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as the sun dips low over the horizon, nick finds himself kneeling in the still-warm sand, gloved hands carefully cradling the fragile shell of a newly hatched tirtouga. its small, round shape is dwarfed by his fingers, and nick feels a strange sense of responsibility towards the tiny creature resting quietly in his palm.[break][break]

it's been a long day, longer than most, and nick's body aches from the constant motion of scooping the little ones into the water. every time he closes his eyes, he sees them - hundreds of tiny tirtouga, their small, fumbling bodies making their way bravely towards the sea. they are so small, and the ocean is so vast.[break][break]

nick looks over his shoulder to where the sand meets the grass, then to where grass turns to pavement. he searches, there, for the sight of someone seeking him. if he is remembering correctly, another cadet has been dispatched here. he hopes they arrive soon.[break][break]

he turns back to the tirtouga, lifting it carefully to the water's edge. he gently lowers his hand, the tips of his fingers brushing the surface of the water. the tirtouga's shell touches the liquid, and suddenly its body jerks to life. nick watches in awe as the small turtle-like creature paddles fiercely out to sea.[break][break]

he had thought the thing dead, it was so limp in his hands. the scent of its true home revived it, drew the blood back into its body.[break][break]

nick is jealous. he wishes that whenever he encounters his true place in life, the blood would pump fiercely through his veins, that his heart would tell him in that soft, cloying voice—this is your spot. you belong here.[break][break]

but he is not a tirtouga, and the world is not his ocean.[break][break]

"go on," he murmurs softly. "you're free."

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nick nods, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. "i can respect that," he says quietly, his gaze drifting to the horizon once more. "saving lives, i mean. it's... a noble pursuit."[break][break]

there's a heaviness to his voice, a weight of unspoken memories. he once dedicated himself to that same pursuit. his years as a doctor were long and grueling. days spent with hands chapped by scalpels, days spent on his feet, helping individuals and families come to difficult decisions about their health. he always felt like a wolf in sheep's clothing, like his reasons for entering the surgery theater were not as noble as others.[break][break]

it was in that same theater that he realized that not everyone can be saved. sometimes, not everyone wants to.[break][break]

perhaps the least they can do is try.[break][break]

the thoughts threaten to drag him down. nick shakes his head, fingers gripping tighter to his altaria's cloud-like mane.[break][break]

instead, he focuses on the present, on the conversation at hand. "i can imagine it gets hectic, then," he murmurs, a hint of sympathy in his tone. "trying to balance everything. i'm glad you've got a good team to help you out, though."

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nick's eyes narrow slightly behind his glasses as he listens to morrighan's explanation. he supposes it makes sense—after all, the promise of an intriguing story, especially one with a supernatural element, is often too tempting to resist for some people. she has described herself as a collector of tales, after all.[break][break]

"dark rituals," he muses, his gaze drifting back to the strange markings on the trees. "i've heard those whispers too." he crouches down, his fingers trailing over the intricate grooves in the bark. "but it seems there might be more to it than just gossip and speculation."[break][break]

he rocks back on his heels, his mind racing with possibilities. a dark ritual, potentially connected to pokémon—an intriguing mystery. likely a dangerous one, as well.[break][break]

"the markings here seem old," he murmurs, more to himself than to morrighan. "ancient, even. whatever happened here, it's not recent."[break][break]

nick rises to his feet again, his jaw set with determination. "i think i'm going to take a closer look," he says, glancing back to the woman nearby. "you're free to join me, if you'd like."[break][break]

he does not often enjoy dragging uninitiated people into dangerous territory, but...[break][break]

nick always has been squeamish about these things. he can't help but hang on the silence and hope that morrighan will agree.

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it's not often that nick finds himself in the company of someone who so clearly understands the complexities of the situation at hand. he can't help but feel a small flicker of camaraderie as roze suggests her alternative solution, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.[break][break]

"huh," he remarks quietly, his brows rising in surprise. "that's... an interesting idea, actually. i can't say i've ever attempted to coax a honchkrow into relocating before, but..."[break][break]

there's a first time for everything.[break][break]

his eyes drift back to the murder as he considers her words more thoroughly. it's true that attempting to force the pokemon to move could result in a hostile confrontation, one that nick has no desire to initiate. if they could somehow persuade the mother honchkrow to choose to abandon her nest, they might be able to avoid any unnecessary conflict.[break][break]

"perhaps," he mused aloud, running a finger along his chin. "perhaps if we were to provide her with an alternative location... somewhere safe and secluded, with ample resources for her chicks, but still close to the city so they can continue to engage in their natural behaviors..."[break][break]

he trails off, glancing around the surrounding landscape. in the distance, he can just make out the shadowy outlines of a small stand of trees, a bit further from the power lines but still within the general vicinity.[break][break]

"over there," he says, nodding towards the spot. "it might be an acceptable compromise. the trees would provide plenty of shelter and materials for a new nest, and the additional distance from the power lines would reduce the likelihood of any further issues."

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nick can't help but laugh as josh swoops in to save the meditite, the sound light and carefree amidst the chaos. it's a stark contrast to his usual reserved demeanor, a glimpse of the person he could be if not weighed down by the past.[break][break]

"nice save," he calls out, grinning as josh captures the stufful. "you always seem to be in the right place at the right time."[break][break]

he sobers a bit as they land, his expression thoughtful. "i guess that's the mark of a good ranger," he says quietly, his voice tinged with a hint of admiration. "being able to step in when things get tough."[break][break]

it's a skill he knows well, one he's honed through years of experience. but it's also a heavy burden, a constant reminder of the responsibility he bears, the lives he's entrusted to protect.[break][break]

he glances at josh, a flicker of melancholy in his eyes. "it's not easy, though," he murmurs, his voice low. "always being on call, always having to be ready to jump into action. it must wear on you, after a while."[break][break]

he knows the toll it takes, the constant state of alertness, the never-ending fear of failure. it's a path he walks every day, and it's a heavy one.

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the conflagration devours all that stands in its path, even the air. the feral cry of the hisuian typhlosion as he vomits scalding death into the surrounding areas creates a miasma that suffocates any creature caught within range.[break][break]

mariana does not have a chance to dodge. she does not even have a chance to feel, truly feel, the all-encompassing suffering of her tormented body before she is swallowed whole by it. another life thrown away by the game of humans and their artifice, she does not breathe an opinion either.[break][break]

inherently, nick regrets ever following his passions. when all is said and done, passion is passion. perhaps he was mistaken for the last forty-one years. perhaps he was always more than slightly in the wrong in every decision that he's ever made. he's not sure any longer.[break][break]

but he is not blind. this is an intolerable wrong on every level.[break][break]

he immediately turns to nikola, words taut over lips that tremble with grief and rage. "have you no regard for this forest and all that call it home? you're setting the forest on fire just to defeat me? that is what you call your power, all this destruction?"[break][break]

in the end, all he can do is retreat. the battle is not winnable now as it stands, and it has moved far beyond what he is willing to inflict.[break][break]

he makes for his last pokeball, and tugs it from its belt. when claire is released, she surveys the inferno they find themselves in with critical eyes. she knows her place. she takes a step toward nikola, wings stretched, body tall. she seems to recognize that a battle has taken place here, but not that her trainer has already decided to escape it.[break][break]

"i hope you think of what you've done here and hate yourself for it."[break][break]

it is the harshest thing he has said in years—and he means it.[break][break]

without wasting time, nick lifts himself onto claire's broad back, and they both dive towards the sky on broad wings. behind him, the flames roar with life, searing flesh, degrading bark into kindling.[break][break]

the leaves will fall, and the moss will be consumed, but he is taking leave now. he cannot afford to watch the suffering of the forest. he loses the battle—so be it. at least he will not reward callous destruction with a reaction.[break][break]

goodbye, NIKOLA SAMSA.

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the light screen proves to be a barrier that allows the reuniclus to remain alive, a mercy in the grand scheme of cruelty.[break][break]

nick's willingness to see the fight to the end waned from the very moment he sent out his first pokemon. he is a gentle man at heart. had nikola not demanded blood, nick would have never sharpened his teeth, and he would have never lapped at the teat of cruelty that he believes defines the majority of all battles.[break][break]

alas, they have their orders, and nick has his. though nick is prepared to let sleeping dogs lie, should the reuniclus go down, he will not bow from the battle so close to its termination.[break][break]

and so the light screen must fall. though mariana suffers the blow from the hammer arm, and bruises welt across her body, she does not fall. a powerful press of her wings against air rights herself, and lends her ear back to nick. "defog," is his next order, and it is performed shortly thereafter. with a few powerful beats of her wings, the shimmering scintillation of light that allowed the reuniclus to remain on the battlefield dissipates in a scattering of mist, not too unlike the scintillation of light on rain.[break][break]

now, the killing blow. "dark pulse."[break][break]

malevolence glints like a pointed dagger in mariana's eyes once more. that malevolence coalesces, forming a living, breathing extension of malice that lunges for reuniclus, seeking pain as much as it seeks clarity.

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nick listens intently as josh recounts his story, a glimmer of interest in his eyes. it's a far cry from his own journey, but he can appreciate the dedication, the drive to make a difference.[break][break]

"that's... impressive," he says, and he means it. "you've accomplished a lot in a short amount of time."[break][break]

he pauses for a moment, considering his next words carefully. "i can understand the desire to help people," he says quietly, his gaze distant. "to make a difference in their lives. it's... it's why i became a ranger."[break][break]

there's a heaviness to his voice, a hint of something deeper, something unspoken. but he doesn't elaborate, doesn't reveal the true weight of his past.[break][break]

instead, he focuses on the present, on the conversation at hand. "do you ever find it challenging, balancing both roles?" he asks, curious. "being a gym leader and a ranger, i mean. they seem like they'd require a lot of time and energy."

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her vitality already cleaved in two by the super fang, there is no hope for niamh when the opposing hyper voice rings out. knocked out by the sheer sonic force pressed against her, the toucannon begins to fall alongside the furret, twin flames burning in the atmosphere, spiraling in helical arc as they dive towards the ground. nick, a kind man at heart, a doctor in life long before this, cannot bear the sound of crunching bones, of broken dreams. in a flash of light, the toucannon is recalled.[break][break]

it leaves him with only three pokeballs left on his belt. a ghost of a memory draws his calloused fingertips along the cool metal of solomon's ball, of leonius'. poor souls lost to useless bloodshed. he does not know why he remains, if only out of the last vestiges of his pride.[break][break]

the next option comes to his hand moments later. his eyes flicker shut in the silent sending of a hurried prayer, and then a mandibuzz appears before him, her feathers ruffled, her eyes narrow, her beak twisted into a scowl.[break][break]

the reuniclus. it is prey. it is ripe for the scavenging. disparate glee is quick to rise to the bird's countenance, a stark contrast to nick's otherwise regrettable attitude. there is a sigh upon his lips with the next declaration.[break][break]

"dark pulse."[break][break]

gladly, mariana seems to say, as she lifts from the ground with a powerful flap of her wings. into the air she goes, displacing wind with every flap, until she holds herself aloft, haloed against the bright blue of the afternoon sky. darkness, like a malevolent energy, radiates off of her in waves, then coalesces into a pure wall of force, headed directly for the reuniclus.

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the hand releases him, and for a moment, nick is weightless, suspended between the sky and the earth, between life and death. he has been here before, in this place of endless possibilities, where every path is open to him and every choice is his to make.[break][break]

and then he is falling, the wind tearing at his clothes and his hair, the ground rushing up to meet him with alarming speed. he knows that he will not survive the impact, knows that his body will be broken on the rocks below, but he cannot bring himself to care. he has made his choice, and he will see it through to the end, even if that end is his own death.[break][break]

but solomon will not let him fall. the braviary swoops down, talons outstretched, and snatches him from the air with a triumphant cry. nick's breath is knocked from him as they collide, and he feels his ribs creak ominously, but he is alive, and that is all that matters.[break][break]

"solomon," he gasps, his voice little more than a whisper. "thank you."[break][break]

the braviary does not reply, but nick can feel the bird's determination, its fierce loyalty even despite its grave injuries, and he knows that he is not alone. they are in this together, until the end.[break][break]

and so they fly, the wind whipping at their faces and the ground blurring beneath them, until route 102 is little more than a speck on the horizon. they are battered and bruised, but they are alive, and they are free, and that is enough.

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nick watches as josh swoops in to save the mantyke, a smile tugging at his lips. the gym leader may be young, but his heart is in the right place, his actions guided by a strong sense of justice. nick can respect that, even admire it.[break][break]

"well caught," he calls out as josh captures the heracross, his voice warm with approval. "quick thinking, too." he chuckles softly. "though i suppose quick thinking is a requirement for a gym leader."[break][break]

he pauses for a moment, considering josh's earlier words. "i... try my best," he says quietly, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. "i'm not perfect, but i do what i can to help."[break][break]

he falls silent, his gaze drifting to the horizon once more. the sun is starting to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. it's a beautiful sight, one that fills nick with a sense of peace, of belonging.[break][break]

it feels odd to be complimented as he is. nick cannot remember the last time he ever took such words to heart. the truth is that nick does not see himself in the same way everybody else seems to see him. the amnesty program gave him a brand new start, and for that, he will always owe his life to hoenn's rangers, but...[break][break]

sometimes even his life doesn't feel like enough.[break][break]

nick glances back at josh. "what drew you to the rangers? or... any of what you do in general?"

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nick watches with bated breath as niamh's beak blast finds its mark, singeing the furret's fur and sending it tumbling to the ground. despite the hit, however, the furret is quick to recover, its eyes locking onto niamh with a determined glint. nick feels a prickle of unease as he sees the furret's unwavering focus, a sense of foreboding worming its way into his gut.[break][break]

"watch out, niamh!" he calls, but it's too late - the furret is already moving, scaling a nearby tree with shocking speed before launching itself at the toucannon like a furry missile. niamh tries to dodge, but the furret's aim is true, and its sharp teeth sink into the toucannon's flesh, carving away a significant chunk of its health in one bite.[break][break]

niamh screeches in pain, flapping its wings frantically to stay airborne despite the furret's weight. "hyper voice!" nick shouts, seizing the opportunity while the furret is still latched onto his pokemon.[break][break]

niamh opens its beak wide, and a powerful sound wave explodes forth, aimed directly for the furret.

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