[attr="class","monty"]Montgomery never imagined that resting in someone else's home, even hers, would be so peaceful. But her bed was warm, plush, and comfortable, a far cry from the stiff hospital bed he'd stayed on for far too long.

He found that he could get used to this. Move in with her and become something of a proper couple. But would she?

For all appearances sake, what if someone saw him enter her home? Or her with him?

He didn't try to think hard about it, given that even the simplest of thoughts made his head begin to ache. When he awoke to the smell of curry, Montgomery scooped a couple of headache relief into his mouth, downing it with water from the sink, before trekking into the living area in gray sweatpants.

His history scarred his chest and arms, but he found he didn't mind if Ameena saw it.

"Smells good," Montgomery spoke, coming from behind her and leaning into her space. His bare chest pressed against her back as he looked over her shoulder. Then, he turned, pressing a gentle kiss against her jaw.

"Have more?"

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi

[attr="class","monty"]He hadn't even realized that she was here. The drugs in his system made everything seem to float, drifting along the clouds before dispersing as a droplet splashed into a lake.

When he slowly turned his head and saw her, a small smile crossed his lips as his eyes closed again.

"You're here." And she looked alright.

Though the concern in her voice drew him back to consciousness enough to respond to her question.

"Howard... Slayte." That was his explanation, as he dipped back into a realm of dreams.

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi

[attr="class","monty"]ameena abadi.

That's all he remembered after his eyelids fell heavy, his body falling into the black void as he surrendered to his wounds. What would she do? What would she say? He was being careless? He was stupid?

Why did he go and fight howard slayte after all these years?

Did she even love him?

His mind seemed so full of questions as the ink swallowed him whole. Until it was silent. And peace overcame his body.

---

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.

When he stirred, searing pain in his head made Montgomery flinch. Then, he realized that his arms and legs were strapped down to the bed with restraints, tugging frantically. Had Howard caught him? Did he bring him to Rocket headquarters for interrogation, pain, and suffering.

Montgomery couldn't speak. He couldn't scream. There was a tube down his throat, and the alarms began to blare loudly. His head spun, a few people coming to his side.

"Calm down!"

"Be still!"

"Bring me some versed, STAT!"

And then, he was floating again.

---

This time, when Montgomery woke, he realized that the tube was gone. His restraints had loosened, until the nurse came in and removed them completely. "Please be careful, Mr. James. You had a severe brain bleed. You need to stay still." Her voice was wary, cautious.

But he obeyed, since the throbbing in his skull was almost too much to bare. Montgomery tilted his head back, staring at the starched ceiling, and breathed.

"Hospital... again?" he spoke, his voice raspy from underuse in the past several days.

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi

[attr="class","monty"]When his hand reached his neck, Montgomery squeezed. However, his windpipe didn't fold in his grasp. Rather, the harder he tried to choke him, the more his fingers bent and cracked.

"AHHH!"

A roar of fury, blood spitting from his lips and onto Howard, and the sygna suit shattered. And a face appeared from the cracks, revealing a man he didn't recognize.

"Who... are you-"

But punch after punch beat his skull, a sickening crunch audible from his fist. The last thing he recalled seeing was his last Pokemon fainting, knocked out by regice's max cannon.

And his last, lingering thoughts were of ameena abadi.

[attr="class","montytag"]howard slayte
total: 1795 MP

[attr="class","monty"]As much as he wanted to help her out, Montgomery didn't know anyone personally that had such ability. His best suggestion was-

"Maybe you can take it to that museum 'n see if they can decipher it?"

Otherwise, he was useless to Ameena's cause.

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi | ghost tales c

[attr="class","monty"]"Robin, I don't think that's a-"

Before Montgomery could even finish the thought, her hand was darting out to grab the stunned creature. He lunged forward, an attempt to pull her back.

"Wait!"

She could be paralyzed. Or worse: whatever this strange freak could do to her may kill her.

[attr="class","montytag"]robin coello | ghost tales b

[attr="class","monty"]A buzzing sound caught his attention, Montgomery's eyes flicking down where her phone vibrated. Who could possibly need her at this moment?

His eyes were narrowed with a pang of jealousy. Envy.

Possession.

"Oh, no ya don't. We ain't through here!"

Though the domain blocked his attacks, he'd try to dash forward and grab her wrist, lest she disappear like a good dream.

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi
10 MP per IC post in your Skirmish thread
total: 1260 MP

[attr="class","monty"]He'd take it.

Montgomery would hold Howard Slayte's head in his own hands and twist it off. He'd smile as the light faded from this monster's eyes, laugh as he won the battle.

Man, it was so good to feel this lust for blood.

It bubbled in his veins. The water had been still for too long — and Howard was going to pay the ultimate price.

After all... his death would be for the greater good, right? He'd simply be doing his duty to Hoenn by bringing this man down.

"I shoulda killed you in Unova. You were never meant to survive in the first place!"

Behind him regice glowed with energy. Montgomery's steed charged, trying to take down the last barrier and expose its weakness. From spectrier's back, Montgomery leaped off.

And though his movements were fumbled, he clambered to his feet and lunged forward toward Howard, his hand reaching for his throat.

All while blood pooled down his chin and stained his shirt red.

"C'MERE, HOWY!"

[attr="class","montytag"]howard slayte
total: 1385 MP

[attr="class","monty"]"'M sure ya do," Montgomery replied with a knowing smirk crossing his lips.

She knew that she could make him fail easily. With a snap of her fingers, he was her loyal mutt, wagging his stupid tag at the simplest praise.

He wouldn't cave too easily, given the fight.

shadows snared his runerigus, rendering him useless. Montgomery clicked his tongue, releasing flutter mane into the mix. He wondered if this would end in a stalemate.

It attacked, throwing a shadow ball to the unown.

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi
10 MP per IC post in your Skirmish thread
total: 1250 MP

[attr="class","monty"]Montgomery, on the other hand, was hesitant to leave. They hadn't gone deep enough, not in his opinion. They hadn't even encountered draconid runes or otherwise.

His mouth was a thin, straight line. "Ameena. M'fine. We haven't seen what we came here for," he insisted.

"I don't..."

"I don't wanna be weak and cause you to lose valuable insight on this."

That's what he wanted to say. Instead, he cleared his throat.

"Really. Just a little further ahead."

[attr="class","montytag"]ameena abadi | ghost tales c

[attr="class","monty"]If there was ever a time Montgomery truly despised the man he had been before coming to Hoenn, it was now. His gaze caught two baltoys and the all too familiar claydols slowly approaching him.

Tick. Tick. TiCK. TICK.

There was no time to think or act. The Pokemon he could utilize as a shield had fallen. He looked to Pipsqueak, who gave him a knowing look, before taking off towards one half of the explosion army.

From a Poke ball, his own claydol levitated closer. And when the explosion came...

So did his.

hitmonchan took place, quick guarding her trainer and the spectrier while Pipsqueak fell to the bombs in a desperate attempt to fend them off.

Anger burned in his veins as he galloped closer and closer to Howard. "You can't fuckin' kill me. Even if ya tried. I'll come back and haunt ya for the rest of yer puny life!" he screeched.

And down his chin, blood began to drip.

[attr="class","montytag"]howard slayte
total: 1325 MP

[attr="class","monty"]The earth froze. Not a creature stirred beneath the ice, seeping away the warmth of anything living in the vicinity. runerigus's crafty shield appeared a frozen bubble, indicating where Montgomery and his Pokemon had been.

The bubble shattered into icy crystals as snowflakes began to drip like tears from god in the sky.

runerigus vanished back into his Poke ball, effectively knocked out from the amount of sheer pressure he took from regice's attack. But, like a phoenix...

Montgomery and Pipsqueak glowed. The illumina skarmory's illuminate seemed to burn brighter than it had been, fascinating blue taking over the area. Frost creeped across metal feathers, and the single tear that had fallen from the deputy's cheek froze.

He was still alive. After all, his stubbornness was one of his best features.

From the distance, a grim neigh echoed in the frozen terrain. spectrier appeared beside its trainer, a whimsical tail billowing behind it. Although his bones protested...

Montgomery climbed upon his steed, reaching for his pistol and clicking a round into place.

"Don't make me do this."

"Don't kill any Rockets," Navy had instructed him. And while he respected his determination...

howard slayte was a threat to Hoenn and himself. He had to be put down.

Charging across the ice, spectrier took after the enormous brick of ice, boosting its speed with incredible agility Pipsqueak flew not far behind, more determined to bring the regice and its owner down.

hex. return. Until Montgomery aimed above-

BANG.

[attr="class","montytag"]howard slayte
total: 1215 MP