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Foresight was not her forte. She took the hot sauce and oozed a cross-hatch pattern over half of the fries—her half.[break][break]

“Sort out my shit,” and her plan was not meant to impress. Bailey Cooper had no dreams of grandeur—no higher aspirations beyond protecting what was hers. She can remember her home without Rocket's stain. She wanted it back.[break][break]

Her medals were jingling. To stop the incessant noise, she clipped them off and shoved them into her breast pocket. “I wanna see Hoenn get back to the way it used to be,” and it's that protective streak that itched at her bones that made her such a nuisance—such a stubborn bitch that refused to release her claws. She'd see it through to its end.[break][break]

She grabbed a fork and stabbed it into the pile of drunken french fries, watching the melted cheese ooze.[break][break]

“Keeping my police badge might be my best chance at working towards that—I guess?” For a moment, her eyes would focus on the displaced Amelia Porter and how fucked the Slateport Invasion had been.[break][break]

"Dunno what'll happen after that." No point planning that far ahead.[break][break]

When the Sergeant chomped into her bite, she felt her teeth touch metal. It was red, hot, and spicy... followed by the mix of other flavors and fats that made it so indulgent—she chewed and swallowed. “How 'bout you? What's the big bad Silph gonna do when all this eventually blows over?”

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Even with a belly full of bourbon, she can recognize the sarcasm.[break][break]

Bailey Cooper smiled, but wondered why it felt so empty as her lips kissed the edge of the glass—he should have been right. A new title and a new medal should have been something worth celebrating. It just... felt hollow without someone to actually appreciate it.[break][break]

At one point, the Sergeant had found someone that made her want to try. Now, she is left with its ghost. The fire is still there; but, it will exist without the fuel, and it will burn as a reminder of scars that itch where she can't scratch. “I don't know what I want,” and those words slide out before they can be stopped, just like she can't stop her hand as she takes a longer sip.[break][break]

“Kicking the shit out of Rocket would be a start,” and she could daydream of the days that she used to live, where she had felt like a stupid kid in a big, empty world.[break][break]

It was better than being an adult trapped in the same predicament.

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“Pfft—I don't,” and his sharp gaze was lost on her as she nursed her drink, feeling the cold glass chill her fingers.[break][break]

When she took a swig, it was kept short. It'd be best to wait for food to arrive... and it was only when the glass tapped against the bar counter that she aired her annoyance. “I just think it's funny that they throw that whole shebang just to maintain appearances,” but that was just politics, right?[break][break]

“Fucking stupid.”

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[break]

“Easy peasy lemon squeezy. This isn't my first time,” and Bailey Cooper stretched as the rules were laid out before her. It was all pretty standard—it felt refreshing to have a normal pokemon battle. After toiling with two Ultra Beasts, this would be a breath of fresh air. Finally, a battle were moves would work as intended.[break][break]

Her Darmanitan seemed to absorb every word, as if he was the one that was supposed to abide by the rules. “Well, for him, it is,” and she had to whistle to catch his attention. “Come on, Bumbo. Just like we practiced.”[break][break]

As the Granbull was deployed from his capsule, Bumbo took his first step forward.[break][break]

“Alright. Keep your feet spaced and lower your shoulders. Watch your footwork...and watch its mouth, too,” and the fire-type pokemon adopted a boxer's stance, letting his fists be engulfed with bright, burning flames.[break][break]



He would station himself at the edge of the narrow bridge—one foot on land and the other on the platform, as he raised his fists and awaited his opponent's first attack. His fists would crackle from the orange fire that he continued to emit—steam rising from his pores as if it were sweat.

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[break]

“Trust me, this is not cheating,” Bailey reassured her pokemon as she rode aboard his shoulders. [break][break]

The deeper they navigated into the puzzle, the more apparent their strategy became. Like a game of leap frog, the Sergeant would clutch onto her pokemon as he'd hop high into the air to scout out his next destination—and then leap over the next row in the hedges. [break][break]

“I've gotten lost in shit like this before, okay? I'm not gonna get escorted by one of those gym trainers.” She can still remember that humiliation from when she had been a young trainer—like, eight? “Look, we're just... thinking outside of the box, okay? Or... outside of the maze? Whatever. You get what I'm saying.”[break][break]

They landed at the exit was a soft thud—the Darmanitan had been as gentle as possible, having worked to prevent any damages to the hedges or his surroundings. His anxiety was palpable, but it seemed to ease as Bailey kept a hand to his arm. Despite the pokemon's impressive size, he was still young.[break][break]

But, the moment they stepped into the final area where the Gym Leader resided, she could see the fear change to awe as he looked at the battlefield stretched out before them.[break][break]

“Pretty bitchin' huh?” Was what she murmured as she'd nudge her pokemon, only diverting her attention when the Gym Leader made her approach—Cait Alfric. They had never met. All Bailey knew was that the woman was young and newly appointed to this position.[break][break]

She would shrug at the question. “Not my thing, but I know you guys like your puzzles.”

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“...uh, whiskey and coke,” and Bailey had to change liquors. As nice as the bourbon had been at the ceremony, it had also been free—or was it? Did she bail before the bartender could give her the bill? The Sergeant paused mid-sip with her water before realizing that it was too late for her to care.[break][break]

The League could pick up the bill. It was the least they could do.[break][break]

She could tell she was buzzed when the name Golden Chick sounded appealing--wasn't that one of those cyber specials that people got in their emails? What the hell was it again? Fried chicken? The Sergeant never came to this place for the food. Her stomach urged her to give it a try. “Oh yeah, and could you bring some hot sauce for the fries?”[break][break]

With their orders taken, Bailey would watch Amelia's head of bubblegum hair disappear.[break][break]

Now what? Her finger traced the rim of her water, thankful for the distractions that Rascal's offered. With all of the noise from the fellow patrons, it was hard to maintain her sour mood...or maybe it was just distracting her from it, as their drinks were set onto the table.[break][break]

“Think they'll even notice we left?” Probably not.

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[break]

Was that... a Politoed? In a fighting gym?[break][break]

Bailey Cooper withdrew Tink back to the confines of her capsule. The fairy pokemon was still conscious, but it would be cruel to ask her to endure two battles—especially when she had a pokemon that was ready and willing to fight. Despite the presence of the second capsule in her hand, the sergeant almost seemed to hesitate after looking at the small, green pokemon.[break][break]

“Great, now I look like an asshole,” and she scratched her cheek as her capsule popped, revealing the towering shape of her Kommo-o as he materialized onto the battlefield.[break][break]

Kapow looked to his trainer, and then to his opponent... and back to Bailey, again.[break][break]

His confusion was palpable. “Don't give me that shit,” and she crossed her arms, gesturing with her chin for him to get ready.[break][break]

That was when the Politoed released the Hydro Pump. Instead of standing in the splash zone, Kapow coiled his tail underneath him... and he turned to Bailey, shrugging before he empowered the limb and used it as a springboard to launch himself upward.[break][break]



The dragon had aimed himself for one of the adjacent walls, using the might of his claws to anchor himself in place. From this elevated position, he let a low rumble surface from the depths of his throat—then, letting it grow into a roar that was projected with such volume that even Bailey felt it in her bones.[break][break]

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[break]

Persephone was not the only one that felt like a fish in water.[break][break]

Bailey Cooper held her margarita in both hands—the fishbowl that held her beverage was so cold it left both hands feeling numb as she raised it to her lips and chugged like a champ. In her black bikini, there was plenty of skin to be seen as the Sergeant mingled with the party-goers.[break][break]

She had a nice buzz. She was going to spiral out of control if she kept drinking; but, the drink was so goddamn good. She couldn't even taste the booze. It was just a nice, limey aftertaste that fizzled on her tongue.[break][break]

“Heeeeeey, Perse!” The Sergeant would set down her oversized drink, able to see the head of white hair as the League's Head Scientist navigated the crowd.[break][break]

With an unusual pep in her step, Bailey would join her side, ignore the other dancers and the beat of the music. “You havin' a good time? I think I'm having a good time,” and Bailey wanted to maintain her good spirits. It had been awhile since she had cut loose and had a good time.[break][break]

It was why she found herself moving to the beat, dancing as a catchy rhythm started to shake the dance floor.

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[break]

“So... there's a maze portion, right?” Bumbo the Darmanitan can only shrug at his trainer's question, following after Bailey Cooper as she walked into the Mauville Gym—another day, another challenge. Bailey Cooper had found herself drawn to these challenges. It was not because she felt inclined to test her mettle, but because it served as an outlet.[break][break]

An outlet that her pokemon had also learned to seek. Recent events still linger in the mind of the Sergeant that had once dwelt in the mouth of an Ultra Beast—none of the memories are kind, nor the memories that preceded them. Battling Regirock. The Slateport Invasion that earned her the name the Train Menace. The dead boyfriend slash partner known as DANIEL WALKER . The strange jellyfish monster that had corrupted two of her pokemon. The dead pokemon that sacrificed itself protecting her—and, of course, nearly dying throughout all of these occasions.[break][break]

New shit, different day. [break][break]

At least she wasn't drinking her frustrations away—it was too early in the day. So, it was time for a Gym Battle, instead.[break][break]

“I fucking suck at mazes, Bumbo,” and she rubbed her fire-type's back, sensing that he was still unused to places like this. “Don't worry about your first gym battle. It'll be just fine,” and after spending a moment of time occupying the same space as other trainers—strangers that she does not bother to remember—she stepped beyond the lobby and into the depths of the grass-type gym.[break][break]

“If this takes too long, just pick me up like a cheerleader and chuck me.”

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She shed a tear—not because she was upset, but because the rush of heat that swept through the tunnel had flushed against the white of her eyes, making them water.[break][break]

“No wonder it felt so toasty,” and Bailey rubbed the water from her gaze. The Camrupt was minding its own business, but it would not be able to ignore her for long. “Turtonator. Let's snag that one.”[break][break]

The tunnel shook as her Blastoise broke into a heavy trot—each step thudding with ominous intent as he gained speed. By the time the Camrupt turned to see the source of the ruckus, the overgrown water pokemon had already lunged, clocking the fire-type pokemon as if this were a scene from that Resident Evil 2 remake.[break][break]

She spared the fire-type from her Blastoise full wrath by chucking a pokeball.

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[break]

She was going to die.[break][break]

Trick Room would be the culprit—what should have been a hasty escape was ruined as Bailey Cooper felt her speed drop drastically as she passed into its boundary. Rumble the Steelix had been able to snag her, but it was not fast enough to keep Guzzlord from realizing where they had gone. The strange orange pokemon was still weak under her arm as the Ultra Beast tore them from the ground.[break][break]

No time to think. No time to wish for a kinder outcome.[break][break]

Self-preservation was an instinct that she knew all too well—it was only suppressed by the screams of her Steelix as he was nearly torn asunder by the Guzzlord's thrashing maw. “Rumble!” and despite falling into the depths of the creature's gullet, she still overcame her fear to retrieve his pokeball from her waist to withdraw him back to the safety of his capsule.[break][break]

It was pointless. If she died, so would they; but, she hoped that in their capsules, they would feel no pain.[break][break]

"i leave this to you, humans. i'm sorry." Her eyes snapped open.[break][break]

She would be spared; but, only because the strange pokemon deemed it so. “Wait!” The self-sacrifice was not lost to her. Her hand was outstretched, but it was too late. Instead, the Sergeant watched as the jaws slammed shut while she was jettisoned from its grasp. Blood had spewed itself across her features, and it was only when telekinesis locked her limbs in place that she registered it.[break][break]

Was it her from her Steelix? From the orange pokemon? She does not know.[break][break]

Gravity shifted—from rising to falling, and it left Bailey Cooper with nothing but a broiling sense of frustration as the ground grew ever closer.[break][break]

That was the second time she had been spared—the second time a pokemon had taken her place. The rage bubbled in the pit of her stomach, making her limbs shake and her heart skip its pace. It was overwhelming; yet, she can extract the strength from this raw fury.[break][break]

V-Create dazzled in the sky.[break][break]

A rogue psychic ended her decent, gently gliding Bailey Cooper back to the sanctity of the ground. With a broken arm hanging loosely by her side, drenched in the blood of her own pokemon, Bailey Cooper had felt herself sink to this new low... but she felt the urge to fight spring itself anew, refusing to let her fall to the wayside.[break][break]

It was warm. It was bright. She would welcome it as her bloodied face was raised—dripping ichor as if fresh from a kill.[break][break]



Rumble's capsule was clenched in her only functioning hand. “I'm not done yet,” and her eyes focused on the distant glow of red. “I'm done when I say I'm fucking done.”[break][break]

This fucker was going to pay.[break][break]

---

[break]

tldr: Bailey Cooper is guided back to the ground by persephone amavi through the use of Psychic. Bailey Cooper is also fucking pissed.

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[break]

The Extreme Speed had made its mark.[break][break]

Bailey Cooper had retrieved her own capsules. Tink's pokeball rested in one hand... and she bounced the other, knowing that the time was drawing near for the swap out. “Least there's no more hedges...” the Sergeant muttered under her breath, knowing that the rest of the fight could be straight-forward; a slobber-knocker, like a Fighting-Type Gym embodied.[break][break]

The Gallade had picked itself up from the ground as Togekiss coasted low to the ground, circling her opponent; it was not the damage done to the Togekiss that worried Bailey, but the exhaustion that came from the overuse of Air Slash. Pushing her into a second fight would be unwise—she would get sloppy.[break][break]

“Get ready for it!” Because the Gallade was already closing in, ready to execute another Psycho Cut.[break][break]

The Feint would be wasted, because Tink would make no effort to dodge.[break][break]

Bailey Cooper had instilled a lesson in her pokemon: if they hit you, you hit them back twice as hard. The rainbow-sheen of Magic Coat had faltered, but only because something was glowing underneath—a deceptive tactic that only revealed itself when the attack was struck.[break][break]



And the bright strobe blinded Bailey, forcing her to shield her eyes as she awaited the final outcome.

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