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This sort of work had always filled Eddie with a very specific sense of purpose, especially in the literal making of things. Building, rebuilding, repairing, shaping things from nothing; it was the act of creation the set man apart from Pokemon, even if their strength was a welcome boon in tasks such as these. The best part was getting to see the end product, to be able to bask in the glory of a job well done and have a tangible monument to your efforts that would serve a practical purpose for years to come (or maybe just months, depending on how the war went). [break][break]

It wasn't time to bask yet, though, because there was still plenty of work to do. Stella was well-equipped to help haul in the heavy loads of lumber that would be needed to construct the next part of the building's frame. Delilah helped BULLDOZE the earth to make way for the foundation to be laid, a task familiar to her from that lifetime ago back in Cascarrafa. Beau hauled away rocks and debris with the help of a single yoke and cart (old fashioned, sure, but you'd be surprised what John Peters had kicking around his farm), and Blanche... well, Blanche was there for morale purposes, she had decided. The dog watched people and Pokemon work with a wide smile and a lolled tongue, and would occasionally steal away a worker for the all-important task of providing her with belly-rubs. [break][break]

She now watched her trainer mirror the sheriff's motion of wiping sweat from his own brow, and Eddied grinned as he grabbed a bottle of water for himself. He took a long drink, eyeing the Urshifu with consideration at Navy's mention of the imposing bear, [break][break]

“Huh, you think so?” [break][break]

Shuwen's expression was a little hard to discern between the burn scars and that stern air about him, but Eddie also knew that Navy wasn't in the business of bullshitting anyone, [break][break]

“Sure is. Figure we ought to consider ourselves lucky that we don't hafta do this in the dead of winter, though. Tryin' to break frozen ground is a fuckin' nightmare.” [break][break]

Either in the dead of winter, or in some world where they had failed to stop the Regice before it could wreck some real havoc. Eddie's grin faltered a little at the grim thought.

[attr="class","bottom"]Navy [break]

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Eddie frowned. Navy wasn't wrong, but Dewford's well-being was a hell of a burden to bear. There was only so much either of them could do in the face of such overwhelming dread, but at the very least, Eddie would gladly help take a little of that weight off of the sheriff's shoulders, [break][break]

“Well, for what it's worth, I ain't goin' nowhere, 'less the League forces me to. Hell, even then, I got plenty'a Pokemon I can spare to help hold the line here.” [break][break]

And to help with the reconstruction efforts. The idea of bailing on these people when their home was still in shambles didn't sit right with him; if he were to leave now, it'd be like leaving a job half-finished, [break][break]

“We'll keep Dewford safe, as best as we can.” [break][break]

A cool breeze swept through the construction site, coming from somewhere beyond the sea. Eddie also realized in that moment that his motivations also weren't entirely selfless, either. [break][break]

There was next to nothing waiting for him outside of Dewford, outside of an apartment in Rustboro whose lease had nearly run its course. Here, at least, Eddie had friends, and good, honest work to do that made him feel like his presence on this earth was worth something. Even if Rocket wasn't eyeing this little sandbar, Eddie realized that he wasn't ready to leave the island behind just yet.

[attr="class","bottom"]Navy [break]

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Eddie vaguely registered the exchanged glances between Shuwen and Navy, like two old friends sharing some unspoken secret, but Eddie's attention was drawn elsewhere when Navy recalled that little island off of the Galarian coast. [break][break]

Well, the island itself wasn't exactly the point of this discussion, as it turned out. The point was, Eddie quickly realized, that Navy was placing his faith in him. His trust, to protect a place that was very dear to him. [break][break]

Did Navy know what he was doing? Did he really think that Eddie, this nobody from some godforsaken corner of Paldea, had what it took to defend this place from an organization with gods and monsters at their command? [break][break]

It was with some awe that Eddie realized yes, he actually did, because Navy wouldn't have posed the question in the first place if he thought otherwise. Hell, at least that made Eddie's answer as easy as could be, [break][break]

“Yes sir.” Eddie nodded resolutely, though he couldn't help but feel a grin start to tug at the corners of his mouth, “Bastards couldn't keep me down if they tried.” [break][break]

Though they were welcome to take their best shot. Between Navy's faith in him and the presence of other smiles on this island Eddie wanted to protect, he was now sure that Rocket would have to throw everything they had at him to take him down for good.

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“Ah hell, I don't know about that. Figure I just did what any other jackass woulda done.” [break][break]

The rebuttal was teasing and light, a modest deflection, but by Arceus if Eddie wasn't a little lost. He still had yet to figure out what folks like Navy and @/yuinahigashi saw in him, but he didn't have long to dwell on that thought when Shuwen returned. When a pair of dark eyes peered out from behind one of the scarred bear's legs, Eddie grinned and offered the little one a wave, [break][break]

“Huh, no shit?” Eddie crouched down, getting closer to eye level with the cub, but he glanced back up at the ursine father with a chuckle, “Shuwen, you dog.” [break][break]

And somehow, the thought that Eddie might be the sort of person Shuwen was looking for completely escaped him until Navy said it outright. The older man suddenly straightened, looking a little wide-eyed between his friend and the bear, [break][break]

“You, uh- you serious?” [break][break]

Eddie looked back to those wide, watery eyes peeking out from behind their father. The father in question, standing firm, was a little hard to read, but Eddie was sure that this wasn't some sort of gag on the bear's part. Shuwen was placing the same trust in him that Navy had, and Eddie couldn't turn that sort of good faith down, [break][break]

“I mean-” and Eddie straightened himself a little more, addressing Shuwen as much as he did Navy, “I'd be happy to have 'em. Me and the crew'll keep 'em safe, raise 'em up strong.” [break][break]

And be the armor that Dewford sorely needed. Distantly, Eddie thought he heard the footfalls of the now un-yoked Beau approaching, and he could practically feel those dark eyes bore into his back as the bull surveyed the scene with curiosity. Blanche too, lounging in a choice sunbeam filtering in through an unfinished wall, began to wag her tail in earnest, [break][break]

“Does the little 'un have a name?”

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Eddie couldn't help the snorting chuckle that worked its way out – Kuku and ShuShu were sorely tempting options. It was a shame that they had already been vetoed by the imposing Urshifu. [break][break]

And Eddie watched as the father seemed lost in thought for a moment, and the man suddenly realized how hard this must have been for him even as he nudged his son one stumbling step forward, giving him that final push out of the nest. As the Kubfu drew closer, Beau ambled up to his trainer's side as if he had finally received his cue to take the stage, [break][break]

“We won't. Got no time for goofin' off anyway.” [break][break]

Except for what time Eddie carved out for it, because if he was going to do right by Navy and Shuwen, it was just as important for the cub to learn what he was fighting to protect as it was to learn how to do the fighting itself. The bull took another step forward and eyed the cub, sizing him up. [break][break]

There was the click of a hoof against the concrete slab beneath them, and the imposing stance of a creature hardened by battle staring down at his new pupil. Something about this struck Eddie as being strangely familiar, strangely sentimental. Maybe that's why he suddenly blurted out - [break][break]

“Patroclus.” [break][break]

The Tauros turned to look back at his trainer a little quizzically, and Eddie was sure he felt the eyes of the others on him, too. He rubbed the back of his neck a little sheepishly, [break][break]

“For, uh, the name, I mean. Translates ta somethin' like 'glory of the father'.” [break][break]

Maybe it was a little old-fashioned, but these sorts of things were important. Together, they would bring glory to Shuwen. Glory to Navy. Glory to Dewford. Besides, there was a less stuffy-sounding alternative, [break][break]

“Could call 'im Pat for short.” [break][break]

Eddie looked a little nervously to Shuwen and Navy for their own verdicts.

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