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True, his childhood hadn’t been easy, but he was well aware that things could’ve been worse. His father hadn’t been the most warm of people, but he counted himself lucky that, while not the nicest, his father had never seen fit to raise a hand against him. Though to this day he was sure that more due to needing to maintain an image than anything else.
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"Yeah, moving here was definitely a good thing, conflict with Team Rocket aside. I’m at least free to make my own choices.”
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Sure, the whole thing with Team Rocket wasn’t ideal. But then, when were things completely different? Life was full of ups and downs, sometimes more downs than ups. But anything was better than trying to be the kind of son his father wanted at the expense of his own happiness.
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At the mention of deserving peace or not, he frowned. “Maybe. I mean, sometimes people just don’t want to hurt others. There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to inflict pain upon others,” he told her, his expression thoughtful.
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"Anyway, I can’t say I’m like that. Sure, I don’t like violence, but I feel I would do anything to protect those I care about,” he admitted.
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And that was what made him different from a pacifist. Sure, a pacifist might jump in front of a bullet intended for someone else, but he felt that, when it came down to it, they wouldn’t fight for someone they cared about. Or perhaps they were giving the whole thing too much thought.[break] Evette Moreau

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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It sounded like she had grown up in a privileged family. He would be lying if he said he didn’t understand to some degree. While it was true that all of his father’s business ventures had been done in Sinnoh, his father had been very well off. The benefits of running your own business are supposed to.
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However, unlike with himself, it seemed her upbringing hadn’t been as cold as his own. Unless, of course, her family was the type to try and come off as one big happy family to the general populace while being totally different at home. The latter wasn’t something he wanted to think too much about, so for now, he would assume the former.
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“I’ve never really known what it was like to have a true home before coming here. My father was a businessman, and I spent my time going from one hotel to another in Sinnoh. I was arrogant in assuming that since I had spent my life doing that, I could strike off on my own. I ran out of both food and money at some point, and it was the kindness of strangers that helped me through the struggles of making it my own.”
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In part, that was the reason he had been so surprised by Hoenn being at each other's throats. He had honestly felt he was back at square one. Sometimes he felt as hopelessly lost as he had when living with his father.
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At the reminder about human nature, he sighed. “I like to believe that isn’t true about everyone. I mean, there are pacifists after all.”
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Was he one?
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He honestly didn’t think he was. Sure, he wasn’t fond of violence, but when push came to shove, he wasn’t afraid to fight back and maybe do something that wasn’t considered good, especially not if someone he cared about was in danger.[break] Evette Moreau

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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He supposed that was good. Still, for a kid to resort to stealing, that was still hard. Either the parents weren’t parenting their child, weren’t being treated well, or were orphans. I couldn’t really picture someone coming from a loving home as being a thief, not unless they grew up entitled, and even then, that was a bit of a stretch.
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“It’s good they don’t immediately get shipped off to Juvie or jail,” he said at last.
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Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that children stealing spoke of a troubled upbringing. It wasn’t a topic he really knew how to broach. Sure, he spoke of his less than pleasant upbringing, but that didn’t mean he really knew how to talk about it.
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Growing up, he had been torn between wanting a sibling and not wanting one. A sibling would’ve meant having someone to talk to. However, a sibling would’ve just been someone else for his dad to be disappointed in. Someone else for his father to deride.
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If he wasn't absolutely sure his father wasn’t fond of children, he might have imagined a sibling being the child his father wanted. This imaginary sibling got all his father's attention while he got none. However, he was well aware that wouldn’t happen.
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So while part of him had wanted a sibling, a much bigger part of him realized it was a good thing he didn’t.
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As he mentioned his sister trying to pressure him into returning to show business, he couldn’t help but wince. He knew what it was like to be pressured. His father had done it all the time. Always trying to pressure him into conforming to what he thought was best.
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“Sorry to hear that; it’s not nice to be pressured. Though I doubt your sister is doing it for malicious reasons, I’m assuming you had a real hard time after the accident,” he said, the last part being said a bit hesitantly.
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He wasn’t trying to pry. However, he did have a bit of a theory on why his sister might be trying to pressure him into returning to his singing career.[break] Niky Racz

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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Well, that was a relief. He had been worried that he would be interrupting the older male's work. Of course, he wouldn't have minded waiting if that was the case.
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As the dark-haired man went over to the large stuffed Raikou and sat on it, pretending to ride it, he was a bit surprised. He had never had many stuffed animals growing up, and any he had had, he had been forced to give up when he was six. It was just his father deciding he was too old for them and needed to grow up.
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"Sorry to hear that. Hopefully, business will pick up soon," he said, trying not to come off as awkward as he felt. Even though it didn't seem like he needed comfort, he still had to try. The thing was, he had never been that good in that department. At least, he didn't think he was. It was kind of hard to be the comforting type when one grew up with a father who had the emotional capacity of a brick wall, after all.
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His question gave him pause. What did he want to do?
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"I'm not sure. What do friends usually do together?"
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His question was weird, but he had never had many friends to do stuff with. It wasn't until he had left Sinnoh that he had actually started making friends. With his father always taking him on his business trips around Sinnoh and being so strict with his studies, he hadn't had any time to go about making friends, and the children of his father's business associates didn't count.[break] Josh Devlin

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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"Thank you," he said, inclining his head to the older male before making his way to the elevator, closely followed by his Lucario. Once in the elevator, he pushed the button for the third floor and the ride didn't take too long before he found himself making his way to the dark-haired male's office.
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The first thing that greeted him was a variety of Raikou merchandise set up around the room. Perhaps due to his own sparse decor in his own home, he was a bit caught off guard by all the Raikou merchandise in the office. It was actually Josh speaking to remind him that he had come here for a reason and not to check out the scenery.
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Turning towards the older male with an apologetic look, he spoke. "Sorry for just dropping in. I was in Mauville for other business and realized we hadn't really hung out. I make it a point to try and not forget about my friends," he said, looking a bit troubled when he mentioned forgetting friends.
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The expression cleared as soon as it appeared, though, leaving behind its usual smile. "Anyway, sorry if I came at a bad time."[break] Josh Devlin

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"Sounds interesting," he agreed, thinking about how people might react to not being served. Some people just needed to be humbled. As far as he was concerned, the saying 'the customer is always right' wasn't always accurate, especially if said customer acted like the store workers were servants.
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He supposed he had a point. Still, he wondered if it was always that simple. Sometimes the reasons behind someone's actions weren't always clear. "I suppose so, but I feel bad if it's a kid," he said at last. Kids ruining their lives over things like that just had a way of making him feel bad.
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When his family was mentioned not caring, he winced slightly. "I think my dad had a falling out with his side of the family when he got my mom pregnant when they weren't married, or at least that's what my dad told me. So I never met either side of my family," he told the older male with a small shrug. He didn't really care; he had left that life behind him.
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Deciding not to dwell on it too much, he instead listened to the song by the older male. As Niky answered his question, he listened to what she had to say. "Sounds like good bonding moments. Makes me wish I had a sibling of my own."[break] Niky Racz

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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The comment brought a laugh out of him. "You should definitely, one time, turn around when they ask for the manager like you're going to go get the manager before turning around and letting them know you are the manager. I bet the look on their face would be priceless."
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His attention would momentarily go to the Larvesta. The fact that she helped her owner was great but... "Have you ever had anyone shoplift because they had fallen on hard times and needed the money they could get from reselling it?" he asked curiously.
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He had heard many tales of homeless kids. Tales that just tore his heart apart. What must it be like to struggle to feed yourself?
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At the comment, he nodded. "Well yeah, but they all have families of their own and I wouldn't want to impose. Besides, I'm used to it. My father always had business meetings during the holidays."
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Though just because he was used to it didn't mean it didn't hurt. He longed to be around others for what was usually a happy time. But since he didn't want people to worry about him, he usually acted all nonchalant about the whole ordeal, like it didn't bother him.
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Talking about his emotions wasn't his forte. His dad had never been the affectionate sort, and while he could be affectionate when the time called for it, he had never gotten the hang of communicating his feelings.
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So no, he wouldn't be telling Niky he had been depressed. Besides, guys just didn't do stuff like that.
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"She can look at me anyway she wants. I've said my piece," he said, glancing over at Nebula.
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At the mention of another song, he nodded. "That would be great," he would say as he got ready to listen to another song. And once it was over he would clap. "That was great, does your sister often sing duets with you?" he would ask as he remembered that he had said he had song this song with his sister originally.[break] Niky Racz

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He had no way of knowing if this guy knew who he was. Part of him hoped he didn't. It would surely make things a lot easier if he didn't know him as Jade the idol. Or whatever other silly nicknames his fans had given him.
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"Oh, I'm just a friend. It's been a while since we've conversed, so I just wanted to see if he wanted to hang out. However, if he's too busy, I don't mind coming back later or waiting," he would tell the receptionist, a small smile gracing his lips.
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He really didn't mind waiting. His schedule was free for the rest of the afternoon. And the last thing he wanted was to pull the older male away from work.[break] Josh Devlin

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"I completely agree, but not too much. Arrogance can be unbecoming. I try to have the perfect amount of confidence in what I do without being arrogant," he told the older male. He had met plenty of people like that, people who could probably stand to be knocked down a peg or two. It was one thing to be confident, but it was another thing entirely for someone to be overconfident.
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As he mentioned one of the things he enjoyed eating, he couldn't help but be surprised. He never would have expected something like that from the older male. Not that he knew Nereus that well.
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"Yeah, let's not do that," he agreed, a note of amusement in his tone.
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Hmmm... but that begged the question of what to order. He could always go for something simple, he supposed.
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Before he could think too much about it, the older male spoke up once more. Oysters didn't sound too bad. It wasn't something he had tried before, so if he did get it, it would be something new.
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"I think that's what I'll get as well. The adventurous side of me that wants to try new things is curious."
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After it seemed like they had made up their minds about what they wanted, Nereus asked him whether he had been to Unova or Alola. Unfortunately, that wasn't a simple yes or no question.
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Also, it was a bit hard to answer. The simple answer would be yes, he had been to both. The hard part came when asked about traditions.
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It was all about how much to divulge.
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He supposed being a little honest wouldn't hurt.
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"I've been to both," he began, choosing his words carefully. "However, I was not in a good headspace at the time, so I couldn't really tell you about traditions."
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Talking about his past wasn't something he enjoyed.
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His father had been a cold, hard-to-please man, something that had taken a toll on him for a while there.
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It was people he had met on his travels that had helped him heal, showed him he was actually worth something. But it hadn't been like that at the beginning of his travels.[break] Nereus Onassis

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Startling him hadn't been his intention, and he gave him an apologetic look. He didn't pay much attention to the Larvesta, though, knowing Nebula would protect him if need be. Nebula was good about that, considering how protective of him he was.
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As Niky went on to talk about Karens, he couldn't help but wince with sympathy. He had dealt with plenty of Karens in his life. Just not for the holiday. Or any holiday, really. Just some people he had met over the years who didn't approve of the way he was living his life.
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"Sorry to hear that. Dealing with those types of people is never fun. I usually don't leave the house during holidays, so I haven't had the problem over the holiday," he told him. Nope, he had just been fairly lonely. But resigned to the way things were to do anything about it. Not that he was about to admit that to the older male. There were just some things a person didn't talk about.
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As the question was returned to help, he couldn't help but shoot a glance towards Nebula.
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"Nebula was itching to go for a walk," he said, ignoring the look Nebula shot him. It was as much of a pointed glare as a Pokémon could give.
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A glare that some people gave to someone who wasn't being completely honest.[break] Niky Racz

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[attr="class","header"]LIVE LIFE FOR YOU NOT FOR OTHERS

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Lucario stood beside him as he signed the last autograph. The person in question giggled and thanked him, then ran off. He waited until the person had disappeared from view before turning his attention to Aura.
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"That was a lot, wasn't it?" he asked, though he wasn't expecting an answer. It was just a rhetorical question.
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He knew it had been a lot. He had been signing autographs for the past few hours. Luckily, it was something that had been pre-planned, so he hadn't had to cancel any plans. But still...
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He stretched and stood up, telling the people who had organized the event that he was leaving. If he wasn't so worn out, he would have offered to help. But as it was, he just wanted to relax a bit.
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The young idol was enjoying a relaxing stroll when he spotted the gym. It reminded him of Josh, and he wondered how the older male was doing.
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Indecision flickered in his gaze as he debated what to do.
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In the end, he decided that since he was in Mauville, he might as well try to drop in and see how the gym leader was.
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If he was busy, he could always come by later. But hopefully, that wasn't the case. Hopefully, he wasn't about to disturb him during a gym battle.
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Taking a deep breath, he slipped into the gym building before turning to the person he assumed was the receptionist. After greeting them, he would ask if Josh was around and if he was free at the moment.[break] Josh Devlin

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