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Meet me on the beach. The first sends. It sends, and as he stands, both feet in the crashing waves onto the shore, the second comes after. Slateport Beach. Once finished, he lowers a hand to his pocket.[break][break]

Pulse shakes up and down in agreement, and engages sleep mode, slipping back into his pocket.[break][break]

He'd been here after Rocket medics had patched him up. He almost looked like Frankenstein's Monster, his face mostly covered in bandages after the onslaught against the sniper. His muscles were tired, shredded leg muscles from the marathon from the mecha Tyranitar, but surprisingly no broken bones. Eris really did him favors. Maybe he'd keep his charming face after all.[break][break]

It wouldn't be long. Their apartment was in Slateport after all. It wasn't too far away, in the higher side, but he keeps his eyes towards the sea, watching it move. The waves far out bigger than normal. Even with the cold sea on his legs, it helped to wake him up. To sober him in reality, like a cold shower of regret.[break][break]

Sometime later, another voice. Screaming his name. Pluto flying out, and holding his damsel. And soon, with him on the ground and closing the distance, Ashley turns to face him.[break][break]

The thousand yard stare was brutal for a moment, as recognition has him focus on Kepler. Finally, Ashley returns to some conscious thought. The waves were cold on his feet. Hands near his face, he can't help but make a small smile. "Hey, love." His words come out with a lethargic softness, as if he would topple over any moment.[break][break]

As he asks where to hug him, he takes a step forward and hugs Kepler, shaky arms holding him as if frightened that in a moment, he would fly away. His legs finally buckle, and he has Kepler in a full hug on his knees. The cold waves crash onto his pants with an icy touch.[break][break]

"I couldn't hear on the communicator. I had no idea if my message got through." His smile broadens, and tightening his grip, he doesn't mind it at all, even if the uncomforting sound of a crackle of bone would dissuade him from it.[break][break]

"Guess you did."[break][break]

He didn't care where Kepler hugged him. He wasn't letting go.

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It's... almost sobering, in a way. As the pain left from Ashley, and jumped to Mint, he could breathe again. That was, until he understood the context of what was going on. Of what he was witnessing. His stomach attempted to release his lunch the day previous.[break][break]

That bile rises to his throat, as he realizes that Mint is being pulled away, and Ashley immediately comes in. "BONGO." Bongo is on it already, attempting to grab the tendril, and to quite literally, rip it off, but it goes through his hands as some slimy substance. The gorilla is glaring at it.[break][break]

When the door opens... that's when he could feel his stomach at its worse. Because he was there not too long ago, attempting to get someone to off him himself.[break][break]

He looks to Bongo... Bongo is relentless, and without any words, throws Mint over his back, with Ashley over the other. Looking to Spumoni, he gestures to get on.[break][break]

This apartment complex window sill. That was there out. Bongo was sure of it, and as he barrels right towards it, the roaring gorilla collides, and shoots out the window, beginning a tumble outside and towards the ground. It's a long tumble, and as the gorilla attempts to hold balance, grabbing onto the wall to slow his descent, he would land with a collision into the ground, softened only slightly. The Interdream narrator got what it wanted.[break][break]

"You okay?"[break][break]

Wait... where was Spumoni? Bongo literally told him to come with, right? Ashley looks back towards the window, and sees it, Bongo moving too, giving Mint a view as well. The mecha Tyranitar had caught up.[break][break]

The moment that the trio were busted out, there was a noticeable hole in the home now. And from it, a lethal PIN MISSILE shot Spumoni out like a rocket, tumbling down, the sharpness of the pins digging into the Hitmontop. The moment the Hitmontop hits the ground, they land upon the pins.[break][break]

Ashley's pupils contract. He could feel his lunch attempting to come back. The mecha green Tyranitar roaring out from above, before walking away. Their job done. One sacrifice.

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He swears... he can see her.[break][break]

As every punch, every kick connects, Ashley's eyes are empty. They look past Paxton, the light leaving his eyes. Every fist colliding into his face, the blood pouring out his nose, his face. He was a mess, but no matter how many times Ashley got punched, he stayed alive.[break][break]

Why?[break][break]

He knew the answer already.[break][break]

He long stopped listening. His ears didn't pick up his anger, but his eyes see it all. And yet... the cold feeling in him grows. He couldn't feel his face anymore. He stopped feeling much to anything. Out of the corner of his eyes, he swears he can see them.[break][break]

Two more ghosts added to the roster. Sushi's saddened gaze, next to a perched Bullet. His eyes continued to pour the tears out. Pluto looks on with a longing gaze. Behind them, Bass holds his wings to accept their new fallen brethren, Jelly. And worst of all, he could swear, he sees Jubilee looking at him. Heartbroken.[break][break]

I'll be with you soon... everyone...[break][break]

Every punch is loud. It's oppressing everything else. Yet all Ashley can do is smile quietly towards Landon.[break][break]

He didn't remember when he fell unconscious. But as darkness swirls in his mind, he drifts.

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Ash isn't answering. But Mint doesn't waste a second, grabs his arm, and jolts Ashley awake, and suddenly he's running again. He's running. Another door...?[break][break]

When did the mecha Tyranitar grow tendrils? Why are there black pools on the ground? He has to swallow his fear, his pain, and just try. With Bongo, he orders. "Knock it down!" He orders, and Bongo slaps the door with HAMMER ARM after HAMMER ARM in an attempt to force it open.[break][break]

Ashley turns to Mint.[break][break]

"What the fuck?" he called out, still broken and exasperated by the whole scene at large.

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It was sudden.[break][break]

Like a blue screen, everything broke at once. Ashley was standing there, dumbfounded at the end of it all, and he wanted to scream bloody murder. But he was empty. The Riolu died. Then... Jelly. Jelly did his best, he did. But... the only thing Ashley could see was the little Stufful that he saved from potential Pokemon poachers. The little guy full of life, killed in action.[break][break]

He collapses to his knees.[break][break]

Jelly too? It didn't just get to be Bass, it was Jelly? How was that fair? How could all his training, all his body work, his Pokemon training end in death? He could feel himself crying. He didn't know when it would stop.[break][break]

The Riolu too. How the hell was this fair? This was nothing but bloodshed. And... for the first time.[break][break]

Ashley just lets go.[break][break]

The hilt of the dagger smashes into his face. The other fist into his gut, the wild kick knocking him over. He fell over, bleeding from his face, his eyes filled with sorrow. He let Jelly AND Bass die. He couldn't save them. He couldn't keep them safe. He let them die.[break][break]

His heart was shattering.

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Cygne tries to pull herself up. The whole time, Ashley stares with this pitying look on his face. He watches her rock to her feet, and crash land soon after. That was quite the showing.[break][break]

"Uh-huh." He gets up himself, dragging himself up, and leaning against the wall nearby as he looks to Maple. Maple, who was basically there to help her up, would just watch. His face was one of worry, and it matched Ashley's.[break][break]

Then he spoke.[break][break]

"You know what? Isaac did say something earlier to me. Not to do things for him. I killed a guy today because I was trying to protect him. Thing is, he almost died. But, he went off to me about it, and I didn't hesitate." He starts, blankly looking forward, as he gives a sigh. "Not gonna tell you you have to live, but if you would, I'd appreciate seeing you tomorrow when we're both in the hospital."[break][break]

He begins to walk away.[break][break]

"Your call though, Sunshine."[break][break]

He still doesn't get mad. He's using the wall like a crutch now. But if Cygne kept fighting him, there was nothing to be done. He'd just tell Isaac he tried.[break][break]

He just hoped someone he saw as his sister wouldn't let it swallow her too.

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Kepler's declaration of love does well to ground him, and if it was fake before, the smile Ash gives, while small, genuinely is bigger. "Yeah. I love you too. You will be okay." He agrees to it, because it makes him feel better, and would make Kep feel better too.[break][break]

When Kep's cheek goes pink from the compliment, he's almost taken aback, only to coo back out with a smuggeroni smile.[break][break]

"Oh, I know. It'll be a tighter fit in a few months too."[break][break]

He surmises, maybe it's best to make plans for the future. Because Kepler will be okay, and therefore, will get to enjoy that future with him.[break][break]

A long, long three months would be nothing.

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In that quiet, the way she called him infuriating, he didn't smile. He didn't look smug, he just watched on. Watching her work, even just the twist of fingers, he gives a silent, curt nod, and feels his hands go around the device. "Thanks."[break][break]

Deciding it best that revenge is best served cold, he swallows his pride.[break][break]

"This is Sawyer-" He would prepare, taking a moment to close his eyes. "-the trainer named Greyson (Greyson Connors) and a sniper named Landon Cassidy (paxton concordas) are high-profiled threats. Though I escaped from both, I did so by the skin of my teeth. Caution is advised. The sniper is armed and good in close quarters. They are not above killing." He takes a moment. Thinks about his next words.[break][break]

And Sawyer really does come right out of him.[break][break]

"I am staving off my need for bloodshed on both of them to give anyone information who will listen, but Greyson has a Lopunny with Mega potential, with Landon has a Magnezone and a Riolu. I have done considerable damage on the Lopunny and the Magnezone, but I had casualties myself." He goes on, lets it set a moment.[break][break]

"Assistance is requested. Heavy damage has been sustained. If you can detect the coordinates, please send aid." The transmission laces with static burning in his ear. He doesn't turn it off. And waits.[break][break]

It falls to the ground with a clunk. Guess those mecha Tyranitar did a number on it too, but at least the static meant it was on.

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