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Behind the shimmer of Protect, Kaida gaped as Alexander and his Salamance fell victim to the monster, cringing away as she returned Kjoll and ordered Muspel away. After Orion, away from here. [break][break]

He could have been torn to pieces, drained. Or fell into the ocean, and would drown in the churning waves. She should check. No, she should not. They'd die, and innocents needed their assistance. The battle had to be won. [break][break]

Muspel dropped the three on her back onto the speedboat, Bragi and Silk immediately making room for the humans. Silk resettled his Coil, sighing in satisfaction as his body felt more right once more. Bragi clung to the sides, alongside Kaida, how strange, to feel more safe on the Charizard than a boat such as this. Muspel followed swiftly, alongside the dark dragon. [break][break]

The plan should have been easy. Breach the seaside town, then free any hostages...kill the leader. Easy. It would have been, had Orion not been stricken down by a certain strange Pokemon. [break][break]

Her Pokemon and her dance on the edge of the struggle, unsure how to help without breaking Orion's wishes. She didn't want to hurt it. She'd seen how helpful any Pokemon could be, and could only wonder if being free from the helmet made it confused, hysterical, perhaps it didn't recognize him. Suddenly, Bragi ran forward, moving to wrap her arms around the chimera's midsection. Nuzzle sent electricity through the unorthodox hug, the Toxicitry chirping sympathetically. It was ok! Its fine! Just calm down! [break][break]

Suddenly aware how exposed they were on the beach, Kaida turned to Muspel, "Keep us safe, we'll take care of...ah...this!" Her order was followed, though with some hesitation, the Charizard taking up an aggressive stance as she launched Air Slashes at any enemy that mistook their stop on the beach as weakness. [break][break]

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Kaida wondered what type of nightmare didn't let you get hurt, her brief fear forcing her to draw Ormr close, shielding her partner as he hissed unwillingly...but they weren't hurt. They weren't being hurt. She fixed her eyes on the stone titan, what could it possibly be protecting? [break][break]

And just as quickly, Ormr ripped from her body as she tumbled straight into a true nightmare...it was like the battle of Lilycove, but it was her home. She couldn't even hear the ocean, despite being on the docks, over the screaming and bloodshed. She watched with true revulsion as a civilian went down silent, struck in the back. [break][break]

Get out. [break][break]

It was like the aliens, but more pointless. A Rocket invasion, some logical voice spoke of history she knew, but fury only bubbled in her throat. "Stop it!" She yelled, knowing her voice meant nothing. At least, she thought. This was a particularly cruel nightmare. One of the attackers jerked towards her, and she suddenly realized he heard her, was seeing her, and one hand was raising to call his Pokemon, call his allies. [break][break]

She didn't think it was an easy decision to ever make, but the smell of blood, of saltwater...it made it easier. This was just like Lilycove, and she didn't much care to have mercy in a pointless conflict. At least she didn't shoot them in the back. She didn't know who else was watching, if anybody else saw, but she hated this grunt in front of her...killer, not a hunter, and she despised them for it. A flash of light unleashed Svart, the Durant concluding in a moment that Kaida was in danger, she smelled like she was angry and scared, and the metallic ant moved. [break][break]

Kaida's hands shook, having never personally hunted a human like this, but she couldn't let Svart get herself dirty by herself. She grasps at the man's hand, keeps him still, and Svart's jaws close around his chest in a fascinatingly quiet Crunch...and just as abruptly, they fall through the man, phantoms once more. He doesn't move through, bent like in a vice and Kaida watches the conflict as just another bystander again, hands futilely grabbing at others. She had to stop it, didn't matter if she had to get her hands dirtier. Svart clicks with worry, scrambling to and from as she kept up with Kaida, protecting the leader all on her mind. Kaida barely registered. They had to get out, she couldn't let them hurt her home.

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Everything in her told her to reject those words, to find something to do regardless...but watching Munin, delicately taking the flower crown and putting it on, Kaida struggled to relax herself. "I'd like some water." She admitted, an easy drink and she didn't want to impose too much. [break][break]

"Will this type of thing happen everytime?" She intended to drop the subject, to even just pretend to relax, but she wanted the question answered. Just to know what she should prepare for after every incident of this kind.

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Kaida felt she had no choice as the monstrosity followed them even now, as much as she didn't want to leave the air and relative safety of the group, she didn't anticipate that Muspel would continue being lucky. Besides, some hopeful part in her mind hoped that this chase, the injuries that were building up, were doing something tangible. [break][break]

"Down!" She bellowed at the same moment Bragi unleashed an Overdrive, aimed at the monstrosity's head. Their quick drop, plus the attack, hoped to throw off aim long enough for Kaida to reach the sands, close enough for her to scramble for a Pokeball and fling it down. Kjoll erupted in a flash of light, the Onix only pausing long enough to make sure the team was in range before Protect pulsed around them. [break][break]

In tentative protection, though Kaida fumed at the fact they were wasting precious time, she hissed out an animalistic snarl and pointed at the monster. Not daring to get any closer, Muspel flapped her wings, aiming to batter the beast with a barrage of Air Slashes as Silk spat another collapse of sandy Rock Slide at the bloodsucking thing. Predators should only chase prey they thought they could catch, she'd show it they were not easy prey. [break][break]

Whether the rest of the team followed her or not didn't matter to her. She didn't fail, and it was their decision to help or continue the mission. [break][break]

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Kaida felt like her flesh was a phantom, stepping onto solid ground, she flinched at the eerily real voice in her ear...but this was a nightmare, was it not? Because if not, what was happening here? [break][break]

Firstly, Regirock was not that big. She knew! Kjoll had seen it! It hadn't killed a little one during her Pokemon's own exploration here either. A nightmare didn't feel real though, not like this. She pawed at her Pokebslls, coming up with one she unleashed instantly. Ormr shrunk in fear, likely coming to the same conclusion she had. A nightmare! [break][break]

Hurriedly scooping Ormr up, she let the Ekans wrap around her arm and pointed outwards. "Spit, Ormr." She whispered, helping the serpent aim his Acid Spray. A nightmare this may be, but she hated dying in a dream.

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Kaida watched fondly as the two Castform moved to greet each other, hand moving to her chest as she returned the greeting, "And I'm Kaida Adachi...this shouldn't be a difficult walk, I'll make sure of it." It was a mostly straight shot, her only worry would be if they took until nighttime and got lost, but even then she had brought Kjoll. If they really needed it, she'd just use the Onix as a high vantage point. [break][break]

As her partner set off, she tapped Lae and bade the Rhyhorn forward, offering helpfully, "If you get tired, tell me,, Lae can carry you then." Better to offer help than have their journey slow due to exhaustion, she thought.

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Kaida only just barely noticed movement, eyes widening as she realized it didn't match the patrolling Pokemon patterns. Could there still be live and clear-minded Pokemon on this island? [break][break]

Her prorities changed instant, a quick waved signal to her Pokemon calling them back to her side. For she was a Ranger, and the life of those Pokemon would always be more important to her. The less forces for the alien's army, the better. [break][break]

Still, she was not reckless, she could never rush into danger this huge, not with the rest of her team present anyhow. She crept down the incline of her hiding place, deeply aware of her Toxicroak breaking away and taking position once more in the trees, air support, if you will. She moved towards where she had last seen movement, hoping to meet her mysterious charge before the patrol swung back this way.

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Kaida anticipated an easy enough reason, therefore she took this as an opportunity to use one of her newer family members. "Easy Lae, go ahead." Riding a Rhyhorn was an odd experience, but Kaida couldn't deny that the Rhyhorn moved both fast and constantly. They probably wouldn't even need to rest with Lae here! Just had to be careful not to touch her old injuries. [break][break]

On her shoulders, Ormr watched their backs and their newest charge, another Castform, cheerfully floating along...truly, she hoped tge little Pojemon enjoyed the job they were taking it for. [break][break]

She arrived with little fanfare, eyes locking on the other Castform before giving a polite nod, "My partner for this job is you,, correct?" She tried to raise her lips in a smile,, barely managing it before dropping back into her neutral expression, "Are you ready?"

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Many, many eyes stared back at Garmr. A gang of Purrserker, all plump and plum. [break][break]

"It's easy, dealing with Pokemon." Kaida explained, "This is a human city, and someone like me serves to enforce that..."you can eat fish, but you can't do it here"...something like that?" It wasn't a long process, nor one she very much liked, but if it was the only option she currently had, then she'd make sure that the Pokemon understood that the humans of the city didn't appreciate something taking away their fish. [break][break]

Garmr's mouth lit up with flame, Fire Fang drawing a shriek from the gathered warriors, their steel weapons effective against the fairy, but the flame certain to harm them. Hesitant, they waited for the hound to make the first move...Kaida made the decision for them, her Ekans rising from her shoulders and unleashing Glare, freezing them in place as Garmr advanced. "Garmr. Make certain they leave. Chase them to water, anywhere but here...understand?" [break][break]

Release. [break][break]

Garmr wasn't one to fail, Kaida knew. Even a fairy, the hound wouldn't let these felines lay a paw on them and darted forward, making them flee away towards the city limits. Purrserker didn't belong in a steel jungle anyway. "Tch. I'd have a gentler method, but you can't say it isn't effective."

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Kaida looked back just in time to see the unfortunate Salamance take a fist to the face, gaping in horror as the red monster descended and drained the dragon dry in an instant. Kaida leaned forward, grasping Bragi, Silk, and Muspel close. "Go. Hurry." She croaked, shaking as she broke away from the sight, "We'll get revenge later...promise." Clearly, they didn't have the firepower to properly beat this monstrosity, and as terrible as it was that Salamance died, survival came first...it always did, when they couldn't beat an enemy. [break][break]

She fell back to the group, Muspel circling around as Kaida pointed to the seaside town, mouthing the words "Go!", neither daring to talk nor thinking it was possible for the whole group to understand a sign. Immediately afterwards, Muspel unleashed Fire Spin, the spat fire twirling as it reached the monstrosity. There was no point to harming it, but she hoped the wall of flame would stall the monster, obscure the team even a little. Another quick circle, and Silk extended his body from Kaida, breathing out a twisting Sandstorm, it might harm the group a little, but anything was better than the monster chasing them. So, with the monster separated from them by a wall of flame and sand, Kaida hung on tight as Muspel screamed towards the seaside town. In preparation for what was no doubt a battle, Bragi Charged once more. [break][break]

Silk extended his body onto Muspel and Kaida's back, hoping his Sand Veil covered their presence. There was one hope that Kaida had, though left unsaid. If the monster chased them, it would find them, and it would kill them. They had only a chance to gain time to win this battle, to destroy the leader, and that was if the monster pursued easier prey. If there was anything a snake could do, it could disappear, leaving the enemy to find something else to terrorize. Still, that didn't stop a black tar of anger and the same familiar shame of failing her duty to gather in her stomach. [break][break]

Everything was for the sake of protecting her home, and the life within. It wasn't her fault the others chose to fight this fight. She could only protect what was hers, nothing more and, as far as she knew, Pokemon were hers to protect, and those familiar faces...not them. The choking tar didn't go away. [break][break]

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