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Adrian stops, his head on a swivel. That couldn't have been for him, right? It's easy to make that mistake when you've grown accustomed to the attention. Still, he searches around for a familiar face—someone looking at him—but he doesn't see it.[break][break]

Surely they wanted someone else's attention.[break][break]

Still, for the moment he was rattled...

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Oh, f#ck...[break][break]

They had meant him.[break][break]

He'd been noticed after all—not that it should've surprised him, really. But he's blindsided by the stranger's approach, having some close—literally close enough to walk back into the life he'd left behind. If only it were that easy; to reach out a hand, and grasp—[break][break]

The name TERAVOLT jolts him back, grounding him in the reality of the situation.[break][break]

"No, you're wrong—" he grunted back.[break][break]

"That guy wouldn't show up here. Not now."[break][break]

How they handled his rebuff would govern the nature of their exchange going forward.[break][break]

Fingers twitched readily as he pondered over the red-on-white orbs adorning his belt.

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"Is there something el—"[break][break]

They seize his wrist—at first he pulls back lightly, out of reflex. A quick jab peppers his features, catching him unawares. Enough to smart, but he's been through worse. Knitting his brow, his eyes smoldered with ire.[break][break]

"You'll regret that," he muttered.[break][break]

He wouldn't go down like this.[break][break]

Taking a halfstep back, his wrist goes slack before twisting towards their thumb; sharply tearing his arm away, he'd break the hold.[break][break]

If she fought for the hold, it'd only draw her in.[break][break]

Adrian is surprisingly nimble in his opportunism: Even as he frees himself, a knee pitches upwards, his boot jutting outwards to catch her square in the gut before touching back down.[break][break]

Messy and exacting details of their scuffle aside, he would hope to be free of their grasp and beyond their immediate reproach.[break][break]

Free of their hold and finding that much needed buffer, Adrian would about-face and attempt an exit to avoid getting trapped deep in Slateport.[break][break]

I just need to make it to the next district.

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She took that well.[break][break]

He might've liked to brave past the Ceruledge—and he might've, once upon a time. He used to feel invincible. But now he's caught out deep within Slateport, running afoul of the League, all for a little nostalgia.[break][break]

Things just never went over smooth anymore.[break][break]

Sweat beading along his forehead, Adrian had to take the next step. Release a pokemon, find his exit point... The longer this dragged on, the more curious eyes began to fixate on them. At least one thing was painfully obvious to him now:[break][break]

...There's no way out but the way I make.[break][break]

Brandishing a pokeball, Adrian unleashes his Gyarados, Furor, in a burst of light. Its carnelian scales scrape against concrete as it undulates, flicking its tail. Its mouth hangs agape, a deep bellow escaping from beyond its jagged maw.[break][break]

Yes, he would retreat back to Sootopolis—although it killed him to turn his back on this home a second time. It's why he's so reluctant to leave, and finds such difficulty in mouthing the words. He doesn't have a direct answer.[break][break]

"...Couldn't leave well enough alone..."[break][break]

Adrian wouldn't turn to face her accusing sneer.[break][break]

Eyes fixated on the Ceruledge, Adrian mutters his first command to Furor, as the sea serpent's lumbering form unfurls itself: Dragging its tail against the side of the building, windows begin splintering; the coarse sound of its scales scraping against pavement grinds in their ears.[break][break]

"CRUSH 'EM, FUROR."

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Adrian has to raise his arm to shield his eyes from the clatter of debris. He doesn't notice the Ceruledge fading to black, only to reappear just before them both. Adrian flinches as it lashes out, but it is Gyarados that takes the brunt of the blow, its scaled hide bearing a nasty gash...[break][break]

Furor exclaims before a rumbling rises from its throat, snarling as its head suddenly lurches forwards at Ceruledge. Its toothy maw chomps down with an audible clunk, but its teeth find no purchase... Once again, the stygian knight fades into the gloom, beyond their reproach.[break][break]

It was an annoying little trick he'd seen before.[break][break]

"Keep pressing them," Adrian instructs Furor. Its gnashing teeth stalk closely after Ceruledge whither it may attempt manifesting itself, its frustration mounting as its prey eluded it.

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As the time ticks away, Adrian takes a glance at their surroundings. People are looking on concernedly, some of them holding up phones, possibly recording. He needed to make a break for it, at some point.[break][break]

"Furor, with me," he gestures as he once again begins darting away down another street, rounding the corner. There may have been those stubborn enough to put their hands on him, if it weren't for the rampaging Gyarados...[break][break]

Before Gyarados can follow up the rear, it brings its tail in front of itself, guarding against the attack, holding back the Ceruledge's momentum before pushing back with the flick of its tail. And then it's back to chasing after Adrian.[break][break]

Maybe he should head for the boardwalk...[break][break]

That's exactly what he did. Instead of attempting a move East, his heading begins to take an aggressive Southern bias.