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This was exciting. [break][break]

He's been stuck in the room for a week, stuck in the sub for another week, and while his hand wasn't completely recovered he was fine otherwise psychically. Aside the new shiner he had under his left eye that Raziel would've no doubt already inform his mentor of his encounter with Walker and how Rowan Wrynn had helped him out. Something Theo may had come to realize that even if he weren't on the ship he had a pair of eyes and ears there that was more than willing to tell him 100% of everything he's taken in. May have given some insight on how Pryde had learned everything he wasn't there for. [break][break]

He promises that he can do better and now that this simulation thing was in play he was excited for the shot. On their way there he definitely would've asked questions about how it all worked but was quick to be quiet once they were hooked in and the simulation starts, "This is so cool!" he exclaims as it boots up the young man curious on what was to show up.

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[break]+ THEO BECKETT
[break]+ RKS

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theo has been extra meticulous in the past few days, careful not to let Raziel Beckett wander or stray too far. the professors had suggested to ease into it slowly, doing otherwise may tamper with the rewritten memories, though he figures venturing into another system entirely would be fine.[break][break]

"it is."[break][break]

he doesn't have it in him to say cool.[break][break]

the simulation starts. he doesn't deliver a warning to how disorienting it may feel to suddenly be vaulted into the simulation.[break][break]

when they reappear, they're facing live slowpokes on a table.[break][break]

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The transition from the real world to the virtual world feels off, and he swears he feels a wave of motion sickness wash over him for just a moment as all around them the situation boots up and they're in some kitchen. His nose crinkles at the smell, and the chill of the kitchen feeling all too real. He jumps and unconsciously steps closer to Theo as the chef of the kitchen demands compliance.[break][break]

"Uhhh I can't really do that...." he mummbles showing off his dominate hand at first before showing that he couldn't grip the knife with much force. The damage from the lightning bolt still having some effect on him that the medic had told him it might be a bit before his hand would be working at full force again. He looks to Theo as if to ask about what to do.

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[break][break]

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[break]+ THEO BECKETT
[break]+ Abstain or defy.

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no guilt comes from seeing the limited movement of raziel's hand. it is merely a byproduct of what was necessary.[break][break]

"it's fine."[break][break]

he doesn't reach for the emerald-tinted knife. he abstains, expecting raziel to do the same.[break][break]

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Shoulders tense as the program suddenly becomes angry with them. Going on about aliens or something and nothing that was make any sense before they tried to attack them. Had he been the same child from the past he may have just tried to avoid this fight. But he knows this thing was meant to show that he was ready to get out of this ship, that he could be worth the other's time. So he whistles and the bulbasaur at his side is quick to act as it uses VINE WHIP to grab hold of the program that made the man. A steady whistle from him to signal the seed pokemon to slowly squeeze and tighten their grip to ensure they couldn't escape. [break][break]

Again he looks back, the young man awaiting orders like the soldier he was raised to be, "Now what sir?"

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[break]+ THEO BECKETT
[break]+

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"you reacted well."[break][break]

he almost expected raziel to cower instead, but to see the boy stand and fight instead of flee is a good sign of things to come.[break][break]

"now, stage two."[break][break]

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In the past his father's compliments had become few and far between one another. So when it happened it felt like finally getting a drink of water after weeks in the desert, and despite his absence it seems to effect even now as Theo compliments him, however small, he can't help but feel gitty about it. He simply gives a small bow of his head, "Thank you sir," is all he replies before the system starts to change around them and the man within his Bulbasaur's grip disburse into data. [break][break]

Now around them is one of many of the destroyed gyms of Kanto, the damage from the gym all too familiar. He isn't sure as to what they're meant to do until the data builds one of their Admin's from before. Though a challenge is thrown Raziel can't help but be in doubt. "This is the new Rocket Boss for Hoenn right?" he questions as he looks to Theo unsure about how to approach this especially when right now he only had two pokemon to his name. He wouldn't stand a chance in this fight.

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[break]+ THEO BECKETT
[break]+

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"correct. walsh was also an admin in kanto, though i'm not surprised you don't remember him."[break][break]

for the man often operated in the shadows and when he stepped into the light, it would be under different personas.[break][break]

having run this stage before, theo knows what to expect, but his familiarity with their boss has nothing to do with this simulation.[break][break]

the pokemon he releases actually aids the rocket boss. the pink flames of his typhlosion wash over the area before morphing into a dark smokescreen.[break][break]

"we're ill-prepared. what do we do?"[break][break]

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Cillian Quinn had warned him of this scenario but it doesn't make it feel any better. The idea of fighting against a higher up again triggers his anxiety of the whole situation. His bulbasuar seems prepared to fight but he definitely is not as the man some how multiplies himself and he can't figure out how. Was that something that was a feature of this gym? Such as the odd walls that seemed to shape the way the smoke screen shifted itself. He goes forward enough to try and touch it and wonders just what it was. [break][break]

Raziel looks back in confusion as the Underboss ask them about what to do. "I-I-I-I.." he stammers clearly not used to being the one to make such decisions. He was looking for the other to make the choice not him, though it's his indecision that bites back as the ground beneath him and his bulbasuar erupts due to an EARTH POWER coming from the Gliscor. Both pokemon and trainer are knocked back and Raziel struggles to get back up. He had mostly recovered but not fully, and its good this whole thing wasn't real otherwise the attack might have felt much worse. [break][break]

"I-I-I don't have the pokemon to properly fight back sir," he admits though his bulbasuar can't help but looked offended at his statement. "I don't know how to fight back against this..."

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[break]+ THEO BECKETT
[break]+ Lose to him or retreat.

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this boy is a far cry from the one he fought atop the cliffs of mossdeep; that boy had held his own against one of team rocket's underbosses.[break][break]

"you have your bulbasaur."[break][break]

all he hears are excuses. it now falls to him to render them invalid.[break][break]

"adapt."[break][break]

the smokescreen thickens.[break][break]

"and overcome."[break][break]

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"But-" Raziel wants to protest that the Bulbasaur wasn't enough, he wasn't enough. He was but a fraction of the man he once was, and all the hardship that had hardened him to be the Ranger Captain he used be had been reverted back into an insecure teen. However if there was anything this version of him had it was trust and loyalty. Not to Walsh, not even to Rocket, currently it was all to Theo. So if the underboss tells him to adapt and overcome, he would at least try. [break][break]

"Sir yes sir," he just confirms as he takes a breath after getting himself back up with his Bulbasaur's help. There is some hesitation but after a moment he dashes in. He wishes he had his old gas mask but he'll have to deal with just his shirt up for now. The smoke bumping up against the invisible walls making it easier to see the maze as he relies on his pokemon's senses for any sneak attacks. Narrowly avoiding a few hits from the Gliscor as they make it through the maze, having tried multiple times to strike at one of the Walsh clones just to find out that they weren't real. [break][break]

Its the Nidoking that is summoned once they make it toward the center as it tries to attack them both. He fines himself terrified on moving, as flashbacks can't help but return, the smoke around them cause by fire rather than to be a screen and in Walsh's place it's his father. The image of his old man's nidoking grabbing his old bulbasaur and ripping off it's bulb flashing into his head and he is frozen in panic as his eye waters. He doesn't want it happening again, it was why he claimed his bulbasaur wasn't enough and he is still frozen as the drill pokemon charges at them. [break][break]

Yet things change this time around, the Toxic Chain makes this bulbasuar stronger than others like it. Its chain whipping out as it lashes out with a TOXIC SWING as it pushes the nidoking back, even managing to poison them thanks to it's corrosion. Its not much, but its enough of a difference to ground him. [break][break]

'Adapt and overcome' [break][break]

He repeats in his head as he finds himself actually in the battle, even for a moment as he brings out his terra orb and tosses it at his pokemon, making him a WATER TYPE to try and gain the upper hand. While it's TERRA BLAST does good in weakening the Nidoking the smokescreen still works against him, as does his laser focus as he tried to overcome his trauma that allows the Walsh to give an order to his Gliscor and the fanged scorpion strikes him from behind and pins him down, threatening his life that forces his own to stand down. [break][break]

He adapted but he wasn't strong enough to overcome, not yet.

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[break]+ THEO BECKETT
[break]+ Lose to him or retreat.