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The familiar voice carries over the radio waves to their earpiece. In spite of the formality, they smile.

[break][break] ”‘Course I am, Cross.”

[break][break]On the opposite end of Dewford, they survey the progression of their numbers through the backstreets toward the portals that Jayden overlooks. They’re equally as shrouded in the dark, tucked against the trunk of a tree where they sit on a branch. Obscured by leaves and the dark.

[break][break]“Same over here. Slow, but steady.”

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jayden cross

[break] + COMMS [1/2]

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In the end, Fern’s gengar doesn’t need to transport him back across the makeshift battlefield as their opponents withdraw one by one. He catches sight of oscar clayton ’s gesture of appreciation and sends a hand heart back to the other, followed by a thumbs up.[break][break]

Of course he was going to help out where it made sense![break][break]

Nodding at Cillian Quinn ’s instruction, Fern falls back in line alongside the rest—prepared to make any moves should the need arise—[break][break]

“Send them off, Morty~” The grin remains fixed to the gengar’s face as she tails them until she’s just shy of the portal exit. Then she sends off one last FOCUS BLAST to hurdle after the league members. If anything, to at least deter them from making any further attempts to loop back around and return.[break][break]

---

tldr; + the phantom force is unneeded as league retreats through the portal entrances. Falls back in with the rest of rocket[break]
+ has Morty shoot one more FOCUS BLAST through the exit, just for funsies to make any last second impact[break]

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Head tilting in an incline, they acknowledge her advice gratefully. “I’ll be sure to tuck that tidbit away for safekeeping.” The twist of their tone and smile alike are a smidge playfully conspiratorial.[break][break]

No belief in hope. “Fair enough. Let us chart the proper courses then.”[break][break]

Watching her in silence from their perch, Fern looked on in obvious curiosity as she extended two passports. Setting his cup down, he took one each hand to compare the two.[break][break]

“Well how ‘bout that,” they mused in mild jest as she clarified. “You seem to know how to rebuild quite well then.” They could relate to starting fresh, though they’d never committed to the bit quite so ardently.[break][break]

They had many false identifiers. But they’d always been Fern, hiding in plain sight. Even Harper Beck was only used among the public. With those who knew them, they easily became Fern once again.[break][break]

Though perhaps a nine lives rotation wasn’t far off the mark, in a more general, fleeting sense.[break][break]

The request is somewhat unexpected, however. Their brows lift. “Oh, I would consider doing so a privilege.” Even as they answer, the cogs in their mind begin to turn—mapping out necessities and trivialities alike.[break][break]

Each component necessary to crafting a believable, thorough, and irrefutable story.[break][break]

“How soon would you like this to be in place?”

[break][break]

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All structure, or whatever there was to start with, in the battle dissolves quickly. Fern supposes this works in his favor having swept in from behind. With attention fixated on Lugia thanks to the efforts of Callan Young ’s toxitricity, and its illuminating moves, he drifts along in the shadows with his gengar.[break][break]

His attention twists away from Kazimir Wynter when the previously enacted DRAGON BREATH takes hold. Just in time to see oscar clayton ’s frosmoth driven to the ground by a kleavor’s attack. “Morty, a little different from the usual, yes?”[break][break]

Taking the cue, the gengar drifts forward, concentrated energy collecting around her body as she channels a heightened FOCUS BLAST square at John Sullivan’s kleavor.[break][break]

A grin slips across their face, thrilled with the scattershot chaos. Morty levitates back to his side, intending to port Fern back to their proper side should they not be deterred in the process.

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tldr; + fern is in basic tactical gear and in physical disguise[break][break]
+ shifts attention away from kazimir[break]
+ backs up Oscar from another angle as gengar uses FOCUS BLAST on Doug’s kleavor.[break]
+ intends to PHANTOM FORCE back to Rocket’s side unless stopped.[break]
+ gengar remains not mega-evolved…for now.[break]

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Fern mulls over Theo’s words. “Does briefness make it less genuine?”[break][break]

Perhaps it does. They’ve never quite considered it.[break][break]

A wry smile pulls at their mouth as they look down. “Yes, s’pose you’re right. Though I like to think I’ve been fairly obvious.”[break][break]

They recall the flapple they’d gifted him as a very literally stated love token. Their expression doesn’t sour, though. It remains fond.[break][break]

“I don’t want to…overwhelm him.”

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a little strange that their boss is this good at disguise, but then again…fern finds that a useful skill. Kind of wild that Walsh might be even better at makeup than them. Though…they kinda want a Walsh makeover, that sounds pretty entertaining.[break][break]

Ok. Losing train of thought. Why join? They reflect upon why they decided to attach their own affiliation and business to Rocket’s mantle in the first place. Not they’d been in dire straits, exactly, but rapidly approaching that point probably counted…[break][break]

I needed the money.

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fern tuts quietly. For all that hard work, and all these dishes listed out, Walsh should also be listed as part of the menu. Right?? Right. They sigh forlornly and select the next best thing.[break][break]

yummy yamper pasta