[attr="class","team2"]

[attr="class","divide"]

[attr="class","notes"]notes: Rocky Steps mission!

[attr="class","illie i]she flushes slightly beneath the relief of her companion. reasonable. it's something she tries to be, nestled between considerate and kind. and yet, she's still unaccustomed to someone else recognizing it. maybe it's the moments after that have her wondering if she's really reasonable, the mentions of questions bringing a little bit of shame about.

she had wanted to ask, wanted to pick it all apart until everything makes complete sense. and out of consideration, out of possibly one-sided friendship, she didn't. is that reasonable or people-pleasing?

"oh, there's no need to thank me," she tries to brush it off but a soft sigh escapes anyway and she's finding the horizon with her eyes, dragons darting in and out of focus as they whisk their bodies through the clouds. "i'm not going to lie... i did have a lot of questions but i imagine that it's uncomfortable to have to answer any," her gaze darts back if only to gauge the reaction, to offer a small smile in the face of it. "besides, you trusted me to share that information and i'd be a damn fool to ruin that." she likes to think that there's a bond between them, one that isn't quite touched upon by either party but recognized for its full worth.

a fond smile rises as kaida repeats her charizard's name. he'd like her, that much she's very certain of. and while she wants to dwell on that for a moment longer, they're already shifting into more of the conversation and she's letting out a laugh before she can focus on anything else. "you'd definitely hand my ass to me in any sort of competition!" it's both amusing and completely accurate. she's not much of a competitor or even a battler, really, but kaida? she has no doubt in her mind that her friend could probably bring the world to its knees if she really wanted to. laughter settles into silence, into contemplation and racing thoughts for a moment. can she really get stronger by just being herself? no, that might not be productive. she's too soft and maybe that's the problem. can one be strong and soft all at once? or is that a foolish concept? "you think i could get on the same level as you and everyone else if i start small?" she's still so full of questions, so full of hesitation. even with the words of fernando in her mind or the weight of consequences shattering the bones of her shoulders, there's so much uncertainty it's getting hard to breathe through. another sigh escapes, ushering self-deprecation into the space between them. "i -- i'm definitely not strong enough to do most things. if i'm being honest, littleroot was the first time i've ever been in a situation like that," she pauses to collect her thoughts and her eyes flutter back to trees. "i was never raised to battle or get involved in things that aren't held in the four walls of a lab. it's always been science and research, no time for training or growing stronger." and it should feel easy to admit these things but it only feels a little sad.

a flush fights its way to her cheeks and she's caught between agreeing and being adamant about her stance. heroes can't win all the time but... how many losses can they handle? how many is too much? and at what point does it become more about winning than protecting? there's so many thoughts, it's difficult to keep up. the smile she wears stays regardless, even going so far as to widen a little when kaida leans forward. "that's true, but the losses keep piling up," she tries to keep her face from twisting into a frown when she considers the weight each loss holds. "and those losses mean lives lost, bodies that should have been protected either injured or placed six feet under." while she hadn't been involved in the heavy losses, littleroot had left its own mark on her. even without the severity behind it of the slateport invasion or the new year's events... it still feels too heavy of a burden to accept. "it won't help but perhaps it will lead to acceptance and change." at least, she hopes. there has to be change, has to be better choices made after this. a shrug follows if only because she's uncertain of what to say. there's no right way to make fewer mistakes or to even accept the blame but both of them are slowly stepping into those roles. "that's a good attitude to have, kaida. i believe that if everyone looks at it in the same manner then fewer mistakes will be the result." or protocol will be changed and reinstalled into their minds until they have no other option but to perform with little to no errors.

a hum of consideration escapes. she does have a lot of people in her little corner of the world but that makes protecting all of them that much harder. and normally, they end up protecting her... "i suppose i do," she murmurs. "but that makes it even more crucial that i become stronger. i need to protect them as they have for me." she can't continue to be this helpless little girl. not anymore, not after this. and that thought lends itself to the darkness already growing, already spreading with the creeping sensation of dread. another loss could prove to be fatal. and while she's lucky that she hasn't lost a human yet, there's this notion that it's on the horizon and that, alone, fills her with both terror and anger. "i'll be careful," she promises and it only half tastes like a lie. she'll be more careful this time around but... there will be no promises made to determine the lengths she will or won't go to for her loved ones. "but they better be careful too." whoever she's hinting to is lost on her. maybe it's those behind the attack in littleroot, behind the tree dying and lives crumbling. or maybe it's directed at those who try to hurt the family she's gathered. either way, she's willing to do whatever it takes and perhaps the line between retribution and revenge is a delicate one but she's blissfully unaware of just how easily it can break.

wind howls around them and maybe it's the comforting presence she feels at her back, one that almost reminds her of the automaton lost in debris, that prompts her to sigh and look to the graves around them. it almost feels supportive as if custos is here, letting her know that it's alright to come for blood, to take an eye for an eye with no remorse.