It's not...good noises he hears, but Andres doesn't look back. In his head he's already making up an excuse, a story he'd stick to. And if he didn't turn back, he couldn't lie. Technically ,he had not seen whatever that wet crunching noise was or who caused those gurgling, horrific screams. Not that he caught much of it, getting on a boat and following the currents back out and away. [break][break]

Takis keeps him company, and Buru's TAILWIND helped lead their little ship to shore where he's called an ambulance and rushed to the closest hospital. When he stops shaking, he texts Onyx.[break][break]

It takes him a minute, with Onyx's number verily deleted. And blocked. But the old text thread shows up anyway. He sends a quick text. [break][break]

hey. i'm in the er. are you picking up buru?

[break][break]

He this send, glancing over at the Butterfree before dropping his location for Onyx and waiting for a response. Takis had been put back in his ball now that he was safe but Buru...He waited to see what Onyx would say before opening a window for him.



[break][break]

+ onyx straub | LETS FUCKIGN GOOOOO [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

His jaw sets, wanting to say more but unwilling to argue with the man in such dire circumstances. Andres is in no state to put up a fight right now, ass beat and face swollen. [break][break]

"Ok." he said with finality, practically glaring at Onyx before turning to follow the big Butterfree out. They move slow, partly because Andres is limping, and partly because they're being quiet while Onyx prepares his ambush. [break][break]

He quietly let's out his Manetric and Takis immediately whines seeing his own training in a cave and injured. Andres quiets him quickly enough, tapping his index finger to his lips quickly before the Manetric silenced himself. [break][break]

"Stay close, we're making a break for the boats." he said before peeking out and pointing at some of the little dinghy's tied up to the rocks and dirt. [break][break]

Onyx mentioned dropping a Nidoqueen on them. So he waits for the attack, waits for the heavy rumble and screams before he takes off with Buru and Takis.


[break][break]

+ onyx straub | LETS FUCKIGN GOOOOO [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Andres snorted. Humans were going to adapt and cope even ion the worst situations. Otherwise Hoenn would be a booming tourist destination. Ironically, the constant near death experiences probably attracted the thrill seekers of the world. [break][break]

He doesn't think about planning for then next natural disaster. He doesn't bring up the possibility of hunkering down together. Of dying together again like during the meteor. [break][break]

He leaves the night for the only time he's ready and willing to look at it: wrapped around Onyx in the middle of the night. [break][break]

"Diner. Leather seat booths, greasy curly fries, and milkshakes." he said. Andres seemed to have a preference. "Or, if you're tired of that maybe there's a good sushi place mmm...closer to my place?" he asked looking around their current surroundings, inconspicuously inching them both closer to his own bedroom.



[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

He looks to Onyx as his little regret is taken seriously. "For me. For this." He said, gesturing at the many red and purple bruises blotting his body. Some parts turn blue with dark veins crawling out of them. It hurts more than just soreness, and Andres is sure his bones are fractured. "What do you mean?" He uttered before he could stop himself. [break][break]

Despite his prior anger, he can't help but worry a bit. "We're leaving- right?" There's no way Onyx is staying alone out here. And despite how pissed he had been- was- with Onyx, leaving him with no backup would be insane. But Buru's appearance worsens the fear that bad decisions are about to be made. [break][break]

"Just grab your shit and run." He added, though now his attention is on Buru as the Butterfree helped lead him out towards the exit.


[break][break]

+ onyx straub | LETS FUCKIGN GOOOOO [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"Mmm...well, you have time." He hadn't meant it seriously. However Onyx found his way through the world, that wasn't his business. And they hadn't discussed the Rocket thing since last year. Not that Andres was eager to. He didn't care. As long as Onyx came back around alive, he didn't care what he did.
[break][break]

"I feel like our apocalypses are quarterly at this point." he said, smiling idly. "Good luck on your gym challenge, then." he added, not wanting to highlight it too much but happy Onyx was back on the road of it again.
[break][break]

His gait slows a bit more as he eyes Onyx. Onyx doesn't have anything snappy to say to him and for him a moment, he's amused. Is that the last rays of orange sun or was he really blushing? "Yeah, and I'm giving it to you." he insisted, voice firm.
[break][break]

He doesn't wait, insisting further as he brushes his lips on Onyx's temple before smiling once more. "This is your winner's circle. Enjoy it."
[break][break]

"You can buy me dinner if you feel that strongly about it."

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

He's angry, but not enough to deny the help he was in desperate need of. As he slides free of his bonds, his shaking hands pulling at the cut rope. His jaw shuts, and his expression tightens as Onyx excuses himself. "I didn't think you were." he says, venomous in his response. [break][break]

He lets out a hiss of pain, aching as he stands, leaning against the rock. Feeling pools into his bruises and bloodied cuts. He takes a moment, panting and glancing around the cave before back at Onyx. He forces himself to stand at his full height, defensive despite really needing the criminal's help. "Yeah, boat's parked somewhere...around here." His pokeballs are close enough too. With a little bit of effort he finds them tucked under some dry clothes. [break][break]

He limps over and scoops them up, attaching them back to his waist before looking back at Onyx. "As much as I'd like to, I don't have time or the space to take back some hospital money." He whispers, though its more for himself than Onyx.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub | LETS FUCKIGN GOOOOO [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Hazel eyes stare into the darkness and shifting shadows before a familiar figure crept forth. Blue hair, dark brown skin, and one crystalline blue eye staring back at him. He's hallucinating. Andres' mouth hangs open. Onyx says nothing, frozen for a moment before scuttling closer, a knife in his hand. Soon enough he's cutting his bounds which offer much needed relief against his crushed chest. [break][break]

Andres keeps quiet, in disbelief that Onyx was here. "You- what the fuck?!" he whispered back, putting a hand in his chest to control his breathing once he's able to. with movement come aches as he movements crack and bruised flesh and bone. He flinches, freezing for a moment and trying to hold together strong. He pulls at loose rope where he can and stays quiet. Until he has to ask because he can't help it. [break][break]

"What are you doing here?!" Again whispered yelled as he stared back at Onyx in disbelief. He was relieved, but the longer he stood with him the more he remembered that night. How hurt he'd felt and how angry he'd been. He didn't want to be here. [break][break]

Then he remembered the club on New Year's and how easily Onyx had been able to find him. And he'd do it again, he's sure of it.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub | LETS FUCKIGN GOOOOO [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"Yeah? Maybe I'll come around more often then...if you let me know?" he said, leaning a little closer to Onyx. Sleazy? Yeah. Terrifying? Absolutely. But was Onyx fine? And was he sure that he was fine? He doesn't voice it out loud, but he worries. And he knows he'd prefer being able to drag Onyx to a hospital than waste precious time having Ziadem fly him over to his balcony again. [break][break]

"Pff, hope that means you found better work then?" he asked as he wrapped an arm around the man's shoulders and pulled him close. He held him tightly as he slowed his pace. "Still pretty young to me." he added, close to the shell of his ear as he palmed Onyx the earnings he'd gotten from betting on him at the weird club. [break][break]

"Your winnings. You earned it." he added as he loosened his hand on his friend's shoulder and then casually tucked a piece of hair behind his ears.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

He'd taken a wrong turn, clearly. He should've just flow or teleported back to Pacifidlog. But the sight of what he had thought was a blue Corsola had made him stay. After all, how often did you find a shiny Corsola in the wild? [break][break]

Chasing the little coral pokemon had gone badly though, which him taking seemingly random but very incorrect tide paths. He didn't end up on the other side of the rapid currents at all. No, he'd ended up stuck in a pile of tiny coves and islands that seemed uninhabited, were it not for the empty canoes. He should've kept going. He should've minded his own business and kept trying to get back out. [break][break]

Instead he gets out, he follows the trail of litter, and footprints and calls out to the little cave. No response. He doesn't realize they'd already clocked him. He doesn't realize they're right behind him when- [break][break]

Andres lets out a groan, tied to a boulder, sore and with a split lip he didn't remember getting. His ears ring and he vaguely remembers punching someone out and the sound of a nose cracking before blacking out. "Fuck..." he murmured, squinting in the darkness. Stacks of valuables and cheap boating supplies surrounded him. Rocket? No...too small scale. Plus no sign of the infamous red R's. So then... "No...fuckin' way." he said before he heard the cackling of the 'pirates' to the left of him, behind their piles of useless money. [break][break]

They had yet to see a fence about it, and were only really hoarding objects, not actually wealthy just yet. The laughing of semi drunk pirates echoes in the small cove and Andres began to pull against his binds, only to hiss in pain as something stings in his chest. "Did...Did I get kicked in the chest?" he wondered looking down. Fair skin was bruised, a deep purple and red. [break][break]

The little bit of light that filters through doesn't seem as bright. He'd been here for hours hadn't he?? The sky had been bright last he checked. And blue. No...they were almost to sunset weren't they? He tries his waist but all his pokeballs are gone too. Panic was beginning to set in as he tried to take deep breaths in his nose and out his mouth. "C'mon, c'mon Andres think. This is just...more bullies. You've gotten out of worse before." he murmured as he saw the shadow of something moving, snapping his head to stare into the darkness in terror. He was lying. He hadn't gotten himself out of shit before. He'd ran away, not made it out of a weird trap.


[break][break]

+ onyx straub | LETS FUCKIGN GOOOOO [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

The world changes. The distortion blinks away so suddenly, and he can see the landscape before them for a moment. The way back to Lilycove. The paths and routes that lead away form this brutal terrain. He doesn't dare look back, afraid he may fall and waits for Ziadem to land. When she finally does, Rodric seems to stir and Andres is there waiting for him to wake up. The child screams, wails. Half in horror, half missing terribly the little Mimikyu friend he had made. He calls for it, bouncing from defending the little fairy type to crying in horror at his own situation. Andres stays calm and comforts where he can to calm the boy down. [break][break]

He doesn't leave though, waiting for Onyx to emerge out of the forest. He hated the Glimwood Tangle. He truly would've burnt it all down if he were there. But now...now Onyx knew why he'd been so aggressive and averse to being there. He hoped he would be ok. Andres had buried the memories deep, but seeing them again- seeing Chuchi hurt again? It was an unwanted shock to the system that unearthed old pain. [break][break]

Stuff he would rather not discuss with Onyx. Not when he was the cause of most of it. But he doesn't leave either, waiting for Ziadem to take off into the woods and track her trainer down. [break][break]

The fairies' terrain eventually disappears and they mostly turn tail. One lone Mimikyu is left to fend the last of the intruders off, wailing and crying with its broken costume. It seems to sob loudly in turn with a faint crying from afar. Chulito sniffs in its direction before the oversize puppy stays near Onyx, protectively. He'd been called out to shield, clearly, and this skinny man was probably his target. So he waits, and when the time is ready, accompanies the Rocket back to where his own trainer lies in wait. [break][break]

His face, stained with tears but dry all the same, and a small smile to welcome the party back as he called the parents of the child for pick up. [break][break]

And while he waits for the mother to pick up, his eyes move to Onyx and he offers him a soft, genuine, [break][break]

"thank you."

[break][break]

+ onyx straub | throwback thursday besty [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Andres laughed but followed along anyway. Whatever the Champ wanted, the Champ got. "Didn't take you for a shy winner." he teased as he kept pace with his- with his-....with Onyx.

"Family eats it is! Ice cold tap beer and ciders, and fresh onion rings and mozzy sticks." Andres declared as they turned a corner and he hopped past a piece of brick sticking up at an awkward ankle form the cobblestone. "Curly fries are my personal favorite, but the sauces you get for the onions are really good-" he cuts himself off during his rambling about food. [break][break]

"I- I'm happy I came." he said back, smiling awkwardly. "It was...really unnerving for a minute but- you and your partner pulled through and it was...it was really cool." he said. Though he sounded more relieved than admiring. He'd shown Onyx admiration before. He'd been so impossibly in awe of the trainer next to him once. Now? Now he was just happy he'd won and was safe and could walk and talk like normal.[break][break]

The farther they get the safer he feels despite having just gone underground to find him. "How often do you fight those matches?" He's curious now. Despite the bloody debacle and the state he'd left his opponents in, he was curious. Once again, he gives Onyx a long once over, quietly looking at spots he'd seen in the clash only minutes ago.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"That'd be cute. We could match." Andres instinctively matches his tone, calming down and softening for Onyx in an instant. Bright grin a little subdued, but affection all the same blatant in his hazel eyes. [break][break]

Andres, after all, is ever happy to follow Onyx's lead. Going as far as he let him, and being grateful all the same. He didn't have a problem with it. Couldn't. He was happy that Onyx even spent time with him. That he had fun. That he laughed. Just one laugh could set him right for the rest of the day. Maybe the rest of the week, even. It's just such a rare sound. No taunting or malice to be seen. [break][break]

"Carnival leaves at the end of the summer. We still got some time." he said as they ambled towards food with Andres already eyeing a funnel cake to tear up. "We can always just show up for Zia's army, then head out somewhere we won't risk casual decapitation." he added.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]