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Kouji heard a voice peak up by his side, he had assumed it had been for someone else, before he turned to face her, his eyebrow rose up for a second, but then dropped back down just as quick. ”Nah, nothing like that. My old man liked to sail around the world, he was from Vermillion, and so we went back there a lot.” He said as he spoke, trying to keep the disdain for the man from his voice.
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”What’s got you here? Just an artist, or one of the dozens of people with a bone to pick with Rocket?” He could see the dislike for his team, but then again; he couldn’t really let propaganda like that go so easily. Just breaking things down wouldn’t achieve anything.
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He’d just make them feel justified.
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But then again, they were right, and that’s why he followed them.
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”What a dogshit exhibit.”

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As he sat behind the counter of the store, Kouji looked at the Newspaper in his hands, reading and scanning over it. His golden eyes barely looked over the store, but the pink hair of the first customer he’s had in a while did keep his attention for a little while. Maybe if he shut up, he wouldn’t chase them away?
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Nah, that wasn’t really his style.
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As she inspected the memorials on the wall, Kouji walked out from behind the desk. ”Mourning someone? These are a good way to keep them close. In Kanto, ancestors and those who’ve passed become spirits that watch over your family, this is a way to honour that.”
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His voice was neutral, even if his way of speaking had been a little bit rough. ”Name’s Kouma by the by, just an ol’ clerk. What’s yours?” He said as he extended his hand for a shake.

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As the battle raged on, the air was thick with tension and swirling chaos. The metallic beetle-like Mugen, a relentless force of destruction, struck with mechanical precision, its relentless assault in time with that Vortigern’s was too much for the three headed dragon. Amidst the deafening roars and the relentless assault of Fell Stinger, Hydreigon's strength waned. It was a fierce struggle to stay upright as the Dragon was dragged across the battlefield. Yet, even in the face of overwhelming odds, the Dragon summoned one last surge of energy.
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With a final, defiant act, the dragon released a second shot of his Draco Meteor. The sky shimmered with its power as a luminous sphere formed, defying the impending darkness. But as the ball coalesced, the dragon's consciousness flickered like a dying ember, and he fell, defeated but not without leaving an indelible mark on the battlefield.
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Samurott’s attention turned to Junior, whose earthquake threatened to upend the battlefield even more, but Druddigon was paying attention to that pokemon instead, so he went for the newly summoned Kingambit, two dark types facing off against one another. As Druddigon’s rage built, the dragon opted to use Dragon Claw even as he took damage from the Earthquake, glowing with a blue energy, the attack was thrown.
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”So you already gave up, huh?” He had thought differently, but Kouji had looked genuinely surprised at that fact, before his smirk had begun to settle into a sneer. ”And to think I respected ya. Well, guess getting rid of a quitter and a traitor’s gonna taste twice as good.” But doing that with Navy here was going to be difficult, impossible almost. The two of them together?
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His sneer turned vicious. ”And you sure about that Navidson? Going through you ain’t that hard…Next time ya see Eris, ask her what happened to that wrist of hers, and how close she was to the end. If you’re going to protect someone, stay by their side.” It was Navy’s own words that flashed through his head, when Kouji had begun to forget he who he was. The advice, he couldn’t strategize then, but twenty years had fixed that, but his greatest skill?
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People.
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But as he recalled Hydreigon, he looked to Umbreon. ”Baton Pass.” He told her, and she had done just that, energy coalesced where she stood, and as she fell back, Absol came forward; the last pokemon in his group was his ticket out.
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The Dark type Ace roared as he felt the effects of focus energy flowing through him, before he began his sword’s dance, contending with both Mugen and Vortigern would be close to impossible.
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”Isaac, when’re you gonna quit on the league too? All I hear are complaints about those guys, you really think it’s gonna be better on this side? Just ask Navidson.”

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Watching an investigation wasn’t really his kind of thing, but at the same time? He wasn’t really going to leave behind a valuable piece of evidence, maybe someone else would be able to make something of it. So the Rocket Grunt took the leg with him, it was a strange choice to make, but he wasn’t particularly focused on the optics of his actions in that moment. Grabbing it by the shin, he hoisted it over his shoulder.
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That didn’t make any of this simple, not by a long shot.
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The mud was only going to get far deeper, and people were going to only get closer, but Kouji looked around, his eyebrows rising up; a fair bit as he looked around the area for anything else. ”Any of the missing people an older dude? I know an old dude leg when I see it.”
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Still, whatever he did, he knew carrying a leg like this was only going to make him look strange, but he wished he had realized that before grabbed it like this. ”Ah, thought I’d bury it when we next get a chance. Seems sad to leave it out here like this.” He said, partially lying.
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Time for him to learn how to dig without a shovel.
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But a moment of respite didn’t make it a moment of piece, the watery area around the swamp was dangerous, and it was only getting more so. With every step, it became harder to lift his foot back up.
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”What a pain in the ass, Umbreon, run ahead and use Route WH to aid anyone that needs it.” His pokemon would have an easier time wading through this, lighter and fleeter of foot. WH, a name for Helping Hand.

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”You’re both hot, guess those eyes too? It's a bit tough to tell.”
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It clicked.
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Kouji had been right about it, but he had to do his best to not let it show on his face, fighting Eva Morales had been an eye opening experience, but at the same time it wasn’t something he wanted to dwell on, even if their world views couldn’t be more different.
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He wondered where her brother stood?
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”The Heatran huh, yeah, those guys are way too tough. Wonder what made them show up.” No new info huh, might as well dig a little bit deeper.
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”The big shots are arriving back to back, Greyson Connors, that elite four member touched down not too long ago.”] Kouji only knew that because of his battle against the man;, but maybe others too.
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”But that’s for the big wigs to worry about, nothing for a hired hand like me. How do you feel about all the fights?”

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Kouji looked up at the man, a snarl almost threatened to slip between his lips before he sighed it off.
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”Aye aye, I’ve bounced what I could, so feel free to cut.” Kouji said as he continued to struggle with his meal, it seemed like the petty angle wouldn’t work on this man. Spicy food didn’t compare to years of Torture, but then again, pain was never something one wanted to experience willingly.
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At least the food was good.
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”Oi Harcourt, doubt I need to tell ya this, but keep watching your back.” It didn’t reek of a threat, it didn’t dance in his tone like one either, Kouji simply looked at the man with a neutral expression.
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”The longer a streak of wins goes, the harder that crashes to the ground.”

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Being tackled, Aikido was where Kouji shone, but being exhausted and having the weight difference between the two made something like this a lot more difficult than it should have been; unbalanced from his landing?
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He found himself on his back, his hands slapped down on the ground to disperse the force as Kaz was on top of him, Kouji’s eyes looked for any weaknesses in the man’s defence, in his ground game, and immediately went for hooking his legs around one of Kaz’ own, his ankles were locked together, now came the more difficult part.
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To spin, turn on the spot in this moment, he was smaller in weight, that fact was certain, he always preferred more lean muscle, “practical” he called it, but there was a practicality in being the larger one.
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A hard to beat advantage even with advanced knowledge of multiple forms of fighting, and this was coming to bare even here as he looked pushed his elbow into the ground, his left arm hooked around Kaz’ waist, and he tried to turn over.
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”Tch, you in bulking season or something?”

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It was strange, having a limb that wasn’t yours. Kouji understood it the moment he was thrown off; his knife left behind. He didn’t really get it, but the moment his own arm tried to go for his throat just as the Spiritomb cursed it.
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It was aiming for his life, almost as if pushing for its own. ”The hell, taking mine ain’t gonna bring you back.” It was weird, but the dead were really a wanting lot, to want a return to a second life was far too greedy.
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So he fought his own hand off, as the spirits within tried to spread up his shoulder, that chill continued upwards and through him, but he could hold it like that for now. ”My bad, there’s something weird in my hand.” Kouji said as he gripped it tightly, gritted his teeth as much as he could, and took it over his knee and pulled; a loud pop was followed by a scream of pain.
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It was the best solution he had in the moment as his arm hung limply, he had bought some time. ”Oi…Gonna count on your healing later, sorry.”

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”Beat them, but it wasn’t me.”
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Kouji shrugged, that was perhaps the closest he had ever been to death, it was a horrible occasion and he still remembered it at times. ”Dragons are territorial, so I acted as bait with my own dragon, peppered them, used Area of Effect attacks, the other person hit them with Springtide Storms, until they were properly defanged, and would struggle to hurt a Caterpie.” But it wasn’t his own idea.
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He sucked in a deep breath to lower the burn by just a fraction, before he looked back at Harcourt. ”But aye, I’ve lost a buncha times. Well, seeing as I’m still walking, I can’t say it’s bad. You gain a lot from losing, y’know?”
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It was a strange thing to say, but a loss was a place to learn that was a lesson he had beaten into himself, to lose, and learn without excuses. ”Not talking about that ‘winners were losers once’ kinda crap, but you can understand the mindset of a cornered guy.” His tone dropped just a tad as he spoke.
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”Ain’t nothing scarier.”

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Kouji smirked before he put a fist to his chest, smacking it.
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”Aye, leave the protection to me, that’s why I’m here.” He gave a wink as he said that, it was cooling down, and she was a lot more energetic than before he came in; so maybe that was just fine.
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He stretched out, feeling his muscles stretch, his joints crack before he stood back up. ”And I better get started on just that, I’m sure you don’t need someone holding ya hand on stage.” He didn’t even feel the need to wish her good luck, that wasn’t something a proper professional needed.
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”Make ‘em go wild.” He said as he went for the door.

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It was a strong blow, Kouji had been shocked by the Urshifu’s action, it had felt like hitting a stone, a rock face; he had felt the impact all the way down to his elbow, but the follow up seemed to have hurt even more.
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It had really been that close, huh?
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”What a tough guy, even a breeze woulda knocked him over, but he still chose to take that hit.” Urshifu were a unique pokemon, one he could appreciate to the highest degree, and every example just enhanced his opinion on them.
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”We can’t get shown up by these guys.” Kouji said with a grin as as blood dripped down the side of his mouth, he grit his teeth, and charged forward; his fists poised and ready for another blow, jumping up this time.
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It looked choreographed, but he used the faux jump hook to lead into a reverse spin kick, putting the entirety of his weight behind it.

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”It sure does make ya a dirtbag, Navy. Well, after hunting traitors, crossing fists with you is a close second, so I’ll let it pass.” It was a crooked smirk even as he looked across the battlefield, frankly speaking.
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It was almost a mistake to be fighting in such a manner, to fight the two of them at the same time, but he didn’t have much of a choice. It was best to prepare, a fourth pokemon to even the numbers, Umbreon made her appearance, but she didn’t move from beyond his side.
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The greater shock came in two parts, it was the Outrage and the Zap Cannon, both aimed at Hydreigon who had made itself the focus of all the attention in the room. The electrical charge struck first, a blinding burst of lightning arcing in all directions. The three-headed dragon roared in agony as the searing electricity surged through its muscular frame, rendering it momentarily paralyzed. Its stumpy wings began to twitch involuntarily, and its heads writhed in anguish. Before it could recover, a powerful blow struck, propelling the dragon backward with explosive force. It crashed against the walls, rage was rolling from just as the blood flowed from his chest. Yet, myriad of elements formed within its mouths; fire, electricity, and ice arced towards the duo who struck it.
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Druddigon’s Iron head was met by the Iron Tail, the two moves clashed; a shockwave blasted outwards from the point of contact before the dragon had to rear back, shaking its head as it found itself disorientated, before going back for another as if stubbornness would carry it to the end of days.
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”That pokemon’s a Genesect, scum of the earth kind of creation really; rumours say it’s made from the parts of other pokemon.” He said as he looked at Mugen, a rictus of disgust. ”Sure explains why this darn thing is so angry, I’d try and kill you too if I was torn into pieces, and put together with parts that ain’t mine.”
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Still, in the back, Umbreon used focus energy, preparing for something as Kouji tapped at his thighs.
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”Not like it matters, but…Realised you couldn’t help from the inside, huh?”
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”Didn’t take you for a quitter.”
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Water surged up from beneath Samurott’s feet before covering its form, rotating at higher and higher speeds before he charged forward like a jet, aimed right at Junior.

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Kouji ran a hand through his hair as he completed the handshake with the man across from him.
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”Something like that, I’m more offensive focused than just a trainer though.” He said as he cracked his neck both ways, his sis? Morales? There was no way, was there?
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”Who’s your sister?” He said as he looked back over the shore. ”She stuck tryna figure out a way into this dumb island.” As he finished, he gave a long sigh. ”Creepy place really, not only dream mist, but there’s even some super rare pokemon in there.” A shrug.
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”I don’t envy ‘em.”
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Wait, did he say he was the rangers? Kouji gave a freeze before he began to nod slowly as the dots began to connect in his head, Ollie Morales, wasn’t that the name of a head ranger? This was a big target.
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But he didn’t move, might as well use this as a chance to take a breather.

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