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nick's expression darkens at josh's question, a flicker of shame sparking in his eyes. "i... considered it, once," he admits, his voice low. "but i never went through with it."[break][break]

he doesn't elaborate, doesn't explain the real reason behind his skill, the dark history that shaped him into the trainer he is today. that part of his life is over, buried deep in the past. he has no desire to revisit it, to drag those painful memories back into the light.[break][break]

instead, he focuses on the present, on the pokemon at his side and the mission ahead, as he collects the pokeball now filled with a kilowattrel. "i prefer to use my abilities for good," he says quietly, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "to protect those who can't protect themselves. that's what being a ranger is all about."[break][break]

he glances at josh, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "what about you?" he asks. "you're a gym leader. what made you decide to take on that role?"

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the air is forced from nick's lungs as he watches the garchomp, eyes closing, still slam into leonius with the force of a freight train. the impact sends his altaria skidding back across the wet ground, feathers flying in the aftermath. nick's heart thuds painfully in his chest, his arm already outstretched to recall leonius before he consciously registers the thought.[break][break]

"well fought, friend," he murmurs as the light envelops leonius, drawing the battered altaria back into the safety of its pokeball. nick lowers his arm, his mind racing to keep up with the fight. he meets nikola's eyes, a flicker of surprise crossing his face at the compliment. "you're not bad yourself," he concedes, his voice rough with exhaustion and something like respect.[break][break]

the pink furret appears, looking deceptively harmless, but nick knows better than to underestimate an opponent based on appearances alone. with a deep breath, he tosses another pokeball, releasing niamh into the fray. the toucannon spreads its wings, glaring at the furret with a fierce, burning intensity.[break][break]

"up high, niamh," nick calls, watching as the toucannon obeys, flapping its wings to gain altitude. "feather dance, then beak blast!" the large bird begins to shed some of its vibrant plumage, creating a shower of colorful feathers that dance and swirl through the air, then its beak begins to glow with a grand, air-warping heat. a slow attack, it will take some time to dive bomb down towards the furret.

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"you'll forgive me if i don't take your compliments to heart," nick rasps, his vision starting to blur at the edges as the darkness tightens its grip on him. he has been brave before, and he has been an imbecile, and sometimes it's hard to tell the difference. but he knows one thing for certain: he will not be swayed by pretty words and empty promises. he has heard them all before, and he knows the rot that lies beneath.[break][break]

he meets BARNABY FINCH's cold blue eyes with a steely gaze of his own, his eyes glinting with determination even as his body betrays him, trembling in the admin's grasp. "my heart is my own," he says, his voice little more than a whisper. "and it will never belong to rocket again."[break][break]

the attack strikes his braviary, and he feels it as keenly as if it had struck him, a bolt of pain lancing through his already battered body. solomon begins to fall, spiraling in a helix shape towards the ground.[break][break]

"my loyalty is to hoenn," he says, his voice growing weaker with every word. "not to the league. not to rocket. to the people, and the pokemon, who call it home."

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nick nods, his expression somber. "i understand," he says quietly, his thoughts turning to his own losses, the weight of his own mistakes. "sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we can't protect them. all we can do is honor their memory, and keep fighting for those still with us."[break][break]

he falls silent for a moment, lost in thought. but then, a flicker of movement catches his eye, a flash of yellow amidst the blue. he turns his head, spotting a kilowattrel darting through the sky, its wings crackling with electricity.[break][break]

"leonius," he murmurs, patting the altaria's neck. "one more time, please."

the pokemon nods, taking a deep breath before letting out another melodic cry. the notes ring out, ensnaring the kilowattrel in their hypnotic embrace. the electric bird's movements slow, its wings drooping as it starts to fall towards the sea below.[break][break]

nick doesn't hesitate. with a flick of his wrist, he hurls another pokeball, the capsule arcing through the air to strike the kilowattrel squarely. the pokemon vanishes in a flash of light, the ball dropping towards the waves.[break][break]

"two for two," nick murmurs, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "not bad."

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something within nick withers and dies as he sees the strange device in nikola's hand. he watches helplessly as the light engulfs the garchomp, altering its form into something new, something sinister. he's seen so many horrors in his life, and yet none of them compare to this - the callous disregard for the sanctity of life, the willingness to warp and twist it for personal gain.[break][break]

as the newly-transformed garchomp charges towards leonius, nick knows that the battle has shifted. he cannot rely on type advantages anymore, not when his opponent is willing to change the rules on a whim.[break][break]

he grits his teeth. "sing," he calls out hoarsely.[break][break]

leonius nods, spreading its wings wide and tilting its head back. it opens its beak, and a gentle, soothing melody begins to fill the air. the song weaves through the battlefield like a lullaby, reaching out to the transformed garchomp as it races towards the altaria with fiery speed. nick hopes that the soft notes will be enough to calm the raging beast before it collides with leonius. he hopes that he can end this fight without any more harm coming to pass.[break][break]

he hopes, but he does not believe.

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a rush of pride surges through nick as he plucks the pokeball from the air, the telltale rattle of a successful capture thrumming against his palm. he can't help but grin, a rare moment of unguarded joy.[break][break]

"he was," he confirms, stroking leonius' neck as the altaria preens. "retired before i got him. but he still has a good voice."[break][break]

nick sobers a bit at josh's next words, his smile fading. "i'm sorry to hear that," he says quietly, tucking the pokeball into his bag. "losing a pokemon... it's never easy."[break][break]

he knows that pain all too well, has felt it too many times to count. each loss is like a knife to the heart, a reminder of his own failures, his own weaknesses. but he also knows the value of carrying on, of honoring the memory of those lost by continuing to fight, to protect.[break][break]

"what was their name?" he asks, his voice soft. "if you don't mind me asking."

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the familiar voice cuts through the oppressive atmosphere, and nick's head snaps up, his hand instinctively reaching for the pokéball at his belt. but as his eyes land on the speaker, his tension eases slightly, though the surprise remains etched on his features.[break][break]

"morrighan," he greets, his voice tinged with a hint of wariness. "i didn't expect to see you here." his gaze flicks to the chatot perched on her shoulder, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he recalls their previous encounter.[break][break]

the fact that she's here, in this particular patch of forest, sets his mind whirring with possibilities. it could be mere coincidence, but something tells him that there's more to her presence than meets the eye. after all, this is the same woman he had helped liberate from certain doom just a week prior.[break][break]

"i don't suppose you're here to admire the scenery," he ventures, his tone light despite the gravity of the situation. "or perhaps you've heard the rumors too?"

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the gusts of wind swirl around the scizor, and despite his increasingly heavy heart, nick feels a miniscule twinge of relief as he manages to keep his closest friend in the fight just a little longer. he watches with anticipation as the whirlwind sends the bug-type back, and nick's gloved fingers dance across the smooth surface of his bag, feeling for the familiar texture of solomon's pokeball beneath the battered fabric.[break][break]

but when nikola's next pokemon emerges from its ball, nick knows he has little time left to celebrate. the massive garchomp appears on the field with a menace and an air of power that cannot be denied or ignored. with a sinking heart, nick realizes the grim reality. that his old life - the pain and suffering and the needless thirst for conflict - has followed him into his new one, relentless in its pursuit.[break][break]

he's so tired of it all.[break][break]

as the garchomp charges forward, nick doesn't even bother to give solomon an order. there's no point now - not when the damage has been done and his braviary has taken the brunt of the attack. nikola speaks, their words a veiled threat, but nick doesn't need the rocket to tell him what he already knows.[break][break]

"i never wanted this either," nick says, recalling solomon in a flash of light. "but you have provoked me, and you have shed blood despite claiming not to want to. there is no choice." not when he's already brought his dearest friend into harm's way. that mistake - he can't make it again.[break][break]

"leonius," he calls softly, tossing out the pokeball containing his altaria. "perish song."[break][break]

leonius gazes at nick, then at the garchomp, then back at nick again, something mournful in its eyes. it begins to sing, a haunting melody that echoes in the air, foretelling doom.

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102 is a strange place, these days. no longer the bustling path it once was, but a warzone, scorched earth underfoot. there's a silence in the air, anticipation simmering in the bones of the earth, sun casting a blood-red glow over the upturned soil. or perhaps that's just the remains of a once grand tree, collapsed in on itself, scattered across the dirt. sometimes, it's hard to tell.[break][break]

it's even harder when he can hear the distant rumble of explosions, echoing in his bones. rocket, likely, tearing down the heart of petalburg once again. he can't help but feel a sick sort of anger curl in his gut at the idea that they're the reason he has no home, the reason he can't find respite. not that he deserves it.[break][break]

nick breathes in shakily, and steps forward regardless, boots hitting the dry earth with a surprising lack of sound. he can still feel the way his heart throbs in his chest, feel the thin sheen of sweat beginning to prickle at the back of his neck despite the chilling air. he can feel his body's innate desire to flee, to take off, to run and never look back.[break][break]

he ignores it. after all, that's what he's here for. that's what he always does. pushing forward, helping where he can, even if nobody really wants him around. the rangers certainly don't, in this war. he's only here because he was once one of team rocket, because he knows their movement patterns, knows how to spot a disturbance in the dirt. he isn't trusted, just useful, and that's the most he can ask for. at least, that's his view of it.[break][break]

so, he does as he's told, setting up for observation on the edge of route 102, and settles into his work, gaze flickering across every curve and divot and disturbance. though his thoughts and feelings may be tumultuous and terrible, roiling like a stormy sea, his surface remains placid, still, unyielding. in the end, he is still a ranger. he will do his duty, and he will do it well.[break][break]

and, eventually, someone else arrives. a rookie, he assumes, from the way they carry themselves. nick doesn't blame them, doesn't even turn to look at them. instead, he simply nods, acknowledging their presence with a quick duck of his chin. he doesn't know what to say, isn't even sure if he's capable of words right now.[break][break]

"nicholas steele," he says finally, voice quiet and even despite the choking humidity, aching breeze, the terrible breeze of smoke rising from petalburg. he speaks as though they are not sitting on the edge of the abyss. "...are you the one they assigned here too?"

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nick nods, appreciating josh's words of caution. he's well aware of the power of a corviknight, has seen firsthand the damage they can inflict. but he also knows the value of such a pokemon, the strength and loyalty they can bring to a team.[break][break]

he guides leonius closer, the altaria's wings beating furiously to keep pace with the larger pokemon. "alright, leonius," he murmurs, patting the creature's neck. "sing, please."[break][break]

leonius nods, a determined glint in his eye. he takes a deep breath, then lets out a haunting, melodic cry, the notes ringing out across the sky. the corviknight turns its head, its eyes widening in surprise. it tries to pull away, but the song is too powerful, too enticing. slowly, its movements begin to falter, its wings drooping as it starts to fall into a deep slumber.[break][break]

nick sees his chance. with a twist of his arm, he hurls a pokeball with all his might. it arcs through the air, striking the corviknight squarely in the center of its chest. the pokemon vanishes in a flash of light, the ball dropping towards the sea below.[break][break]

nicks holds his breath, his heart pounding in his ears. that should have done it.

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"this way!" nick yells, leading the way through the underbrush. his heart is pounding, his body humming with adrenaline as branches whip past his face. the cliff draws closer and closer, their options narrowing with every step.[break][break]

"i've never outrun one before, no," he admits, his voice tight. "but there's a first time for everything, right?" he offers her a tense grin, his eyes never leaving the path ahead.[break][break]

as the sound of the minior's approach grows louder, nick makes a split-second decision. "solomon, fall back!" he commands, his voice ringing out through the trees. the braviary swoops down from the sky, talons extended as nick gestures for easter to climb onto the pokémon's back.[break][break]

"get on," he urges, chancing a cursory glance for the minior behind them. "and hold on tight!"

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nick's eyes widen slightly at minjun's suggestion, a flicker of hope igniting in his heart like a tiny ember. "that could work," he says, his mind racing with possibilities.[break][break]

he scans the scene before him, his gaze landing on the fruit tree at the center of the conflict. the branches are laden with ripe berries, their sweet scent wafting through the air like a siren's song. an idea begins to take shape in his mind, a plan that could turn the tide in their favor.[break][break]

"have your corvisquire grab a berry from the tree," he says, his voice low and urgent, "if we can get them to focus on a common enemy, even for a moment, it might be enough to break the standoff."[break][break]

it's a gamble, he knows, but one that could pay off if they play their cards right. the pokemon are too caught up in their own aggression to listen to reason, but an outside threat could be just the thing to snap them out of it.[break][break]

"i'll be ready to step in and mediate once they're distracted," he adds, his hand resting on the pokeball at his hip, "we'll have to act fast, but if we can get them to see that there's a better way, we might be able to resolve this without anyone getting hurt."[break][break]

his heart pounds in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins like electricity. it's a familiar feeling, one that he's felt many times before in the face of danger. but this time, he has a partner, someone to watch his back and lend their strength to his own.[break][break]

"ready when you are," he says with a nod, his eyes locked on minjun's.

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