As Navy tackled the archaeologist, the two collapsed into the grass as Roland began to clash with the Roaring Moon. The clashes and clangs of steel on claw as the two beasts began to dance the dance of death.

The man looked entirely different. Howard's face was pale, gaunt, and sweating. His bandage was frayed and torn, and the glint of something where his other eye should've been became visible, before the eyelids closed over it. Over it was an irregularly shaped scar. He was breathing heavily, and he was glancing around wildly. His hat was askew, and he was only wearing a tank top.

"Navy... Navy!" Howard instinctively wormed away from the man. He was a member of Team Rocket, even if he wasn't wearing his uniform. He hadn't changed into it yet, but the paranoia was there. Clawing and crawling into his mind, whispering that Michael Navidson would clap him in chains.

Yet he didn't. He was concerned.

Dammit. Dammit dammit dammit. Howard softened slightly.

"I wanted to inspect everything here before the League and Rocket destroy it all in the battle. There's too much to see, and not enough time. We're losing so much history here, Navy. So much. I gotta chart it down before it disappears." Howard shuddered and his voice cracked. "This was a mistake. I was so wrong. This isn't something from a history book. This is real."

Dammit, he couldn't do this. There was too much going on, and Howard couldn't commit to it. He was a coward. This was just like Ultra Deep Sea.

---

Michael Navidson
POINTS:
+10 (post)
+50 (mission start)

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"It's not like the books. It's not... It's just not..." Howard repeated, seemingly not hearing Navy's speech. He nodded, though. All he could do was nod. It was the only action that Howard Slayte could take, other than to burst into tears. He wasn't ready for that. If he cried here, he'd never stop until he disappeared under a pile of rubble caused by Moonblasts.

Was this it? How had any individual ever gotten an accurate depiction of a war before? Scholars from older times must've been braver than Howard could ever possibly imagine. Yet, at the same time, it meant nothing. It couldn't mean anything. If history was a cycle, then what did that mean? That mankind was destined to repeat this cycle?

"Oh, Navy. Do you not know?" Howard grabbed the man's shoulders and squeezed them with a shocking amount of force. "We lose everything."

Several Scream Tails erupt from the mist, born of anguish and scorn and fear and rage. Erupting from her ball, Shirley lets out a ferocious roar and joins Roland on the battlefield, crushing these new foes with Iron Head.

Shirley was still fighting, even when Howard had given up. Did that mean he could grow a spine, just for a second? For her? Howard squeezed his eye shut as a tear ran from his eye. No, he just couldn't do it. He hated himself for it.

"I can't fight anymore. League. Rocket. I fought them both to reach this island. They all think I'm working for the other side. They won't listen. I can't fight against people who are just doing their jobs." Howard said, lying through his teeth. Another tear rolling down his cheek. He wept slightly because of this small betrayal. This lie he told before someone who had given him nothing but honesty and protection.

"How are you so calm? How can you stand this?"

---

Michael Navidson
Points:
+50 (mission start)
+20 (posts)
+10 (Paradox Pokemon Spawned)

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"To tell people..." Howard murmured, eye unfocused. "what really happened?"

Could he do that? Could he take Michael Navidson's advice and continue moving forward. Could he be brave, if only to protect the only thing that mattered to the greater world? The truth? Could he do that while lying to Navy's face? Did Navy's beliefs even apply to Howard, given he had been lying to him from the very beginning?

A relationship built on fiction could never truly blossom. Howard and Navy could be friends, they could be comrades, but Howard could never trust hil fully, because when everything was down, with all secrets revealed, would Navy still back him? Howard considered the question for a few seconds, before coming to a conclusion. No. In his mind, nothing could exist after a betrayal like that. Navy would toss him aside like trash.

Navy should toss him aside at this very moment, and leave him to die.

So why didn't he? The answer to that was simple. Even Howard already knew. That simply wasn't the type of person Navy was.

When the meteor fell, Howard hid and cried. When Dewford was invaded, Howard hid and cried. When Ultra Beasts invaded, Howard silently wept. He was a coward. Dammit, he was. It always came back to this. When the chips were down, he bolted. He had tried to outrun this curse for a very long time, but it always caught up with him.

He wanted to stop running. Could he truly carry the weight, if only for a moment? Could he rely on a comradery that had been forged in a lie, if only for a moment?

"Navy." Howard rasped as several more Paradox Pokémon crashed onto the scene. Iron Thorns and Iron Moths and Scream Tails surrounded Howard and Navy, even as their Pokémon danced to ensure their safety. It was a dance of death, yet they danced it all the same.

"I can't do it. I can't carry this weight." Howard shook as his grip tightened on Navy's shoulders. Then, after a moment, one arm let go, and undid the bandage. It fell to Howard's lap, and the archaeologist looked up. "Not alone."

"Please, help me carry it." A Key Stone was embedded into Howard's eye socket, and gleamed bright around the faint etchings of a scar. "Just this once."

---

Michael Navidson
Points:
+50 (mission start)
+30 (posts)
+10 (paradox mon spawned)

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He stood in the field alongside the Gym Leader of Dewford, his hat flapping in the wind.

When had he last used this power? The ability to Mega Evolve? Years, definitely. Team Rocket certainly didn't know about it. That Key Stone was his first and greatest treasure. The story behind it was one that shaped him into the man he was today. It was as storied as any item found in a museum. Nonetheless, it would never sit there to be viewed. It was an artifact that only belonged to Howard Slayte. It was an artifact that only meant something to Howard Slayte.

In that ruin, when that decision was made. Howard had done it then. Was that the last time he had done it? He couldn't remember. He looked at Navy, his bandage clenched in his hand. The Key Stone glinted in his eye when he nodded. His missing eye had always left a darkness in his vision that nothing could penetrate. Howard had always been terrified of what had been in that darkness that he couldn't see.

It was a shadow he could never pierce.

"Shirley..." Howard's voice was quiet, yet she heard it all the same. Several Paradox Pokemon surrounded Roland, Shirley, Howard, and Navy. Iron Valiants, Roaring Moons, and many more. They were, in this moment, thoroughly outclassed. Navy had willingly thrown himself into this fight to save Howard. He had saved a man who had fed him only lies.

It was time to repay that favor.

"...MEGA EVOLVE!"

For the first time in several years, the darkness in Howard's vision was filled with light. Energy poured out of his eye. Dammit, it burned. Even so, he continued the process. Shirley's body grew stronger as jagged crystals erupted from her joints. Several Paradox Pokemon were blasted back by the transformation. With a roar that echoed through the field, she and Roland stood together.

"Clear us a path!" Howard shouted.

---

Mention Mega-Evolution
Michael Navidson
Points:
+50 (mission start)
+40 (posts)
+10 (mega evolve)
+10 (paradox spawn)

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[/quote]

Serrated fangs tear into the flesh of past and future alike. Steel bends, groaning and screaming as it does so, while supporting Roland's spread with an ensemble of Stone Edges that buried foes under the same black stone that now covered Shirley.

Mega Evolution was truly incredible. Plus, it hurt like hell. As energy flowed from the Keystone, it grew uncomfortably warm. It wasn't safe for humans to harness the powers of Mega Evolution directly. It's why people put Keystones into items of great importance, and not the skull. Admittedly, it was a lot harder to lose the valuable if it was with you at all times. Howard had lost his keys hundred of times, but he never lost the stone.

"Hrrk!" Howard grinded his teeth as he and Navy fought free. Just as a way seemed to open up before them, a Flutter Mane appeared in their path, alongside a few Scream Tails. Damn, he was absolutely sick of these things. While Roland and Shirley danced the dance of death with the other Paradox Pokémon, Howard reached for his belt and threw out an absolute titan of a Golurk.

The Shiny Pokemon towered over the battlefield, before sending several objects to attack the Flutter Mane via Poltergeist. Random trinkets from fallen soldiers, Pokeballs, rocks, and other knickknacks assaulted the ghost with ferocity.

"Finish 'em, Navy!" Howard pointed towards the Gym Leader, voice dripping with pain.

---

BREWING: Mention Mega Evolution
Michael Navidson
Points:
+50 (mission start)
+50 (posts)
+10 (mega evolve)
+10 (paradox spawn)

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As one Pokémon fell from the battlefield, another took its place. The fighting-type Pokémon that Navy had released to destroy the Flutter Mane had used a combination of incredible moves and ability. This was the power of a Gym Leader. Howard thought he had seen everything when he and Navy had fought through Ultra Space, but the Gym Leader was a bottomless bag of tricks.

He had a far mountain to climb to reach Navy's level. If he could reach Navy's level. Each time they met, it was like the Gym Leader was improving.

"Never thought we'd be fighting together again, like this. Remember the ship? Good times." Howard stands, back to back with Navy, fighting alongside him with Mega-Evolution. If he keeps this up, Howard can believe, for a moment, that the two are on the same side. That this moment is real. That this moment is genuine. "Lucky that there's no aliens, eh? Real ones. Not these posers."

Shirley continues here assault, even as her temporary power begins to wane. Howard couldn't keep it up forever, and his eye was beginning to burn again. That familiar sensation, from all those years ago.

"Right, Navy?" Howard feels something slick on the back of his head. He looks back towards Navy, and lets out a hiss mixed with a groan. "You're bleeding! Come on, we gotta move. I'll find you something for that. Are you concussed?"

If there was anyone who knew a concussion, it was the sheriff/Gym Leader/Kyle Lopez friend/head of Dewford. You didn't become that good at fighting without taking some heavy punches.

---

Michael Navidson
BREWING: mention MEGAS
+50 (mission start)
+60 (posts)
+10 (mega evolve)
+10 (paradox spawn)

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[/quote]

"You're not fine! What is with you fuckers and pretending you're stronger than you actually are?" Howard swore and released his Phione, trading it for Shirley and Atlas. The Legendary Pokémon used Aqua Ring, soothing their wounds and aches. Nonetheless, it wasn't going to patch Navy's wound quickly or cleanly.

It's no healer, but Howard's Phione will have to do in the short term. Moments like this made Howard wish he was less worthless. Navy's words echoed in his ears, and he shook his head. No, in this precise moment, he was strong. He had to be strong.

Yet Navy had to be stronger. For his men. For Dewford. For Hoenn. All Howard had to do was be strong for himself. Navy's weight was heavier, and Howard had asked him to carry more. Arceus above...

How was his back not broken?

"In old Kalos, there was a military strategy used during their wars. If a commanding officer was injured, like a king, prince, or general. They would find someone to wear his armor and stop them from lowering his banner. By deceiving their men, they inspired hope." Howard stared at Navy, before reaching towards his head with a trembling hand.

He took off his hat, and stared at it. This hat had been his for years. It had traveled with him to Unova, Sinnoh, Galar, Kalos, and even more regions. This object had likely traveled more than any other object in Hoenn. It was his greatest treasure. It was just a hat, but Howard had bought it out of a love for archaeology.

He wanted to be like one from the movies, but this was reality. He looked at Navy.

"So, let's deceive your men." Howard put the hat on Navy's head, as if crowning a Holy Kalosian Emperor. It covered the wound splendidly. Howard stepped back to admire his handiwork. "You carried by weight, so I'll carry yours. You look good, Navy. Almost as good as me."

---

Michael Navidson

+50 (mission start)
+70 (posts)
+10 (mega evolve)
+10 (paradox spawn)
+25 (legendary)
+10 (assist)