[attr="class","eddiehtag"]

kyle lopez

[attr="class","eddiehmain"]

After a long week of getting moved in, starting his new job, and meeting this really weird looking Growlithe sniffing around the dumpster outside of his apartment, Eddie was looking forward to a relaxing weekend. [break][break]

Of course, it wouldn't do to just stay cooped up inside his new home when there was a brand new region to explore. He'd been thumbing through travel brochures between unpacking what few boxes he had brought with him, and Slateport was a place that had caught his eye. There was the dazzling upper district, the night market, and of course the beach. Eddie had decided to go there first, finding that he already missed the sting of the salt air from his home back in Cascarrafa. He was convinced it would be the best of both worlds; a little bit of familiarity to ground himself among the thrills of this new locale. [break][break]

So he had set off, snagging a last minute ferry just outside of Petalburg, with his newest Pokemon in tow. Eddie'd even managed to place an online booking for an admittedly sketchy motel just outside the lower district on the way. When he'd finally landed, Eddie resolved to plop down onto the nearest free beach chair, pop in his ear buds, and soak in the golden rays of the sun (even if it was way too cold for the board shorts he was wearing). [break][break]

Eddie had been so determined to relax that he hadn't noticed the evacuation efforts taking place all around him. How could he, though, with chipper pop music blaring directly into his ears and sunglasses obscuring his vision? And it was so hard to want to move when the warmth radiating from the Growlithe resting across his lap drove the chill of the wintry air away. Eddie was so content in his little bubble that he almost hadn't noticed the younger man speaking to him. [break][break]

Realizing that someone was trying to get his attention, he hastily popped out his earbuds in time to catch the word evacuate leaving the other man's mouth. Had he heard that right? [BREAK][BREAK]

“I- uh... what? Sorry man, didn't catch that,” he responded. Well, that was only half true; he did hear the other guy mention testing his mettle. Eddie wasn't one to back down from a challenge, but he'd rather know what he was getting himself into first. [break][break]

Suddenly, he felt a shock of cold as icy rain began to start trickling down. Weird, the forecast hadn't mentioned anything about rain today.

[attr="class","eddiehpoke"]

[attr="class","eddiehtag"]

kyle lopez

[attr="class","eddiehmain"]

Eddie scrambled up from his beach chair, Blanche hopping off of his lap as he tokk the binoculars to get a look at who exactly 'that guy' is. He peered through the dual lenses as the Growlithe stareed up at the other man, tail wagging happily and tongue lolled out to the side in an open-mouthed plea for pets. What Eddie saw was... not what he was expecting, but how exactly could have he expected to see the leviathan crashing through the waves? [break][break]

When the younger man gave him the choice, Eddie made up his mind almost immediately. He was ill-equipped to battle, accompanied by a Pokemon poorly suited to fighting the massive creature. He didn't have much in the way of supplies himself, just a couple of days worth of clothes in a backpack. Eddie handed the binoculars back to his new companion and noded with resolve, [break][break]

“Don't got much on me, but I'll do whatever I can to help.” [break][break]

If there's anything he can do, Eddie was willing and able. Hell, he'd suplex the damn fish back into the ocean if he was given the means and opportunity to do so.

[attr="class","eddiehpoke"]

[attr="class","eddiehtag"]

kyle lopez

[attr="class","eddiehmain"]

Eddie followed alongside, Blanche happily keeping pace with the both of the men as they approached the boat. Perhaps neither he nor his dog understood the magnitude of what they were getting themselves into, but the Growlithe seemed downright eager to climb aboard, racing ahead of them and turning around to give a bark back, as if encouraging them to hurry up. [break][break]

“Well hell, if it's just enthusiasm ya need, Blanche and I got that in spades,” Eddie chuckled with a toothy grin, stretching his arms behind his neck, “I'm Eddie, by the way. I'm, uh, not from around these parts, but maybe ya already guessed that. I can handle myself on a boat just fine, though.” [break][break]

And indeed he could, because if he learned one thing from the mind-numbly boring fishing trips off the coast of Porto Marinada, it was how to keep himself from falling out of a boat, no matter how bad the weather was. At least he had one thing to thank his dad for.

[attr="class","eddiehpoke"]

[attr="class","eddiehtag"]

kyle lopez

[attr="class","eddiehmain"]

As they sped off towards the raging leviathan, Eddie found himself beaming even as he gripped the railing of the boat with a white-knuckled ferocity. It was exhilarating, really, the chance to go toe-to-toe with a catch as big as this. He nodded in acknowledgment to Kyle as he explained their hit-and-run tactics, and Eddie's eyes narrowed in concentration as they neared their target. [break][break]

The fish was a lot bigger than he initially anticipated, but maybe that was to be expected. Blanche barked with increasing ferocity as they neared, perhaps not particularly concerned herself with the size of the creature they'd be squaring up against. Her voice keened into a HOWL, working herself into fervor. Eddie couldn't help but feel further emboldened by her gumption; now it was just a matter of getting close enough to strike the damn thing.

[attr="class","eddiehpoke"]

[attr="class","eddiehtag"]

kyle lopez

[attr="class","eddiehmain"]

If the ORIGIN PULSE whirling just mere feet past the boat wasn't enough to awe Eddie, then the sheer spectacle of what Kyle offered certainly was. [break][break]

Now, Eddie wasn't much of an expert on myths and legends, but you'd have to be living under a rock not to recognize the legendary beasts that materialized, ones that Kyle had somehow managed to conjure from ash. Eddie's eyes widened in shock as he watched the ethereal Suicune, running with grace over the tumultuous sea, and Raikou, dashing across a pillar of ice conjured by it's brother as they descended upon their foe. Eddie looked back down at Blanche, who continued to bark over the din of the storm and the battle. She was no Entei, but maybe she'd make a fine enough stand-in for this occasion. [break][break]

He leaned down and grabbed Blanche by the middle, hefting her up high enough that she could see her target over the side of the boat. Holding her like a lupine shotgun, Blanche barked happily as she conjured a ROCK SLIDE, materializing an avalanche of rocks and boulders in the air above the Kyogre and sending them crashing down on the giant fish's head. Eddie wasn't sure that the attack did a whole lot of damage, but at least Blanche seemed to be quite pleased with herself.

[attr="class","eddiehpoke"]

[attr="class","eddiehtag"]

kyle lopez

[attr="class","eddiehmain"]

Holy shit, it worked! [break][break]

As stone and ice crumbled into the sea, the leviathan seemed poised to leave, apparently dissuaded by the efforts of the three canines. Blanche wriggled in Eddie's grasp, loosing a fierce ROAR as the cetacean Pokemon began it's ungraceful retreat. As the boat sped off back towards the shore, Eddie gave Kyle a wide grin and a thumbs up in reply. [break][break]

Keeping his eyes set on the retreating Kyogre, Eddie couldn't help but beam brightly to himself. That was cool! Like, really cool! He got to help do something big and helpful! Even if he was beginning to suspect that Kyle probably could have handled the situation on his own. Speaking of, [break][break]

“So, uh,” Eddie began, calling out to Kyle over the sounds of the patrol boat, “How'd ya do that magic trick with the legendary beasts? Is that some kinda fancy tech thing, or...?”

[attr="class","eddiehpoke"]

[attr="class","eddiehtag"]

kyle lopez

[attr="class","eddiehmain"]

Ho-Oh powers? He would have assumed that Kyle was fucking with him were it not for the bluntness of his tone. Eddie's brow furrowed, staring at the younger man as they reached the shore; just who the hell was this kid? [break][break]

“Yeah, more or less,” Eddie admitted sheepishly, “Not a lot for me back home. Figured this was as good a place as any to get a fresh start.” [break][break]

That was probably a dumb way to put it – it's not like Eddie was running from the law or something – but he decided to leave it at that. He grinned as Blanche's hind leg started to kick when Kyle reached a particularly satisfying spot to scratch behind her ear.

[attr="class","eddiehpoke"]