Roy and Rex both had three letter names that started with 'R'. As far as the young man was concerned, that practically made them blood brothers.

And blood brothers didn't leave on another behind. Especially when they risked drowning or decompressing in the vast pressure of the ocean outside. Between Munchlax and Feraligatr, little got in the duo's way as they tried to ascend through the sinking preserve. Why was it sinking? Hell if Rex knew.

"Haul ass, Munchlax!" Munchlax did so, shooting ahead far faster than the rest of the party. "Metronome!"

Munchlax waggled his finger once, causing an Ice Beam to strike a nearby wall and cover it with ice. Rex rolled his eyes at the mediocre roll.

"Use something good!"

The finger waggled. A nearby fire extinguisher exploded.

"Something better!"

The finger waggled. Roy and Rex's hair suddenly jumped up, full of static electricity. It would've been funnier if the duo weren't at risk of drowning to death.

"Oh for fuck's sake! Block the water!"

The finger waggled again, and a Crafty Shield formed itself from various pieces of debris behind Roy and Rex, reducing the deluge into a thin trickle, though the barrier would not hold.

In the distance, the end of the hallway beckoned.

---

Roy Aker
30. Use a pokemon to manage the flooding or water.

This fight made no sense. It was a paradox that had no right to exist. There was no drive here, no motive. It was just two people smashing each other to bits.

It was... glorious.

The high was kicking in. The drive to battle. The drive to wage war. The need to prove yourself superior. It was the same thing that Navy would condone, but the Elite Four had learned the virtue of constraint long ago after great losses. Rex had lost people, too. He just found that virtue to be highly taxing. Irrelevant.

Meaningless.

"Hahahahahaha...!" Rex grinned as blood dripped from his face. His pupils dilated and his nostrils flared. "Fuck you!"

He punched Gaius in the jaw.

The Gallade still danced with the Lucario, the former's Sharpness making its blade a danger to anything that came near it. Sparks shocked the floor, turning puddles of water into hazards. Still, they continued to dance. Yet Rex's Gallade did not experience the same joy as his trainer.

Something else entered the battle, though.

'toge toge?'

A Togepi looked up at Gaius.

---

gaius marcellus
03. Address environmental hazards.

Ah, right. Munchlax.

Rex had forgotten about him, if the young trainer was being honest. It didn't help that the tub of lard had plugged the hole with his preposterous girth. With a deep sigh, Rex meandered over to the pipe that Munchlax was embedded into. He nudged him, and faint chatter echoed through the pipes.

"Alright, Munchlax. You gotta get out of there." Rex grumbled as he started pulling on the Munchlax's body. "Come... on! Munchlax!"

Slowly but surely, the tubby creature slid from the pipe.

"Gimme a hand, Roze!"

---

Roze Falkner

""I'm here to get stronger and get some pocket change! Does it look like I can afford waterproof clothing?" Rex protested before putting a hand on his chest. Sparkles glimmered around his head as he chuckled. "Don't worry. When I'm the champion, I'll make bank from all my sponsorship deals!"

No person so destitute deserved to be so arrogant about their future financial situation, but Rex was both proud and lacking in shame. Besides, Thomas was holding Togepi for him. Hopefully the former Elite Four wouldn't feel too embarrassed to be in his proximity.

'Toge toge!' Togepi applauded his trainer from Thomas's arms. 'Togepi!'

The egg certainly wasn't complaining to be doted on, that was for sure.

Meanwhile, Thomas's Marshadow would find a locked manager's office chock full of files. Folders full of corporate sabotage, employee wages, and company schedules lined the walls.

---

Thomas Benoit
41. Secure corners and blind spots to ensure the area is safe to act in.

If this prick wanted a fight, then Rex would give him one. They would dance and he would win, because Rex was strong.

He had to be strong to represent Littleroot. To ensure that the people there never suffered again when the blue dragon came from the heavens to rend the sky and time asunder.

Servers sparked and lit ablaze as Gaius's Lucario struck Gallade back into them. The knight quickly rose, emboldened by its recent evolution. The thrill of power was new to the knight, and his blades would sever the Lucario in too.

Another Aqua Cutter doused the fires of the burning server room.

Rex, meanwhile, took the blow from Gaius like a champion, growling in pain. This interaction didn't make sense. This wasn't a Pokemon battle! This was an all-out brawl!

"FUCKER!" Rex kicked him in the shins. "FUCK OFF!"

---

gaius marcellus
31. Use a pokemon to suppress fires.

"Am I strong?"

The question genuinely puzzled him. The young man cocked his head in confusion as he regarded the specter standing where the Leaf Blade once was. He had slipped the strike. He had dodged it. Damn, he was good.

Yet still, the question rang with purpose. There was only one thing that Rex could do.

"No shit I'm strong." Rex pointed a thumb at his chest as he tucked another drive into his pocket. He oozed confidence. "I'm gonna be the champion of the region someday."

That satisfied the man. He attacked. Metal Claws met the Gallade's Aqua Cutter as water struck steel, causing servers to be blasted back.

"The fuck's your problem, man!?" Rex shouted at Gaius. "I'm on the clock!"

---

gaius marcellus
28. Recover essential resources or items.

"Hell yeah! Easy peasy!" Rex's eye sparkled as he found the proper hard drive and pulled it from the computer. The monitor sparked and crackled as the electrical component was pulled out. "I'm so fucking cool."

He didn't even have a ranger helping him this time. Rex had been sent in alone while the Pokemon League allocated their resources to other areas in Sea Mauville. The young trainer's recently evolved Gallade, meanwhile, stood in a silent vigil. The knight rolled his eyes at his trainer's immaturity.

Still, Rex was his lord. There was little the Gallade could do but indulge Rex's idiocy from time to time.

"Alright, time to go. C'mon, Gallade. Let's-"

With barely a moment to react, Gallade swung towards the open doorway leading out of the server room with a Leaf Blade.

---

gaius marcellus
45. Retrieve important hard drives from Sea Mauville computers.

'Toge?' Togepi reached out his hand to tap Thomas's. 'Pi!'

Togepi looked up at Thomas with large, innocent eyes. The egg waggled his fingers thoughtfully as a Metronome began to blossom. After a few moments, a Rain Dance filled several halls in Sea Mauville with water, stifling distant fires and soaking Rex and Thomas from head to toe.

Togepi was, in fact, a cutie.

"Togepi, no! I can't afford dry cleaning!" Rex moaned as his hair began to drip water everywhere. It did not take long for the Rain Dance to abate. "Togepi!"

'Toge toge!' The egg raised its small, stubby arms, demanding uppies from Thomas Benoit. Togepi's eyes grew wide and innocent as it attempted to melt the soldier's heart and turn Thomas to his cause.

---

Thomas Benoit
31. Use a pokemon to suppress fires.

Holy shit. A cute girl with a Pikachu was rescuing him.

This was the best day of his life.

With the door blasted open and Meltan feasting upon it like a king dining at a banquet, Rex and his rescuer get to turn and dance with the crabs that desire feasting on bone and marrow. They're ugly buggers, but that's fine.

It just means that it's better practice.

"Eh? I didn't need the help, y'know! I can take them with my hands tied behind my back." Rex mimed throwing hands at the Crawdaunts, before grinning at the ranger. "But I appreciate the help! I'll try to leave you with some glory!"

Kirlia rolled his eyes to the heavens, as if wondering how Rex could be so shameless and arrogant. They had been together for years, and the young trainer was all talk. Whenever there was a yapping contest, Althus Rex came second to none. Still, the Littleroot survivor was his trainer.

That meant he had to try.

Another Disarming Voice erupted from the Kirlia's mouth with a screech, causing the Crawdaunts to cringe and collapse under Keanu's Thunder Wave. They did not rise, and Rex turned to face the ranger on the other side of the melting door.

"See? Easy!" Rex beamed at Genny with a grin. "I didn't-"

A Crawdaunt loomed over him, swinging its claw down in a Crabhammer.

---

Genevieve Cromwell
02. Locate and free any trapped individuals.

"That's my man! Nice!" Rex cheered as the engineers and Sea Mauville staff were ushered out of the room and up the stairs. Sea Mauville continued to creak and groan, but they had managed to save a small handful of people today. "We rock!"

As far as Rex was concerned, that was more than enough.

All that they had to do now was ascend with the freed people and report in. It had been a remarkably simple mission due to Razz's competence. Rex hadn't helped much, but he had learned a lot.

"Yeah, we're basically the best people in the history of ever, if you ask me." Rex nodded to himself and beamed at the ranger. "Mind putting in a good word for me when this is over?"

---

Raziel Beckett

He puffed up pridefully at the princess's compliment. She could almost see the compliment going to his head.

"Yeah, I lift and never skip day. It's really important to keep after it!" Rex beamed at her and scratched his cheek bashfully. "Probably helps that I walk everywhere. Bus tickets are expensive."

It didn't explain how he had made it to Sea Mauville of all places. Had he swam all the way here?

Within the room was a group of huddled engineers, shuddering and trembling. They let out moans of relief and cheers of liberation as the princess and her royal procession entered the room.

"Yes, we've come to save you! Come along, now. Chop chop!"

---

Elise Calcifet

He went into the room.

"Don't worry, Tsuru! It's just a bunch of Litwick! What's the worse they can do? Burn me?" Rex laughed and waved off her concerns as he poked around the room. Candles flickered in the wind, and an odd circle was scribbled on the floor with a hundred and seven markings made. "What sort of cult were these guys up to?"

Much to Tsuru's chagrin and in spite of her shouts and cries, Rex nudged the Odd Keystone with his foot. A foreboding presence emanated from the stone in waves as it began to rattle.


1̶͙̼͉͓̯̗͖͇̫̪͑0̶̲͙̝͉͎̘͇̘̘̱͓̻̐̃̆̅̌̽̽̐̕͠͠͝8̴̨̞̲̜̹̜̉̎̉̉̊̈́ ̸̨̖̪̹̬͉̆͜͝ͅş̷̞͈͉̲̙̙̗̩̼̜́͑̇̍͜o̴̡̝̣͍͈̞̰̤̬̓̂͊̽̎͑̎͂̽̚̚͠͠u̶̢̳͈̣̤̹̦̮̠̯̼̿́̈̈͊̉͆͊̍͐̕ḷ̴̢͖̖̫̝̬͚̜͕̳͇̲͖̐́͊̄̾̌s̵͍͚̞͆̔̿͂͂̒̓̈́́̓͝ͅ


Uh oh.

The crevice in the stone glowed with a malignant aura as violet energy erupted from the crack. Dozens of glowing orbs emerged in a flash, before coalescing together into an evil grin.

"WHAT THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!?!?" Rex stumbled back as the spirit cackled in delight. "TSURU? TSURU! WHAT DID I DO?"

---

Mitsuru Kagami
02. Locate and free any trapped individuals.