Hearing Noel’s answer, Navy reaches for a pokeball and allows Voyager to come out and play. At the sight of the younger trainer, he overflows with the boundless energy and enthusiasm of a pup. Something about this young trainer makes him feel like a Growlithe again. Should Ryan wish to board the legendary beast, Voyager offers no complaint or argument.[break][break]
The Sheriff’s eyes are dark steel in the daylight. Waiting makes him uneasy. To pass the time, he pulls out a rolled cigar. The tobacco is locally grown, hand-picked by him. It’s just a habit he picked up because he likes to taste the flavor. Some part of him deep inside has accepted that something will kill him long before lung cancer can have its turn.[break][break]
“This is a speed trap. They’re gonna run their cyclizar way over the limit. We’ll pop out, throw on our lights,” thumbing a cute little revolving light on Lizzy’s head, it turns on with a touch before going out again, “and then we’ll stop ‘em. If they stop, well…just give ‘em a talking to. Send ‘em on their way. They’re not gonna. Been roving around causing problems. They wanna take the sheriff down a peg. Well, we subdue the riders. Nothing lethal. Don’t hurt the Pokemon.”[break][break]
Turning from the road, he studies Noel. His inner insight voices that Noel may not be properly equipped for the task at hand. Trial by fire. That’s how Navidson boys do things.[break][break]
“Most battles you fight, you aren’t gonna be looking your opponent in the eye from across a battle pitch.”


[break][break]

+ Noel Parker

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Wind whips through the two officers’ hair. Once, twice, thrice. A whole gang soon passes them by. Many are on Cyclizars, as Navy mentioned. None of them have Lizzy’s coloration. They’re painted every color imaginable. Like many kids with too much time on their hands, these gangsters have picked up some hobbies. One of them seems to be painting their ‘bikes’. Many of the Cyclizar are adorned in colorful body paint. They screech and ride along, enjoying themselves.[break][break]
Sadly, they take their fun at others’ expense. Navy turns on the blue light, grips Thin Lizzy’s clutch, and peels out from behind the sign. Her wheels hit seaside asphalt and skid, the Cyclizar shooting off like a rocket after the offenders. Seeing the blue lights, they know the score: pull over or get arrested.[break][break]
They speed up. One of the rear guard peels off, falling in beside Navy. Sheriff and biker share barked words over the hum of turning wheels and the howling of the wind. The biker’s green Cyclizar grows tired of waiting and raises up a dragon claw, taking a swipe at Navy. It’d be a mean hit, but luckily, he’s not alone. The Sheriff has backup, backup poised and primed to intervene.


[break][break]

+ Noel Parker

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Voyager gives an approving bark to Noel after the gang member goes skidding out. Burned rubber tracks on that stretch of road will forever be the biker’s legacy. He’s left dazed, but unharmed, by the maneuver. Someone will be along to pick him up. One less to worry about.[break][break]
“Good job!” Navy yells, urging Lizzy to pick up speed. She shifts gear and shoots forward like a Rocket, slamming into one of them for a quick attack. Her brethren wasn’t expecting that. A Cyclizar painted in garish red paint shrieks and goes spinning, off to join the last guy.[break][break]
Two guys form up on either side of Navy. They’re not just letting their Pokemon do all the work. Both of them are armed with baseball bats. Seeing that the fight is on, they swing their weapons at Navy. That would be a clean, nasty hit…[break][break]
…if he didn’t slam on the breaks. Skidding to a near halt, Lizzy’s wheels stop. Only when Voyager catches up does she start moving again. The bats hit one another, making the men wobble and lose control. There’s still more.[break][break]
“Break left, take those two bozos. I’ll break right and do the same. Then, we meet up and take on their leader.”



[break][break]

+ Noel Parker

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

A bat clatters along the road. Were it not for Navy’s deft hand, it would be nothing but a bit piece in this tale. Instead, as he catches it and revs the clutch, it turns into a proverbial chekov’s gun. Lizzy’s faster than these other Cyclizar. She’s not weighed down by sentiment or other decorations. She’s the Sheriff’s ride, and the Sheriff trains his Pokemon well.[break][break]
She breaks to the side, doing a rapid spin as one of the bikers brings down their bat on Navy. He catches it with his own bat, retorting with a strike of his own. The man on the other side tries to come at Navy with a pipe. Lizzy saves him. She lunges at the man’s arm with a quick attack. For a big badass biker, he whines like a baby at pain.[break][break]
“Shit man, shit. I think there’s venom in that bite!”[break][break]
“Cyclizar aren’t poison types, you idiot!” His fellow says, still locked in mortal combat with Navy. A tap on his back from the bat puts a stop to him. The Cyclizar beneath him, seeing his rider fall, goes off to see after him. The other guy holds up his hands.[break][break]
“I’m done, I’m done. I just wanted to be a badass biker and get some bitches. I’m not here to scrap with you, man.”[break][break]
“Then get lost before I get back.” The merciful Sheriff says, urging Lizzy to speed up.[break][break]
He’s riding alongside Noel. The leader’s up ahead. Contrary to what one might expect, he turns, slides, and stops his back. Adjusting his glasses, he looks Noel and Navy over.[break][break]
“Well well, if it ain’t Dewford’s Sheriff and Little Boy Blue. You two wanna take me in, huh? Tell ya what…I’ll come quietly if you two can beat me in a battle. You already took out my gang. Whatcha gotta lose, Sheriff?”[break][break]
Navy looks to Noel. The leader tosses out a Houndoom and a Mightyena.[break][break]
“Well, Parker? Shall we?”[break][break]
Hattori jumps out of his pokeball, taking a place on the field. Noel might note the Greninja is miniscule, more like a large Frogadier than a proper Greninja. His right eye is covered by an eyepatch. This seasoned little shinobi has been through the ringer.


[break][break]

+ Noel Parker

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Beneath his scarf, the greninja smiles. Hattori has fought alongside Navy for months now. He’s starting to learn the tricks. When the two dark hounds advance, they do so over troubled grounds. Both cry, shrieking in pain. Beneath their feet, hidden within cracks formed by time in the road, are spikes. Toxic spikes. Noxious poison seeps through their veins. It promises to corrode them. Poison burns and pulses within their bodies, a dark trick.[break][break]
A shinobi is one who endures the burden of the darkness. His Lord and his latest protégé may bask in the light. The Mightyena dwarfs him. Easily three times his size, if not more. The Houndoom as well, but that burden is not his to bear. Instead, he skids forward, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.[break][break]
When he reappears, he’s gripping the Mightyena by the throat. Feeling the pressure, the great hound starts to thrash, writhe, complain. Crying out, it tries to chew on Hattori’s hands. They’re easy enough to slip away. From his vantage point, he can see the Houndoom and Noel’s Druddigon engaged in mortal combat.[break][break]
When the Houndoom is tossed skyward, Hattori sees his opportunity. Three water shuriken fly up at the Houndoom, juggling him in the air before he gets sent sprawled out on the ground. It won’t be easy for him to get up after that one. Navy turns to Noel and nods.[break][break]
“Looks like the Houndoom’s down for the count. Help out Hattori.”[break][break]
“Tch. No fair! You guys showed up with dragons and weird ninja frogs.” The leader complains while combing his pompadour.



[break][break]

+ Noel Parker

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Your gang’s tossed out all over the road.” The sheriff reminds the man, slapping handcuffs on him with the blue dragon’s help. Pulling the man up, Navy grits his teeth. Fun as this was up until now, he can’t help but scold the man he takes into custody.[break][break]
“All you had to do was not hurt people. Not knock over too much property. I get it, you guys wanna have your fun. We’re at war, and people don’t need your shit.” A pause. The young are watching. Like any criminal, this gang boss is praying he won’t hear a certain string of words.[break][break]
“Anyway, you’re under arrest.” And so his rights are given to him. They don’t matter. He’ll do a few years in Dewford’s prison system. His youth will be taken from him for a few weeks of fun. The price of true freedom, as ever, is steep.[break][break]
Noel is introduced to due process and its early steps. High-octane adventure is followed up by the inevitable toll it demands: dull labor. They help the bikers up, call in rangers to take the cyclizar into custody, have EMTs treat them for any injuries.[break][break]
Gritty work. Thankless work. The sun’s low by the time Noel and Navy have a moment to catch their breath. Pulling out a cigar, the sheriff lights it up and chews over the taste. Puffs smoke out like some old, wise dragon watching the sunset.[break][break]
“Hope you get used to this, Parker. You wanna really help people, this is what it’s gonna be like. None of this wandering hobo duelist bullshit. That’s just what the movies tell you. This is what helping people day to day looks like. It’s a thankless task. Still want in?”



[break][break]

+ Noel Parker

[attr="class","pokeclass"]