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The male gaze didn't pester just Andrea, as the shorter redhead found the eyes on her as well. While Gordo lugged the small bag and the tiny cooler with him, the little armadillo insistent on bringing the goods despite his smaller stature, Genny would come with her own swimsuit clad upon her form.[break][break]

Nosebleeds were new to Genny. It's thanks to her girlygang that she feels like she has this sex appeal to begin with, but seeing the guys basically bark like dogs was almost concerning.[break][break]

Almost. Being desirable did something to the ego.[break][break]

Towel splayed out for her, as Gordo dug the cooler into the ground for safety between them, Genny finally leaned back onto the towel, her swimsuit in full view, but not needing a parasol at all. Andrea had it covered, and Genny grins to her. "Yeah. What was it, half a year since glamping? I don't remember relaxing after that," she chimes, stretching with a new pair of shades on her hazel eyes, and a bottle of sunscreen in the hand. The way one arm stretched over her head, and the other above gave plenty the ability to see her swimsuit.[break][break]

She turns her head to Pon, who Gordo now accosts with fingerguns as he walks next to her and sits down. "Looks like Gordo likes you, Pon!" she chimes out, the Sandshrew placing a water bottle next to her. Genny can't help but grin.[break][break]

"Ah, Gordo. Such a sweetheart," Genny coos out, starting to apply the sunscreen to her legs.

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Gordo used Charm. It was super effective. Pon gleefully accepted the water bottle, while blushing. New friend acquired.
[break][break]
“Pon~”
[break][break]
“He really is! I could just marry him!” Andrea whimsically remarked, mirroring Genny’s grin. She, too, started rubbing sunscreen over her long, bare legs. “By the way, your swimsuit’s super cute! I love how it matches your hair!” She added.
[break][break]
More male beach-goers passed out, while others got chewed out by their girlfriends. The rest flocked around the two sexy ladies like Bug Pokémon to a lamp.
[break][break]
The young PokéManiac furrowed her brow. “All these people are gonna make Pon uncomfortable. Any idea how to drive them off?” She asked the fiery-haired ranger sitting next to her.

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That super-effective charm seemed to get Pon blushing, and Gordo would adjust his shades. Andrea and Pon? Woo'd. Gordo got the moves. Short king he may be, but the armadillo knew how to use every inch. He was an adora-ball.[break][break]

Andrea's compliment to Genny's swimsuit has her cheeks heat up, as she sheepishly laughs, rubbing sunscreen to her neck. "Yeah? Last Christmas, DESIREE BLOOMS helped me appreciate my beauty a bit. I guess she rubbed off a little-" she tries to not let the embarrassment of the boys near them get to her. But she was far past the 'hot' phase. She knew she was. Even if just a little. "Your swimsuit is fantastic too. I wish I had your legs too." She stared down at them. Long and slender.[break][break]

Andrea's request on the other hand, was met with more confidence.[break][break]

"Gordo. Spin dash."[break][break]

Gordo held up a finger to Pon, to insinuate 'one moment por favor', before getting up and beginning to spin into the beach sand, shredding sand into the eyes of the perverted. Each SAND ATTACK used to tell them 'they are taken' or 'they are not available' and 'they won't give you the time of day'. Each time a guy came close, giving the classic 'ey baby', Gordo came in.[break][break]

Before long, they're clear. Gordo's work done, as he huffs and puffs, waddling onto the towels of his girls, and giving the honk-shoo snooze.[break][break]

Ah... the bad memories that came with those guys. "A lot of them remind me of an ex of mine. My first boyfriend decided he loved surfing more than me," she cringes, beginning to lay down onto the towel, done with her work. "Good job though, Gordo. My little dillo baby." Two thumbs up from the armadillo, and a roll to Andrea for love. Gordo was living the life those men wish they could've.

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The girlygang fought the good fight against Toxic Chains as well as toxic masculinity. Gordo’s relentless assault of sand got the message across even to the thickest of skulls. Eventually, most of the would-be suitors decided that the chase was simply not worth it.
[break][break]
“You’re the best, Gordo! Mwah~!” Andrea placed a kiss on top of the green armadillo’s head as it vied for her affection. “If I didn’t already have Jalapeño, I would totally steal you!” She jested with a playful wink.
[break][break]
At the mention of his name, her son needily waved his stubby arms. “You want some sunscreen too? Here you go, my darling!” The young woman applied two strokes like white war paint on the Fuecoco’s cheeks, before doing the same for Ogerpon. Fire and Grass types didn’t really need protection from the sun; she just didn’t want them to feel left out.
[break][break]
Andrea had her own thoughts about Genny’s ex and his heart-breaking ways, playing a bit of devil’s advocate. “What’s wrong with loving surfing? If you love something, you should pursue it no matter what! I like Josh Devlin, but I’d never forgive him if he gave up racing!”
[break][break]
Pon listened to their conversation with vested interest, the Oni gaining a newfound appreciation for the human ritual known as gossiping.
[break][break]
Once she had all but finished applying sunscreen on herself, the dragon fanatic looked towards her friend quizzically. “Aren’t you gonna do your back too? I can help if you want.” She offered.

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Gordo deflates immediately upon Andrea's kiss, the armadillo kicking up sand with his tiny feet, as he rolls onto his back, enjoying the sun, all while Jalapeno got his bit of sunscreen, with Pon soon after.[break][break]

The devil's advocacy talk was appreciated. Genny preferred to be open-minded about it, but with a heated sigh, she moves forward, leaning down to lay on her stomach when the offer came up. "Sure, go ahead, Andrea."[break][break]

Within a moment, Genny would bemoan, "I would have totally been okay with him picking surfing first. But it's the way he did it," she digs into it, closing her eyes, and letting Andrea do her thing. "He decides to dump me on the ocean when he took me out one day. And decided five minutes later to go talk to some slutty-"[break][break]

The rudest words were about to come out of Genny's mouth, but she stops, closing her eyes.[break][break]

"Anyways... sorry, Andrea. I can get your back when you're done?"

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Andrea was grateful that, when she’d mentioned liking Josh, her friend hadn’t assumed it was romantic. Probably because Genevieve was too busy lamenting over her own love life to worry about somebody else’s. It was pretty considerate of her regardless.
[break][break]
Scooting closer to the other woman, the dragon maiden sat on the balls of her feet, before beginning her work. A healthy amount of sun lotion was carefully and gently lathered over Genny’s bare back, ensuring the blazing orb in the sky couldn’t blight her fair skin.
[break][break]
All the while, Andrea continued lending an ear to the heartbroken ranger’s lamentations, covering Jalapeño’s ears to protect him from the latter’s potty mouth. “Maybe the new woman was also a surfer?” A slutty surfer. “I wish I could help you more, but I don’t know a lot about relationships…”
[break][break]
With her work done, the young dragoness laid on her stomach, untying the strings of her bikini top to expose her own back. “OK, I’m ready!” The scars inflicted by Zev Harcourt many months ago were still faintly visible on her otherwise spotless skin, the sight of them causing Ogerpon to flinch.
[break][break]
“Pon! Pon!”
[break][break]
The green-clad ogress quickly covered the woman’s scarred back with the flaps of her leaf kimono, angrily yapping at Genevieve to prevent her from getting near. One could mistake this for aggression, if not for teary eyes betraying Pon’s true emotions.

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That felt nice. Having a shoulder to lament on for just a moment was always a good feeling, and Andrea was just that. Genny's eyes were fastened elsewhere.[break][break]

"Maybe," she deflates like a balloon. Maybe the other girl was a surfer. A slutty surfer. But when Andrea responded in kind that she didn't know how to help, Genny shakes her head, turning her head to see the other redhead. "You've done plenty by just be a voice of reason and listening. Here, let me stop feeling sorry for myself. We're at the beach!" Genny tries to smile. This wasn't about the past! This was the here-and-now![break][break]

Gordo, who watched Andrea undo her top, would already be getting the lotion ready for Genny, as he had wanted to help, and as Genny was getting ready, now atop of the taller female, Genny's smile faded.[break][break]

'This is what happens when you don't do your job.'[break][break]

The scars alone broke Genny, but Pon's response to them, to angrily yapping at Genny, to keep her away, has Genny solemnly eye the Ogrepon. "It's okay, Pon. I'm just getting her back. I won't hurt her."[break][break]

Gordo even came around, placing the bottle near Genny, and grabbing Pon's hands with his tiny ones. The Sandshrew shaking his tiny head. He began to make cries. Trying to tell Ogrepon that Genny would never hurt her. Aunt Andrea was friend. Mom Genny was friend. Gordo was good friend! Even so, Genny looks to Pon, and holds a hand out.[break][break]

"Andrea... may I ask, where these came from?"[break][break]

Genny already knew. Everyone shared the scars. Rocket.

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The Oni was being overprotective, not wanting her caretaker, who had been so kind to her, to get hurt more than she already had. She knew very well how frail humans could be, having broken many of them while in the thrall of the Toxic Chain.
[break][break]
“Ponyo…”
[break][break]
It took both Genny and Gordo convincing her that everything would be okay, but eventually, the ogress relented. Andrea reached out and gave her a headpat. “Thanks for looking out for me, Pon. If Genny hurts me, I’ll make sure to let you know.” The woman said reassuringly.
[break][break]
Right before beginning her work, though, the redheaded ranger addressed the Copperajah in the room, namely those scars that looked like claw marks permanently etched on the skin. Whatever had done this to her was not human, nor was it a Pokémon.
[break][break]
“It was the Rocket avatar of Necrozma. I ran into him near Verdanturf Town…” Andrea explained, her body tensing up ever so slightly. “He was in the Megalopolan prison too, I know he was. But I was too focused on Cyllora, Pecharunt and the Lousy Three.”
[break][break]
The mere mention of the nefarious trio and their ringleader caused Ogerpon to hiss. “Grrrr! Pon!”

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Pon was just overprotective... for good reason. And when Andrea helped calm her down, or at least try, Genny had to get the answer. But... the way Andrea tenses up, the shorter redhead's face was serious a spell.[break][break]

"Necrozma," the disdained word leaves her lips with an ichor of anger. Genny's face contorts in her own faded memory of the fields of Galar... they picked an avatar? If Necrozma was a legend and bestowed it on others, than Genny would have to overcome it. She would overcome it. To hear this Avatar was in the Megalopolan prison too, has her scowl.[break][break]

She shakes it off. Multiple instances of trauma overlap. She can't show that now.[break][break]

"We were busy," Genny begins to apply the lotion onto her back, her hands moving over her back, rubbing down the lotion with care not to hurt. She tries to smile, not for Andrea, not for Genny, but for the Ogrepon. Pon went through enough.[break][break]

Upon Pon's hissing, Gordo moved closer. Pon would feel the arms of a little armadillo moving around her. Gordo may not be bright, he may not be human, he may not know the true pain of war. But his friend was in pain.[break][break]

So. Even if they knew each other for a day, at best, Gordo would hug her. A sentiment that things will be better. That a brighter tomorrow is around the corner, and to smile for the things they have today.[break][break]

Such wisdom in the heart of a little green armadillo.[break][break]

"I hope... it doesn't hurt now?" A new target. Someone to train to beat. The Avatar of Necrozma (Zev Harcourt). He hurt Andrea.[break][break]

So one day, she'll surpass him.

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The texture of Andrea’s scars was a little rough, but easy for Genny’s lotion-coated hands to weave their way around. There was no risk of reopening her wounds. John Sullivan had done a fantastic job patching her up.
[break][break]
“Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt at all.” The dragon fanatic reassured her fellow girlie. “Besides, scars are kinda badass! Have you seen freya morningstar’s Salamence? He has scars all over his body!” Maybe someday she would get to battle that legendary Salamence. Or even become a battle-scarred Salamence herself.
[break][break]
Meanwhile, Pon reciprocated Gordo’s comforting hug, all of her worries washed away by the armadillo’s unconditional kindness. Her new friend was so nice, it made the ogress feel fuzzy and warm inside.

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Andrea didn't seem perturbed by it at all... it has the shorter redhead wear a smile again, crooked as it may be. Of course. She was fine, she was always fine. Strong-willed, always seeing the sun at the end of the road. Her fantacism for dragons kept her from the darker thoughts roaming around her head.[break][break]

Genny struggles with that, every day. It's people like Andrea that keep her from faltering. Between finding them badass, and mentioning Councilwoman Morningstar's Salamence, it brought peace to her mind.[break][break]

"Really?" She can't help but smile. She would get revenge.[break][break]

As she continues to apply the lotion down, she turns to Gordo and Pon. The two hugged, and Gordo the whole time had this genuine smile on his face, the little armadillo just the cutest.[break][break]

Revenge can wait. As she turns back to Andrea, she nods from above. "The scar does look pretty badass. And who can say they tusseled with the Avatar of Necrozma and lived? Or even jump after a little Pokemon on a ship, and save them from madness?" Genny can't help but highlight the badass things Andrea has done. One scar won't slow her down.[break][break]

That was her Girlygang friend. That was Andrea Vaneau. No god-chosen Avatar would dare slow her down.

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“I can say that! I did those things!” The PokéManiac beamed, her chest swelling with pride. “I will tussle with any legendary you throw in front of me! Kyurem, Necrozma, Registeel, even Kyogre, it makes no difference!” She boasted.
[break][break]
Little did she know, her greatest loss yet would happen not at the hands of a god, but a man. However, that was a story for another day.
[break][break]
With her scarred back sufficiently lotioned, Andrea re-tied her bikini top and got up, making her way to the shoreline. “Right now, I feel like tussling with those waves! Who wants to join me?” She asked Genny and the rest of the crew, grinning from ear to ear.

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This was why she loved Andrea. In more ways than one, Andrea was a bright beacon of light. Genevieve was that a long time ago, but no Necrozma, Kyurem, Regi, or Kyogre can slow her down. The gods may play their twisted games, but her friend stands tall.[break][break]

The beam was shared. Like when she entered the region. The flame in her heart never died, not fully. It was nurtured, it was loved, and it could burn bright again.[break][break]

The invitation to join her to the shoreline, is met with the beaming excitement from Genevieve. "Absolutely! Let's go, Andrea!" She pops up into the air now, following her taller friend, and Gordo, absolutely, took a few steps forward, before pulling Pon along.[break][break]

The armadillo smiles to Pon. A wordless smile, as he tips the sunglasses down, and tries to pull Pon with him.[break][break]

The world was fun! It was great to experience! And Gordo would lead the lay for his new friend Pon![break][break]

Genny can't help but beam towards Gordo. What an honest good boy.[break][break]

She whispers to herself, as she turns towards Andrea with an exuberance of a time before.[break][break]

"Thank you, Andrea." She continues to the beach.

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