[attr="class","kazu1"]

[attr="class","kazu2"]The sight of an unaccompanied child makes his brows raise. The idea of his daughters fighting in this tournament is an alien one. They were too young to truly understand the risks of battle. Arceus intended for them to stay beneath their parent’s wings. As he locks in on Lucia, he forgets his earlier target. This other opponent can wait.
[break][break]

A cute bag at his side crinkles as the mercenary tightens his grip on it. Perhaps he can talk with her over snacks? Unconsciously, the man shrinks as he approaches. Broad shoulders fold down as he slumps forward. He allows his best friendly grin to spread across his cheeks. Big, deadly hands squeeze into his pocket as he draws closer.
[break][break]

One of those reappears as he offers a wave. The Bewear at his side mimics the gesture. The man’s mouth does not move as he speaks. His voice comes from somewhere around his navel. “I’m Kazuya.” He begins, wishing he could force softness into the generated tones. Sure, the girl has the VR goggles on, but that does not mean she’s a participant. It’s hard to follow the battles without them. “Are you all right?"

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[attr="class","kazu2"]It is with relief that Kazuya watches the Mega Evolution end. Not only for the Beedrill’s good but for Natsu’s as well. It may represent a deal with the devil, but the beast always paid. The enhanced power was hard to deny. It could be felt in the thrumming of the bee’s wings. “Good job.” The bear swells in response to the praise. [break][break]


But it does little to soothe the thing in his torso. What started as a stabbing pain shifts into burning. The powerful burst of wind sends the ursine stumbling backward. He’s forced to protect his eyes as dirt and debris from the festival kick up into his sensitive eyes. Even that slight delay is enough to let another round of prison through. “Pull it out.” The bear glances at his trainer, almost incredulous. “It will hurt more if you don’t.” Though new to one another, the Bewear displays a surprising amount of trust. With a squelch he goes to pull the stinger out.[break][break]


With a grunt, the ursine forces himself to his full height. “Strike back.” A deep breath follows as the bear tries to push away his pain. With a deep grunt, he tries to land another Hammer Arm.


[break][break]
_zHtx|XN

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[attr="class","kazu2"]Kazuya feels strange on the bench. It feels as if he is being cowardly. One of his legs begins to jiggle up and down—a poor imitation of his typical involvement. Large fingers interlaced across his lap. The man’s torso bent in two as he peered at the battle. The sick man’s order shifts golden eyes from intrigued to concerned. That didn’t sound good. “Natsu!”
[break][break]

The bear only had a split-second warning before his attack was thrown back at him. The fist hit the bear in the chest, driving the air from his lungs. He staggers back a few feet. A gasp sets him right. The normally placid face transforms. Needle sharp teeth burst past the muzzle as the Bewear unleashed a snarl. Then, with a burst of speed, he launched himself at Law.
[break][break]

This time, Natsu responds with a Super Power.

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[attr="class","kazu2"]The white-haired man watched as the girl’s hearts flickered from two to one. It appears the battle was nearing its end. But that was no reason to take it easy—quite the opposite. A cornered animal is a dangerous thing. Let’s see how you react, Natsu. The mercenary’s arms folded over his chest as he looked over the battlefield. Then, the Protect flickered into place—a bright, flickering barrier that could even turn a god’s blade. “Hm.”
[break][break]

Natsu’s fist slammed into the wall with an audible thwack. The momentum is enough to send him reeling back, his knuckles tingling from the impact. With a noise of frustration, the Bewear throws an unpowered punch at the barrier. With a hop, he throws himself away from it. This time, he’s better prepared for the Mud Shot. He dodges to the side, aiming to charge beneath the ball of dirt and right into the Swampert.[break][break]


Judging by their repertoire so far, Bruno didn’t have much in the way of grappling moves. Hopefully, his Super Power is enough to force the axolotl back.

[break][break]
JABS2ZBm

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[attr="class","kazu2"]Thoughts of philosophy vanish as the battle intensifies.[break][break]

Natsu does not get long to enjoy his hit. The second he digs his claws in, the Pikachu lights up like a blown transformer. The bear staggers backward as electricity courses through its shocked form. With its nerves temporarily fried, the Bewear has no choice but to drop the electric type. As it attempts to retaliate, it finds its limbs frozen. Paralysis.[break][break]

Kazuya knows it is a bad idea to grab an electric type. Without protection, that foolishness will only get you electrocuted. But his Bewear seems to have missed the memo. That or the number of skull hits he has taken turned his brain into a sieve. Unfortunately, the young Pokemon’s training is lacking in the range department. He prefers to get up close and personal with his targets. Much like Kazuya, he believes sniping to be the work of cowards.[break][break]

“Stay back!” The device at the older man’s belt calls out. The bear finally pushes a foot forward. “Hit back with Strength!” With a nod, the bear unleashes all of his willpower in a powerful wave of power. This aims to keep the little mouse on edge.
[break][break]
g6co4L7I

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[attr="class","kazu2"]After a hearty lunch at one of the Kantoan stands, Kazuya disposed of his leftovers. While doing so, he helped idiots with bad aim clean up their messes as well. “Hm.” Only after everything was under the trashcan lid did he turn back to the tournament. A few steps took him from the eatery to the battlefield proper. The AR goggles crackled to life.
[break][break]

The same sense of amazement that occurred this morning reappeared. After so long in prison, this modern world seemed almost alien. What had been slow phones could now do more than computers. Entire realities could be overlaid over the real world, giving it more depth and color. Then, of course, there were all of the new gimmicks on the battlefield.
[break][break]

Golden eyes bobbed across a sea of familiar faces. Finally, they settled on a stranger in the crowd. “Come, Natsu.” The mercenary calmly ordered as he forced his way through the crowd. Soon, he came face to face with the pinkette who caught his eye. “Excuse me—” He bowed. His mouth never moved. “Would you care to battle?”
[break][break]

A hand splayed across his muscular chest. “I’m Kazuya.”

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[attr="class","kazu2"]The older man could feel Natsu’s excitement. Even after a full day of this, the Bewear hungered for more. The thrill of battle was its own reward. And, while no longer as confrontational as he’d been in his youth, Kazuya felt the embers of this feeling kindle in his gut. A glance at the Swampert made him think this match-up was a suitable one. The axolotls were hardy creatures, as flexible as the mud they so often called him.[break][break]

Suddenly, the world was awash in a meteor belt of stone. One of these flew for Kazuya’s face, the mercenary batting it grumpily aside. "Hm." But, the second it dropped to the ground, that displeasure disappeared. Battle was not clean. To sanitize it and remove the risk was to deprive it of its beauty. Doing so would pay as much honor to combat as pulling away petals did to the rose. “Deflect with Super Power!” With a nod, the burly bear unleashed all of its fighting spirit from within, aiming to hit the ground and keep those boulders at bay. [break][break]

Good job thinking on your feet. Judging by his eyes, this comment was directed more at the trainer than his bear. This was confirmed by an acknowledging nod. Natsu reminded him of himself. Too confident and cocksure—relying on his size to do everything. Certainly too quick to gloat in the heat of battle. A lesson that today’s battles might beat out of him. Better to happen here than when his life was on the line.[break][break]

The bear bared needle-sharp teeth as the attack found its target. The urge to gloat made him hesitate to press his advantage. Natsu did not expect such a quick turnaround. He figured the slimy axolotl would be stunned for a second, enough time to set up his attack. But, when he raced forward, he received a wet welcome. The powerful water attack slammed into his face in full force. Its ferocity lifted him off his feet and sent him crumpling into a heap. [break][break]


His head swam. Water dripped from his torso to cover the ground in cobblestones.[break][break]


Kazuya could not resist a short burst of static laughter. With a glare, the bear rocketed to his feet. His stocky limbs charged forward with vengeance on the mind. The Payback that came Bruno’s way was every bit as powerful as the attack that’d smacked the fighting type.
[break][break]
trlZEh1v

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[attr="class","kazu2"]The white-haired man does not press. He remembers what it was to be a teenager. To even acknowledge your parents meant admitting that you were not some all-powerful, immortal being. You were dependent on someone. That independence was an illusion, just like that of a flightless bird in a cage, And, while his parents were lovely, their influence felt suffocating.


[break][break]
Smart girl. Natsu recoils as two little plastic tendrils wrap around his arms. This surprises the bear. Just a second ago, the poison type had been running for its little life (?), and now it was trying to grab him. The natural ooze from the Trubbish drips onto his pristine, velvety fur. The stench made his nose wrinkle. As the girl gave her order, the bear’s eyes widened. Taking a Sludge Bomb to the face was way down on his list of priorities. “Shake it off!” Kazuya shouted to be heard above the clamor behind him.

[break][break]

Closing his eyes tight—just in case he failed—the bear used a Super Power in an attempt to push the trashbag off.



[break][break]
WRzslkGO[break]

Notes:
HP 2/3

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[attr="class","kazu2"]The difference? Kazuya didn’t know many Rockets who felt their actions were right. Many of them persisted out of loyalty, obligation, or vengeance. There was no illusion of freedom driving people forward. [break][break]

Again, the bee’s wings worked to its advantage. A simple dip allowed it to evade the rock. And, this time, it wouldn’t be getting picked back up. With a loud clatter, it fell out of bounds. He and Kazuya both reach a single conclusion: they need a ranged attack. But that won’t help them now. So, the fighting type’s eyes narrow as the Beedrill dips into a dive.[break][break]

He waits until he can see the compounding in her eyes to act. As she draws within arm shot, he responds with a desperate Ice Punch.

[break][break]
4BtZ4De3

[attr="class","kazu3"][attr="class","rouxcredit"]♠

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[attr="class","kazu2"]The ivory-haired man’s lips pressed together as the back-and-forth continued. If these Pokemon were more familiar to him, the battle would be easier. The responses natural and in sync. He is still learning. His VR goggles flash red as that double heart icon shrinks to one. [break][break]


The shout of encouragement from Eduardo drew a singular chuckle from Kazuya. “This battle is not lost yet.” As long as there was one heart left on the screen, the fight would continue. Though not a cheerleading act, this simple statement seemed to put some fire back in the bear’s step. With a deep growl, the Bewear dug his heels. He could see the sharpness of his hooves—knives of obsidian filled with high-pressured water.[break][break]


Deciding to take a risk, the bear shuffled to the side. A two-handed grip turned to one as he tried another Hammer Arm. This time, he tried for an undercut. If he failed here, well, this old bull deserved it. The guy had chutzpah.



HP: 1/3

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[attr="class","kazu2"]The man chuckled—the sound mechanical and lacking its real-life mirth. The girl seems to take the comment in stride. Though, it is a bit of a double-edged sword. To be too kind relegated one to the realm of doormats. It allowed people to easily take advantage of you. “She sounds wise.” Hopefully, she’d make sure the girl wouldn’t get eaten the second she left the nest.

[break][break]

Though he was not one to talk during battle—trying to leave his habit of taunting behind him—Kazuya felt an urge to mentor. “Using your opponent’s aggression against them is a common strategy.” It worked when people overreached in fights and when they grew too confident in battle. In Natsu’s case, it often worked literally.

[break][break]

The bear followed the poison type as it tried to spray itself backward. His gargantuan steps allowed him to quickly eat up the distance between them. As he drew closer, he threw his fist back. With a powerful punch, he unleashed a Hammer Arm the poison-type’s way.


[break][break]
iLQO8zDu[break]

Notes:
HP 2/3

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[attr="class","kazu2"]The bear roared in defiance as the bull continued to struggle. He finally managed to plant both feet on the ground, trying his best to turn the water-type’s head. Then, his wrist filled with a sense of wet. His beady eyes widened as the water dropped like a curtain. From his frozen paw, ice began to spread until it wrapped around the bull’s horn. “Move.”
[break][break]

As he jerked back, Natsu found himself stuck. A moment of panic followed as the bull’s muscles began to bunch. The bear’s eyes shifted to his trainer. Dodging was out of the question. But Kazuya’s voice wasn’t panicked—thanks in part to his electronic modulator. “Super Power.” As the bull charged, Natsu stiffened his feet and used his fighting power to try and slam the charging bull on its back. If this failed, he’d be trampled under hoof.





HP: 1/3

[attr="class","kazu3"][attr="class","rouxcredit"]♠

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[attr="class","kazu2"]Mega evolution? Though he’d used many Pokemon throughout his career, the mercenary had never fallen to that one. He’d seen the effect it had on the creatures. Glalies are forced to fight with broken jaws. Some of the fire types boiled from the inside out as the temperature grew beyond their tolerance. The normally maligned Beedrill whose ferocity skyrocketed. “Hmph.” The noise is one of patent disapproval.[break][break]


Rangers protected Pokemon? Putting them through pain like this to gain a little bit of strength? In an event designed for fun no less? Maybe this tree rotted further than he’d thought.[break][break]


The bear huffed as the rock was bounced back at him. Poison now coated the sharpest parts of the stone. “Send it back.” With a nod, the Bewear responded with a Hammer Arm. The aura of this fighting move aims to reverse the stone’s trajectory and send it rocketing right back.


[break][break]
C6urszSg

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