Still recovering from her injuries in Dewford, the girl was slowly easing herself back into being atop Pokémon that were more and more challenging. An Absol would be on the rougher side for most, their powerful, cat-like strides and flexing backs making the tailbones of less adept riders ache. Shalin had one strong spine, and it was uninhibited by the wounds she suffered. She would later have to go back to Dewford to have her bandages removed, but she was well enough to resume her Ranger duties for now.

"It's okay!" Shalin insisted, throwing her hands into the air and inadvertently exposing some of the bandages covering her wounds. "Shalin's good!" Her long, green hair blew about in the wind as Dusk's horn grew brighter. She, too, frowned when asked if everything was alright. "It's Dusk here. Yesterday, he was excited for today - to get fitted so I could ride him. Absol make for great mounts, y'know?" She wasn't kidding, either; those long and sharp claws made them tremendously agile, able to about face when with such a burden on their backs. "And just now, his horn started glowing, like he's using FUTURE SIGHT. I wonder what he's seeing...?"

In the meantime, Lathiel approached Gwen slowly, stretching to get used to moving around in her new saddle. The Type: Null may have looked even more frightening in one. Who would willingly ride such a violent Pokémon?

"He can!" Shalin was quick to answer. Unlike the average Absol, Dusk was about as tall as she was. Even just a little taller if Gwen observed carefully. He wasn't as large as an equine Pokémon commonly used for travel, but he was more than tall enough so that her legs wouldn't drag on the ground. "It's one of the ways to truly bond with your Pokémon, especially if they love to run. It takes a lot of mutual trust - not only do you have to trust your Pokémon to follow your commands, but your Pokémon has to trust in your balance. Trust that you'll lean and move with it."

Lathiel did not so much as flinch when Gwen shrieked upon realizing she was in the presence of the chimeric Pokémon. "Oh, that's Lathiel," she introduced the unusual partner. "She's not the most sociable Pokémon, but she'll mind her manners around others now." The Captain paused and covered her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry - I forgot to ask for your name! It seems I need no introduction."

While the two were making small talk, Dusk's face grew more focused, his horn glowing brighter as time went on. His entire body glowed the same purple as his horn, but the light was much more dim. His trainer could feel psychic energy pounding at her mind, and perhaps Gwen would, too.

"Mauville City," was Shalin's quick answer as the anguish on Dusk's face grew. "The Gym Leader there runs a riding academy out of the place. He's the best in Hoenn, and the tuition's reasonable."

Shortly after Gwen asked about Dusk, a splitting headache would overcome Shalin, the pupils of her eyes wide open as though she was in a trance. It came with a vision so violent that she wantd to scream. If she wasn't near a busy street, she would have. Instead, she collapsed and held her head in her hands.

"Dusk foresaw something... awful..." she slowly managed as the horn-blade turned back to its normal color. "He foresaw a natural disaster in which one my closest Pokémon will die." She didn't need to say it, but that was why Dusk was depressed. "I... can we hed north of town into the fields? I need to blow off some steam."

Shalin was not quick to respond at first, Dusk's FUTURE SIGHT hitting her full force with tragic news. The prophecy was vague, as well; it didn't specify the disaster in which her Pokémon would die, nor did it specify which Pokémon of hers would die. It only revealed that she would be cruelly separated from one of her closest Pokémon.

With Gwen requesting Shalin hop on nothing too fast for her own safety, she clicked a Poké Ball open, from within a Houndoom emerging and loosing a loud howl. Grimmie ran a circle around Shalin before sliding to a stop and crouching to let her on. She grabbed onto the white steering horns, ready to flood out her negative motions with adrenaline and the outward display of her bond with the Pokémon she captured long ago by riding while still wild. "You have a Pokémon of your own, Gwen?" she asked, her voice at last starting to perk up.

The mention of a Noibat made Shalin's face turn somber. It reminded her of Piccolo, her sweet, sweet Noivern that had been slain by fern delaney 's Alolan deity. She didn't cry, but it was clear the mention of the species evoked internal sadness from within her. The dragon's life was yet another claimed by the ravages of war.

Perking back up in less than a minute, Shalin clicked the switch on her Pyroar's Poké Ball, a male that was roughly Grimmie's size appearing in a flash of red and white light. A refreshing wave of heat flowed outward from the brave, saddled lion. "You're welcome to hop on Scar if you want!" Shalin replied, the tall lion crouching if Gwen needed help. "He's a good boy. Great runner, too."

The sadness seemed to be contagious, spreading to Gwen and getting an apology out of her. "It's not your fault," she reassured her. "There's no way you could have known. A Noivern of mine died in the war a couple months ago. Just reminded me of her is all."

Dusk lined up next to Scar, drawing her front paw across the grass as if to goad Scar into racing him. The big lion knew better than with a nervous-seeming guest on his back. "You're eager to get used to your new gear, aren't you Dusk?" she said with a smile before tilting her head toward Gwen. Her posture looked good.

Once Scar felt Gwen's secure hold, the lion stood up, Gwen able to see a lot farther than she could on foot. a purr from the fire-type might have rattled Gwen a little. "The freedom having a Pokémon like this gives you is amazing. Especially in a region like Hoenn where the terrain can get rough. Have you ever been on a Pokémon's back before? It's so fun and so valuable if you travel often."