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He supposed he had a point. While it was true he had trouble with some things that would be considered new for him, he didn’t necessarily have a problem with trying new things. Just for the moment, trying new things meant trying different foods. In the past it had meant exploring new places, though that had been more to spite his father since his father hadn’t liked anything that came outside Sinnoh’s borders, which of course included places outside Sinnoh’s borders.
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“I’ll consider that; I would have to figure out just how to ride her, though. I love riding Pokémon but still struggle with the whole battling idea. It’s hard unlearning years of hearing how barbaric Pokémon battling is,” he explained with a small shrug. His father hadn’t exactly been the best father, and being taught that Pokémon battling was barbaric was just a number of ways that his father had been a bad father.
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Listening to what he had to say, he followed Josh’s lead and made the Primarina turn back the way they had come from. As he did so, he caught movement from his peripheral vision. Curious, he looked and saw a Milotic. Considering the fact they were at Josh’s gym, he knew it had to belong to him. It had probably been there before, but he had missed it.
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Turning his attention forward, he decided to speak. “I wasn’t aware you had a Milotic, though I probably just didn’t notice it earlier. I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with them,” he admitted, especially after his father had dismissed the Pokémon as being too girly. Whatever that meant. Perhaps he meant it was more geared towards female trainers.[break] Josh Devlin

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He was a bit surprised at the bit of advertisement and had to resist giving him a strange look. “I’ve never been to Lavaridge or the surrounding area. I’m usually pretty busy with stuff having to do with my work,” he admitted. So usually he was pretty busy giving autographs or doing gigs. Not to mention, he didn’t much like going out in public if he could help it in his free time in case he was recognized.
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Riding the Primarina would take some getting used to. It was definitely different than it was riding Neptune, though he supposed he should’ve expected some differences. The two water types were built differently after all.
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Hearing Josh’s comment, he would glance over at the fighting type. Unsurprisingly, he was maneuvering Neptune through the water like a pro. It probably helped that Aura could sense Neptune’s emotions and could use that to her advantage; that probably explained why she looked so nonchalant about Josh’s praise, like it was no big deal.
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“Aura has a way of connecting with my other Pokémon, so it’s not too hard for her to get the hang of this. Though usually it’s pretty hard getting her to have some fun, she’s usually pretty guarded,” he explained, turning towards the older male. “I think it has something to do with how crazy some of my fans can be.”
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Well, technically speaking, Josh had been one to come up with swimming. He thought getting into technicalities probably wasn’t the best idea. Still…
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“Hey, I just showed up; you did the rest,” he said jokingly.
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At the mention of allowing their Pokémon room to do some jumps, he thought of his options. “Maybe in a bit, that’s one aspect of riding on a water Pokémon I still need to work on,” he admitted. Maybe if he wasn’t so tall, it wouldn’t be as much of a problem.
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Though, thankfully, he wasn’t too tall. He was only six feet tall. He had seen some people have a good couple inches on him.[break] Josh Devlin

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True, but for him, it was still best to just get it done and over with. It's kind of like ripping off a bandage. Not that the analogy really fits him. He couldn’t remember the last time he had hurt himself to such an extent that he needed a bandage. He was more likely to collapse from pushing himself too hard than to hurt himself, even if by accident.
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“Well yes, but hmmm... I think getting in the pool directly after being in the hot tub is a lot worse, or so I’ve heard. I’ve never really been in one, nor have I ever visited the hot springs,” he said with a small shrug. Sure, he came from money, but that didn’t mean he had ever owned a pool or Jacuzzi growing up. Even if he hadn’t done so much traveling throughout Sinnoh growing up, due to his dad's work, he wouldn’t have had such things since his father had seen that kind of stuff as frivolous.
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Hearing the comment, he nodded before deciding to jump in himself. The water was a bit chilly, but he pushed aside any discomfort to turn towards the Lucario still on the shore. “Come on, Aura, if you get in quickly, I’ll allow you to ride Neptune,” he promised the Lucario, who eventually got in with the promise that she wouldn’t have to swim for long.
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Once that was taken care of, he would release his Kingdra from his pokeball and allow Aura to get on the sea horse Pokémon as he turned his attention to the Primarina. Making sure one last time his two Pokémon were doing okay, he would Mount the Primarina.[break] Josh Devlin

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Summer was his least favorite of the seasons. It was too hot for him to wear his usual style without feeling like he was about to overheat. Shorts, no matter how good they looked, had never appealed to him and were definitely something his father wouldn’t have tolerated being a part of his wardrobe. Shorts were something his father saw as too casual; they were one of the only things he and his father agreed upon.
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However, not wanting to feel like he was suffocating while he hung around outside, he reluctantly decided to dress down. Well, a bit. He would never fully let go of his need to dress to impress. But he could at least grudgingly dress in clothes that were more made for the summer.
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And that was just what he did.
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His outfit for the day consisted of a dark blue silk shirt over a pair of black shorts that were top of the brand. To tie the look together, he wore a black belt and a pair of black sandals. As for accessories, he simply wore his everyday accessory of a black spade clip in his hair.
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The outfit apparently went well enough together considering the positive reactions he had received from a few fans he had passed as he went about his scroll in Slatesport. Then again, he could’ve probably decided to wear a potato sack, and they would’ve still flocked towards him.
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Not that he would ever test that theory out.
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As he continued his stroll, he soon found himself in the park. "Want to do a bit of exploring?” he asked the Absol at his side. Not really expecting an answer, he would continue his way through the park.
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Nebula, for her part, simply followed behind her trainer.[break] sevastian beau

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As Josh mentioned getting ready, he nodded. It made sense. It was still the time of year when people wore jeans and long sleeves, not the kind of clothes one would choose to swim in. Speaking of which, he would need to change into something more appropriate as well.
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With that in mind, he went to get ready as well. It didn’t take long before he knew it; they were on their way to where Josh kept his aquatic Pokémon.
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Once there, he would take a minute to take in the scene. The number of aquatic Pokémon the older male had was kind of astounding. He really only had two himself, though only one was currently on him.
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Speaking of, he should probably let Neptune out of his pokeball. Perhaps not until he was ready to get in.
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Josh had made the point that the water was a bit chilly to just jump in. It's best to brace himself first.
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“I once heard the best way to go about dealing with a cold was to just jump in. Apparently your body gets used to the cold faster if you just jump in instead of inching your way into the water,” he commented, briefly looking away from the water as he spoke to his friend.[break] Josh Devlin

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It was just as he thought. The sister probably found it hard to believe he could just be okay now. Seeing her brother sink into depression must have been hard for her. With depression like that, it would be hard for some people to believe that they could just be over it. And some people did hide depression behind smiles; it could be that his sister assumed her brother did the same. And to remedy the depression her brother wasn’t really in, the sister thought getting back into the spotlight was the answer.
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“You’re strong. Stronger than I would be if the situation were reversed,” he told him. He was sure if his dream was ripped away, he wouldn’t have been able to just accept it.
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At the mention of having a Pokémon battle with his sister, he couldn’t help but be a bit amused. “Is your sister much of a trainer?” he inquired before continuing. “I must admit I’ve never been one for battling, but my Pokémon seem to enjoy it, so that may change.”
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The next question was a bit of a surprise, especially considering his comment about moving past sad things. “Yes, practicing routines helps cheer me up, at least for a bit. However, depending on what has me down, the feelings often return after I’m done with practicing my routine,” he admitted.
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"Ah, but sad feelings never last. They eventually fade away. So even if performing my routine doesn’t fully make me feel better, I know I will eventually feel better,” he told the older man, shooting the blonde a grin.[break] Niky Racz

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The gym leader really seemed to be in his own world. In a way, he envied the older male for that. I appreciated the fact that, in a way, he could still be a child at heart. Jade hadn’t had the luxury of being forced to grow up way too fast. So yes, in a way, he envied the dark-haired man.
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He would never allow something like that to show, though. The idol had become quite skilled at pushing aside feelings he didn’t like and focusing on the good ones. Like how he was happy spending time with a friend.
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However, his own lack of friends made it hard to know what he wanted to do when it came to hanging out. Luckily, the older male had some idea of what they could do together.
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The idea of swimming with Pokémon would’ve never crossed his mind. But he had to admit it was a good one. Not only would it mean spending time with Pokémon, known for their swimming abilities, but it would also be good exercise.
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"Sure, that sounds good to me.”[break] Josh Devlin

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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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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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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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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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"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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