The attack feels like an omen. It's disastrous around the whole of Galar. Soon enough, reports trickle in of the horrors Necrozma has inflicted on the region. He fears the worst. He sees Biscotti Kingsley, @remiel, @selena and Ashley Shepard with new regimented training plans meant to combine with the addition of the strange DYNAMAX phenomenon. He monitors the comms and submits weekly reports. [break][break]

Over the years he sees Elise Calcifet and her spouse Alexei Ivanov and wishes her the best. He asks if she would mind having playdates with his own child, and introduces her to his husband, luciano fisk. Others are not as happy as he thought, and when the time comes, he treads carefully. When Thomas Benoit loses the veritable light of his life, he, like many others, comes together to hold him together and allow him the freedom to fall apart. [break][break]

His relationship with Luci doesn't stagnate despite the child. It blooms, flourishes. And while they don't have the same name, the same background, it feels so real to him. He fawns over his husband just as he did in the real world. His smile was ever present, his body better rested. [break][break]

Over the years, he visits his old friends, PENELOPE LIVY and Gunner Graves. The first time he sees them again after the huge Black Knight attack, he boldly breaks decorum and embraces both friends tightly. With a more polite but firm clasp of ollie morales's forearm and a genuine "Glad you survive, *my king*." He likes him well enough. Is honored they can spend more time together and he can ask about Penelope in his absence. He spends time bickering with Penelope, finding ways to push her buttons just as she once pushed his. It’s more playful, and in a way, perhaps it’s obvious how much luciano fisk has changed him. He talks with Penny on equal grounds after so much time of being her subordinate. It’s easy, casual. He enables a bit of her more workaholic patterns at times, much to everybody’s chagrin. But he also seems just as fond as simply conversing with her over the state of the kingdom of her children, who he does his best to impress. He spends time with ollie morales, allowing the monarchs to swap duties from time to time. He’d never known Ollie quite well aside from an obvious attraction the first time he’d seen him in a RANGER RISING meeting. But this gives him the opportunity to get to know him, and know how kind he is. Know how much he can give away if he’s not careful, guarded. He notes that he and Penny make a good pair. [break][break]

“I’m happy she has you.”

[break][break]

He introduces them all to his husband, again. Luci teases him that he simply enjoyed repeating 'my husband' to anyone who would listen. "They witnessed our wedding, Pax!" the man would interject with a bright laugh. But still Paxton proudly introduces him and their daughter Athena, all the same. They visit every couple of months, staying a couple of weeks before returning home from leave. He’s interested in the tournament they host with Navy, as well as simply missing his friends. He approaches Gwyar Wledig and DEREK HOFFMAN when the time comes to get kitted out with a DYNAMAX BAND. [break][break]

He sets aside time for Gunner Graves outside of their HBIC reunions. At first, the man does not dare ask what sits so heavy on his shoulders. He offers to spar, his go to in Galar and Hoenn. He compared weapons with him, drinks with him, scouts with him. Much of their time is easy silence but there’s some points during a particularly peaceful moment that Paxton dares speak up. He breaks the silence. He asks if Gunner is ok. He shows his concern, slowly, unsure how they will react, then more blatantly the more familiar they become. He opens up to Gunner, assures him he may understand. He tells him of Kanto, of his family, of Eris Halla and luciano fisk. It’s a show of trust, and in return Gunner does the same. He tells him things his therapist once told him. Tells him he could never be so articulate as to say the perfect thing to ease all his demons. But he offers his ear, and he smiles when Gunner agrees. Their wounds are so similar, and so different. Mental scars that will never completely fade, but as Paxton with a snort, [break][break]

“Self care is hard work.”

[break][break]

And when Gunner adopts a child, Paxton is all the more happy he has found his own family. Finally. [break][break]

As travel becomes easier there’s also time to finally spend more time in Circhester, in particular for the comms crew. More so, Aidan Hereford who he had gotten to know over the years of joint communication with him and Eris Halla. He’s quick to clap his hands on the man’s shoulder, treating the invisible acquaintance like a friend and then turning his more aggressive attention to his younger sister. It’s still painful that she keeps growing so quickly and he’s not there to see it. He felt like he only caught glimpses of her, every time less and less. But at least in the strained world of Galar, without Rocket ever encroaching on their new homes, he felt they somehow had more time for each other than before. Ironically enough, the older he gets, the more childishly he treats the young woman, reverting more to their relationship when they were children and he didn’t take care of her quite so thoroughly. [break][break]

They catch up eagerly, and together the pair have more energy than they know what to do with. She shows him around, he nods along eagerly, laughs loudly, and teases her in front of her comrades. He tags along with interest in the Galarian Zapdos, asking Aidan Hereford questions and taking notes. For what purpose? Curiosity really. He knows the birds in Hammerlocke all the same, and he finds the overgrown chickens…cute. Of course there's also lots to catch up on. After all, they are colleagues, and have been for over a decade. He’s as important to connect with as his sister. [break][break]

So really, who’s surprised when they end up talking energetically at a corner table at the tavern, flushed with drink and bobbing slightly to whatever music is being played. Who’s surprised at all, when the equally drunk patrons maybe blink and they’re no longer there, but slipping out into the alley outside. Amongst hot breaths and hungry touches, who’s surprised when they may stumble out the front and catch a glimpse or hear a stray cry of an entanglement of limbs in the darkness. And when that’s done, when someone, somehow finds the energy to tease about impossibilities in Galarian affairs, who’s fucking surprised Paxton and Aidan end up on a roof, freezing cold and half naked the very next morning. Hungover, bruised to hell, and stiff. [break][break]

Somehow, Paxton still is. The lack of loyalty to his husband gives him pause. And that seamless integration of the world he now lives in, pulls apart only slightly before he remembers he’s still wrong. So why does he do it again? [break][break]

But whatever thrill those strange nights with Aidan Hereford are, he still goes home to Hammerlocke. Still begs forgiveness zealously, silently. And still he prepares for that climax they can’t ignore. The tension begins to build, and Paxton can only fuck himself into a stupor for so long before he’s forced to acknowledge it.

mFr4UP1a

[break][break]

+ @many taggus |i dont htink paxton lost any lpookemon but i need ot double check MY ROLLS [break][break]

tl;dr

- after necorzma attacks makes a SWORD with KING'S SHIELD [break]
- supports thomas during the lose of his wife [break]
- happy to travel to spend time with the HBIC crew, together and also individually [break]
- becomes the wife guy ( fore shadowing ) [break]
- tries to hang out with gunner a lot more [break]
- ends up in circhester bonding with his sister[break]
- fucks aidan a couple of time on a trip and is left a little Fucked Up :tm: about it ( in private ofc cause we love emotionally constipated men in this house ) [break]
- waiting to die [break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

Winifred Fenwick is Slateport City's new Mayor hopeful, running her platform to fight corruption, and fight gangs and gang warfare. Orthrus run by Jack Magnus , is lambasted, and Rocket is, well, assumed. But when you go up against a gang, you need to be ready for retaliation. Despite warnings and threats, Mayor Fenwick had refused to back down from her speech, doubling down on her fight against gang interference as she began to impose new smuggling laws and an influx of approved budget for the Slateport PD. [break][break]

She rustles the hornet's nest so much, that the League must be involved and Paxton is set as her protection. He's been working this case for over a week now, cancelling on luciano fisk as he was pulled suddenly for duty. He spent his days moving and checking potential angles of attack for the woman. He marks his own sites of use, and makes note of them on maps he turns in to her security team. [break][break]

He triple checks his gear and the morning of the speech, Paxton moves into position. Perched on a roof, rifle set on its tripod and his ammunition and supplies spread around him, he waited. The crowd joined slowly but surely. And the music blasting from the speakers as they count down the new mayor's appearance is loud. His comms buzz with the check in from the rest of the security team. Dozens of guards, undercover and not. People posted at the potential nests he'd marker as well as surrounding the Mayor. He watched the crowd single eye looking through his scope as he waits for a direct threat, if they dared try.

[break][break]

+ Zev Harcourt | mission prompt: gaslight [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Paxton keeps time, giving a small nod when Kyle began to move towards the dead pokemon. Though he can't help but flinch when the body catches fire and his eyes snap to Kyle. He hadn't seen it in action, only read it. It's...jarring to say the least. The pokemon...heals somehow. It's body wiped clean by the holy fires and left breathing softly, still asleep. As if nothing extraordinary had happened to it and Paxton hadn't attempted to put it down. [break][break]

"You're not in combat." he observed, pen moving quickly across his clipboard before beckoning the champion over. He wondered, briefly, if the body more so reacted to Kyle's person than Kyle himself doing anything. An effect aorund him? [break][break]

"I'll take your vitals, and then you can go. Unless you've got any other questions." he added after moment. The information he got was strange- but anything was helpful. Perhaps it'd help someone smart than him figure out the Ho Oh avatar. Before something tragic really did happen.

[break][break]

+ kyle lopez [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Paxton offers a small smile as his eyes go from the researcher to his pokemon and back. He clicked his tongue twice at the pair, beckoning them a little clsoer for Caelum to admire. He nodded looking him over to memorize his face before echoing him. "Caelum, then." There's a small pause before he added, in the interest of reciprocity, "You can call me Paxton then." It was only polite. [break][break]

He notes the energy, eyes bright with wonder for his newest additions to the team. It was charming. He could understand getting excited about a new curiosity. Happened nonstop in the MECHA KINGDOM. His Sandy Shocks would closer, while the Iron Treads was firmly rooted in place. [break][break]

"Ah, during POSTDORM I found these two while escaping the Dream Mist. The Sandy Shocks a sort of followed me and my partner, Joules. My Magnezone. The Iron Treads....bum rushed me escaping from what I thought was a STENCH attack. Smells like it, anyway." he explained. "I don't think I was anywhere specific, just in and around the mist." he added.

[break][break]

+ caelum reinhardt | involve one of the following pokémon abilities in a post:
liquid ooze, stench, corrosion. can be a npc/wild pokémon [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

THE FIRST MONTH [break][break]

Is brutal. There's barely any sleep for him, assisting where he could and skirting around the other Rocket's carefully. He tries not to get involved with the Rocket Royals, defecting his services and expertise to Biscotti Kingsley , and Remiel Calcifet for the most part. He volunteers himself to go beyond the walls to scavenge for supplies or herbs to use in herbal remedies. When CALYREX comes by he is relieved only to feel himself growing colder as the sickly legend leaves and doesn't come back, leaving only a prophecy and the rest of them in uncertainty. [break][break]

Not only that. Paxton is unwell. Being on constant guard, not sleeping well, overworking. Two weeks go by and he feels antsy- like he needs to talk and there's no one to listen. It only gets worse and worse and worse. He needs to sleep, to eat, to stop thinking but he can't. [break][break]

So he throws himself into work. PENELOPE LIVY . ollie morales . Gunner Graves . He tried to reach out to the other cities. He needs to see them. [break][break]

THE FIRST YEAR [break][break]

The best they have is letters through bird or courier. But it's not good enough. Even with every rider that comes and goes, he's no satisfied with such slow means of communication. Clearly other's aren't either. He gets word that in CIRCHESTER Aidan Hereford and Eris Halla are attempting to build a radio tower. He joins in after receiving a packet of notes from his sister, refreshing simple circuits and mechanics buried by the sand of time. [break][break]

He focused it on that. It helps him stay calm, and in a way, helps him feel closer to his father. Paxton brings his finding to the circle of nobles of course, trying his best to help not just himself, but the whole city survive. Begrudgingly he works under the rule, eventually forgetting factional lines as he puts a higher priority on getting into contact with others reliably and assisting in training of their standing army, whatever they can manage to get anyway. [break][break]

Paxton works his mind and body, offering a chance to spar or train in the mornings. He sees Elise Calcifet often, begrudgingly offering her tutelage and eventually, gifting her proper boots and asking her to consider to retire the beloved EC crocs to slippers. The boots are practical, sturdy, but somehow when she unwraps them, shine bright. They must've been polished for hours. [break][break]

Thomas Benoit challenges him regularly and he takes him up on the offer, trading blows from fists first and then eventually blades, thanks to the peasantry. He works towards being a knight, taking the epithet: The Masked Knight :tm: [break][break]

On the way back from a scouting trip around the outside of the walls, he catches a glimpse of familiar blue hair, and a genuine smile. His heart nearly bursts when they lock eyes.[break][break]

THE FIRST TEN YEARS [break][break]

2 years and 8 months in, Paxton breaks. After dancing around a shade that looks just like him, sounds like him, looks at him the way luciano fisk once did, he breaks down. He lets the guard drop. He plunges face first into that escapism. With this dream within a dream with a man he had loved for over a decade. The work continues. His correspondence with Aidan Hereford and Eris Halla more frequent. He doesn't get to see her until year 3, when he visits to look over their circuits and he's comfortable leaving the city to his colleagues. Not because they're incompetent, but because Paxton is overwhelmingly anxious. Its this shade, this self-indulgent dream, that comforts and soothes his worries, holds him in his night terrors. He makes him feel like his old self- like Concord. One night, curled up together on the roof on a rare clear night, he asks this ghost of him to marry him. They say yes. And Paxton doesn't even think about questioning it. [break][break]

3 and half years in they adopt a child. Not very old. A little girl they name Athena. Paxton takes off for a paternity leave of sorts, enjoying his daughter's childhood and helping Luci rear her. Baldwin the Klefki is particularly found of her, and she is just as enamored by the little key demon. [break][break]

By year 5, Paxton has settled into a routine. Training in the morning, whether other recruits or sparring to sharpen his own skills. Hygiene, reporting with the other guard's captain's. Receiving his assignments form the Crown. Prepping to head out or otherwise delegating and working on the tower. Dinner. And then tend to his beloved family. Sometimes he gardens, growing whatever he can find that isn't corrupted to hell and back. But most days, he simply enjoys the strange peace and forgets his real life. Reality fades, buried by the sands of time again. [break][break]

Eventually that peace break. It's the 10th year, when he's decided Athena is ready to meet athena oswald , their local gym leader. While initially thinking her a bit of an upstart, after this long, he considered the young woman adept in battling. He's confident she'd be a good mentor for his kid. But a burst of light and an explosion against the gym puts the entire city on high alert. Necrozma storms their city and Paxton just barely hands off his little girl before joining the fray, taking over what he can and barking orders as people scrambled to grab their weapons'. The nobility arrive, and he's grateful for the added support. Together, as a city state, they manage to repel the creature. But not without suffering significant loses. He rushes off to find her, before running with her in his arms straight home and crumbling against Luci, who grips them so tightly- how could he question is this was real? [break][break]

In the aftermath he does clean up and helps rebuild. As they sift through the wreckage they find the BLACK METALS and while he doesn't understand it, he accepts this new power gifted? accidentally delivered to them. He asks for a SWORD, and finds someone to help him imbue KING'S SHIELD into it, wishing to create a kind of all rounder weapon. [break][break]

icMkmoNN

[break][break]

+ @many taggus | SHRIEKINGGG and ready to get my shit rocked [break][break]

tl;dr

- they go a little stir crazy so they just become a workaholic [break]
- panic work and try to keep in contact with his office mainly [break]
- starts training sessions for people who want them every morning and it spirals [break]
- so paranoid he gets a nicknane after it aka the masked knight
- trains with thomas and elise, gifts elise her own PRACTICAL leather boots. [break]
- paxton volunteers to scout and forage outside the walls when he can [break]
- falls in love, reluctantly, with a shadow that looks like luciano fisk [break]
- married in his dream and they adopt a daughter named athena
- mail and work with aidan and eris to make a radio tower ( to mixed results )
- full assimilates into hammerlocke and has routine. lives peacefully with his little family
- after necorzma attacks makes a SWORD with KING'S SHIELD

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

He had been lending out his time to scientists as of late, if only to help further the understanding of PARADOX pokemon, as they'd dubbed them. Taking careful time to schedule between his paperwork, as well as properly delegating out tasks and making the choice on what he wanted to personally oversee for Penelope, he'd received a couple of requests again from the science department. [break][break]

Considering he relied on them so heavily for his own pet project research, he was more than alright attending to their small favors. Contact information was relayed to him and a date had been set. [break][break]

So Paxton gets there quickly, early. He unslings a couple of beach chairs and released his pokemon. The first a Sandy Shocks, just as curious about their new surroundings as ever. Though, better suited for the beach. It seemed to prefer the open space to the confined lab from before. [break][break]

The next is Iron Treads, who, didn't quite like the beach but seemed appeased for now when Paxton handed over a small berry for it to eat. It seemed to prefer sour tastes. "Over here." he waved the man over. He'd suggested a late morning. Still cool enough before the noon sun but not too early for either of them. "Officer Concordas. We spoke on the phone." he said, introducing himself and standing to go shake the man's hand despite his beach attire. "Good to meet you in person, Dr. Reinhardt."

[break][break]

+ caelum reinhardt | showing off da babies [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Paxton tenses seeing the little spider, but its gone quickly. He looks through with care. He looks over the tea seat noting it's not really scratched up. "So real gold...?" he murmured before continuing along. He picks up the ANTIDOTE while carefully checking behind other glasses and papers before shaking the vial in his hands. "What were you working with that you needed this hiding around?" he added, again, mostly to himself. [break][break]

He looks over at Penelope when she speaks up. "Possibly. Its weird this doesn't feel planned...and it does. If only because of the flowers you received and your note." [break][break]

He comes back to her, showing off the antidote before nodding over at the GREENHOUSE. "I'm not the best with plants, but I can at least see if she had anything that handling it required this stuff." he said.


[break][break]

+ PENELOPE LIVY | investigating the GREENHOUSE [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Paxton snorted. "Not everyone likes the full bearded look." he said, preferring a clean shave himself. It kept him from completing the homeless bum look. He leaned on his folded arms watching the silvery purple fox work. He gives her a little clap and a small grin before accepting his drink with a nod. [break][break]

"Mmm, I see." he said noncommittally. "Yeah, it's an adjustment I'm sure." he added wit ha nod. "As long as you're working on it. Hopefully one day it'll just be a battle scar." he said wit ha small smile. He took a sip of his drink, feeling a small shiver before grinning against the straw. "As well as I can be. Trying to stay out of the house for the warm weather. Better for my mental. Figured I'd start here and see what they've built recently." he said with a small laugh as he put down a small cash tip and a little piece of candy on top. "For the mixologists on duty."

[break][break]

+ Isaac Merlo | 1-2 weeks after meteor | mission prompt: post paaa[break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"None whatsoever." he said, with a snort loud enough to attract a glance from another horse pokemon. He shook his head. "It's no big deal. I just work for the government instead of the police." he said humbly. [break][break]

"I see." he said quietly with a nod as Zain continued. "That makes sense. Can't do a good recommendation if you haven't tried it yourself." There's a small pause as the instructors move to bring them to pet some horses. Zain and Paxton are kept together, for convenience while they finish up the rest of the class first. "I often stay too long inside and follow a very strict routine. I was given the advice to...break out of it quote on quote. And horse riding is relaxing enough, and I also enjoy the outdoors so it seemed a good class to try." he explained. [break][break]

He pet the nose of a blue flamed Rapidash who closed their eyes when he did, soaking up the attention. Before long, a stable hand comes to help set him up on the Rapidash, along with moving onto Zain and their stead. Not quite off the leash yet, Paxton gets to sit as they lead around his horse while he gets comfortable with the controls.

[break][break]

+ @zain | mission prompt: free reign [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"Yes...as you know the Ranger Corps is often stretched thin. That's where I come in. I do training, I refresh my own. Just so I can cover down when necessary." he said with small nod. Though he can't help but frown. The last thing he needed was Rookie Cadets rushing off inexperienced into natural disasters. The thought reminds him of Elise Calcifet . But she hadn't had any mentorship he was aware of. So he couldn't fault her...completely.
[break][break]

"Are you aware of the BLIGHT in Petalburg Woods?" he asked the cadet as they moved into the woods to begin seeking out the misplaced Gogoat herd. He could already see some signs they'd come around. Not long into moving through, no sign of angry pokemon but instead new trails or broken branches and flattered leaves and grass. Like Deerling trail, only newer, judging by the still green foliage stuck to the ground. "We're unsure if the BLIGHT in the woods was natural or unnatural yet. If natural, it could possibly be a sort of...disease that attacks vegetation. A flare up of something at that scale. And Gogoat are part grass, there's a possibility that exposure to the same BLIGHT could being to poison them as well. Unfortunately, it would also make them sort of...disease carriers."
[break][break]

He follows the trail carefully, eyes ahead even as he speaks. "Much like the CRYSTALBLOOM infections of last Summer, we must prevent anymore radical events in our ecosystem." There's a small pause. He turns back, eyes wide in slight surprise at her sudden question. He stared, before teal eyes dart away pensive. "No...I'm from Kanto."

[break][break]

+ Genevieve Cromwell | mission prompt: commitment: act 1 [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]