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The fire continues to burn on, raging on like a monster made in flesh. Genny's body moves erratically. The gun fires behind her, Genny's fuschia eyes firey zoom to the side, as she turns to see not only Michael Navidson assisting, another young lady in the fray (Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki ). Sheriff kept her covered. With paxton concordas and illeana reyes giving more assistance, it made sure that Genny never got even a scratch. She kept going.[break][break]

How many times had the tentacles stung her? How many times had she gotten assaulted by STEALTH ROCKS? It didn't matter. She HAD to keep going.[break][break]

If the fire ever got too low, she'd die. The poison would pump to her heart before long. She was prepared for that eventuality. This was the way to keep everyone safe. But as soon as she was able to land, and sees him, she had a revelation. She didn't want to burn out.[break][break]

"Izzy," it pulled her back for a moment. Just a moment. One Nihilego tried to come, taken care of by all the support given. Another tried to get in the way. Genny snatched it and threw it away. "Any day with you," her honey-glazed smile not unlike one on a spring afternoon. She could feel the dying flame in her heart. Too much. Too many. She takes a knee. Of course. Her heart beats harder with him. The poison was going to push through more and more. It was dependance, not liberation.[break][break]

Gravity finds its way to snatch Genny, and she's falling. Down below. Unprepared, her eyes grow closer to shutting.[break][break]

She hits the ground. Atop of tentacles, rocks, and the fall, the potential concussion she had earlier in the week was too much. She could feel herself fading into ash. Just like the vision. She can see around her... tubes? Tubes of Pokemon. She can see them. Her Pokemon. Sleeping. She'd made it. Reunited finally.[break][break]

"Come on," she clinches her teeth. "Move." Her eyes are still that fuschia swirl, as she weakly shakes. With two shaken hands pushing against the ground, she struggles and fights it. Every second, her mind wants her to lay to rest, and her mind doesn't stop. Not for a second. By sheer force of will, she gets onto her knees. By further pushing, she throws a fist to the ground, and pushes herself further and further upwards. She throws her head up to look over everyone, in time to see a burst from a tube. A wave of force that shrivels and kills the toxic chain from her own body... and then, the toxicity leaves. She stumbles.[break][break]

"What...?" she asks, eyes focused ahead. What was happening? She could feel strength come back to her body. She forces herself to stand. And before long, her Pokemon wake up. And they run to her. Ky first, then Shale. Sherwood, Akane, Speedy. And finally Ajax. For the first time in a week, tears of happiness fall down her cheeks. "You're back... you're all okay. Thank goodness!" The hugs come in. An Aggron encapsulates an Aerodactyl, a Zeraora, a Shellos, a Grovyle, and a Fennekin all at once with Genny in the center.[break][break]

It's more good news. Andrea Vaneau won out in the end! The toxic chain on the little Ogrepon was gone. The pride she feels in her heart then. The way it only confirmed it. That there was something at the end of this path of strength. She wondered... what about the others? Her mind snips to DESIREE BLOOMS , Yuina Higashi , and Elise Calcifet .[break][break]

It doesn't take long to get her stuff back. Maybe not as a Ranger for the moment, but she gets all her equipment back.[break][break]

Seeing those heading into battle, slowly pushing outwards, she looks hopefully towards Isaac Merlo , and smiles. "Hey. By the time this is over... let's get something to eat. I'm done with mochi for one lifetime." And then, returning her Pokemon to their balls, she leaves just Ajax the Aggron.[break][break]

She pulls on her DYNAMAX BAND.[break][break]

"Duty calls," she muses. If she could stay with him right now, she would. But her mission isn't complete. To be the shield of the people of Hoenn from the threats. The threat was still in play. With one kiss to his cheek, she turns and walks, grabbing at her wounds. She looks back to him as she walks.[break][break]

"Join me for the next dance?"[break][break]

To help hold the line, she returns Ajax and DYNAMAXES, letting a giant iron wall sit near the front, prepping a MAX STEELSPIKE to any hostiles who come, as she finds her way through the crowd. And finds two of her friends.[break][break]

She chimes to her Desi and Yuina, tossing the remnants of the mask away. "Girlygang!" She looked like hell, but so did everyone. With Ajax at the front of the room to assist in the forces, it let Genny relax. "I'm glad you're all okay." Gloss' Heal Pulse feels incredible. Genny can breathe again. "We should go somewhere together. I could use a vacation sooner than later."[break][break]

Planning for the future, meant that she'd be here to enjoy it with everyone.[break][break]

She no longer felt weak.[break][break]

[break]

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It's more minial work from the Ranger HQ, but work that Genny had a personal stake in. People were going missing in Hoenn. Frustratingly enough, being a shield to the people, and protecting the world from devastation? Kinda hard when the people aren't able to be shielded.[break][break]

Seeing as she had been visiting Petalburg anyways to visit her boyfriend Isaac Merlo, it was easy enough to pop into the dark woods and do some investigating. Gunner Graves and paxton concordas both had given her a lot to learn in their short time together.[break][break]

Time to make use of it.[break][break]

The idea, currently, was to search for the people who had gone missing. Collect some flyers, and start heading through the woods, pushing off the path. "They have to be somewhere, Keanu," she'd regale the Pikachu that sat on her shoulders, his little eyes dotting from next to her, as he rubbed his head. He wasn't the smartest Pikachu, but he knew she cared. That was enough![break][break]

Then came the wall of Squirtles. Out of all the things she expected, a wall of squirrely little turtles was not one of them. If they were the kidnappers, it'd be fixed real quick.[break][break]

That is, until someone answered from behind. "Uh... yeah! Hi there, my name is Ranger Cromwell. I'm investigating missing persons cases," she'd start, holding out flyers now. "Have you seen anyone on these posters?"

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No matter how much Genny wanted to fight, and cause as much pain to their warden as she could, it wouldn't matter. Okidogi still managed to fight back. paxton concordas had it taken care of. Even though out of the corner of her vision, she had seen Mimi Hirose nearly smitten by the dog, she could take care of herself. They could all take care of themselves now. No one was here to save them, so they had to save themselves.[break][break]

As she slides to the platform with Hideo Kino, the body is in hand. Genny doesn't make any note of it. A Megalopolan body. It was necessary. The easiest, simplest way to keep people safe here, is to eliminate the chances for the enemy to attack. Monstrous hazel swirls look downwards as Genny takes a knee beside her former cellmate. Letting the Megalopolan body drop to the floor of the life, she grabs her chest, and finds it harder to breathe. 'Poison.' Her Toxic Chain Muscle grabs onto the ground to give her a means to stabilize herself.[break][break]

Typical. She finally gains strength, and she burns her life out to embers.[break][break]

The platform keeps going down. The riot continues in what Genny says is the Dummy Ward. "If you want to live, get on the platform!" Genny roars out. Though she can see DESIREE BLOOMS, Andrea Vaneau, Thea Naito, even Melody Miro and PENELOPE LIVY, Genny stays steadfast in defending those in the Dummy Ward to get on. Eris Halla and Isaac Merlo were okay too, it seemed. Good.[break][break]

She didn't need to worry any of them. Eyes forward.[break][break]

It's sometime after that, when they reach the Ugly Ward, that Genny scowls. The group that voted for the Dummy Ward to suffer... her eyes focus on a few people. Michael Navidson. annalise henderson. freya morningstar. luka chêne. Yuina Higashi. Those five, she knew, would never put that on the Dummy Ward... right? They wouldn't vote? It shakes her a moment, but the scowl remains at the remainder. No. Their vote was overruled by everyone else. She convinces herself of it. Because she has to. Remember their faces. Burn it into your mind.[break][break]

One Megalopolan speaker takes her mind, as she defends against numerous more Megalopolan chains, to not mistake dependence for liberation, and all Genny can do is glare like a monster, fuchsia eyes burning and glowing while her skin turns more and more purple. She can feel her blood pumping.[break][break]

As they cover their escape further downwards... only to be faced with more adversity.[break][break]

Her blood burns with a blaze, as she sees the Nihilego, backing the little Ogrepon. Andrea was already on them. But those jellyfish, as they appeared, her eyes burn with that fuchsia color. She still remembers the trip with Ikarus Rook and lam logan. What they did to Elio. What they did to Mr. Business. What they did to her and so many others in the swamps near Fortree. She charges without a moment's hesitation. Her blood is pumping. She had a plan. With a Toxic Chain Muscle'd hand leap, she makes a twirl in the air, and leaps onto one of them, attempting to grab one of the Nihilego to hit another Nihilego, and push them into each other.[break][break]

Even if she burns out completely, she will get everyone to safety. She can feel the poison cursing her, making it harder to focus.[break][break]

She had to do it. With a crane of her neck backward, she would say it with a glance.[break][break]

'Either help me. Or go.'[break][break]

[break]

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Success! Finally breaking through, and Genny called it right this time. Her hazel eyes look on with excitement, as she looks behind her. "Yo, Josh! Just stay back there, kay?" Her tongue out with a wink. And it wasn't just Josh Devlin either, with Michael Navidson , Gwyar Wledig , and Thomas Benoit also eating her dust. She can't help but seem a little smug that her plan came together. Turns out, FLIP TURN had its perks.[break][break]

So, as she whips around to those ahead, she can feel it now. This was the home stretch. This is what it felt like to be alive. She can see a few ahead of her; the one guy she challenged in Vital City with CIAN MAHER , and lam logan was really far ahead too.[break][break]

Still a long way to go.[break][break]

"Let's go, Uzi!" she calls out excitedly, as they rush into the windstorm. It kept moving in wild, choppy waves. Each turn is easy, but maneuvering them would be difficult.[break][break]

They still had plenty of energy to spare. Uzi wasn't out of the running, but they had to make the best of the situation to conserve energy for the final stretch. Genny looked over every avenue, and nods. "Jump up, and Aurora Beam at the back side of the waves! Make ice slopes to keep our speed up!" To the order, Uzi leaps upwards, and uses AURORA BEAM on the back of wave after wave to keep the speed.[break][break]

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She'd cried so many times on wake-up. She felt so weak, but the vision still remains. Seeing herself burn, to give everything for a future. She was weak, but if it meant claiming the future she envisioned for Hoenn, and everyone in it, she'd gladly break herself down and rebuild. To change a mindset. If thinking this way is weak, she will force herself back...[break][break]

Hideo Kino tells her that this is it. To trust him. Would it be okay to do so? For now, all she can do is leave her trust in him. She nods.[break][break]

"..." she barely spoke.[break][break]

On the last day's dream though... she hears it upon traveling the dreaming world. Tomorrow. Only chance. Go together. Like a mantra she keeps telling herself. Tomorrow IS the last chance.[break][break]

Her hazel eyes light with a resurgence of fire. No matter what then, tomorrow she will fight. Until her body lies limp, until she she burns away to ash. Until she dies, she will keep fighting.[break][break]

Then she wakes up.[break][break]

When she's awake, as she grabs at her head, it's still throbbing, but her eyes. They're crying again, just like before. Only, they feel... different. Vibrant. Like crystals. She remembers looking for a Tera Orb with that other Ranger, Sunni. She can feel strength. The chain didn't feel as constraining. It felt like another muscle, attached to the body. Which meant...[break][break]

Now was the only chance. She'd wait, using the chain as though it were still working as intended. It was still weakening her. And as they eat mochi, as they're led to their tasks, everything went as normal.[break][break]

[break][break]

Then the sound. And her eyes light with fire, Genny begins to run. To face Okidogi down, to keep him back. "Get to the elevator, NOW," she yells with all her heart, as she speeds herself directly to the dog. Others had her idea, to keep Okidogi at bay (Kyrenai Black ), and doing her best to keep his attacks from hitting so direct, Genny utilizes her new muscle, the Toxic Chain muscle, to aim at the elbow, and push upwards.[break][break]

He will learn true weakness, her mind is ablaze, and she utilizes what she learned from Thea Naito to start pummeling the Okidogi. Taking stance, throwing a punch, ducking, throwing a Toxic Chain muscle punch out. She's doing what she can to help distract. Get as many as she can out.[break][break]

Even if at the cost of herself, she doesn't care. All she wants is to save everyone here with everything she has. She roars.[break][break]

Then.[break][break]

Pause. Hideo Kino yells her way, to follow him, and Genny takes the moment to come back.[break][break]

But she's NOT going alone. If a Megalopolan tries to keep her at bay, she begins turning on a dime, racing to snatch one of them with the Toxic Chain Muscle as she runs. "YOU'RE COMING WITH ME." As much as she may hate Rocket, their methods were necessary: Taking a hostage meant they could ask them how things work down here. And if they aren't worth keeping?[break][break]

Genny will just break their neck.[break][break]

No more risks. No more half-measures.[break][break]

Genny is quick to follow to the elevator, with a potential hostage (or Megalopolan body) in toxic muscle hand. The redhead monstrous in appearance for the moment.[break][break]

'I will become what I have to to save them all.[break][break]

[break]

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Even if she only pushed ahead of one person, it didn't phase Genny. Uzi looked back, feeling as if he had done something wrong, and as Genny leans forward through the narrow corridor, she smiles. "Not over yet, Uzi!"[break][break]

And wouldn't you know? The whirlwinds started, and it gave Genny ideas. "Keep going! Flip Turn with the wind, and ride with it!" One fist thrown outwards and upwards, Uzi does just that, utilizing the FLIP TURN to attempt to turn on a dime.[break][break]

She could feel herself getting more and more hyped up.[break][break]

"Let's go, Uzi! Pace yourself!"[break][break]

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When he takes her hand, Genny knows there is no more fear. When the chrome Iron Valiant appears, the memories of the vision of Galar, of Circhester, come back. There's no more hesitation. There is fear, filling the soul, but not overwhelming it. There is trepidation, but bravery to help guide its way.[break][break]

"Right!"[break][break]

With Venus, the curtsy is given in a greeting, as the Koraidon come to a clash. The redhead holds her hand forward, and orders out. "Assist th-" she stops, and turns to Navy. Her smile fades a moment... and then comes back brighter, as Roland comes in with the TERA BLAST to the Koraidon's back.[break][break]

"Put it to sleep and devour!" She was fully ready to take the secondary role, the supporting cast, but Genny wasn't going to be satisfied with that. This is a learning experience. Venus starts with a HYPNOSIS, intent to follow up quickly with a DREAM EATER.

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Today's torture begins right after the dream. After filling her stomach again, already tired of the peach mochi, they'd be let out again. Their warden had a new game; a boulder-game meant for three of them. Three of the prisoners, randomly picked (Kyrenai Black , zachary stellar , and Lucia Aldrete ), followed by adding in the poor guy beaten half-to-death yesterday (Shred Zeppelin ) for added cruelty in humiliation. But, when she's forced to laugh, and forced to chant, she audibly spits to the side.[break][break]

Her head still hurts. She can barely see out of one of her eyes, and she can feel the dried blood in the back of her head. But after the laughter, she looks at the Megalopolan speaker.[break][break]

"You first," she mutters under her breath. Ruthlessness is mercy. She'll become the monster soon enough. The light in her eyes, as she glowers at her target. One day soon, she'll plan until there's nothing left to chance.[break][break]

And for the next few days, repeatedly, she would find herself in the cycle. To put it bluntly, she was failing behind on her work, because she kept trying to find ways to take advantage of what was given to them. Any advantage, to turn. Even if she had to use this chain on their guards, she would. But, she's not at her best. She gets more, and more ragged. No matter how much work she does.[break][break]

Hideo Kino tries to keep her on her feet. To keep her in there, but every night, she is crying herself to sleep.[break][break]

She's so weak.[break][break]

In her dreams, she looks for them. For DESIREE BLOOMS , for Yuina Higashi , Andrea Vaneau , Elise Calcifet , Hideo Kino , Eris Halla , and Isaac Merlo . She desperately looks for paxton concordas , heck, that girl from before, Mimi Hirose ? She keeps looking. They're somewhere here. They have to be. But every road leads to nowhere.[break][break]

She's so pitiful.[break][break]

She wants revenge. She forgets, for a moment, what she learned from Michael Navidson . The path of pain, it was too much. She couldn't see the light at the end. Is this what was meant for her? Was this the end of the road for her? For all of them? Can she not save a single person, and watch them all die before her?[break][break]

Every day, she stumbles harder. Her only escape is in her dreams.[break][break]

---[break][break]

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And then the day came. She was given a chance to peer through a mask to see something beyond herself. Though she resists at first, the mask is placed over her eyes. She's crying, screaming in resistance, when she sees it.[break][break]

The world is on fire. The buildings of Slateport City, falling and crashing into the massive seaport city. The sky rains fire from above, meteoric, with the infernal blaze everywhere. The flag of Rocket stands tall, the Megalopolan threat now taking everything. Her legs wobble. The screams, she can hear them.[break][break]

And yet. The clouds part, and the sky of red hot fire gains its blue again, like a wave to come back to the world, the shine of the sun pushing its way back through everything. Where the path of power ends, she can see her. Longer orange hair. Rocket's flag burns, the Megalopolan threat dismantled, and carrying those who need to be protected, to be saved. She could save them all. Genevieve Cromwell looks happy. She saved Hoenn, she made a difference. Her eyes, filled with tears, as she throws a hand out.[break][break]

"Come back! Please!"[break][break]

Like a tunnel of black, warping it all away, she can feel it leave her fingers. Getting up onto her feet, she runs to her. To Genevieve Cromwell , where Genny finds things she's wanted. The ring on her left hand. Her friends. She can see her Girlygang. Her eyes well up more. The laurels of a heroine, surrounded by those she loves most. Seeing an older Isaac Merlo , happily next to the her. To make it to the other side of the path to power. The struggle and strife, all of it was worth it in the end. It's okay. It was going to be okay.[break][break]

She wails. She wails so loud. She wants it so badly. The desire to protect everything, everyone she cares about. But she's SO WEAK.[break][break]

And then.[break][break]

The older Genevieve walks in front of her. Her Ranger uniform torn and battered, bruised and ripped, as she holds the hand out to the younger Genevieve.[break][break]

"You can do it too."[break][break]

"You're not weak."[break][break]

"No matter how tough it gets, you'll get through it."[break][break]

"So stand up."[break][break]

Genny wanted it more than anything. She holds her hand outwards. With a clasp downwards, onto the wrist of the older Genevieve, she feels herself being pulled upwards.[break][break]

She feels it burn inside of her. The sun upon the older Genny's back, onto her feet.[break][break]

"You have two legs. So get to walking. And when you're strong enough, run. And when you're stronger still, sprint."[break][break]

The older Genny, upon closer inspection, looks like she's covered in scars, a body burning in real time before her eyes. To protect everything.[break][break]

Even at the cost of everything.

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If nothing else? Style points. Even if she can't manage to get any further in position, she took a different approach; be as entertaining as possible. So, even as she's swimming right next to Michael Navidson , she grins ear-to-ear, with Uzi trying her damndest to flip, even going as far as corkscrewing into the water, and re-submerging in a fast-paced jump.[break][break]

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" she roars out with enough excitement to overdose a baby Copperajah, and upon seeing the homestretch, a second wind. The Sheriff was feeling it too, from ahead![break][break]

With a pat on Uzi, she calls out with the biggest grin she can muster. "Let it loose, Uzi! Hop on the water!" With the surge of boost energy, the Vaporeon leapt back onto the waves, and utilized QUICK ATTACK, leaving caution to the wind.[break][break]

She didn't hang on anymore to Uzi. She believed in Uzi, and the harness. They would race as one![break][break]

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And there it was. The simulation is over. And Genny could feel herself relax finally. The battlefield and hell of Galar over, she falls onto her butt, relief finally pushed through her. A smile plastered firmly on her lips as she laughs. The sun shines again.[break][break]

Letting Gram and Titan back in their own respective balls, and finally getting a chance to relax, Genny sits criss-crossed, as she sees a cave of brilliant tera crystals. Looking up, over everything.[break][break]

"A cave," she starts, a brow risen, interested, until the the behemoths show themselves. A red dragon beast, with a plumage like a majestic bird. And though she's forced to get back up, she gets back onto her own two feet, seeing the other red dragon, with a form much more twisted and an antennae that flicks about. With Navy explaining the way this works, she turns to face him.[break][break]

If she wants to evolve, she has to show what she's got. With a grin, she nods to the Sheriff.[break][break]

"I'll do it then."[break][break]

On her wrist, she pulls something new. This was the second time she was going to ever use it, and in a bracelet, a stone sits at the ready. Another Pokeball comes out, blasting out the blue Gardevoir, and she engages it. "Venus!" The orbs surrounds her, the Gardevoir exploding out with a brilliant black dress, as Genny stares on from behind her.[break][break]

"But I can't do it alone, Sheriff."[break][break]

She extends a hand towards Navy. They fought together this long, and while she can stand alone, she stands stronger together.

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All three Pokemon respond in kind with Thea, even waving to her own Pokemon. Gordo and Ky happily wave to the trio Thea brought attention to, both the Sandshrew and Zeraora waving and flexing. Sherwood just continues to chew the twig in her mouth, and gives them a stern nod.[break][break]

Genny looks to Thea and follows. "Your Pokemon are truly wonderful. Thank you for explaining, and the hospitality!" As she follow suit to the locker room, she would see the gi that was being offered to her. When she's told if she knows how to tie an obi, while Genny hadn't had too much, she did dress up for a festival some odd months or years back in Lilycove. "I got this!" She flexes her arm out herself, showing where Ky and Gordo get it from.[break][break]

Undressing herself, and redressing into the gi, she attempts to get the obi down properly. It's not easy, she messes up a couple of times, but she gets there.[break][break]

And before too many minutes go by, she emerges in her own gi, showing herself in the gi. "These feel really comfy." She pats herself down. Hazel eyes on Thea, she beams.[break][break]

"What next?"

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Someone had to grow stronger. If they didn't, who would? There were many people in this world, but not many could face it and work through the pain. To still walk even though they saw the worst, to grow strong but not grow cold... there was so much ugliness in the world.[break][break]

But. With Navy here, with the Sheriff here, she didn't feel alone. Even through Galar, even through their trail of tears, there is always hope.[break][break]

Grasping Gram, she smiles like she used to. And following this time behind Navy, to slice outwards in a SACRED SWORD to cover his six, and to protect him, and everyone in Galar, to protect this region, she responds in kind. She will be the shield that keeps Hoenn safe. From Rocket? From the threats beyond. She will do whatever it takes.[break][break]

"You're right, Sheriff! If this is the road we walk, it's our job to to pave a way forward. Let's evolve beyond what we are, like our Pokemon!"[break][break]

They walk the path. And with the Zacian throwing the blade down like a gauntlet, Genny for just a moment, looks like the hero she always wanted to be.

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"You didn't," her words leave her lips with an icy breath, a dejected look in her gaze, as she looked over to Mimi Hirose. Genny looked so twisted for a moment, so messed up. She wanted desperately to return every bit of pain everyone in the prison had. But when Mimii introduces herself, and asks if this was the prison, Genny's resolve steels itself.[break][break]

She would be the strongest here. "Genevieve Cromwell," she begins, her own gaze over her own Pokemon in a tube just a short step away. The grass gecko, Sherwood, stuck in a tube as she stares at the comatose Pokemon. "It's just a dream. We're probably still in the prison. See, look at the text on the signs." Even if it was, it didn't mean Genny wanted retribution any less. More so now, that they were stuck within a prison in a prison. The reprieve of the toxic chain all they had left.[break][break]

With a breath in, she pushes it down a moment. A gentler smile, for a nicer person. "I'm an Elite Ranger. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm trying to get everyone out, but," her gaze finds its way down to the streets, with the unreadable signs unable to be deciphered.[break][break]

"If we don't nip this problem in the bud, Miss Mimi, they'll just come back. They've done it already. Twice from my understanding." The looming failure of the second lies squarely upon her back, bending further.[break][break]

"There won't be another one." To protect the world from devastation. She will do what she must to keep everyone safe.

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