This was not the first time Shalin had been to the Great Chasm; she had already been here once with Andrea Vaneau , and the results were not too pretty. She was wholly reliant on a Gym Leader for her survival. She dealt with her nerves in the same way as she did last time, but with a slightly different method.

The bellow of a Venusaur the height of a one-story building may have interrupted mint frost 's stream. If he were to turn in the Sygna Pokémon's direction, he would see both of them glowing a faint green, Shalin sitting on the very end of one of the grass-type's outstretched vines as though the vine itself were a Pokémon being used as a mount.

In the meantime, Midori the Iron Leaves and Lathiel the Type: Null were watching for any stray paradox Pokémon making their way around the long, downhill trail leading to Area Zero.

By the time Mint called out to Shalin, Saria was gently waving her vine around. There was little gentle about the motion the Captain was subject to; with her seated right on its end, even the mild jerking motion flicked Shalin about with amazing speed, though nowhere close enough to create the deafening crack the Pokémon was known for. Even so, she let out a thrilling cry, Mint perhaps able to feel a brief Infinity Energy spike from her Sygna Suit at the moment the whip was moving fastest. Just how intense would the spike be if it were to crack with Shalin as a passenger?

It took him asking about Shalin's Type: Null to get her attention. "Oh, hi there Mint! Glad you remembered me!" Shalin greeted the blue-haired trainer after the vine's motion became stable. She frowned when asked about her Type: Null. "You sure you want to know? It's a long story, and I'm... not proud of it. Neither is Lathiel herself."

The strange, artificial-sounding Pokémon cry echoed from deep within Area Zero caused Saria to tense up, Shalin feeling the jerking motion run down the whip and flick her about. Even a light motion, when amplified by the vine's length, would result in an enormous swing when they reached its tip - right where she was sitting. "Hey Saria, can you let me down, please? I'm still a bit unsteady from the last time." Obeying her, Saria gradually lowered her whip to just above ground level, where Shalin could slide off easily.

Once the cry had subsided and it was apparent no Pokémon were to interrupt them, Shalin waved for her Pokémon to gather around her. Letting her entire team out of their Poké Balls, there were her two Sygna Pokémon, a Type: Null, an Iron Leaves, a Glastrier, and rounding it out, a Skuntank the size of a small horse. They all wore saddles, including the bushy-tailed poison-type. Who in the world would willingly ride a Skuntank?

"So, how familiar are you with the Type: Full recipe, Mint?" Shalin asked, her tone growing more grim by the moment. "Because that's how I created her. With the blood, sweat, and tears of eighteen of my other Pokémon."

Kiku calmly ate the treats out of Mint's hand and let the blue-haired man cuddle with the poison-type if he so desired. "I think he really likes you, Mint!" Shalin added. "Don't worry, I made sure he burned up most of his musk before coming here. He's still got some for emergencies, but he doesn't spray people unless I ask him to." Eventually, the Skuntank crouched and lifted his tail upward, fully exposing the saddle on his back.

Seeing Kiku do so, Shalin tapped on Lathiel's seat, the Type: Null crouching to let her aboard. Once she was seated, the Captain continued recounting her grim tale. "Sadly, no. I'm not proud of it either, but I'm making the most of it. I take it you're more than familiar with the recipe?" She had every reason to be ashamed; Lathiel's creation had consumed the lives of two of her Pokémon and permanently altered the lives of many more.

With all the affection Mint was giving Kiku, the Skuntank snorted contently. "I...I think he wants you to hop on! But... why?" Shalin asked. "He's usually more apprehensive about others getting onto him." The poison-type gently rubbed Mint's face with the broad side of his bushy tail if he allowed it.

"Wait... some without helmets?" Shalin asked Mint, Lathiel perking up, as well. "What do you mean?" Unbeknownst to them, a pair of aggressive Iron Valiant were levitating themselves up the cliff beneath where the streamer and Captain were chatting. The duo would have some unexpected and unwelcome guests soon. But for now, there was still time to relax.

Kiku snorted at Mint's joke before letting him aboard. Other than being a little challenging to turn, the Skuntank would be obedient. Shalin was sure he would appreciate the mobility, particularly when two Iron Valiant ambushed them. The Captain yelped as the MOONBLAST exploded around her. Lathiel grew angry, leaping at one of the Iron Valiant with a slashing X-SCISSOR. To her dismay, the paradox Pokémon shrugged off the attack.

This was serious stuff.

Midori drew her PSYBLADE and pranced toward the same Iron Valiant in a swift charge. The lowered weapon cleaved cleanly through the fighting-type, but left her open to a devastating FURY CUTTER that felled the Iron Leaves in a single blow. "Midori!!" Shalin cried through her aches, withdrawing the Virizion look-alike. Kiku was at the ready, pointing his tail at the other Iron Valiant. He seemed to be waiting for Mint to grab his tail, forgetting Shalin wasn't the one riding him.

The horde was relentless and growing in number, Lathiel only narrowly dodging a PSYCHO CUT from one of the paradox Pokémon! "I think so! Let's beat feet and try again another time!" Shalin called back in agreement. "Hold on tight, Mint! Kiku, use your FLAMETHROWER!"

On Shalin's command, the Skuntank stretched his tail directly behind him. Burning his musk as propellant, the poison-type expelled hot, noxious flames from his tail, leaving the Iron Valiant within a corrosive cloud. The fire-type attack also made its user zoom forward, Shalin forced to squeeze her Type: Null's sides just to make a vain attempt to keep up. "Retreat! Retreat!"