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The other juniors? Huh. Come to think of it, he doesn't recall many if any of them. Most of them... huh. He's been so busy with his own shit, he hasn't thought about them. Maybe it's the bank heist? He knows Gerald and Makoto, well, by dossier. But his circle is so small lately.[break][break]

He scowls.[break][break]

"'fraid not, Sharpe." He rubs the back of his neck, feeling it crack... and for the first time today, laughs. He laughs quietly towards the guy. Not at him, no, at the situation. "Must have done a number on you, man." He's cackling now, grabbing at his face, and slowly groans in pain. Dammit. Landon did him a hefty beating. "Can't blame you. Though I prefer someone who can think circles around me over beating circles out of me. That's why I fell for my boyfriend."[break][break]

He smiles quietly and grips his hand to shake. And with it, merely watches Chad and the Zweilous go at it. Though the Thunder Punch was ineffective, the burst of white light as the shiny green monke grew, and with her two fists, catch both heads from the Outrage, a green Primeape staring at the dark dragon, and readying to off him... if that was what Ash wanted.[break][break]

Ash shakes his head.[break][break]

"Don't misread of the situation. Go easy on them. They're chill." Chad nods, slightly dejected that she doesn't get to attack at full force. She backs up, throwing a new attack altogether; a RAGE FIST, the ghostly fist thrown forward, as Ashley returns his attention to Milo.[break][break]

"You flatter me. But I lose more than I win. Should have been there in Mt. Pyre, me and my buddy practically won a hostage situation. Still have nerve damage from it. Or the Carvanha that stuck a tooth through my arm months before that." He grins quietly. Though the blood it spilled was worse than anything else. But the mention of... a Luka Chene, has him shrivel, and lean back. Because he thinks of Blondie (francie myrtle ), and Shalin Nariya , and then a number of Leaguers that weren't shit too. He shrivels up.[break][break]

With a sigh, he just looks down to his hands. Bandaged up. "You're gonna meet a lot more people like her. For every shit Leaguer, there's another one who isn't so bad. Just like Rocket." He quietly smiles down.[break][break]

Isaac Merlo was right. He wasn't an awful person. Just took (potentially) losing another Pokemon to reinforce that. "Why do you want to be in Rocket, anyway? Money? Power? ... romance?" He can't blame the last one.

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It was so fast. Ash was pulled into cover by Isaac, Holy Diver followed, waving to Duster and Adrenaline, as he nods, wiping at his silver eyes, as he looks over to the blonde. The voices nearby were... how far away? Math was hard off zero hours of sleep. He has to ponder, only to be jolted back to a semi-conscious coherent state.[break][break]

"Yeah. Maple?" The Glaceon pops out with a flourish, a small wave towards Isaac. Friend! "Snowscape. Freeze the room on my mark." With a mew, he does just that, beginning to conjure the snow around himself, his Snow Cloak already coming in, setting the scene.[break][break]

He ponders for a moment to use his gun. How many bullets? He checks 16. He thinks. That was enough for now. He had to be careful in their use... no wasted bullets. None.[break][break]

When the wheels grew closer and closer, his face is riddled in a light sweat, he gestures for Maple. Holding up three digits. Then two. Then one. "Now."[break][break]

The snowscape began, snowing gently over everything and causing chilling colds to begin to take form over the entire cave. Ashley gestured for Isaac. His turn.[break][break]

Holy Diver got in position to rush the caravan. Waiting on Adrenaline's mark. The moment he went? That was that. And Ashley made sure his mag was full. Just in case.[break][break]

You never know.

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So, there's an immediate conflict that plays on Ashley's face. On the one hand, he wants to believe the guy, really. The League was a ship perpetually burning and letting crime happen beneath their very nose; it's why he left twice now. The first time, a foster kid disillusioned, the second a League civilian bitter from their lack of omnipotence.[break][break]

But on the other hand, this guy could easily be lying.[break][break]

It becomes a lot harder to see it that way when he's offered water and pills. And while he doesn't get the pills, he does take the water, practically collapsing and leaning against the wall. Poison or not, he had no idea how thirsty he had actually been. But... hearing that the paperwork was in transit, Ashley begins to... laugh.[break][break]

It's not a fully sane laugh. It's an exasperated, 'holy shit are you kidding' kind of laugh. At that moment, he leans back, uncomfortable by the wounds on his bandaged face. And he pats the guy on his shoulder.[break][break]

"Shit. Sorry. Misjudged you." He would pant quietly, watching Chad slap that Cross Chop down, before the Outrage blasted her away and tumbling. She was still a Mankey, and she was still getting thrown around like a rag doll. Too tiny, as she forces herself back to her feet.[break][break]

"... you know what? I actually don't mind this now. After the hell of Landon Cassidy and Greyson... this is just... chill." He wipes at his face again. "Sawyer. You?"[break][break]

Taking her moment to get back up, she gets angry, and begins racing back, pounding the ground and throwing out a flurry of a THUNDER PUNCH, angry. She was getting angrier and angrier... and beginning to glow from it too.

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It's one thing to know that you lost one of your strongest Pokemon. And for Ashley, he had little time to mourn. Once Jayden helped pick him up, he had to bandage himself up quickly. Luckily the shot to his head was a graze, but his face was covered in bandages. Man even realigned his own nose. That's how messed up that last fight was.[break][break]

His vision was shaky. His legs trembled. But he was still walking. Not because he wanted to, but that he had to. Jubilee, Sushi, Bullet, Pluto. Bongo. He had fire in his eyes.[break][break]

In the distance, another guy. He couldn't catch a break. First francie myrtle , then ollie morales , Greyson Connors , paxton concordas , and now this guy. He was just trying to keep others from getting inside before, keeping the comm towers safe. But those last two really did a number on him. But Unovan streetfights build strong guys, and he had worked out recently.[break][break]

His eyes clash, as he grabs the wall to hold onto. Maybe it was anger that this guy was yelling to kill him. Or maybe... "Fuck off." Out comes Chad, his Mankey. Mankey was still fresh, she hadn't hurt a singular foe. So that meant, she was ready to roll, and that green monkey gets into an angry, defiant-riddled stance. "I'm gettin' sick... of you goddamn Leaguers." He's panting already. "Bud... run'em down." And Chad has both arms behind her as she runs, and comes too the Zweillous with a CROSS CHOP.[break][break]

His vision is still shaky. He has to keep himself stable. The cave wall is his support.

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No.[break][break]

Kanto. Years ago... what the fuck?[break][break]

The leaking interdream would display the fire and brimstone that was olden Rocket's history. The pain, the hate, and everything inbetween. He found his face coated in sweat more, as he panicked. This was just like back then...[break][break]

He was just in the rift of the Ultra Sea. Why here?[break][break]

Unfortunately for him, he had no time to ask that question. From above, roaring it's way downwards at top speed, Roaring Moon unleashes a FLAMETHROWER from above, and dowses the area in more flames, with a surprise entrance from Holy Diver covering him, as Ashley's tired, fatigued brain looked at the aerial foe.[break][break]

Unfortunately, as Holy Diver hops in the way with an AQUA JET, the Buizel is taken out due to an earlier fight with ollie morales , leaving Ashley's face riddled in sweat.[break][break]

"Shit."[break][break]

He returns Holy Diver. And throws out his only other option to take to the sky; Bass the Noivern. Alright weakened from earlier as well.[break][break]

This was about to be an uphill battle.

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Jolting awake, Ash's exhaustion was easy to see, as he looks upwards and tries to smile. Gavin's words almost seemed to pull him out of a dream.[break][break]

"Regrets." He quietly laments, his head resting against the cave wall, his eyes closing shut. "I-" He takes a moment, and rubs at his eyes. "-didn't exactly sleep... after." He was rubbing at his eyes, groaning in discontent as he sat up straight, pressing himself fully into the cave side wall.[break][break]

He groans. How many times did he need help from Gavin? He could handle himself, he didn't need him as a crutch like this. Or Isaac... but he could hardly stand up on his own right now.[break][break]

"I wish I listened to you."[break][break]

Honesty and sincerity, he just looks down to the flooring of the cave. A small puddle made, letting him look at a man he didn't recognize looking back at him.

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After a discussion with Gavin, and Isaac both, Ashley finds himself here, blocking the entrance to the cave. He looks more awake, and as he now has time to reflect, he finds it hard to focus. Out of his Pokeball, Holy Diver the Buizel attempts to place a small towel on his forehead. To calm him down.[break][break]

Ash smiles quietly. He's so tired. How is he even operating today, let alone moving? After those murders yesterday... he can still feel the weight on his shoulders. Isaac and Gavin truly did their best, but.[break][break]

He has to live with it now. But it doesn't mean he has to let them completely weigh down on him.[break][break]

When footsteps are approaching, Ashley pushes off the wall, his Buizel at his side. His mask kept his nose and mouth hidden, his cap would at least make it really hard to recognize him, but not impossible. "Where do you think you're going?" He calls out into the cave...[break][break]

Only to see a familiar sight.

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It is true; Ashley had no protection. He had a jacket, jeans, a face mask, and now blood running down his head. Guy was not ready for the elements, but the thing is. No one is expecting the sheer chilling cold of the field right now. And that's exactly what Ash is counting on.[break][break]

Because a smart person, they'd move somewhere warmer. So long as they keep moving, there was no way to track their location. Even the Tri Attack would blast at Maple missed, not because the Porygon incorrectly placed the blast, but because SNOW CLOAK allowed Maple to move around it. And hiding back in the ice and snow, with the chilling winds all around, that was exactly what Ashley wanted.[break][break]

To further confuse them, he checked his remaining mag. Should have... thirteen left.[break][break]

How unlucky.[break][break]

He points upwards and shoots at nothing, using one bullet, continuing to move around, attempting to taunt whatever made the blast, until that is, he saw what was above. His lips curve upwards. at the Porygon taking the high-ground.[break][break]

"Yawn it down." He whispers to Maple, and with one big hefty YAWN, which should likely hit since the poor thing wasn't frozen, as Ashley intends to put the sniper's big blaster to bed. With an intent to chase in return. He has one goal.[break][break]

Figure out if this was the murderer. And put a bullet in his neck if it is. So he too, makes his way closer to warmth, hoping that he was right. Still staying low to the ground, feeling the cold really start getting to him, he's hoping to get to warmth soon.[break][break]

And to find his target.

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Ashley lagged a little, having difficulty responding immediately, but he eventually found the words to do so. Isaac's plan was simple: a supply convoy would provide them what they need. It would be as quick as a surgical scalpel cutting in, and out. No time at all.[break][break]

"Sounds good. Maple can provide the snow cover, and a second blizzard to cover our tracks. A hit and run." But Holy Diver would points to himself, with a smile. "Course, a quick wave crash would work just as well, and a flash-freeze blizzard would make it freeze and condense much more." He ruffles the weasel's head, and the weasel was pleased by his inclusion.[break][break]

With a turn to Isaac, he gestures for the blonde to utilize the tactic, as he points nearby. "We should chill out and wait at a vantage point, let the convoy think no one was coming through here. Then, we hit em fast, hit em hard, and run for the hills."[break][break]

Voices came down from nearby. And just one cue, Ash quickly turns to Isaac.[break][break]

Guess there was little time to perfect the sting operation. This was now, or nothing. Quick in, quick out, done. He just hoped Isaac was ready.

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Barely been a day, and Ash is here in the cave. He didn't sleep last night. Yet here he was, assigned to a mission he shouldn't have been assigned to the day after. If anything, it was the cleanest way to keep it all off the books as much as it could be. Ashley, however, found little comfort. Hours upon hours, lying away, staring at Kep, staring at himself in a mirror.[break][break]

His reflection no longer caused him self-loathing. Instead, it felt alien, like bodily dysphoria. Was it really him that stared back?[break][break]

Yesterday, he and an assortment of men raided a penthouse, and quickly before night could even fall, ended seven lives. And the entire time, he wonders. Was it worth it? He embraced what came before in his life.[break][break]

He leans against the wall, black bags beneath his eyes, the Granite Cave entrance, this particular one anyways, guarded by him, and directly in front of him, the blonde who he considered a mentor; Gavin. The guy could see the state Ashley was in after everything went down yesterday plain as day. Misery.[break][break]

Gavin did tell him before. The warning to not push too far.[break][break]

Here they were now. Ashley heeded the warning, and did so anyways.

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The snow and chilling air was doing great to mess with the sniper's mind, and though Ashley is slowly getting more and more exhausted after his numerous duels, he still knows how to keep screwing with this one. With a SNOW CLOAK, Maple dodges rather handily. But it doesn't stop there.[break][break]

"Blizzard. All around." Thing about Blizzard, is that within the bad weather of the snowscape, it would effect the sniper no matter where he was, even if he was hiding, it SHOULD in theory still affect them negatively. If it makes the weather within worse, it gives Ashley enough time to figure out that location. Not to mention, it'll mean both parties slow down greatly too.[break][break]

With a massive SNOWSCAPE-EMPOWERED BLIZZARD, the mist continues to obscure them both as it bellows outwards in a spiral of winds and hail. Ashley begins calling out from the winds, making sure never to stay in one place long.[break][break]

"You gonna come out, or do I have to flush you out?"[break][break]

He's hoping this is who he thinks he, to such a degree that he continues to antagonize them. His voice should sound familiar to the sniper. It should...[break][break]

"Nearly killed me there. I intend to return the favor." He's prowling around, under the cover of ice and snow. If he doesn't find the sniper soon, he will risk frostbite. At this point, for both of them, this was a time trial; a gambit. And the moment he comes out, is the moment Ashley is going to attack.[break][break]

All he can do is wait and see.

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