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With classes now ending, Taku kept an eye out for his brother to make sure Kazuma was alright. He knew of Athena and having had a couple of personal experiences with her last year (and a few more this year), he just needed to be sure. Though he saw Kazuma come right out and was relieved. Seeing his brother was fine, Taku turned to face Fliskile and Altair, all three of them getting into a fighting stance. After a short stare down, they all began a sparring match with each other.

As usual, Inugami and Vectara were off at another part of Taku's little encampment on the roof, sleeping of course. Torch was in his pokeball to dodge the rain. He didn't need his tail flame going out... Anyway, Taku had recently bought a large tent to cover his camp to keep it from getting drenched. He tied it all down using some good rope on the railings, made very rigid and sturdy. So his camp wasn't going anywhere. And as usual, his footlocker full of armor, weapons and other gear were safely locked away and hidden. He had recently had his armor repainted so as to no longer have the black all over with the red "R" trademarked by Team Rocket. His time with them was done. He was now here, doing what he could to help.

But for now, everyone was just going somewhere to enjoy their free time out of the rain. He may have to check elsewhere to make sure everyone was staying out of trouble. He'd already pulled a couple of kids aside for fights, most of them usually heading to the office and getting their detention time. A few others were more or less given a warning. Other than that, Taku just acts as a third part in an argument. What was the word? Mediator? Arbiter? Bah, who cares. He did what he could to keep the campus peaceful. And some of the teachers have taken to getting his help moving things around or helping with a demonstration or two in classes. Athena herself was especially memorable considering she usually takes her own... unique method of teaching.

But he was here, right now. He only focus on the training with his pokemon. A common routine for them to train in sparring like this. It kept their minds focused and their skills sharpened, which was a big help to Taku, who'd found it more and more difficult to keep the voices at bay. He was starting to hear them as he tried to sleep, often resulting in sleepless nights or bad nights of sleep. And when waking up or taking rounds around the campus, he heard them. Each time, it said the same thing...

"They don't care about you. You're a sacrifice when one is needed. You have no redemption."

Always somewhere along those lines. It was distracting and worried him but he tried his best to ignore it. But he felt it wasn't going to last long. So he kept with the sparring right now, hoping the voice would remain silent for now.

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Gear: Nothing

It was peaceful enough with the sparring going on. It somehow moved from under the tent cover to the rain. But as they pressed on in their training, Taku got himself to a position where his back was turned to the roof entrance. And being so focused on the training, he couldn't quite hear her shouting until it was too late. Only a moment before she landed on him, Altair and Fliskile jumped back a good distance to avoid the collision. Taku found himself face first in the ground, groaning at the ambush and the weight that felt like more than his Houndour or Snivy. No, this was a person.

As she spoke, he turned his head, his face having a nice red circular patch on it, though not from blood, but more of that kind of red left from a slap on the face or chest. He noticed Lyra, asking him what he was doing up here and asking him if he was up to something. No surprise to Taku. She's not as scary as Athena (according to Kazu) but she certainly matches - maybe even surpasses - Athena in aggression and odd teaching methods. But not remembering him? Not so much a surprise to him as the fact she was up here and landing on him. Normally, she just found him to find some kid or two trying to skip gym. Never said his name, though.

That might be because of the ambush, Miss Heart. Altair focused for a moment, his eyes glowing as he used some basic telekinesis to lift Lyra onto her feet, Fliskile grabbing Taku's hand and raising him to his feet as well. After popping his back really quick, a few good pops being a bit audible over the rain, he looked to Lyra to answer her next question. And I'm up here training with my pokemon. If you don't remember, the headmistress allowed me to stay as campus security after the whole Team Rocket issue last year. After all, who better to understand infiltration tactics and possible attack routes than a man who did the exact same thing to a number of cities in other regions? If anything, Taku can buy some time in case any other group attacked. And with the number of such groups in the regions, it seemed likely.

Taku watched Lyra's response, making his way over to his camp. It was clearly visible behind some AC units from where Lyra was standing. It was a simple tent cot, a small outdoors cooking stove with a little propane tank hooked up to it, the tent cover keeping the camp site dry. In a small dog bed was Inugami, his Houndour, still sleeping peacefully. Vectara, his Snivy, seemed to have been woken up by her shouting, but after seeing who it was, went right back to sleep near a small puddle of water beside the dry area. Taku went over, Fliskile and Altair following as he looked to Lyra while preparing some tea. So is there anything I can help you with, Miss Heart? Tea? Coffee? Water? Or did you need me to do something again?

He's heard of Lyra before. Another local of the Orange Islands like he was. Except she was from another Island. Taku was from Shamouti Island. But he certainly knew of the girl he ended up calling the "Wild Fire of the Orange Islands". Started small but made her way to being one of the best... Well, almost. He heard she didn't quite defeat the local league then afterwards seemed to have disappeared. She was here now, but he never made it a point to get to know her. He still had his own problems to sort out first.

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Gear: Nothing

Taku couldn't help but snicker at her close but still somehow far miss of his name. It's Taku but if you want to start calling me a food item I-... On second thought, nevermind... Thinking of himself being called food only made him remember Gianna's Hydreigon, Fluffy. No thanks... And yes, I was a grunt in the Team Rocket army... But don't think I'm trying anything. No reason to do anything against the academy. After getting the tea started, he heard her next question.

Why was he living up here? Well I've been living like this for more than five years now. Besides, up here, I'm out of the way, out of sight and out of trouble unless I'm needed. If I am, the headmistress need only flash her light from her window over that wall there. Over at the wall closer to where Vectara slept, there was a view of the headmistress's office. Indeed, all she needed to do if she needed him - not that it happened often, mind you - she'd only flash a bright light onto his rooftop camp site. He would see it and get moving. The roof also made a great watch point over most of the campus. It was the gardens he actually had to really explore to make sure it was kept peaceful.

It does help my job a bit to keep an eye on the campus. And up here works well. Besides, I've slept in worse conditions during my travels: high tree branches, other rooftops, fire escapes, alleys, ditches, bushes. Even managed to spend a night under the bloom of a Venusaur. As Taku stood against one of the AC units, which ran pretty warm since some classrooms started using the heaters. Fliskile and Altair continued their training with each other, their martial arts training shown in the way they made their strikes. Taku simply looked to Lyra, wondering what else she had to say about his living conditions. She might find it odd, but to a Yamamoto, it was something to be prepared for.

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Gear: Nothing

Just as Lyra grabbed his collar to pull him in, Taku grunted at the sudden pull. No one has ever pulled on the collars, and possibly only two or three people ever touched them. They were gifts from his sisters when he first left home. They were possibly his most treasured belongings. "Easy! My sisters made those!" Of course, in trying to get his name right, she somehow got angry and stomped it off. Using the moments he had from it, he checked his collar, glad it wasn't stretched. But she came back, talking about knowing what it was like to wake up in odd places, though one he was caught off guard by. The "Wildfire of the Orange Islands" having done that was a bit of a surprise to him. But that may be because he hadn't heard of her since her defeat at the league. That and he'd only ever been in one relationship in his life... Not exactly a great subject for Taku...

Anyway, as she grabbed his around the shoulder, talking about Orange Islanders sticking together, he felt she had a somewhat legitimate idea. But her proposition was definitely a surprise. He was fairly comfortable up here. But what kind of guy would he be to turn down an offer from someone else? He had no reason to turn it down. And he was sure Inugami would enjoy a bit of real warmth for a night or so... But was it even a good idea? A quick glance to Altair and Fliskile and Altair nodded before they continued training.

With a small sigh, Taku looked to Lyra. "I guess I can accept your offer. But exactly what is your idea of 'fracking fun'?" Fliskile came up with Taku's tea finished. He took the thermos and took a sip, still looking to Lyra who still had her arm around his shoulder in a leisurely con-man sort of way like the movies. He still needed to figure out what she had planned. His social skill over the past few years has been rather... dulled. Her having bunk with her is not only sudden, but kind of made him nervous, even if he never showed it - he was good at doing that thanks to his travels.

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Gear: Nothing

This would be interesting. She seemed so confident she would be able to get him to like her so much. And while he didn't exactly have a sense of national pride, despite being very protective of his home island, he did partially agree that Orange Islanders were tougher than most mainlanders. After all, he managed to survive on his own since he was a teenager. And if Lyra wasn't living proof of that, then he couldn't think of many others to match it. She suddenly snapped at her Raichu who was about to chew on the wires to his little pet electrical project. Guys, get that thing put away. It's not finished and I need to get some more research done on it. They nodded, watching him get dragged off.

So he looked to Lyra, following right behind her, still having Torch's pokeball in his coat. "Something tells me I'm not going to forget this night no matter what I do." So he followed, almost without choice. But he was sure she wouldn't take "no" for an answer anyway.

(it's alright)

(exit with Lyra)

Yukira Aoyama


[exit]
OOC

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