his head in apology. Great, now he felt even worse. He had done some digging before heading out and prepared for conversation with the Gym Leader in the mirror. He did it with occasionally, so that he didn't say something so egregious that it'd get him tossed up into a cell.

Man, why did he hang out with his organization's enemies? How did the old saying go? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Except these people didn't feel like enemies to Howard. He had hid during most battles and scuffles between League and Rocket, so he had no reason to hate a single person here.

And Michael—Navy's actions were making it even more difficult.

Howard snapped out of his thoughts as Junior's footsteps shook the cave.

"Erm, yeah! Poor lad. Big body, hard to know your own strength. Looks like a sweetheart, Navy." Howard chuckled nervously. His ball opened, and Shirley came crawling out. Howard's brow furrowed as he looked at her, then at Junior. "Play nice. Seriously." Howard tossed her a cracker as a bribe.

"Want me to call someone? Fire brigade? Police? Fetch you an Escape Rope?" Howard shouted over at the hugged Navy while Shirley attempted to get into his bag for more crackers.








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played by

Teddie

Michael Navidson
He/Him
33
October 13th
Slateport
Heterosexual
Elite 4.
Sheriff
5'10" / 177.8 cm height
5'10" / 177.8 cm height
In the warrior's code, there's no surrender. Though his body says stop, his spirit cries, "NEVER!"
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4,008 posts
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Navy
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Aug 25, 2023 4:31:11 GMT
Navy Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","arties"]

I’m…fine…” The words are strained. Patting Junior on his armored hide, the Tyranitar eventually releases him. “Still thinks he’s a Larvitar, yeesh…” That’s what happens when you push your Pokemon to their limit. You get Tyranitars that act like puppy dogs.[break][break]
Junior takes notice of Shirley and her love for crackers. Waddling up to her on the stubs that pass for Tyranitar legs, he tries to nibble at the edge of Howard’s bag.[break][break]
Come on, man. Mind your manners.” Navy chides Junior, who slumps his shoulders. “Really…I think he misses getting to ride around with me. We used to have fun, riding the roads together.” There’s something sad at the edge of his smile. Junior, it seems, is another casualty of him stepping off of the sidelines and into the limelight.[break][break]
Don’t mind me, I’m sure they’ll train together just fine.


[break][break]


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played by

Magnetic

Admin Fox
He/Him
28
May 9th
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Archaeologist
Rocket Admin
An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.
Single
5'9 (with hat) height
5'9 (with hat) height
The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.
awards
3,510 posts
part of
TAG WITH @magnetic
howard slayte
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Aug 25, 2023 6:26:38 GMT
howard slayte Avatar
"Ah, it's alright. I'm used to bag nibbles at this point." Howard waved off Navy's apology as if it were wind. With something to focus on, and his concerns alleviated, Howard was less nervous. "Besides, I brought plenty of crackers." A saltine disappeared into Junior's mouth.

Well, to say his 'concerns were alleviated' was a falsehood. It still felt like fighting a child, but to the Tyranitar, it'd likely feel more like rough housing. That was fine, assuming Shirley didn't get too ferocious.

"Alright, Shirley. Go fetch." Howard snapped his fingers, and pointed towards Junior. With a ferocious roar that echoed through the cavern, Shirley lunged towards Junior with the same astonishing speed that she had displayed in Ultra Space. As the distance closed, Shirley's head gained the metallic sheen of an Iron Head.

"Yeah, that's life. You ever do something as a kid that you can't do anymore? I'm sure Pokémon feel the same way about evolution." Howard leaned against a rock next to Navy as their Pokémon began their tussle. "You could still do that, mate. Get yourself one of those giant quarry trucks, and you could replicate it. Not the same, but that childish sense of wonderment tends to do the rest."

Navy's expression made Howard's stomach churn. Hoenn's numerous conflicts were like a loaded gun. Close, easy to reach, and dangerous. Howard hated mentioning any of them.

And yet...

"Shit. I'm not nearly drunk enough for this." Howard sighed as he leaned down. After a few seconds for shuffling, a loud pop echoed, followed by a crisp sizzle of a bubbling liquid. "Beer? If it can make baseball interesting, think about how spectacular this'll feel afterwards."








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Teddie

Michael Navidson
He/Him
33
October 13th
Slateport
Heterosexual
Elite 4.
Sheriff
5'10" / 177.8 cm height
5'10" / 177.8 cm height
In the warrior's code, there's no surrender. Though his body says stop, his spirit cries, "NEVER!"
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Navy
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Aug 25, 2023 9:11:54 GMT
Navy Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","arties"]

Shit, why not?” He asks with a laugh as he takes one of Howard’s beers. Not his favorite brand, not the worst. A passing brew that will make this spectator sport all the more enjoyable. Mulling the taste over, he asks the obvious question.[break][break]
You alright, man? Seem kinda tense.” Pulling out a lawn chair he’s toted with him into the cave, Navy sits down and watches the fireworks. They have all the time in the world to talk about their feelings while an earth-shattering battle begins.[break][break]
Junior takes the iron head about as well as one might expect. It hurts, but he is no ordinary Pokemon. In ancient times, when evolution was rarer, Tyranitar were spoken of with the same reverence as proper legendaries. It was said that they ate mountains. Junior’s body is lined with armor. Cracking with is beneath through brute physical strength is a herculean task. Shirley is up to it, but it won’t be easy.[break][break]
Junior giggles at the hit. This is his idea of being playful. Stumbling back, he charges right for her. Seeing her as a new friend he can rough house with, Junior tries to sink his teeth into Shirley. There’ll be a big, mean ole crunch either way, whether he sinks his teeth into her or the granite beneath their feet.[break][break]
Shit, that could get nasty.



[break][break]


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[attr="class","credit"]milky




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[/quote]
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played by

Magnetic

Admin Fox
He/Him
28
May 9th
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Archaeologist
Rocket Admin
An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.
Single
5'9 (with hat) height
5'9 (with hat) height
The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.
awards
3,510 posts
part of
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howard slayte
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Aug 26, 2023 7:09:56 GMT
howard slayte Avatar
"Nah, I'm thinking about how to say words. It's hard to word properly, see." Howard chuckled wryly as he cracked open a can for himself. It was hard to word, given that so many of them could get Howard clapped in irons and dragged into a cell. Even if he could outrun Navy, he doubted he'd get very far. "When I turned twenty, I took part in an undergrad program jointly funded by Rustboro University and Hearthome City University that featured a dig up in Snowpoint City. Have you been? Their gumbo is incredible."

The two watched as Shirley cautiously dodged Junior's Crunch, though the Tyranitar managed to barely nip on her tail as she glided away. She howled, and Howard clenched his can tightly. Shirley had to be careful, given her lack of armor. Aerodactyls struggled to compete with Tyranitars, but they were ferocious predators of the ancient world. Even if a good strike could bring them down, you had to land it first, all while contending with serrated teeth.

"It's fine. She needs the practice, I'm more worried for Junior. If she gets too hotheaded, it won't end well for either."

Howard had made a point not to teach Shirley any biting moves as he raised her. A strong Crunch could amputate him. He trusted Shirley, but strangers were strangers, and Howard couldn't vouch for them. Shirley flew around the cave, flapping her wings heavily, before having rocks erupt around Junior in a surprisingly calculated Stone Edge.

"Anyway, went up to Snowpoint and did an excavation on a Piloswine that had died, frozen in ice. Perfect specimen that we referenced against a live one to check how Piloswine evolved in 'warmer' climates." He took a moment to drink. "Eventually, we had to do a lobotomy on it. Blizzard set in, and I did an ice-pick lobotomy to check the brain tissue. Shitty job, but I was young and only read about it for a paper."

After chuckling for a second, Howard continued. This was such a weird segway. "Brain was the size of a Swinub's. Turns out it had undergone a forced evolution to survive the cold." Howard gestured with his beer can towards the fight. "How'd this happen, if you don't mind me asking. If I'm overstepping, I'll shut up."








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played by

Teddie

Michael Navidson
He/Him
33
October 13th
Slateport
Heterosexual
Elite 4.
Sheriff
5'10" / 177.8 cm height
5'10" / 177.8 cm height
In the warrior's code, there's no surrender. Though his body says stop, his spirit cries, "NEVER!"
awards
4,008 posts
Navy DOLLARS
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Navy
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Aug 27, 2023 11:24:17 GMT
Navy Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","arties"]

I did it.” He says with some guilt. His eyes never move towards Howard. They’re focused on the fight. Some part of him worries about what will happen if he looks away for even a moment. Junior’s tough, but young. Innocent. His gentle heart belies the nature of a beast.[break][break]
I trained him to hell and back, when a meteor was about to destroy the region. Were you here back then? A dome kept everyone trapped inside. I thought the world was gonna end. It damn near did, if not for the League’s big damn heroes.” Some part of him wonders what would have happened had he been up there in the rocket ship with the rest. Of course, no one would let a nobody like him go. Those were the big shots flying up among the stars.[break][break]
I worked him hard. Pushed him beyond his limits. I thought I had to, if I wanted to do my part. Him and my ace, Vortigern…you should see ‘em when they work together. Scariest shit you’ll ever see. But part of me…” Navy grimaces, remembering the boy this Larvitar was, this time last year.[break][break]
…part of me thinks that’s just what this region does to you, once you start caring. One day, you’re a happy Larvitar. The next, you’re forced to grow up before your time. That Piloswine? That’s everyone here, man. League, Rocket, people caught in the middle. Makes no difference. Everyone’s forced to become stronger or else they’ll die.”[break][break]
Junior is hit by the stone age. It tears through his armor, making him shriek in pain. Realization dawns on him as he sees what is laid out before him: a feast! Opening his jaw wide, he chews through the solid stone like it’s a cake. It’s a tiny little snack compared to a mountain range. Ghastly purple smoke rises off of him, the sign of a budding curse. The armor seems sharper, harder, more refined.[break][break]
I hope to hell and back I don’t see you, next time shit hits the fan. You deserve better than what Hoenn does to people.


[break][break]


[attr="class","pokeclass"]



[attr="class","credit"]milky




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played by

Magnetic

Admin Fox
He/Him
28
May 9th
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Archaeologist
Rocket Admin
An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.
Single
5'9 (with hat) height
5'9 (with hat) height
The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.
awards
3,510 posts
part of
TAG WITH @magnetic
howard slayte
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Aug 28, 2023 8:31:10 GMT
howard slayte Avatar
"I was here. I know about it." Howard's voice was tight as he listened to Navy's confession. The way it was presented, with all those little emotions that gave away the Gym Leader's true feelings. That heavy crown of guilt, weighing him down. That slight shift when mentioning heroes. Howard's lips tightened when Navy mentioned that. He was silent for the rest of the story, for Navy's hopes.

When Howard spoke, his voice was a whisper.

"When that meteor began to fall, I shut myself in my apartment and closed the blinds. I held my head in my hands, cried, and waited for the end. There was little I could do to help. I simply held Shirley and waited for it all to end. Those people who saved the world? History will remember them forever. Old things that I studied in texts nobody can read anymore stir. Dark things from beyond the world scratch at Hoenn. We're living in a new age, Navy. An age of legends and heroes." Those people who had saved the world would be remembered forever. This was not disputable. Howard's face grew weary. The bandages on his missing eye were faded and fraying.

This was a man who had studied history, and knew it was doomed to repeat.

"You know what that Piloswine taught me? We are living in a cycle. A thousand years ago, empires ruled with the intention of letting the strong prosper, while the weak were enslaved or killed. Then, strong men and women fought for the right of the weak to live lives. People, no matter how weak they were, got to live a good life in this region. Now, you either grow strong, hide, or die. We haven't grown a step beyond the stone age."

Shirley's eyes narrowed as Junior began munching on rocks. She had never fought a Tyranitar before, and this was a new experience for her. It wasn't like she had a good counter to this strategy, beyond death by a thousand cuts. If Tyranitar would root himself in place, then who was she to deny him?

Taking abuse of his childlike wonder, Shirley simply retaliated with a Scary Face, before dipping behind several of the remaining stones as cover. After a moment, she lunged out for another strike, quick as a whip. A sneak attack!

"This world isn't kind, anymore. If you ever see me on a battlefield, just kick me aside and step forward. There are way bigger fish to fry than historians. Who else is gonna write your autobiography?" Howard grinned.








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played by

Teddie

Michael Navidson
He/Him
33
October 13th
Slateport
Heterosexual
Elite 4.
Sheriff
5'10" / 177.8 cm height
5'10" / 177.8 cm height
In the warrior's code, there's no surrender. Though his body says stop, his spirit cries, "NEVER!"
awards
4,008 posts
Navy DOLLARS
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Navy
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Aug 28, 2023 15:05:51 GMT
Navy Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","arties"]

A soldier old before his time reaches into his breast pocket. Inside is a small silver cigar case. He doesn’t smoke out of habit. He just likes the way the taste rolls around in his mouth. Navy lights up, inhaling light puffs of the rolled tobacco, and rolls the smoke in his mouth like it’s chewing gum.[break][break]
He smokes and he listens. It’s a great habit he’s picked up, the ability to listen. Howard speaks to truths he has known since he was a child running the streets. Under streetlamps, beneath the grime of civilization, there is something wicked in man. War is a universal language.[break][break]
Civilization just lets people pretend to be things they’re not,” Navy agrees, “and that’s alright.”[break][break]
Slowly, surely, Shirley is waking Junior up. Watching his switch flip is terrifying. He shifts from lovable baby to a monster without rhyme or reason. His blood boils and his body aches with pain inflicted by terrible wounds. How right the historian is. Nothing ever changes. This very same battle has played out across eras.[break][break]
Junior starts to move towards Shirley. His shoulders are hunched, his posture that of a predator going on the attack. Sand nips at his heels. Ripping his hand across solid stone, he sends it up like a great jagged sword. He means to pierce Shirley. He means to attack her. He roars in territorial rage.[break][break]
I saw another world in these caves. An old world, ruled by the strong. A world whose only virtue is strength. That ain’t the kinda world I want. Let people be weak. Let ‘em learn history instead of how to kick each other’s asses. Life will be better for ‘em. Too many warriors as is.”[break][break]
He makes no attempt to hide his sympathy.[break][break]
Crazy, ain’t it? Knowing we’re living through one of the most important times in history. Most people don’t get that. They only find out when they’re ghosts. Don’t worry, Howard. I see you on the battlefield, I’ll get you out alive. Don’t write about me. Write about shit that matters, like why Kalosian nobility is so damn weird.



[break][break]


[attr="class","pokeclass"]



[attr="class","credit"]milky




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played by

Magnetic

Admin Fox
He/Him
28
May 9th
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Archaeologist
Rocket Admin
An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.
Single
5'9 (with hat) height
5'9 (with hat) height
The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.
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3,510 posts
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howard slayte
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Aug 30, 2023 7:39:42 GMT
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"Nah. Don't be stupid, Navy." Howard stared towards the fight. "Just let me..." Die. "Nevermind. It's a churlish thought. Maybe this will be it. The era in which this cycle of violence will be broken. That way, you Gym Leaders could finally get... dare I say it... an actual hobby besides saving the world."

Dang, that joke was getting more and more realistic. It was always fight and train. Fight and train. Fight Team Rocket. Blah blah blah. Despite his joke, Howard came to a conclusion from the moment he had stepped off that ship alive with Navy.

As Junior finally woke up, Shirley's time ticked to zero.

Piercing a flying creature is harder than most realize. The force of the projective creates a shield, pushing anything light out of the way. Shirley is not light. She's not even a particularly good flyer. Her weight is too much, her wings too small. She flaps and glides, but Aerodactyl only ruled the skies in a time when the only remaining competition were species prone to their own defeatism.

Shirley, Howard's little girl, versus Navy's soldier, born of a desire to save the world? There is no competition. Instinct does not make up for training. Pampering does not compete with suffering.

Yet she tries, anyway. She dodges, but the glancing blow still sends her shooting into the roof of the cavern. Granite Cave quivers, and Shirley slams into it with a crack.

Howard looked at his can. It had been crushed to a small sphere. It stung as alcohol and blood mixed.

He would have to fight him on Team Rocket's behalf. They'd kill him. They'd kill everyone he knew. There would come a point where Howard would have to fight for his employers in a battle he had no sense in. Navy would try to save him, because he likely understood the circumstances many members of the organization were in.

That would not matter. Howard would fight. He would lose. He would suffer the punishment expected of the defeated. He'd go to it with the grace of a dancer who knew it was time to take a bow. He had sold his soul for his humble passion, just as Navy did for Dewford.

"Bah, there are more papers on Kalosian nobility than you have criminals locked up in county. Plus, they're all wrong. Robenserrie got it write in his first essay." Howard said tightly. He looked pained, watching his Aerodactyl get thrashed. "People only look at the past once they've faced the end. On the verge of becoming ghosts. Great men write their memoirs on their death beds all the time. Mark my words, Navy. You'll face something, one day, that you cannot overcome. Maybe you already have. That'll be it. You'll be done. We as humans love to look towards the future. Towards the later. We procrastinate until the last minute. When you finally come face to face with that last obstacle..."

Shirley erupted from the ceiling with a ferocious roar, matching Junior's ferocity. Her mouth opened, revealing jagged serrated teeth, each one a blade capable of taking a man's arm off. A desperate final charge.

"There's only one thing to do:" Howard tapped the bandages covering his missing eye. "Look back."







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played by

Teddie

Michael Navidson
He/Him
33
October 13th
Slateport
Heterosexual
Elite 4.
Sheriff
5'10" / 177.8 cm height
5'10" / 177.8 cm height
In the warrior's code, there's no surrender. Though his body says stop, his spirit cries, "NEVER!"
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4,008 posts
Navy DOLLARS
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Navy
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Aug 30, 2023 8:03:32 GMT
Navy Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","arties"]

Peace and me don’t mix.” He tried. Year after year he pretended to be something he wasn’t. Snooping around, finding lost purses, investigating failing marriages, and for what? Money filled his pockets, but nothing he bought nourished his soul. Looking at Junior, he feels as if it’s him there in place of his Tyranitar. It’s him lumbering forward. His eyes burn with a monster’s fury as his jaws open wide.[break][break]
But I wouldn’t mind getting everyone else there.” Victory lies beyond the horizon. If he could burn himself away to give a tomorrow he would never see, he would pay that price and call it a bargain.[break][break]
All I do’s think about my past. How my dad treated me. My mom. My brother. Running the streets with Lopez. Seems to me like it’s hard to look to the future.” He finds it hard to imagine a future. He looks down, as if around his neck he’ll see his many albatrosses.[break][break]
Maybe when I beat that thing you say I can’t overcome, I’ll give it a try.” He gives a dry laugh. Junior meets the suicide charge as Navy takes the final puff on his cigar. Junior is in pursuit of victory, a relentless charge that will humor no challengers.[break][break]
It’s here in these caves, you know. It’s humming in the sea. It calls to my little girl every night.” He forgets he’s 26 and not 46 – that Tsubaki and he are separated by less than a decade. “It’s all I can do to kill the stuff it dreams up.



[break][break]


[attr="class","pokeclass"]



[attr="class","credit"]milky




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played by

Magnetic

Admin Fox
He/Him
28
May 9th
Rustboro City
Bisexual
Archaeologist
Rocket Admin
An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.
Single
5'9 (with hat) height
5'9 (with hat) height
The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.
awards
3,510 posts
part of
TAG WITH @magnetic
howard slayte
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Sept 1, 2023 8:08:23 GMT
howard slayte Avatar
"Ah, don't feel so grave. I'm wrong about most shit, anyways. I'm terrible at reading people." Howard said as he opened a pokeball, and his Nosepass came out. "I once apologized to a girl about the death of her family, when the only thing that happened was her house getting evacuated due to some Excadrill."

Howard's smile flickered away as Junior's strike prepared to land. He clicked his tongue and whistled. Ayer shuddered, before sneezing out a minor jolt of electricity. After another sneeze, the Nosepass shot out a massive jolt of electricity in the form of a Thunder Wave, stopping Shirley's ferocious last charge, and causing Junior's strike to miss as the Tyranitar's arm jerked. "I'm sorry. I can't see her hurt too badly. Cowardice extends to gore, I'm afraid."

Shirley returned to her ball, and Howard sighed.

"Some people are different, though. Why is it that we call people who look towards the now hedonists, but the people who look backward historians? Why do we call the people who look to the future visionaries? We spit on the ladder between both, when that ladder is the only thing that matters, to a certain extent."

Howard is silent for a moment as he held Shirley within his palm. Her entire existence, confined to something he could hold.

"Funny. I stopped hearing it a while ago." Howard had a strange expression as Ayer also returned to his ball. There was a point where he had heard the humming that the world had churned out in a chaotic frenzy, but eventually, he stopped listening to it. He stopped caring. Why care, when the monsters kept piling up?

Why care when you were too weak to fight it?

"Sometimes, I think I do, when I focus hard. When I really try, I can feel it clawing where my eye used to be. It's in the rain. The rocks. The sky. The other side of the mirror. Then..." Howard splayed his hands. "Nothing. Fades away like a mist. Sometimes, I think that's why I love history so much. Easier to deal with dead monsters than living ones."

"Well..." Howard clapped Navy on the shoulder as he walked past him, and shook his hand. When he let go, there was a saltine cracker there. "A gift for the champ. Champ as in Junior, not Kyle. If you can get me his autograph, though, I won't complain."

Boots scratched against stone as Howard walked towards the light eminating from the cave's entrance. "I'm out. I'll be in Dewford for a little while. Let me know if you need anything. Laters."

He couldn't spend another moment in that cave without hating himself. Another moment in that cave with someone who would have to defeat him, should they ever meet on the other sides of a battlefield.

For Navy's sake, and for his own. He had to walk back alone.








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played by

SHIV

GONGAGER
he/him
25
October 13
GONGAGA
gongaga-romantic
gongager
gongago
me?
gongaga
808 height
808 height
WHERE ARE UNOVA REMAKES
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41,417 posts
shiv DOLLARS
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shiv
Rock N' Roll
POSTED ON Sept 2, 2023 4:43:15 GMT
shiv Avatar
[nospaces]
[attr="class","TRAINER"]
[attr="class","omaccepted"]
[attr="class","omacceptedtop"]MISSION COMPLETE!

[attr="class","omacceptedmid"]

YOU RECEIVE THE REWARDS BELOW:[break]


[attr="class","omacceptedlinks"]
[attr="class","omacceptedlinks1"]TAGS:
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The Shula Region
Hogwarts AU
RPG Unlimited
MR
The Enroi Region
N:FB
Vyrehaven
Celestial Guardians, AU Sailor Moon RP
EO GENESIS
Code and Crown: An advanced literate warriors cats RP, set in medieval times
Swords Clashing