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Legendaries could be killed, huh?
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It was so obvious, but Kouji hadn’t thought about it before, then again it wasn’t really important. He shook his head, and focused on the task at hand. ”Route PL.” He told Dracozolt who, with a chirrup, dashed ahead; almost as if following the trail of flames and smoke. The electric Pokemon attacks would be eaten by that annoying little thing, so he rolled his shoulders.
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”So what’s up with Flareon, looks like one of Cil’s pokemon.” Kouji was curious, pretty damn curious even.

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Kouji saw the avoidance of his kick; it was a high attack aimed at his fist; he had no choice but to block it, crossing his arms over his head, and stepping back to avoid falling over from the sheer force of the strike.
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Jayden was strong in close combat, but that much was to be expected.
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”Yes sir.”
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He used the momentum of his backstep to lead into a spinning back fist, turning his back on his opponent was dangerous, even if it was a for a moment. But sometimes you needed the bait of an obvious move to draw someone in.
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”Let’s pick the pace up, Jayden.”

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Things were making a little more sense as Ettie began to explain her pack, and the circumstances around her meeting them. She was raised with the Lycanroc, but was that in a home…Or was she some kind of wildchild?
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He would’ve bet on the latter, but the result could have been the same with the former if the home was terrible enough. Then again this girl looked happy, he rolled his shoulders and introduced Dracozolt.
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”Just Dracozolt, he ain’t got a name. Met him when I got chased by a horde of Garchomp, long story, but he tried to fight them. Got his butt kicked, and we both ran away together.” He explained as he patted the dragon on the side, and it chirped happily, electricity dancing across its skin.
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Dracozolt looked around at the group as they followed Ettie towards some hunting grounds, the ancient Pokemon looked around for a moment, dancing left to right before his eyes landed on a Stantler, dashing forward with excitement; diving face first with a Bolt Beak but missing, landing face first in a tree and getting stuck.
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Kouji face palmed. ”You’re embarrassing us in front of Ettie’s pack here.”

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Small fry huh?
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”Grow a few inches taller before calling someone else small. Still being feed poorly? Ain’t Kanto y’know.” Kouji decided to crack a joke instead, a wry smile on his face with mirth he did not particularly feel.
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”Not like it matters, almost got myself killed by a brat like you. Don’t think it’ll go as smoothly next time.”

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It was constant, the barrage of hits, and the words of intent; Kouji could feel both of them rushing over him, crushing his will to fight as he found himself falling back. He tried to sit up, but fell back on his butt, he couldn’t muster the energy into his muscles, he wanted to work out the frustration, his anger, but he couldn’t get rid of it all.
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It smoldered, but this wasn’t the person it was supposed to be shot at. The barrel of his ire was faced at the wrong person. It might’ve started here, facing off against this man, in these caves. His goal, his starting line, were right here, but now he felt as if he hadn’t taken a single step beyond.
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What was the point in everything so far? The things he’d given to Rocket? Was it all just so he could keep getting whaled on by this man?
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Kouji couldn’t even blame Navy in the slightest for this, the man had only done as Kouji had asked, as Kouji had forced. This entire situation had been forced by him for a reason he couldn’t grasp, as if trying to tear his flesh out of himself.
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”Mean Business huh?” Did he?
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He had no choice but to, and so he punched back; forcing himself up; propping himself against the man with his fists. Kouji as only being kept up by the blows he could throw out, forcing himself awake.
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”One day, we’ll come back to destroy this town.” It was the only words he could really get out. ”I’ll come back. You better be ready to kill me Navidson, now, or later.” It was a statement, perhaps he was hoping for the former in this moment.
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Roaring Moon was by the rough play, and turned to bite back at Zacian, only finding itself cut up even more and more. It found itself being pressed; and it was then that Urshifu stepped in; dragging the dragon back by its tail. It would be needed later, especially the path that it’s trainer was trailing.
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It opened with its signature. Wicked Blow.

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"FUCK YOUR DREAM.”
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It was a heavy right, Kouji threw everything he had behind it; his broken arm swinging pointlessly beside him, his body spun enough that he almost fell onto his arse, all aimed at a singular person.
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howard slayte
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It was always the whims and wants of other people, their dreams, their wishes, their feelings…It was always about somebody else, he wouldn’t have been standing here if it wasn’t for the man standing there. All of this wouldn’t have happened. He sucked in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the air it so desperately needed, his mind clearing just a little bit from the red he had seen for a moment.
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Wasn’t he the same?
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When had he started putting his own feelings in front of that of Rocket, his dreams? His hopes? It might’ve begun at Dewford, and it might’ve been set in stone within that Galarian Haze. He only realized this in Ever Grande, why had he struggled so much with something so simple; he glanced down at the Pokeball by his side, Urshifu standing beside him.
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”With all due politeness Admin Fox, fuck your dream.”
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In all truth, it was time for Kouji to let go of his own dream, a world made for him wasn’t possible. He exhaled slowly. There wouldn’t be room for it, there wasn’t room for him in it anymore.
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”Fuck your feelings.”
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He didn’t need them anymore, Kouji spoke to himself as he talked to Howard, the anger that had distorted his features cooled, an unreadable expression were the ashes leftover from the inferno of his rage. The pressure on the ball in his hand increased, and small cracks appeared on the sphere in his hand, holding his closest friend.
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”Do you believe the crap spilling outta your mouth right now?” He hadn’t heard everything, seen everything, but he had seen enough. The Giants, Regirock, and Regice; whatever they were, might have been behind it. Or perhaps it was the battlefield itself, he couldn’t tell.
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But did Kouji believe what he himself was saying?
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”Are you happy with this bullcrap?”
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Happiness had been a chance meeting in a forest. Shooting the shit while on watch. Getting chased by a horde of Garchomp and surviving. Exchanging fists and dreams. Watching an idol show in a break room. Picking strawberries. Reuniting with a childhood friend. Exchanging a promise upon a boat. Catching his first Pokemon.
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But he had a role to play, weakness couldn’t be tolerated anymore, he had been weak for too long; fretting over what he should have been. Should instead of doing, that had been his problem. He didn’t have time for that now, not when everything they’ve worked for could collapse, he had a job to do. He was rocket.
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Did he even have to power to do what he was about to?
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”Admin Fox, you’re under arrest for the murder of a Superior. I ain’t no cop, so you don’t have the right to remain silent. I can’t promise crap if you resist.”
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He crushed the pokeball in his hand, wishing goodbye a goodbye to many things, Absol foremost amongst them. He put aside his fears of the future, put to bed his grudges against the world, and the envy he felt towards those who could live a normal life.
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Only Rocket mattered, it was all that mattered
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He had finally become the perfect little soldier his father had long wished for. An almost unfeeling machine, a monster in human skin; all the things Shuuji Matsubara had pushed him to be since birth, and Kouji Matsubara hated himself for it.
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Kanto had well and truly arrived.

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A battlefield was a place filled with blood and tears, any old idiot knew that fact; anyone could tell you as much. Did they think him an idiot, Kouji at one point hadn’t been sure, the battle at Dewford Gym had increased his respect for the man and his ire. Were they the monsters?, if it had ever been so simple, perhaps Kouji wouldn’t have struggled on the road to get here.
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What had it all been for? He didn’t care about this backwater town, and it’s stupid woods, they had nothing of worth to him. But neither did Dewford the many times he had been there, nor did any part of this region.
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When had it become so difficult?
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Was it when a kid dug him out of his own crap? In those caves? All the way back in Kanto when two kids failed to set a bomb? Or was it even further back, in that kitchen with fists hanging over him?
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No.
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He was barely human afterall. ”We’re inhuman?” That voice could have only been one person, he knew it too well. ”Have you looked at yourself.” To a young woman escaping the hold of her beast, and towards the maw of the Fox. He had no pity, nor for the traitor who left…Traitors who left?
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”Dracovish, return. Urshifu, it’s all you.” The bear took to the field, staring off against the Nihilego.
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”What are you complaining about, Camellia? This is just like your home, ain’t it?” He used that name. ”You’re the one that helped us get this far, Blackjack.” Kouji stuck his hand in his pocket. There was a well of hollowness, as if he was simply done with the day, no he had been finished for a while.
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”Thank you both for your help, we’d never have been able to do it without you. Your retirement bullets will be in the mail.”
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Curse Fox from dragging him away from his hiatus, he would have been more content on that shopfloor than here. He couldn’t live for battle, not while struggling with his choices; unable to kill those he called his friends, his bonds since joining rocket had only made him soft.
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A weakness he couldn’t tolerate in himself.
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Just what would he do about it?
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”What’s the hold up, Urshifu. Go for the kill.” The Bear faulted for a moment, not its name; and it had been ordered to kill for the first time. It had been Absol as the killer, and Urshifu who'd act to represent his fighting spirit; it felt none of that now. Apathy, and so it drew its fists close, ready for a Wicked Blow.
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Providing a clear avenue of attack, and opening up to someone were one and the same if Kouji were ever questioned on the matter. As he felt his knife stick into his opponent’s side, and as he felt the pressure in his arm, he realized he wasn’t going to get away. But at the same time, he hadn’t intended to do so.
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Snap. it was a deep snarl of pain, a hiss that rolled up from the depths of his lungs, and a white pain that made it difficult to concentrate for a moment before he found his whits returning to him, and he held on tightly to them, clutching his mostly useless left arm. It hurt, but he could still move.
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”You’re crazy. Coming out here without a purpose but to fight others? It’s like you’re asking to die.” But it wouldn’t be Kouji who delivered that final blow, it would have to be someone else, his eyes were back on that giant Rock, and the momentous events that occured only a small distance away from him. He’d been far too engrossed in the battle, the great white flash, the giant rock that forced Dracovish to grab its trainer, and swim through the sandstorm like it were water, Sand Rush coming to the rescue in particular at this moment.
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As rocks fell, the earth shook, and the sandstorm took a change in color, Kouji could feel a cough building, and it got deeper and deeper as the trainer and Pokemon mowed their way through the storm.
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It was painful, it sunk into the skin, beneath the skin, it hurt, it hu-
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”Can’t go complaining.” Not in front of the foe before him, Kouji could see her, Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki. Not that he could recognize her as her in that shape to begin with. ”Doubt you can understand me, but I can’t let our adorable Admin Fox get himself killed by a monster like yourself.” He commanded his Dracovish to charge forward, with a Fishous Rend
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It was about high-time he stopped being so half-assed, pick his place, and yet he couldn’t quite muster the resolve even in this moment, even in this place, what was it he wanted to do to begin with, why did he step onto the great battleground that was Hoenn anyway? To be a unglorified guard?
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enIEZZSx

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The glee of battle, the heart pumping action, the suspense of not knowing whether he’d survive the next exchange, being on the backfoot. Once upon a time, Kouji Matsubara had lived for it, to sharpen his teeth against those who stood across from him on the battlefield, that Kouji was long dead now.
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Looking at Gaius, he couldn’t help but wonder…
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Had he been like that once?
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”I ain’t got time for you bud, there’s people to deal with.” Such as Doug, such as Regirock, such as the many other dangerous League people there were. But he didn’t back off, he didn’t try to run. Kouji faced his opponent head on, because that was the only recourse for him.
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His stance was loose, perhaps that was what allowed to stand when the first punch of Gaius’ managed to strike him square on the jaw, his knees almost buckled but he kept them steady and returned a strike with his knife. They exchanged blows, dancing at the edge of oblivion with each and every exchange.
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But this wasn’t a battle to delight in for much longer, Kouji sharpened his focus and dashed in, ready to take as much damage as needed to get this over with. His opponent wasn’t weak, he wouldn’t get away without a scratch, but he slid forward with his lead foot; his front knife was just a feint, his leading arm was just an offering; the real attack came from behind.
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As Lucario struck with extreme speed, Kouji's Dracovish was forced to return the attack with Psychic Fangs, taking advantage of the sandstorm around them in order to almost swim through the air itself and deliver the harsh bite.
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There was something to it, this battle, this war; it almost made his blood pump for a moment before he had to think about what it meant to be here. The smell of smoke filled his nostrils, the screams of people no longer made it to his ears, the sandstorm obscured his vision, but there was no recourse, nor was there a chance to fall back.
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Only attacking.
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His target had been Doug, his mind had been fixated on dealing with the man, and the enormous threat he represented, so it was only natural that he found himself being socked in the face by gaius marcellus. He felt himself being lifted off his feet for a moment as he skidded across the ground.
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The same couldn’t be said for his Dracovish who went to meet Lucario’s attack with its own, sharpened pressured water converged in its maw for a Fishous Rend, boosted by the the sand storm around them, he went to clamp down on Metal Claw of Lucario.
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”Gonna be busy with this punk here, hope you can deal with that weirdo in the air, Underboss Viper.” Kouji said in the comms using the no longer used nickname, but it was a small habit from that mission together. But that went away once he fixed his sight onto Gaius, the new interloper.
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The rocket grunt adjusted his footing. ”Decide that for yourself, but if you get in my way, I might just try and kill ya.” He didn’t have a lot of patience on this day. Busting it out with fists might’ve suited him once upon a time, but as he pulled his knives, he spun them in his hands before clenching his fists tightly around them. It was time to dance, and he did so with a series of strikes, punches that made use of the knives in his hands.
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