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POSTED ON Sept 17, 2023 7:32:56 GMT

It was remarkably easy to steal a boat for Team Rocket's cause, especially given people had fled the nearby warzone. Many small boats had been left in rivers, harbors, and docks, abandoned as soon as it became prudent to retreat further inland.

Howard Slayte, archaeologist extraordinaire, poor person, and Team Rocket's crux in breaching the center of the island was currently standing on the prow of a small fishing ship, complete with a small cabin and outboard motor. Inside the cabin, a grunt tasked with acting as Howard's guide maneuvered the ship around the island. The grunt was only good at traversing the ocean, but Howard would've been lost without him.

It was either this, or invade the island by air. Howard wasn't that desperate yet.

"Doctor Slayte, we're about to reach the warzone!" The grunt called from the cabin. Howard grunted an affirmative, before reaching for his black helmet. He folded up his hat and tucked it away. "Breaching in five. Four. Three. Two. One. Now."

In the distance, Howard saw fighting between commandeered ships and those employed by the League. Weren't they jointly contracted with a naval warfare company for this, or something? Nauticus? Nautical? Something or other.

"Get me close, then retreat. I'll call you on the radio if I need a way out." Howard told the grunt as he reached for a ball at his belt. He tossed it once into the air, thoughtfully. What was his plan? He couldn't ask this poor fool to stick around and wait for him. "If I'm not on the shore when this is all done, assume I got out. Or..." Howard trailed off.

"Sir?"

If I'm not back, forget my name. Forget my face. I'm only good for breaching the island, not for leaving it." Howard said simply. He frowned as his eyes narrowed on the horizon. What the...? His blood froze. Shit. There was something there. Someone was there. Approaching, and fast.

"Turn us!" Howard shouted as he threw out his Carbink. If he couldn't run, he'd at least prepare with a Light Screen.

Isaac Merlo
Notes: Carbink using Light Screen
Howard is masked.

Points:
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+10 (post)

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Lavaridge Town

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Penitent

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An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.

POSTED ON Sept 25, 2023 3:02:48 GMT

Tempest Quinn likes this

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Of course they were moving fast. After the clash that Isaac had with Tempest Quinn, it was all he could do to make sure he wouldn't be next in the hotseat.[break][break]

It was a fortunate thing that Suicune had been waiting in the wings. The water was where Temp excelled. Had Isaac been left to his own devices at least one of his teammates would've been made into chum. Instead, he got to sail across the waves on a magic get out of jail free card. Hell, he'd take that change of pace.[break][break]

Unfortunately, it meant all subtlety had flown out the window. Now, if Isaac wanted to make it onto the island, he'd have to join the mad scramble like everyone else.[break][break]

It was a good thing that was Suicune's strong suit. The legend dashed across the water's surface as easily as a Jolteon sprinted across the land. The pounding waves settled in it wake, as if refusing to get in their master's way. The battles at sea faded into the background, a cacophony of sound and fury that had become the heartbeat of the Hoenn region. What he wouldn't give for that to change.[break][break]

Unfortunately, no amount of hope would change that. It would take action, both to foster a better world and to protect it from those who wanted to twist it towards their own foul ends. Suicune had already made up its mind, and Isaac was forced to steel himself to accept that decision.[break][break]

Standing between them and landfall was what seemed to be a simple fishing boat. Isaac didn't question its presence on the island, for the region's battles were far too sudden and its residents were far too stubborn. Instead, he took the Light Screen they put up as an attempt of protecting themselves from an unidentified running object. It was understandable. Had he been in their shoes, he, too, would take up the defensive.[break][break]

Suicune knew what he'd ask before he even had the opportunity. It compelled the water to rise beneath its feet, conjuring forth a wave large enough to jump off of. From there, it would gracefully sail over the fishing boat, bypassing it without so much as scratching the vessel's paint. In turn, the wave would settle back down, harmlessly rolling beneath the vessel before it could even make impact.[break][break]

If only Isaac knew that no good deed went unpunished.

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / howard slayte

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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POSTED ON Sept 26, 2023 7:36:33 GMT

Howard's eye narrowed as he scanned the horizon, only to widen as Howard realized what he was seeing.

Holy shit. That was Suicune. The Suicune, and not one of those Vaporeons that people constantly dressed up and pretended were Suicunes. This one was the real deal. Howard was an archaeologist. He was a student of history. Mythology was not his strongest field, despite this. Mythology was simply storytelling that had been morphed over years and years until fact became fiction.

Yet this was the real deal. Howard watched, mouth ajar, as the Suicune leapt over the boat in a graceful leap, as if preparing to keep running.

It was leaving him? Just like that? No muss, no fuss? Howard breathed a sigh of relief, before stiffening. Upper command would want to know about this, and if Suicune was entering the battlefield, they would want to know. Dammit. He hated this part of the job. This stranger had done no harm, and Howard wasn't a violent man. He wanted to study the island, write some papers, and get home to watch Brycen-Man.

If Suicune made it to the island now, while they were still getting their footing... Howard wouldn't get a chance to do any research. "Do we have radio? Get our comms up. Use my radio code. Tell them we have a code 5-7-12. Legendary sighting." Howard ordered his colleague. "Yes, doctor."

Cursing, Howard returned his Carbink, and replaced it with his Probopass, Ayer. This was going to get him utterly thrashed. He couldn't beat a Suicune. He couldn't beat a team of Starlys. Nonetheless, he had to do something. Probopass flew into action, releasing the three mini-noses attached to its body. They projected a barrier, intended to Block Isaac's escape.

Great, he had Isaac's attention now.

"Comms?" Howard asked out of the corner of his mouth, his voice becoming a static buzz.

"Still working on it. Three minutes."

Howard sighed. "Wonderful."

Points:
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+20 (posts)

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The Liberator

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April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

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An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.

POSTED ON Sept 26, 2023 13:21:53 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]For a moment, Suicune seemed to soar through the air without even noticing the Block that had just been set up. Was this noble, majestic legend about to smash its face into the barricade like some sort of Windex commercial?[break][break]

Just as that impossibility seemed possible, Suicune turned in midair. Swift as the breeze and more limber than water, its nody seemed to rotate in an impossible fashion. Where its face seemed inches away from smashing into the barricade, now its paws gently pressed into its surface. It hung there in midair, a split second that seemed to linger for hours.[break][break]

Then, with no warning, it sprang off.[break][break]

Suicune rocketed down towards the boat like a meteor. Water gathered around its frontal paws, swirling with enough pressure to lance through solid steel. Was it about to slice this vessel clean in half as retribution for daring to trap it?[break][break]

Surrpisingly, no. Its landing was with such lightfooted grace that the boat barely so much as rocked. The only sign that there was a disturbance would be the waves beneath the vessel starting to swell. Before, Suicune had smoothed them out to avoid disturbing the craft. Now that it had been disturbed, it was a touch less sympathetic.[break][break]

At the very least, the worst of its wrath would be saved for the one who had disturbed it. As the Surf crashed down, it threatened to swallow up the Probopass and its mini-noses. The sooner they fell, the sooner the Suicune could continue its inexorable sprint outwards.[break][break]

"Alright, whose Probopass was that?" Isaac asked, slipping off of the Suicune's back and finally making himself known. If seeing Suicune in action was shocking enough to Howard, seeing it with a traitor in tow may have been even moreso. "I just wanna talk to 'em."

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / howard slayte

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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POSTED ON Sept 27, 2023 7:19:29 GMT

Howard and the captain looked at each other. Howard's helmet gleamed in the ocean spray as he considered this situation. Isaac's appearance would've been more substantial if Howard had even the vaguest idea who he was. Team Rocket had so many traitors that got away completely free nowadays, and Howard was away from the organizations on missions constantly.

He couldn't be expected to know each person on Declan Walsh's naughty list.

Nonetheless, the grunt next to Howard began to tremble, and their eyes glanced towards the radio for a second, before flitting back to Isaac. Howard crossed his arms thoughtfully. "There's a very simple solution to that." Howard said thoughtfully, teeth clenching as his Probopass disappeared under the surf.

Damn. Howard wanted to run away and hide. Maybe if he threw himself into the ocean, Isaac would let him live.

"There's an answer!" Howard waggled a finger as he began to sweat from under his helmet. Suicune AND Isaac staring him down was terrifying. He was trembling. Howard checked his watch again, and looked back at Suicune. Behind it, a figure rose from the sea, protected by Carbink's Light Screen.

"It's his." Howard pointed at the grunt.

"WHAT?" The man sputtered as the Probopass glared at the Suicune, dripping water from its nostrils. An electrical arc bounced from Ayer towards the Suicune, zapping and paralyzing it with a Thunder Wave. "Oh, my bad. Sorry, thought it was yours." Howard turned towards Isaac. "It's mine."

Isaac Merlo
Points:
+50 (mission start)
+30 (posts)

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Wanderer

The Liberator

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April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

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Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.

POSTED ON Sept 27, 2023 13:17:48 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]The second Isaac saw the Block remain active, he knew the Probopass hadn't gone down. His hand settled down to his hip, fingers rolling in anticipation. It was an old west quick draw. With the northern winds at his back, he knew he was the fastest in town.[break][break]

The Probopass burst from the waves, nose a-sparking, and Isaac let his Pokeball fly. The electric onslaught, once aimed Suicune's way, rushed towards the bone being proudly brandished from the light. Fire and lightning swirled with each twirl of the bone. In a dramatic sweep, the Pokeball's release light dispersed. Duster the Marowak had hit the field.[break][break]

Duster was one of Isaac's oldest and most reliable Pokemon. Isaac could trust him to handle the situation. Instead, he followed Howard's finger, cocking an eyebrow as he saw the grunt manning the craft. After a second's pause, he broke out into a bright smile.[break][break]

"Jerry!" he cheered. "It's been so long, man! How're the kids? They know about your new job? 'Cause, last I checked, it wasn't fish you were out there trying to catch."[break][break]

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think this was a trap."[break][break]

The waves beneath the ship began to churn. So, too, did the waves inside of Isaac's mind. The winds and the waters that provided for Hoenn were quick to become storms when they were displeased. Isaac may have seen Suicune's best side so far, but now he could feel the legend's wrath stoking his own. If they had anything in common, it was that they hated being contained.[break][break]

"Look. I don't want any trouble." With those last pleasantries aside, Isaac's voice began to harden. For the briefest moments, a red aurora seemed to flicker around him. "But it seems like you really want me to stick around, huh?"[break][break]

There was danger in Isaac's smile. "It's like you're dying to see what happens next."

[break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / howard slayte

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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POSTED ON Sept 29, 2023 7:29:30 GMT

"H-hey, Isaac. They're good. Jenny just started elementary." Jerry held up his hands in mock surrender, clearly nervous despite Isaac's casual remark. The Suicune made it pretty hard to take Isaac as anything other than absolutely serious, especially given how quickly his tone changed. "Times are hard. Gotta pay the bills. No hard feelings...?"

Meanwhile, Howard's eye narrowed as the Marowak stopped the sneak attack from Ayer. Party pooper. Who brought a Fire-type to an ocean battle? Not like it mattered. Howard suspected that Suicune could safely ferry a thousand Marowaks to the island. All he had were Rock-types and other choice Pokémon! It wasn't a fair matchup before, and it wasn't getting any fairer by the minute.

"Ohhhhhhh... I know who you are! You're the guy!" Howard pointed at Isaac. "You're the guy who went rogue a little while ago. The guy we're supposed to hunt down and eliminate. Isaac, I think?"

Howard scratched his helmet thoughtfully, before slumping.

"Look, man. You're probably proud of the joke about killing us, but I'm just a grunt, man. I don't do battles. You think we want trouble? Seriously? I had to hype myself up to do this."

As the waters began to churn, Howard lost his balance and slid to the edge of the boat. He held himself up by grabbing the railing, before holding up a hand. Man, Isaac must've felt really proud of that last bit, if the thinly veiled cry of bloody murder in his tone didn't betray him. Now that he was staring at the Suicune, this was looking far less profitable.

"Can't you just, I don't know... Kick me around a bit, then I'll let the Block go? That way we can tell our higher ups we did all we could, but that the great Isaac... Isaac...?"

"Merlo." Jerry said.

"Merlo!" Howard snapped his fingers. "That the great Isaac Merlo was just too much for us to handle! The Beasts and Admins and Underbosses are all pricks, anyway. Cut me some slack? Please?"

The man clapped his hands together and bowed his head. If this was a trap, it was likely the most pathetic trap to ever exist. It took guts to actively diss Team Rocket's upper echelons in front of an enemy. This guy was either A. underpaid, B. hated his job, or C. the most relatable Team Rocket Grunt to ever exist.

Isaac Merlo
Points:
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+40 (posts)

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The Liberator

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April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

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An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.

POSTED ON Sept 29, 2023 13:19:07 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","isaac2"]

[attr="class","topimage"]

[attr="class","textbox"]Thud. Creak. Thud. Creak. Isaac approached, face firm and eyes intense, step by inexorable step. Even as the boat churned beneath his feet, his stride was perfect and unbroken. Soon, he was looming before Howard, letting the man's bargain wash over him like the rapids over a smooth stone.[break][break]

He stared Howard dead in the eye. He looked towards his clasped hands. Without warning, he reached out towards him.[break][break]

If Howard feared being thrown overboard, he'd instead find himself being eased back onto his feet. The tempest in Isaac's eye had broken. Instead, he was back to his usual, all-smiles self, giving Howard a friendly pat on the shoulder. "And Zev Harcourt said I could never pull off the whole terror thing," he mused, a touch of self-satisfaction bleeding into his voice. "No hard feelings. Trust me. I've been there."[break][break]

Was that a touch of sadness bleeding into Isaac's tone? "Just know you can only 'not do this' for so long. Trust me, buddy. They're gonna ask for more sooner or later." If he'd actually succeeded, actually held back the North Wind? Isaac could only imagine all the Rockets swarming to shape him in their image.[break][break]

"Anyway, I'm loving the hustle, so I'll do ya one better. But you gotta help me help you, okay?" With a grin, Isaac rolled two more Pokeballs off of his hip. A Chatot popped into the skies, while a swarm of Wishiwashi rolled into the seas. As they got settled, Isaac flung a friendly arm around Howard's shoulders. "Gimme your best scream, alright? And I'll take care of the rest for you."[break][break]

"Scream for me!" the Chatot chirruped, flying little circles around the duo. "Scream for me, scream for me!" Duster sighed, pinching at the bridge of his nose, while the Wishiwashi swarm began contorting itself into the shape of a large raft. Suicune simply cocked an eyebrow, still looking mildly irritable in the face of the blockade.[break][break]

"Don't make it weird, Polly."

[attr="class","oocbox"]
TAG — howard slayte [break]
NOTES — notes go here

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Admin Fox

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POSTED ON Sept 29, 2023 20:14:25 GMT

"The Suicune helps." Howard said, still sweating from Isaac's ominous walk forward. Howard expected to get his head bashed against the boat until his helmet broke, before getting thrown overboard. From there, the Suicune would make the water hard, and he'd break his neck.

That option was still on the table, likely. There was still the chance for Isaac to yell "SIKE! YOU THOUGHT", before feeding him and Jerry to the Suicune.

Luckily, the ex-Rocket seemed to be pretty reasonable. He got the struggle. The Team Rocket Grunt hustle was essentially throwing enough of them at the issue until the issue was solved. Unfortunately, League grunts were better trained, greater in number, and had access to more assets.

Oh, sorry, "Rangers".

"Zev Harcourt is a prick, anyways. It turns out you don't need much to be scary, beyond having weird powers. I'm sick of black crystals, man." Howard sighed, hand on his hip as he accepted Isaac's help up. His tone was one of utter weariness and acceptance. It was a practiced tiredness, of someone who knew there was only one road to take. Whatever Team Rocket had offered him, it was far too tempting to ignore.

The assassins they'd send if Howard left were a pretty good motivator, as well.

"Here, gimme a sec... I'll help." Rummaging at his belt, Howard tossed a ball into the sky, and a Phione dropped out into his arms as Isaac put his hand around Howard's shoulder. After a moment, an Aqua Ring surrounded the ship. Afterwards, he swapped out the Legendary Pokémon with a Bronzor.

Clearing his throat, Howard looked at Isaac, then Suicune, then the Wishiwashi ensemble, then his Bronzor, and then Jerry. He cleared his throat again.

"AIYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Isaac Merlo
Points:
+50 (mission start)
+50 (posts)
+25 (legendary pokemon)

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Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

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Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.

POSTED ON Sept 29, 2023 23:52:24 GMT

Zev Harcourt likes this

[nospaces]

[attr="class","isaac2"]

[attr="class","topimage"]

[attr="class","textbox"]"Who, them?" Isaac looked over to Suicune. Their seemingly-stoic stance was underlined by sharpened eyes and thrashing ribbons. "They're cool. Just not too fond of being stuck in one spot. Gotta bring a free-range fishing boat next time, man."[break][break]

It was easy to joke with Howard. Part of it was because all that trapping was just bluster, but that wasn't the whole story. Isaac just liked his vibes. He got the sense that, if they'd ever hung out before his betrayal, they would've gotten on like a house on fire. Even now, he struck Isaac as the kind of hard-luck case who deserved better.[break][break]

That joking flew out the window at the mention of Zev being a prick with weird powers. For a second, Isaac's expression firmed up. "Trust me," he said, tone serious. "He's a lot scarier than you think he is. And for a lot worse reasons than turning into a rock. I know you already think all the higher ups are full of it, but tread careful around him, okay?"[break][break]

It could spell be the difference between life and death.[break][break]

Speaking of death, it was time to fake one! Or, at least, to fake a really, really bad beatdown. Howard was all too happy to cooperate, wrapping the boat in an Aqua Ring to get it all nice and soaked. Then, with but moments of prep time, he let the mother of all screams rip across the horizon.[break][break]

It was jarring as all hell. It was even more jarring when Polly Roger cleared his own birdly throat, then mimicked it with perfect precision. "Fucking hell, Polly," Isaac said, laughing a little. "Warn us next time you rip one of those out, yeah? Oh, and, speaking of warning. You guys are gonna want to hop aboard the S.S. Shiver over there." Isaac gestured to the Wishiwashi raft, the lead Wishiwashi proudly sitting atop it.[break][break]

"So. Here's the deal. Suicune's gonna tear apart this boat that's been nettling them for the last few minutes. Polly's gonna scream bloody murder into this radio I just swiped-" Isaac unhooked his arm from around Howard, proudly flashing the communicator he pickpocketed during the "friendly" gesture. "And Shiver's gonna spit you guys out on a beach somewhere, so you look like your asses just got thrashed."[break][break]

"Best part? We don't gotta touch a hair on your head. Though if you want to look more convincing . . . well, Dust's an artist. Can wallop you all day and all night without anything worse than a bruise." False Swipe was a hell of a move. Duster gave his bone a little tap in his palm for emphasis. "But, 'fore we decide on that, how about we walk and talk?" Isaac hopped onto the Wishiwashi colony, motioning for Howard (and Jerry, who was very thankful to be out of the hotseat) to follow.[break][break]

"So. What's a guy like you doing in a place like this? And I'm not talking the island."

[attr="class","oocbox"]
TAG — howard slayte [break]
NOTES — notes go here

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POSTED ON Sept 30, 2023 23:09:59 GMT

"Buddy, we're not Nautica. Someone abandoned this thing in a river and we dragged it out to sea. I'm shocked this thing still works." Howard waggled a finger. Surely Isaac would know about the Team Rocket struggle of salvaging anything to be used on the battlefield. They were smaller than the League, and the average grunt wasn't as well-equipped as a ranger.

Luckily, there was a tried and true method: fake it 'till you make it. Jerry and Howard had faked it so hard that they had almost made it to the island on a prayer, until they had tried their luck with Suicune of the North Wind and Isaac Merlo.

Man, Jerry and Howard would be heroes to the other grunts after this. They had fought Suicune and Isaac, without dying. Granted, Isaac could simply decided to end their existences with a thought, but Howard felt confident in trusting the ex-Rocket. Especially as he attempted to get Howard's story. That was fine. Howard could spill the vaguest of basics.

"Rent and poor life choices. I got my debts paid off in exchange for joining up. They were getting fairly close to that six digit number." Howard said tiredly. An ordinary grunt getting that much debt paid off? Either this guy was the second coming of Fernando Silph or he had some talent that made him valuable.

Or he was lying.

"Now, they own me. Forever." Howard's voice was tired and almost haunted. It was a tale as old as time, and was one Isaac had likely heard and even experienced. Team Rocket was excellent at making people presume they had no future outside the organization. How many grunts were nameless soldiers like this?

"Feel free to thrash me around, Isaac. Might as well commit to the bit, yeah. Howard deflated slightly as Isaac snatched his communicator. He'd likely have to pay the loss out of pocket. At least the boat was insured, in a cosmic sort of way. They stepped onto the Wishiwashi. "I..."

The static in the helmet buzzed for a moment, before vanishing with the spray.

"It's nothing. Thanks. Let's see Dust in action, shall we?"

Isaac Merlo
Points:
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The Liberator

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April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.

POSTED ON Oct 1, 2023 0:27:52 GMT

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[attr="class","textbox"]Speaking of things that didn't work; six figures? Fucking seriously? "Man. Either you went to a hell of a college, or you've been through a lot of shit." Despite the incredulous look in his eye, there was no judgment to his tone. "No wonder you're here. Must've felt like either way you sliced it, you were a prisoner."[break][break]

Yet Howard touched on a key difference. The debt collectors and the bastards who gave them so much power were, in their own way, transient. Rocket? They'd have their claws on him until either he died or the rest of the world did. First in Hoenn. Then in Sinnoh. Then to Unova, Kalos, Alola, Galar, Paldea, a victory lap back to Johto for good measure. What would they do after that?[break][break]

The answer was obvious. Whatever they wanted, and nobody in the whole damn world could stop them.[break][break]

"Doesn't have to be forever." Isaac's voice was soft, gentle now. It was as if his rage before had been a brief fit of mania, perhaps bought on by an all too claustrophobic legend. "Can't blame you if you don't wanna be in my shoes. But the ones you're in aren't gonna get any comfier."[break][break]

"We gave that up the day we set foot on that sub."[break][break]

Isaac was afraid of committing treason for the longest time. He was convinced he'd be giving up the comfortable life he clawed out for himself and throwing himself at the mercy of uncertainty. However, the comfort Rocket offered was little more than a facade. No matter what, he'd need to rally against an endless enemy, loved ones on each side.[break][break]

"But I'm not gonna talk your head off. We've both got places to be. And, well. You wanted to see what we could do." Isaac sighed. He tossed the communicator back onto the ship, then spared a sad glance towards Duster. "Fuck, man. I don't wanna do this. But this is really what you want . . ."[break][break]

Duster had always been made of sterner stuff than Isaac. He stalked behind Jerry, bashing the Grunt right in the back of his knees with his bone club. As soon as he fell to his hands and knees, the Marowak began bludgeoning him on all sides. His arms. His legs. His back. His chest. Even a good few smacks to the face for good measure.[break][break]

Isaac was right to call him an artist. Duster knew exactly where to strike to avoid the vitals. He rained down blow after blow on firm muscle and soft fat, but left bone and organ untouched. In addition, all of his strikes were pulled ever so slightly. With these False Swipes, there wasn't even a risk of unconsciousness, let alone injury.[break][break]

It was just a shame that pain was pain all the same. If Howard looked closely, he'd see Isaac wince slightly with every blow.[break][break]

The backdrop had become a gathering storm. No longer constrained, no longer at risk of collateral, Suicune's reign could begin uncontested. A massive Surf surged from beneath the ship, its mere ascent enough to tear the ramshackle boat in half. Polly Roger stepped on the communicator, making sure to capture the sound of splintering timbers and pounding waves.[break][break]

Then, once more, he screamed at the top of his lungs. He screamed as the wave crashed down, obliterating the half of the boat he wasn't standing on into a mess of flotsam. He screamed as he lifted the communicator with one talon, slamming the communicator into metal with enough force to leave dents. He screamed as Isaac swiped a hand up into the air, a blast of water rising from the seas and flooding the communicator's speakers. The last thing Howard's handlers would hear is his voice devolving into a garbled mess of static.[break][break]

Polly Roger flew back, perching on Isaac's shoulder. Thick, billowing clouds of mist surrounded the wreckage. Soon, the only thing visible was the silhouette of Suicune, its eyes an intense white glow.[break][break]

"Just . . . if you ever need to get shit off your chest, to someone who's not gonna rat you out to Walsh or blast you in the face, I got you, alright?" There was a small, sad smile on Isaac's face as he turned to face Howard. Duster approached his side as Jerry crumpled to a heap behind them. "Guess it's your turn. Sorry, buddy."[break][break]

If Howard didn't say or do anything to the contrary, Duster would begin making him his next masterpiece.

[attr="class","oocbox"]
TAG — howard slayte [break]
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Magnetic

Admin Fox

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Rustboro City

Bisexual

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Rocket Admin

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The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.

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POSTED ON Oct 3, 2023 1:14:51 GMT

"You're a member of the Pokémon League now, Isaac Merlo." Howard's voice was quiet against the crashing waves and sinking of their original ship. The Wishiwashi were more comfortable, anyway. Howard didn't feel particularly attached, but it was a ship he and Jerry had salvaged. What a lonely end for it to meet, in the middle of this ocean war. "There'll be other battles. Other fights with people like me. You'll be expected to crush them underfoot, y'know."

Jerry crumpled under Duster's strikes, and the boat sank into the sea.

"The League will make you, even if you don't want to. Same as me fighting you. All you've done is jumped from one ship to a nicer one. Some advice?" Howard's voice buzzed from his breath as he thought quietly for a moment. The pain he saw in Isaac's eyes reflected in his visor. "Kill that comradery you felt with us. Kill that understanding you have with people like me. I told a Gym Leader that, once. Kick us aside and keep moving forward. Become a hero spoken of in song and legend, with Suicune by your side."

Michael Navidson came to mind, now that he was facing Isaac like this. The two were similar in their mode of operation, in Howard's opinion. Both were hardhanded as they brought people to their knees, but were equally soft as they picked those people up. Oh, how he wished he could stand by them openly, and hold himself with pride.

Yet that would never happen. It could never happen.

He would never leave Team Rocket. He owed them everything, even as they committed atrocities. Even as he committed them. There was no good ending for Howard Slayte did not end with him running far away, or bleeding to death on some battlefield that would be forgotten by history.

"I have one question, Isaac." Howard and his Bronzor stood as Duster approached them, club at the ready. With several deft strikes, the Bronzor went down to the ground, 'defeated'. "What gave you the strength to leave Team Rocket behind? Was it Suicune?"

Isaac Merlo
+50 (mission start)
+70 (posts)
+25 (legendary pokemon)
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The Liberator

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April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

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Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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An observer of eons cannot feel the warmth of another.

POSTED ON Oct 3, 2023 3:31:11 GMT

shiv, freya morningstar, and 2 more like this

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[attr="class","isaac2"]

[attr="class","topimage"]

[attr="class","textbox"]"Guess that's the rub, huh?" Duster stayed his hand until Howard said his piece. With how much Isaac spent talking, it was only fair the same courtesy was extended across the aisle. "I'm too useful to be allowed to sit this out. I know too much to want to. And I care too much to let myself. I have to fight. And I have to win."[break][break]

He'd already known that, before even seeking refuge with the League. He was too useful to get to duck and hide behind Rocket's pettier crimes. He knew too much to avoid being dragged into the upper echelon of Hoenn's insanity. His only options were rising up the ranks or getting crushed underfoot, and he cared too much to rise the ranks how Zev Harcourt and Cillian Quinn wanted.[break][break]

Howard's advice was the smart thing to do, to be sure. Pick a side, commit to it no matter how bad it felt. Protect himself above all, no matter what it took or how much he lost. Walking a line had already put Isaac through untold agony the first time. Why should he subject himself to it again? Why shouldn't he damn the masses to become the hero Howard sung of?[break][break]

"Bullshit."[break][break]

Isaac's declaration sliced through the air like Suicune sliced through their vessel. The pain in his eyes only made him stand taller and hold his head higher. At his declaration, Suicune took several strides forward. Even at a strut, it seemed to cross the sea in seconds. It stood by Isaac's side, its mane billowing out to fill the space behind the two of them.[break][break]

"I'm going to crush Rocket underfoot. But it isn't to crush people like us. It's to break our chains and set us free." He was a madman. He was going to die. Yet he'd made it out alive and had the balls to show his face again. "The world dealt us a shitty hand, and Rocket uses that hand to make us need it. They tell us the world's our enemy, when they're half the reason why we're in this mess. If I kill that understanding, I prove them right. They take that hate, they feed off of it, and they only get stronger."[break][break]

"And if that's just how the world works, then I'm gonna change the world."[break][break]

They had a little bit more time to chat, at least. Bronzong were hardy creatures. It'd take a lot of False Swipes to dent the poor thing into a believable enough condition. The least Isaac could do was answer Howard's question over the sound of fresh bone on ancient steel.[break][break]

"Got it backwards, my friend. Suicune didn't give me the strength to leave. Me leaving gave Suicune the strength to reveal itself." Now there was a spicy take! Judging by the small smirk on Suicune's face, they approved of their charge's audacity. "So what gave me the strength to leave?"[break][break]

"An admin took someone I loved and broke him into a plaything. I dared take his toy away, and Cillian Quinn decided that meant war."

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TAG — howard slayte [break]
NOTES — notes go here

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played by

Magnetic

Admin Fox

He/Him

May 9th

Rustboro City

Bisexual

Archaeologist

Rocket Admin

5'9 height

The future will tempt you, the present will indulge you, but the past will shackle you.

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