"Captain Nariya, acknowledged, over," the Type: Null-mounted Ranger replied. Though her speed training with the former Avatar had helped substantially, it would do her little good against a legendary Pokémon known for great speed. While Shalin by now had learned that the paradox before her was not Entei, it was close enough to Entei that it could mimic many of the Johto god's abilities.

Midori the Iron Leaves would not be useful at all against such a behemoth, and she had quickly learned how hard its BURNING BULWARK was, able to repel even Lathliss' THRASHING. The on-fire Salamence struggled to her feat before being slammed back to the ground in a violent OUTRAGE. It was an OUTRAGE so unhinged that even Lathiel and Shalin were not safe, the two hurled into the air and crashing into the ground in awkward landings.

This was bad. Really bad.

The well of EARTH POWER was round-shaped, softening the blow of their impact some, but it was still painful for dragon, chimera, and trainer. The Gouging Fire staggered backward, letting Shalin get back on her Type: Null and command her steed to use a powerful CRUSH CLAW attack against it. Sparks flew as it collided with incredibly tough dragon scales.

Wait, so this was Entei, but a dragon?

The Captain couldn't think about it now. Though Lathiel met resistance, her attack was just barely strong enough to knock the fire-type to the next level down the chasm. "I'm getting on him, Thomas. Let's see him battle Hoenn's wildest Pokémon rider!" As she slid down the cliff and landed on the Gouging Fire's back, little did she know how much she was about to get in over her head...

"I'll be fine!" Shalin cried back, Midir dropping a ROCK SLIDE all around the Gouging Fire to make it easier for her to land on the behemoth of a Beast. With a sudden rear, the dragon-type slammed his paws down, bucking and writhing in a FLARE BLITZ. The Paradox Pokémon tried to heave Shalin off its back with rippling strength, the girl looking like she was having the time of her life struggling against a Pokémon that could buck even harder than her Tyranitar could.

Shalin completely missed the echoing Koraidon cry from below the Giant Chasm, too busy holding on for dear life. Every buck and kick stretched her limbs almost uncomfortably far, her hooting and hollering subsiding as more and more concentration was needed to avoid falling off. With a frightening kick, the Gouging Fire shattered a hole in the rock wall the Roaring Moon created.

Little did she know she was about to get the Mauville Gym experience...

With the Gouging Fire free of its rocky prison, the fire-type paradox bolted. Fast. Fast as kyle lopez 's Entei. There was no longer an effort to dislodge Shalin from her perch. She had a Poké Ball palmed in her hand, but she could not let go of it; all she could do was scream, paralyzed both mentally by fear of going way too fast, and physically from one of the most rapid, rough gallops she had felt in her life.

The Gouging Fire looked like a red comet as it made what appeared to be a shallow turn. To the Captain, it felt anything but shallow, the force behind the turn threating to tear the white-knuckled rider's limbs apart. It was impossible to see her through the corona that made Shalin and the Gouging Fire look like a comet.

With another sharp turn that made her scream in pain, the paradox came barreling toward Thomas' two dragons, using its BLAZING BULWARK not defensively, but offensively. It would be a shield bash every Bastiodon in the world wished it was capable of.

Shalin did as asked, letting go and allowing the Poké Ball in her hand to fall onto the Gouging Fire. She didn't even feel the Psychic-type slowing her down, still shaking from the paradox Pokémon's violent, ultrafast gallop. By the time the girl came to, where there was once a rampaging "Hoennian Beast", there was a still Poké Ball. It took her quite a bit of time to get to her feet after the rodeo that she would have won if it weren't for the fire-type's frighteningly fast Flare Blitz.

"Take the Poké Ball... to Josh..." she trailed off, still huffing after taking on more than she could handle. "It's... too fast... for me..." she managed before going silent again. Once she could feel her limbs again, she clicked open Michiko's Poké Ball, hesitant to sit in the Frosmoth's saddle until Thomas had things wrapped up on his end. With her condition, it was important they returned to Oldale together.