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Kaida didn't know how she came into contact with Kjoll, she didn't know how she encountered any of her starting family. Those memories were a void in the back of her mind, a gap that doused her in unease, pounded her heart when she tried to focus on it. She never was able to remember anything, so she stopped focusing on it. Too difficult. Nothing gained. [break][break]

Still, she always wondered about Kjoll. The great Onix lounged in the clearing, eyes lidded as he watched the skies. Such a giant, and so gentle. Kaida smiled as she stepped over and reclined against the rocky body. What kind of event brought them together? Perhaps one day she'd remember, and thank them properly.

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And they did attract attention, just not the type that Kaida was hoping for. The charmingly dull face of a Psyduck came into view, and Kaida continued on, offering the little creature a wave, if only to make it feel acknowledged by her enough to move on to better things. She didn't want it to get caught up in a fight. [break][break]

Thus the encounter was over in seconds, the intruders of the realm continuing on without a care.

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The branches couldn't retract fast enough, scarlet was running down her arm, the Stealth Rock that had been acting a convenient plug now free and letting the scarlet liquid pump down her arm. She was prepared, however, and hauled herself up the moment the way was clear, looking about and-thank goodness. Her Pokemon ran towards her, alive and well, and she tilted her head at the brief helpers (Cillian Quinn and Emma Wolfe) lowering her head in a sort of thanks as she rushed to grab Freya's Pokeball. The Perish Song would hit soon, and the victims needed to be returned. As such, she tried to return the Salnazzle just as a deafening noise burst into her ears. [break][break]

So she was destined to be muted and deafened today, was that it? [break][break]

Nonetheless, the pack had one chance, and they could return no more Pokemon. They needed to move. Something flashed in movement, bursting through the floor (priam conrad ). Despite having a disadvantage to it, Hel pounced. Her Quick Attack launched her forward, up, and towards the Braviary's back in a blur of movement. There was another Pokemon there too, no matter. If it fell, Kaida could fit, right? Even if Kaida couldn't talk right this moment, her Pokemon needed no communication. A presence landed on her back, Hema, the trusted serpent wrapping herself so tight, Kaida could hold onto her even if she fell unconscious. A pink flash of the eyes, and Attract pulsed forward, towards the flying bird, if only to have him accept the extra weight. [break][break]

Both actions took only moment, a moment that dragged unbearably long as Kaida pitched forward...and jumped. If she was unable to return her Salnazzle, the Pokemon jumped alongside her too. Either way, Kaida attempted to reach for the bird, if not its back, then to cling to its feathers. She couldn't have gotten this far in life, just to die so suddenly. [break][break]

HqCWn0s|


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Nid was enjoying herself, that much was obvious even without Kaida's eyes. The Dragonair twirled in the air, flying off ahead of Kaida and Ormr. This time, Ormr insisted on slithering on the ground, as the thick plant life could be hiding whatever in its debths. In the distance, Kaida could hear running water, there was alot of Pokemon that could live in this environment. [break][break]

With three pairs of eyes, all three creating some kind of racket as they proceeded forward, Kaida didn't doubt that something was coming to investigate them soon enough.

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Kaida narrowed her eyes, peering down the hatch. Had the sludge hit enough enemies to make a difference? Had it hurt a human? She knew well enough that not many were like her, plenty had Pokemon that relied on their trainer's orders. If they were still fine, then she needed to finish the job, hunt them and make the pin. "Mmm? Hema?" Her attention caught on the Seviper as it moved to stick her head down the hatch, and hissed and drew back in a flash of pink. The serpent's eyes flashed, a damned fairy trick! At least psychics were handsomely intelligent, fairies were just a nuisance! [break][break]

Sticking her hand down, Kaida understood quickly, her Pokemon were trapped here for some time. A...song, if it could be called that, was also swirling in her ears, but faded quickly enough...it sounded bad, and her Pokemon's eyes turning glassy for a few seconds didn't help her confidence. Without thinking, she released another of her pack, Hel, the Grovyle, who looked about curiously and chirped good-naturedly. Where was the hunt? [break][break]

Maybe in the drizzle, in the calm, she forgot much could still happen. [break][break]

Kaida only had a brief moment to hear bark creaking before branches shot about, crashing and stabbing at their surroundings. She opened her mouth, not even sure how she could ensure their safety, and her Pokemon acted first. Whatever words were on her tongue cut off in a scream as Hema rammed into Kaida, flinging her into the hatch. Flailing frantically, Kaida caught herself on the hatch, clinging frantically as she felt her arm throb horribly. It was bleeding again, hit on the wall before she caught herself. [break][break]

Three faces looked down the hatch briefly, the scaly faces of Hema, Hel, and Freya seeming genuinely gleeful before they disappeared, pursued by branches. And the absolutely useless human could only cling in safety, so small and unable to help in any way. A frantic scream shook free from her, her own small frame seemingly impossibly loud as she yelled at the one thing she was here to try and protect, a being that was now going to kill the only connections she ever had. "Your enemies are down here! Down! Not them!" She shrieked and howled hopelessly, banging her feet into the walls as if it would do anything. Anything, if it meant their lives would be scared. Something cracked in her chest, and her voice died, unused to being raised in any manner. Still, desperately waiting for the branches to stop attacking, waiting for her Pokemon to show themselves miraculously, her thoughts kept racing, directed as if her thoughts meant anything to this thing. Down there, the ones killing you are down. What the hell was she doing? Talking to a tree, maybe she was just simple. [break][break]

Up above, her Pokemon were now pressed for survival. Freya breathed out a great Flamethrower, a wide, sweeping wall of fire she hoped would dissuade the branches until they retreated to safety. What safety? Why, those two with those protecting Pokemon! (Cillian Quinn and Emma Wolfe ) All three Pokemon retreated away from the tree and towards the protection as the Flamethrower raged. At the back, Hema unleashed Night Slash at any branch that came near, hoping to keep the trio from being stabbed in the back. Hel simply ran and, once reaching the two humans, a membranous barrier extended from her being. Quick Guard. Perhaps not as useful as Protect, but anything to bolster defenses was probably good, she thought. [break][break]

Hema and Freya tried to fling themselves near the humans too, trying to take advantage of the defenses, chirping and rumbling in what seemed like...greeting? For stranger's, they seemed awfully friendly. It was just like Kaida, whoever they were working with were currently partners, was all.

XgAd0Qvo [break][break]

(Salac berry roll!)


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Safe. They were safe. They were actually safe. Safe. [break][break]

Kaida covered her ears as the floor collapsed, face twisted against the awful sound that pounded at her skull. Amazingly quickly, it was over, and it was as if she only then remembered illeana reyes's presence, looking upon her with much curiosity and confusion. "Saving a Rhyhorn, now here to save a tree...you really should bring a bodyguard for dangerous things. Better clothes too. It's easier then." Her mind was wandering too much, focusing on the wrong things as she grimaced at the smell of blood pressing from nearly everyone in the stairway. The air smelled awful too, with the terribly pounding heartbeat, the bloody scent, and this smell, she really thought she was going to pu- [break][break]

The smell? [break][break]

Illeana's protection was well received, her eyes widening at her cry of something in the air. Kaida and her Pokemon pressed close, taking as much of the protection as they could as the duo inched forward. [break][break]

Unlike Illeana, she didn't focus on the plights of others, immediately focus on the floor, and how to immediately get off it. With her mind already focused on the task, she spotted the man who was causing a commotion earlier (Kazimir Wynter)...descending? "There!" She cried out, pointing as soon as Illeana wasn't preoccupied and trying to guide their protected team towards where she saw the man descend. [break][break]

Still, even when they got near the hatch, Kaida made no attempt to guide her team down it. There could be whatever number of enemies down there, and no allies. It only stood to reason, that they took initiative. "Freya. Poison down there." She could apologize to any allies later. [break][break]

The Salnazzle was a fearful Pokemon, and obeyed such an order quickly, aiming herself at the hatch and letting poison build under her skin. Sludge Wave exploded forward, and down the hatch, a veritable tidal wave of poison Kaida hoped would result in anything that was a danger to her team not being so much of a danger anymore. [break][break]

hNufW1ri [break][break]

(Hazard)

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Reading blows was always something Kaida's Pokemon knew. If you were going to take a hit, but back. If you were going to lose, make sure the enemy was just as bad. [break][break]

Freya knew well too and, bracing for impact, spat a dose of poison downwards, purple smoke swirling around and towards the Raichu as it surged towards her. As a Poison-type herself, the poisonous liquid and smoke was fast-acting, she didn't doubt its effect. The only problem now was getting hit, and what a hit it was. [break][break]

A crackling boom rang out, crashing Freya across the floor as electricity leapt off her into the metallic bars walling them in. The fight was still on, the Salazzle pushing herself up with her eyes lighting up with a Nasty Plot. Just a hit, and Kaida would know she could fight, she really could help.

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The Books were open in Kaida's pack, they were always open, in all honesty. Climbing onto where the dark birds perched, Kaida was flanked by her own brand of Muscle, the reptillian females warding off any attempts to Whack her away. [break][break]

She didn't look for the well-groomed, the most fat of them. She looked for the Young Turks, the avians that wouldn't mind becoming Lammest for the chance to not have to Giveup anymore, to be a part of a family that didn't need one to worry about becoming a Goner. [break][break]

"It's a pack of mine." She indicated towards her own Pokemon, "We're not dogs or birds or bugs, but we can take anyone." Her teeth showed when she smiled, shiny and threatening as some approached, as she couldn't tell if it was interest or if she'd have to Put an X on them. "We're family, not a gang...what do you want?" [break][break]

fVfSPOqV

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Pain is dulled only for a moment by the dulled adrenaline. Whipping across the room, Kaida and her Pokemon hasn't even noticed the attacks trapping the floor, but they felt it as they approached the staircase. Warmth spread across Kaida's arm as a nauseous pain made itself known. A hissing cry came from Freya, clinging desperately. Stealth Rock had activated, and Kaida found herself with a shard plunged into her arm, which she decided to leave in a desperate attempt to retain blood. Freya found herself with a similar shard cutting deep into her back, only avoiding more injury by the speed that they had passed through, and that Sticky Web hadn't slowed them much. Hema wasn't as lucky, having to struggle through a web, Spikes peppered her underside, leaving a streak of red on the floor as she desperately continued after Kaida. It was only pain, they could handle pain! Vegetation grew under their feet and, while Kaida felt no change, blood loss did slow, and wounds did attempt to heal. [break][break]

Nonetheless, with her injuries and the attacks having been launched specifically to harm others, Kaida's face twisted into a snarl, baring her teeth. Someone was here to mess everything up, to ruin her mission. To harm this tree. She skidded to a stop before the people by the stairway, eyes flickering over each and everyone. Strangers. Strange Pokemon. Cillian Quinn marcel maeda and Emma Wolfe were in the way. The Shadow Sandslash growled at her and, in a moment of fury, an inhuman sound rumbled from her throat. "Don't threaten me!" She spit like venom, stomping forward and hiding her wound, "If you don't-" [break][break]

Her words died as a long groan shook the foundations, her eyes widening in a primal fear as her attention was suddenly on Hema and Freya. With the tree growing like that, it was only going to mean they'd fall, and then...-"Move. Get out of our way." Her voice was dull, but direct. An aloofness entered her gaze, the sheer amount of uncaring in her eyes being like she wasn't even looking upon her own kind, not even enemies. Her attention fixed directly beyond her blockers, standing still for only a moment before she pointed at the rubble blocking their escape point. She didn't stop even if anybody was in the way. Giving a few seconds, wasn't that enough to expect these strangers to get out of the way? "Freya!" [break][break]

It didn't matter if there was anybody in the way. This was an issue with her family, a partner. There was no way she was allowing them to be hurt for the sake of somebody else, especially harmful strangers. Freya reared up and spewed a great Flamethrower, her Nasty Plots beforehand lending additional heat to the attack. She had no way to clear the path otherwise. It might burn, it might be hot, but they were getting to safety. Like Kaida, she didn't pause to consider anything in the way, anything in the stairway. If it was survival, Kaida lead, and she wasn't wrong. [break][break]

However well the attack did, Kaida leapt forward, her Pokemon by her side. Hema's tail glowed a dark purple as she prepared Night Slash to clear anything else in the way. Kaida's path was clear, the moment the stairway had any space, she aimed to leap inside, saving herself and those following her. [break][break]

Md7pbiF3

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Ormr might have not known what to do if Kaida wasn't here. Freki was guarding another portion of the garden, so it was the human and serpent that faced down the steel ant. Kaida noted while its armor was sturdy and would surely turn Ormr's poison away, it was completely alone. A boon for them, but perhaps not in the way one would expect. She didn't see an easy defeat, she saw a recruit. [break][break]

The Durant hissed at the duo, only stopping as Kaida turned and stripped a berry off one of the less important bushes, noting in the corner of her eyes that the Durant froze. "Oh, so you're just hungry." She tossed the berry off-handingly, watching as the Durant darted after it. "Ormr? Is a new family better, odd one, but we can help it." Perhaps she too led a pack, but she would make sure they were all fed, every single one. [break][break]

As the Durant was distracted, she tossed a Pokeball after it. Svart is a good name, is it not?

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