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[attr="class","stone i"]"the life of a ranger is full of traveling, i can imagine."

not that he would know. as someone who has been so involved in the affairs of the region, the rangers have been an organization that have, and continue to allude him. they do good work and have very capable trainers, that much he knows.

"exactly. also, the less the enemy knows about us, the better." he pauses, deciding he should further explain. "some gym leaders suffer because of it. a good enough opponent will study their tactics, their styles, and come up with ways to defeat them. the same concept can be applied to us."

it's one of the main reasons why he only uses water-types in the sootopolis gym, and why he only used fighting-types in the rustboro gym. even his tactics are relatively similar from challenge to challenge, because the more exposure he receives, the more vulnerable he gets.

"what pokemon will you be using today?"

Kaida Adachi

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[attr="class","stone i"]"ah. ekans and toxtricity. they were a good duo." the toxtricity in particular had caught more of his attention, but that was mostly because the ekans had been forced to repeat the same move, which meant it wasn't able to showcase much of its potential.

safe? alexander nods, listening closely to what she says next. "back and forth..." he repeats, muttering it more so for himself as he thinks. "what happens when he changes?"

because he has a pokemon that is also able to change. he doesn't reveal it yet, however, because a part of him remains guarded. she is still a stranger, after all.

"perhaps you can show me."

Kaida Adachi

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[attr="class","stone i"]alexander studies the sandaconda when it emerges from its pokeball, noting the way it regards her words with a calm blink. his exposure to pokemon native to galar has been minimal, and so he knows little of the ground-type before him.

what he does know, however, is the transformation it undergoes is spectacular. alexander watches in awe as sand is pulled around it, twisting and twisting much like a tornado would. by the end of it, he's impressed, and his smile shows it.

"have you heard of mega evolutions?"

reaching a hand to his belt, he calls out his gallade, who immediately shifts into a defensive stance at the sight of the sandaconda. "certain pokemon have unlocked the ability to bond with their trainers, which allows them to surpass the limits of their form." he reaches into his pocket for a clear orb with shades of green and red in the middle. "our head scientists developed accessories to act as the catalyst for it." he tosses the orb to gallade, before pulling his sleeve up to reveal a bracelet.

natural energies start to swirl around them, channeling into gallade as his form starts to change, and much like the sandaconda, his transformation is equally amazing.

"i imagine your sandaconda must be experiencing something similar."

Kaida Adachi

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[attr="class","stone i"]"correct. the stronger your bond, the stronger the evolution."

he's pleasantly surprised when he sees a smile stretch across her face. he doesn't know her very well, but from what he's read and heard, kaida adachi is not one to show her emotions. it's warming, to say the least.

"oh, i can get you an accessory, no problem. would you prefer one like mine? some have anklets, necklaces, and even armbands."

a part of him is offering out of good faith, but the other part is to make sure they remain allies. he'll need all the help he can get when the time comes. regardless, he takes a step back and motions for galahad to leap forward.

"can you have your sandaconda attack him, please?"

Kaida Adachi

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[attr="class","stone i"]alexander nods. "anklet it is." the only reason he prefers it to be on his wrist is for ease of access. it's also faster to reach instead of his ankle, and the time saved could potentially mean life and death. to her question, he shakes his head and responds:

"consider it a gift, kaida."

the speed in which the sandaconda plunges forward is so rapid that alexander almost misses it. there's a sudden impact that sounds across the room, echoing with its vibrations, and as the dust starts to settle, it reveals galahad's cape, now hardened with a WIDE GUARD that protects him from the impact. the cape drops back down, now rippling as a sandstorm surrounds him.

"i really appreciate how you care for illeana. she speaks highly of you, and i now see why."

Kaida Adachi

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[attr="class","stone i"]the sandstorm starts to die down just in time for galahad's form to shift back. his cape fades away, disappearing with what remains of the sand. galahad stands strong, but his heavy breathing is what gives him away. the impact of sandaconda's attack, along with the evolution, had taken a toll on him despite the WIDE GUARD.

alexander nods, noticing faint fondness in her words. "quite well." he pauses, but decides there's no reason not to be truthful. kaida is a friend, after all. "we've been together for a few months now." ever since he's returned to the region. how coincidental!

his eyes drift off to the sandaconda, now reverted back to its regular form. "is your sandaconda the only one capable of mega evolving?"

Kaida Adachi