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“Oh, shit—isn’t that—” A glare from his guard stifled the prisoner’s tongue for a moment. But there was a hint of mirth underneath the shock. It’d be fun to mess with blondie’s first impression. But the thought of doing that in front of Mr. Volcano isn’t all that appealing.[break][break]
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The blonde immediately recognized the approaching man. Instantly, her body snapped to attention. The urge to bark out sir almost overwhelms her good sense. But she stops herself from showing her belly. This was not a military expedition. “Yes, Mister Silph.” The woman responded in typical, icy tones. She took a deep breath. “The recent invasion has pushed the jail past capacity.” A small town like this wasn’t exactly built for terrorist threats.[break][break]

The bunny-like nose gave a wrinkle. “I am meant to guard this man until a league representative retrieves him.” Blue eyes flicker toward where she’d found him trying to bust his buddies free. Now, however, the only danger he posed came by way of his smart mouth. A glare was spared to the suspected bomber as he rattled irritably at his chains. In concert, sweat rolled down the pair’s faces.
[break][break]
Lydia soon turned her attention fully to Matthias. Unless he was on vacation, his presence seemed a foreboding omen. An acknowledgment that something here was threatening enough to require a god’s attention. “Is something…amiss, sir?”

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It becomes immediately apparent that the Silph will not pay him any mind. After a brief debate, the prisoner sinks into a sulky silence. This guy seemed like he’d toss him in the water if given a chance. And, even he couldn’t swim in shackles. Hoping to be forgotten, the sweaty convict settles for eavesdropping.[break][break]

At the talk of recent activity, Lydia’s icy eyes trailed across the surrounding platforms. Though she had only visited the place once prior, it seemed off. This was likely due in part to the hawkish people staring worriedly over the water. “It has been chaotic.” The woman confirmed—the slightest hint of a Kalosian accent audible. “He’s the third Rocket we’ve captured this week." She stared at the azure waters beneath her feet. "I am not sure what sparked the sudden interest.”[break][break]

What was she? Such a strange, reductive question. She would not go so far as to call herself a good samaritan. There was selfishness to her actions—a deep desire to reclaim a sense of purpose. A sigh shook the woman’s tiny, doll-like frame. “I was in Kanto.” [break][break]

Those four words spoke volumes. About who she was, and who she wanted to be.[break][break]

She had been fresh out of officer school at the time. And, when Johto happened, no more prepared for it. “I don’t want to see history repeat itself.”[break][break]

Except, even as she said it, something in her whispered: yes you do.

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‘Any interest in joining the fight here?’ It’s like a lightning strike. For an instant, she looks like a starving man who’s had a steak tossed before them. Her tongue probes at her lips. A single word—a yes--threatens to spill out. But she pauses. [break][break]

The prisoner takes the opportunity to snort. “Just looking for more blood for the gears, eh?” He pulls against his chains, the wiggling having a purpose. One he finally accomplishes as he finds his way to a secret compartment at his belt. One that the metal detectors had missed. “Leave it to a fucking Silph.” [break][break]

Lydia’s voice is like a whip crack. “Quiet.” But, even if alone, his words stop her from being too impulsive. She remembers the day Axel Steele had found her. A leg twisted into a mess of bone and sinew. The majority of her squad a victim of a rescue attempt turned ambush. But she made it. [break][break]

All the looks of pity the doctors threw her way. All those hushed whispers about her never walking again. But here she stood. [break][break]

And, now, she could have a chance to make up for it. “And how would you—” At her side, Anne’s ears prick up. The cuffed man's laugh is barely audible to the humans. But the explosion that rocked the platform was hard to miss. “Shit!” Lydia stumbles as the platform rocks beneath them. [break][break]

Instantly, her eyes snap to the captive. She should have let him drown.

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‘Its seismic abilities warn the Lycanroc as the shaking erupts. But the world shifts before Minerva can find the threat. Thick claws dig ruts into the wooden boards. Splash! “Sir!” When she looks up, her trainer is poised on the edge of the floating platform. Her shirt has been discarded to show a criss-crossed bra underneath. The gun drops beside it. “Watch him!” [break][break]

Then, wondering if this act of avatar in his waters violates Lord Kyogre's domain, the blonde dives into the water.[break][break]

With an irritable snarl, the wolf does as directed. The man’s comfortable seat is now surrounded by rings of pointed stone. The remote detonator now smashed beneath the faithful lupine’s foot. Why do humans not just kill the sick ones and be done with it? Any noises surrounding them—panicked citizens bucked from the city’s walkways—are ignored in favor of a singular focus.[break][break]


Beneath the azure waves, Lydia does not take long to find Matias. As she approaches, she moves as if to loop a muscled bicep under his shoulders. She does not know if he can swim, but she knows how surprising a sudden submersion can be. As she nears, she notices a shadow in the water. If she'd been thinking, she might have thought this attack an astute metaphor for the region itself.[break][break]


All the confusion and screaming have drawn the attention of underwater predators. "Shar!" A Sharpedo, a Carvana, and a Veluza appear from the deep waters beneath them. A few platforms away, her Kingdra surges to intersect. An Aqua Jet allows him to knock the leading Pokemon into a support pillar. But that's just one of their many toothy problems.[break][break]

With a free hand, Lydia draws a vicious knife from the side of her pants. She allows her eyes to drift up toward the light-speckled surface above. Getting there was possible, but there are risks. Blue eyes shift to the drenched man next to her: Are you ready?

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An anklet? What a good storage method. It is not the first place an assailant would look. It would be a good response to the many assailants who started by trying to rip off your belt. As the Sharpedo drew within nose length, the Cloyster’s icicle punched through its gut. Blood clouded the water around it as the fish began to thrash. Instantly, other predators turn toward it. May Arceus be with you. She could not begrudge a predator for doing its job. [break][break]


At his nod, the woman kicks off the ground with a powerful burst of her back legs. Tiny hands tighten around Mathias’s fingers as she rockets toward the surface. [break][break]


If they looked behind them, they would see the Sharpedo fighting against its former allies. Its movements are sluggish and desperate, impeded by the shard of ice in its side. The Kingdra—Lydia’s—bounces from one target to another to try and preserve the lives of those who’d fallen in. Merlot eyes fill with relief as it spots its trainer heading toward the surface.[break][break]


As they near the water’s surface, the worried visage of her Lycanroc becomes visible. Even though her lungs burn, the woman cannot resist a smile. It is truly a wonderful thing to have such a devoted companion—a being whose loyalty knows no bounds.[break][break]


With a gasp, her head bursts through the water. A few desperate breaths give her lungs some needed relief. “Are you all right, sir?” The woman turns to face Matthias. A hand grasps the ladder behind her.

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A simple nod served as her initial response. “I am glad to hear it.” If the avatar of a god died on her watch, Lydia was not certain she could handle that. She had failed her squad once. That feeling was not one she wanted to repeat.
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Only after being certain he is safe does Lydia move to pull herself back onto the walkway. She grips Matias’s hand tightly as she pulls herself up the last two rungs. Just as her feet touch down, a raucous clang sounds just above the water’s surface. Turning to face the ruckus, she finds a Sharpedo’s red eyes staring back. I am sorry you are deprived of a meal, friend..
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At the Silph’s curiosity, Lydia’s narrowed eyes swept up the walkway. "Do not worry, sir." The Rocket operative sneered at the two soldiers. The wolf snarled at him again, her rocky growths now pressing against his threat. “Minerva’s watching him.” Bright blues swept across the surrounding area. She spotted at least five other people in a similar state of dampness. But, no one seemed hurt.
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“Thank Arceus.” The woman muttered a quiet prayer under her breath.
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The bomber grinned cheekily. “Have a nice swim, Blondie?” Blue eyes slid toward him as her jaw set. “Sad that bastard didn’t drown with you.” Bare feet slid toward the detonator, The normally icy countenance was white hot. After she finished with him, she'd go teach these yokels how to properly restrain a prisoner.