"i have to take a few wins here and there if i want to keep my job, after all."

it's not exactly true, but it's a narrative that he's willing to give out to other people. being victimized was a good way to keep himself in people's graces, even if it's from the league.

"gg's as well!"

"theoretically, yeah."

future sight shines from the poochyena's eyes as it as it attempts to dodge the riolu, pitting the dark-type's speed against the fighting-type's reflexes.

"on practice, no one really minds since they're too busy having fun themselves."

despite the title, kyle was always a non-factor. he occupies a role someone else would have been doing had he not been in the seat, as every job description is.

palkia's appearance and alignment was suggestive enough for kyle to inch more to the side of canon events being true.

his own efforts would be in vain since it's likely pre-written that it has to be the palkia that saves the reshiram from kyurem's fusion rather than his solgaleo. he supposed it's worth a try, still, since he doesn't know which events are one and which aren't.

"oi, matias, ignore palkia and-"

the arrival of Navy's greninja chills his blood due to a similar happening beforehand, but without the trainer with it, kyle sighs a breath of relief. instead, pokeballs were given.

"fuck. i guess this really is my role now."

without releasing the pokemon inside, he squeezes the capsules hard enough to combust in flames. Josh Devlin's pokeballs, scorched by ho-oh's fire, now remains in his person as he sends the greninja off to help its trainer.

"keep the focus on kyurem," he finishes his statement to MATIAS SILPH.

terrakion pushes past regardless of kyle's words, dashing through the crowd with its sacred sword ready to slice the dragons in half, separating the two.

• receives balls from navy
• revives dead mons in them
• keeps them in his person to be returned after the raid
• terrakion uses sacred sword at kyurem

he would complain and whine, but it was difficult to do when what was presented to him made sense.

kyle turns to terrakion, who he thinks chose the wrong person for his mission due to kyle's own lethargy for justice, before turning back to gwyar.

"right behind you," he responds before following after.

he gives one last look at the criminals apprehended, contrasting the glare from terrakion. a stomp from its foot releases a spike of stone edge right beside them as warning should they escape.

there's a flash of light from the ho-oh, indicative of the z-move in play.

rain starts to fall heavily, and thunder rumbles from the sky. elements from the legend where the beasts originate replay themselves in zamazenta's story as the cataclysm that burnt the tower of ho-oh's perch happens one more time in the simulation.

the fire from the storm spreads in the large area around them, burning down everything in a destructive path that contradicts the image of healing flames that kyle was accustomed to abusing.

the avatar says no words, but his expression hints that he is aware of ho-oh's capabilities despite not having displayed it before.

the bolt of thunder strikes down the area, flashing their vision with white, which transitions the current stage to the next.

"if it makes you feel better, i've used the league's open air stadium more than my own chamber."

they've always wanted to make their challenge a show, and you can't fit an audience in his chamber. kyle obliges though, mostly because it's a hassle to file the paperwork to turn it down.

he looks around kazimir's work, slowly giving accents to his stage to liken it to a certain setting from his childhood show, dragonite ball.

"have you thought of opening, like, a regular dojo though?" there were other martial artists in the region, but most that he knows were preoccupied with something else. "you can call it my hero academia."

"i don't think i'm the person to trust when it comes to 'rushing'."

kyle is a person that takes his time. despite it, given certain conditions and specific situations, he will be inclined to rush content. work, however, wasn't one of those.

his shoulder slumps, given the increased weight on top of them.

"i'm sure you can finish it on your own pace. i'm not even sure what i can do to help you rush it."

probably to rig appointments and schedules, which he probably has the capability to do.

kyle tries to join cian and his cat, but his hands quickly grow cold even with gloves on. he's tempted to cut himself and let the power of ho-oh run loose, but he still doesn't have complete control over that to be confident about it.

"aren't your hands getting cold?" he'd ask instead.

he looks at the tera crystals, and then cian's pokemon. an idea comes to mind.

"have you ever touched the fire on the crown when a pokemon terastalizes to fire-type?" he asks cian. kyle certainly hasn't yet depsite utilizing the mechanic multiple times.

"do you think it's warm enough to melt the snow, but not enough to, like, incinerate them?"

cause that was the reason why they weren't letting the litten use its fire-type moves.

the hoodie gets fitted on immediately. it seems as small as noah's frame made it out to be, constricting him, but it's poochyena merch all the same.

"used goods? you mean limited edition shirt that's been worn by verdanturf's own gym leader?"

he would laugh at his own joke, but noah's style included form fitting clothes, as opposed to his style of more loose clothing for comfort rather than appearance.

kyle moves himself in front of the mirror to admire the weird print before casually dropping a passing thought that didn't get filtered by his head.

"should we switch pants too?"

he knows enough of a dog's body language that he accepts the growlithe's invitation for pets.

"we'll take a boat to get closer: you, me, and this doggy."

it wasn't a wise choice to bring the growlithe, but kyle already felt connection with it just after half a minute of seeing it. his hand eventually leaves its head, however, to point his new friend to the small patrol boat they'll be taking.

he starts walking as he talks.

"you're fine, dude. all we need is enthusiasm and other stuff like that." because kyle lacks it. "don't worry. i'll give you my best support so just kill it out there."

kyle has always wanted to be in the sidelines, but his role in the region prevents him so. someone who doesn't know him might give him the break he wants.

"am i an avatar? i suppose so, yeah. rawr."

he claws playfully in the air, complete with a deadpan expression, in response.

"that's not an uncommon opinion around hoenn," he casually assures her. "they're not exactly controllable, and they're pretty much a natural disaster on their own, so i can't really blame your sources."

kyle had been one of those that denied the blessing once, only to be forced into the status by someone else. despite being indifferent about it, he does understand both sides of opinions surrounding being an avatar.

"if you're still worried about them, then that's what aqua was supposed to be for: to keep them in check. not the most assuring promise from the league, but they're still people at the end of the day."

kyle intentionally leaves it for yuina to take it either in a sympathetic note or one that reminds her of an avatar's mortality and all the vulnerabilities of a soul.

"i got you!"

the same honedge that he had from earlier gets out from the shadows. kyle's orders were barked for the pokemon to follow, which it manages to aim easily with the goodra's help.

brutal swing manages to tip it over easily with a sweep under its legs, causing it to tip over for the elite four's mercy. kyle hadn't be the type to end a life, but he knows the alternative.

"i'm sure we can find a carrot somewhere," he tells greyson as he looks around the village for any semblance of a market. "oi! anyone have one?!" he yells over to the npcs.

"well, you're not wrong. like i said, insecure."

he should probably explain the connection of his conclusion to elisabeth's judgement so she has a better understanding of the situation, but the reasoning is lost on kyle.

"you're probably doing it though, whether intentional or not, but he ignores it anyways if he likes you, which looks like he does."

kyle leans back to his seat.

"it's easy to get him on board with things if it makes your situation better. just be honest, but you don't exactly have to be direct with your words."

it makes sense for kyle, who can easily manage to piece together a string of words that cater to what matias wants to hear, while also conveying the message kyle wants to give.