[attr="class","blbqimg5"]

[attr="class","header"]YOU’RE GONNA GO FAR, KID

[attr="class","setting"]

So, wandering off from their group probably wasn't the best idea, but they hadn't wanted to do anything exciting. Seriously, the older rocket had just droned on and on about paying attention to their surroundings, yada yada yada. Like they needed to be told that. If they had wanted a lecture, they could've just stayed back at the base. Not that they got many lectures at the base or anything like that.
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A small sigh escaped them as they continued to make their way through Area Zero, trying to put as much distance between them and the group as they could before they realized they were no longer with them. They were sure to get an earful later for wandering off, but it would be worth it not to have to deal with those sticks in the mud.
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A sound from ahead pulled them out of their thoughts, and they glanced at Poseidon, their Greninja, and Artemis, their Decidueye, their only two Pokémon out of their Poké Balls before making their way towards the sound. What could they say? They were curious.
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And even if there was a slim possibility of them running into a strong Pokémon, they wanted to be there.[break] Ozni Adebayo
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7Io8u1sC

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + wearing his mask

[attr="class","oznitop"][attr="class","ozni"]

[attr="class","oznimain"]Ozni was putting his legs to work. If he’d seen the footage, the CEO would have taken a second to admire his form—the way he bounded through this Dark Crystal death trap like some funky gazelle. Though his Pokemon were right behind him, the guy hadn’t paid them a second thought. Sure, they were cool little dudes, but his well-being came first, second, and third. The idea of fighting Mecha Godzilla never crossed his mind—he wasn’t a get-your-hands-dirty kind of guy.

Breathing heavily—lungs burning—Ozni burst from a gap between two purple tera crystals. His Comfey brushed against one of these as she barely avoided getting chomped by the Iron Thorns. “Fey!” She shouted at the lizard, her irritation enough to confuse the beast. It made a roaring noise in its chest, accompanied by the piston's whoosh. The charging beast bounced off the healer’s grassy shield, temporarily pinning it in place.

“COM!” She seemed ready to give the thing a lecture when Ozni noticed bait someone else up ahead. If he could hear himself, the squeak would have driven him nuts. A caramel hand lifted in a frantic wave. “Yo! Go-go gadget earthquake!” The man tried his best to get Sage’s attention. “We’ve got a capital S situation here!” Notably, he did not slow until he passed the masked person. A hand brushed a crystal as he drew to a hard stop.

The Iron Thorns finally shook off the effect of Mommy’s scolding. Sparks began to gather in its mouth as it prepared a mega-sized Electro Ball. The shield Princess Lei conjured up looked like tissue paper next to it.

m|LhVnuD

[attr="class","oznipoke"]

[attr="class","blbqimg5"]

[attr="class","header"]YOU’RE GONNA GO FAR, KID

[attr="class","setting"]

The sound of footsteps approaching caught their attention. Whoever it was, they were running. This could be very bad or very good. Oh, who were they kidding? When was someone ever running a good thing? And with that thought, they braced themselves.
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They weren't sure what they were expecting. But the person that appeared wasn't it. It took a second for their mind to register that whoever it was, they were speaking to them. Getting out of the crouch they had instinctively fallen into in case they had to launch themselves at the person, they looked the guy over, not that the guy would realize that considering the mask he wore.
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Before they could respond, the sound of something large coming from the direction the guy had come from had them snapping their head towards the source so fast it was a wonder that they didn't get whiplash. "Damn territorial paradox Pokémon," he said, turning to face the threat.
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"Stay back, I'll protect you," they said. And didn't those words feel strange on their tongue.
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Shaking off the weird feeling, they released Minerva, their Beheeyem, from her Poké Ball. "Use Psybeam on the Electro Ball when it's released. It should hold it back a bit. Poseidon, use Double Team, and Artemis, use Shadow Sneak and then Leaf Blade after you appear behind the Iron Thorns."
[break][break]
They said all of this at a lowered volume, and the three Pokémon they had mentioned started to do as they were told.[break] Ozni Adebayo
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fQMi99ZW

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","oznitop"][attr="class","ozni"]

[attr="class","oznimain"]Ozni felt weird as he looked his savior down. This dude looked like a kid. That or someone who skipped supper a couple of times. He really hoped it was the former. Using minors for flesh shields didn’t win brownie pants. As the Iron Thorns burst through, Oz’s blue eyes skipped upward. “Damn para-what now?” Seems like it wasn’t a case of dino armor after all.

Normally, Oz would have protested. Maybe insisted he was a strong, independent black man who could handle himself. But, in this case, he’s quick to step behind Sage. His foot slid back. Some part of him wanted to keep running. The curious shit-starter in him, meanwhile, wanted to see what happened. He took a deep, shuddering breath. “Awwwww! My hero!” Ozni grinned. “Don't get in the way! You got it."


Ozni slid his attention to the fairy type beside him. Let’s give baby-boo here a hand. HHis viewers shouldn’t see him doing nothing; As the orders were dispensed, his Comfey drifted forward. Her little lips quivered with nerves “Lei!”

The grass-type summoned a Flower Shield, aiming to give her companions an added layer of protection.

SqkioQ8C

[attr="class","oznipoke"]

[attr="class","blbqimg5"]

[attr="class","header"]YOU’RE GONNA GO FAR, KID

[attr="class","setting"]

Seriously, who was this guy? Didn't he know what a paradox Pokémon was? They had thought everyone knew what they were. More than enough people talked about them in their opinion. But it seemed there were still people who hadn't heard about them.
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"Paradox Pokémon, said to be variations of Pokémon we know from different timelines or ancient/futuristic relatives of certain Pokémon we know, that's what the stories say anyway," they said with a small shrug. They themselves weren't really sure what they believed, nor did they really care.
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With the guy agreeing to stay out of their way, they put a plan into action. Hopefully, it would work out in their favor. They barely paid any mind to the other as he ordered his Pokémon to help them out with Flower Shield, instead just choosing to focus on getting the Iron Thorns to leave them be.
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Minerva's Psybeam slammed into the Electro Ball, keeping it at bay a bit as Poseidon and Artemis did their moves. Poseidon used Double Team to increase his speed and evasiveness, while Artemis used Shadow Sneak to sneak up behind the Iron Thorns and use Leaf Blade.
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Being a Rock type, the Leaf Blade did a considerable amount of damage to the Iron Thorns. Trusting Artemis to be able to take care of himself, they turned their attention to the power struggle between the Psybeam and the Electro Ball. [break] Ozni Adebayo
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liF71xAe

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","oznitop"][attr="class","ozni"]

[attr="class","oznimain"]Geeze. Every time he turned around there was a new category of Pokemon. “Right, right.” He waved the boy’s words off. “Those guys.”

Between work and glory-hogging, Ozni didn’t really have much time to indulge in mainstream media. A quick scroll in the morning and his mind drifted to the stock market. Sage’s explanation draws a scoff. “Looks like a boring future then.” Thousands of years and the best they could do was make a robo dinosaur? Heck, he bet his science department could do that right now!

The Comfey conjured another layer of protection, this time around the humans. Enough playing druid, Lei. She didn’t even know when she started thinking of herself as the pun he’d named her after. But after seeing Star Wars, the Princess was the best character. She could have been named Jar-Jar. With the other Pokemon to support her, the fairy-type darted beneath the brimming Electro-ball. “Fey!” Her cry is fierce and tiny, like a Redwall mouse against a Thundercat. (‘Take this!’) The translated human voice is buried beneath a thwap as she wraps a vine around the dinosaur’s jaw and tries to whip it to the side.

The idea of the plant moving this behemoth is laughable. She looks like she’d struggle to move a thimble. But the slap throws the Iron Thorns off a millimeter. Its Electro Ball goes off and the Psybeam hits it like a train. Knocked onto its side for a moment, the green lights dim. But, when they pop back on, that color is blinding—reminiscent of a nuclear reaction.

Like a kid throwing a tantrum, it slims its front arms on the ground before them. There’s a tremble that follows. “Uh-oh.” Oz says as he grabs Sage by the back of his shirt. “Time to move!” The air clouds with dust and crystalline shards as the earth explodes with dozens of jagged, craggy spikes. Aiming to buy itself some space with the devastating attack, the Iron Thorns staggers back to its feet.


“RRRRRRROOOOOOOOAR!” The dust swirls around it as it locks its eyes on the humans. Oz's fight-or-flight response lit up like a Christmas tree. But his feet were stuck beneath him.


N6AE_9k3

[attr="class","oznipoke"]

[attr="class","blbqimg5"]

[attr="class","header"]YOU’RE GONNA GO FAR, KID

[attr="class","setting"]

They weren't really sure what to make of his dismissal. Then again, he supposed unless one was a researcher or a scientist of some kind, one wouldn't be too interested in how a Pokémon came to be. They couldn't say they were really interested themselves.
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Making an affirmative noise, they kept their attention focused on the Pokémon. Iron Thorns was not the kind of Pokémon one wanted to let their guard down around.
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As the Comfey tried to ensnare the Iron Thorns' muzzle with a vine whip, they raised a brow, not that it was noticeable thanks to the mask they wore. Before they could point that out to the other, the vine whip pushed its muzzle enough to throw the Electro Ball off course, allowing the Psybeam to hit it head-on.
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Before they even had time to feel relief, the Iron Thorns was back up and madder than ever, if the ground trembling was anything to go by. It seemed like all they were doing was making it angry.
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They were just about to issue some more orders to their own Pokémon when the older male suddenly grabbed the back of their shirt, startling them. It was only thanks to quick reflexes that they stayed upright and didn't fall.
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Recovering their balance, they glanced over their shoulder at the other. "While I appreciate the thought and that you pulled me out of harm's way, running will only make us an easier target," they said, keeping their tone neutral.
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With that said...
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"Artemis, come back over here," they called out to the Decidueye, causing him to immediately use Shadow Sneak to get back over to his trainer's side.
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Once he was back with them, they nodded at the Pokémon, only saying one thing. "Poseidon, Artemis, do you two know what to do?"
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The two Pokémon seemed to know exactly what he was talking about. Almost simultaneously, Poseidon used Water Shuriken while Artemis used Air Cutter.
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The two attacks mixed with each other, causing the shurikens to increase in speed, adding more power behind the water attack as the two attacks slammed into the Iron Thorns.[break] Ozni Adebayo
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ZLN6|Zrf

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","oznitop"][attr="class","ozni"]

[attr="class","oznimain"]His hand remained locked in Sage’s collar for a minute, like a bird’s foot frozen on a live wire. As the kid speaks, Oz’s face lights up in temporary disbelief. Seriously!? This thing is a walking tower of destruction. It’s not a grumpy Pikachu or a Route 1 rodent. It could actually hurt them, and he doesn’t really have an extra person to throw it—Sage was kind of important right now.

And, well, it’d be kind of a dick move to let him stay and clean up his mess. Not that he wouldn’t do it if he had to. When it came down to it, he had to watch out for Numero Uno. Himself.

His mouth opens to protest. But, for once, the jabber jaw can’t think of anything to say. Old memories of documentaries—and funny nature videos—tell him that Sage was right. Running wasn’t the solution here. “Uggggggh.” Heck, he’d tried just that before running into the kid. “Fiiine.” With a soul-crushing sigh, the CEO turns to face their opponent. He takes a few hesitant steps toward the robo-dino. “For the record, I still think we should run.” But he reaches for his belt anyway.

Not that anyone would notice. Right now, his buddy and the Iron Thorns are too busy throwing down. As Water Shuriken jutsu happens, Oz can’t help but spare it an admiring glance. “Whoa!” It gets better when it hits. Air and water explode as the Iron Thorns tries to catch the globular mass. It's driven back a few feet. Something sparks inside it as its eyes temporarily dim. “Dude, that’s awesome.” Not wanting to seem useless, Oz tosses out a Gholdengo.

The Comfey shifted out of the Iron Thorn’s reach, her tiny form almost tauntingly out of reach. “We’re up, Lei! Chip!” The coil Pokemon seems stunned to be in a battle. But, after a brief moment of incredulity, joins the fray. The Comfey lowers herself back to the battlefield with a haughty glance at her trainer. Don’t make me look bad in front of the kid. The businessman’s azure eyes seem to say as he tries to remember just what his pals could do.

His phone’s out. A quick scan with the Pokedex app, and Oz is on his way. With Sage’s Pokemon out of harm’s way, he’s free to let loose. Kind of. “Use Petal Blizzard! Make it rain, Dale!” With a bit of hesitation, the pair move to do what’s requested. Sharp petals and coins swirl around the Iron Thorn like a hive of insistent bees. Chips in the silver appear as it bats irritably at the debris.

But its tolerance for this shit is low. Its body sparks as it charges forward in a deadly Wild Charge. Its targets? The humans.

rShtvYx_

[attr="class","oznipoke"]

[attr="class","blbqimg5"]

[attr="class","header"]YOU’RE GONNA GO FAR, KID

[attr="class","setting"]

The guy didn't seem too keen on fighting the Iron Thorns, but they would much rather not be attacked with their back turned. In other words, they would much rather see what was coming. It was why they were staying to fight the paradox Pokémon off instead of retreating. There was also the fact that it seemed pretty relentless.
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Still, taking it on was more of a challenge than they thought it would be. Luckily, the guy they were with decided to step up his own game and actually help them out. With him helping, perhaps chasing it off wouldn't be too much of a hassle.
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The thought had barely crossed their mind when the Iron Thorns, in a burst of electricity, started towards them. Eyes widening, they grabbed hold of the guy's sleeve they were with, as well as Minerva, prompting the Beheeyem to teleport with them.
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The trio would reappear behind the Iron Thorns, out of the danger zone of a move that would've surely killed them. "That was too close, I'm not looking to die here," they muttered under their breath before gesturing for Minerva to rejoin the battle while the Iron Thorns was recovering from recoil damage.
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Seriously, the sooner they sent this Iron Thorns on its way, the better. They definitely hadn't been expecting a run-in with a Pokémon of this caliber when they had decided to come down here.
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Though as he watched Artemis use Leaf Blade followed up by Poseidon using Water Pulse, he knew that his Pokémon were capable of protecting themselves if there was another run in with a Pokémon as powerful as the one they were facing.[break] Ozni Adebayo
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brN3AUVQ

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","oznitop"][attr="class","ozni"]

[attr="class","oznimain"]Ozni didn’t battle much. And, when he did, it was almost always scripted. So, he wasn’t exactly thinking about the fact that wild Pokemon didn’t have any rules to play by. His pupils swelled in panic as the dinosaur rushed toward them in a blaze of sparks. Every strand of his hair stood on end. The air smelled of crackling ozone. Then, something tugged his sleeve.

The Iron Thorn’s charge continued into a wall. Rocks and tera crystals rained upon it in a mini-avalanche as it tried to shake off the recoil. Stones fell from its dented exoskeleton as it rose to its knees. Then, one leg.

The change in perspective was disorienting. Immediately, he felt the urge to barf. Covering his mouth with his hand, he swallowed.“Hoooooooly shit!” The CEO managed to force himself into a slouch. “That thing could have killed us.” He took a calming breath. Hopefully, the panic wasn’t so visible. “Thanks, kiddo.”

Sage’s words earned an agreeing nod. “Ditto.” Turning to his two Pokemon—who looked shocked by the change in tact—the CEO nodded.

“Let’s give it all we’ve got—” Which wasn’t much for his fancy trinkets. “--I doubt we’ll beat it, but we need it to stay down.” Then, he saw it: a crack. That earlier collison had did some damage to this place’s integrity. It wouldn’t take much to triple that avalanche.

Trying to emulate the confidence and authority he’d seen in champion-level trainers, Ozni gestured at his dynamic duo. “Chippy! hit that stalacite with Power Gem.” He was proud he used the right term there. Big props to his geology teacher. “We need all the help we can get.” Too shocked to laugh, the Gholdengo obliged. The powerful beam ripped through a nearby crystal, showering the Iron Thorn in pink dust. Then, his eyes slid to the barely visible Comfey.


“Petal Blizzard again! Keep it in place!”’ With a tremulous nod, Princess Lei did as she was told.

CYOwBL0v

[attr="class","oznipoke"]

[attr="class","blbqimg5"]

[attr="class","header"]YOU’RE GONNA GO FAR, KID

[attr="class","setting"]

"Teleport can be disorienting to those not used to it," they said, seeming wholly unfazed by the teleportation, unlike Ozni, who looked like he was about to be sick. While the others recovered, they kept part of their attention on the Iron Thorns and the restarted battle.
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"Don't worry about it, I wasn't about to be electrocuted or trampled to death. Nasty way to go."
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As the others mentioned keeping it down, he nodded, an idea forming. "Artemis, restrain it," he called out to the Decidueye.
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Artemis, heeding his master's call, used Spirit Shackle, inflicting damage even while the move kept it in place.
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"Poseidon, Minerva, you're up."
[break][break]
Like Artemis, the two mentioned Pokémon heeded their trainers' call, each activating their own moves. Minerva used Psychic, while Poseidon followed up with Water Pulse. The two powerful moves slammed into the Iron Thorns, with the Water Pulse actually causing the Iron Thorns to become confused.[break] Ozni Adebayo
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bW_vNIKB

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","oznitop"][attr="class","ozni"]

[attr="class","oznimain"]The only response Ozni trusts is a shaky thumbs-up. “Mrrngh.” While he loved the idea of being able to pop up anywhere—like a birthday cake stripper—he’s watched too much sci-fi to trust it. Who’s to even say that the Oz put back together is even the same one that was taken? For all he knew, now he could be stuck as some dark, evil version of himself—two cells in the wrong place enough to change everything.

But his roiling stomach made questioning that stuff too much of a chore. “You—-you can say that again.” If he went out, he wanted to do it with an open casket. Heck, maybe even an empty one (since he did something so cool no one ever found him). But even his family’s mortician couldn’t put lipstick on a pancake. And, if he got electrified, his hair would never go back to normal. It probably wouldn’t even fit in the box.

The two attacks flew up toward that rock. The mechanical monster was too busy raging out to notice the danger above. As it rushes toward the young person’s Pokemon, it’s jerked back. “RAWR!?” It turns in confusion to see a spectral arrow sticking out of its shadow. The two attacks drive the creature back into position. Now confused, it starts striking out at phantoms.

A noise of exaltation escapes as the Power Gem slices through the rock above. There’s a creak and then CRASH! The Iron Thorns disappear beneath an avalanche of rock and stone. With a grin, Ozni wraps Sage in an impromptu hug—momentarily forgetting how gross people are.

When everything calms down, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a high-impact wallet. “Do you have change for a—” He looks at Sage for a moment before shrugging. “Here.” He pushes an obscene amount of money into the kid’s hands. “Thanks for the save.” His grin is back and as blinding as ever. “Feel free to swing by some time!” Chippendale snaps a salute as he and his boss make their way to the surface.
zbVPnb_v

[attr="class","oznipoke"]