Chapter 16 - Patrol
Little Lost Raichu
-
Chapter 16
-
Patrol
Boat making… wasn’t as easy as she had first thought.
Being a Pichu again in her dream, Nica cooperated with her trainer and the rest of the team in making a boat with one sail. Said boat was going to swim over shallow and deep water, so it needed to be at least a bit sturdy.
Being a tiny creature with little limbs and a massive head, holding a hammer alone proved problematic. Happiny faced similar limitations. After all, who would expect an egg with limbs to be a skilled ship builder?
Their starfish companion was too small and too weak to be a good means of transportation between islands, and with no hands or paws, it couldn’t use any tools.
The lazy nine-tailed fox just watched them from the sidelines, laying on the sand. Not that Nica expected him to do anything useful outside of saving them in dire situations.
The only capable pokemon seemed to be the grass/poison type, Bulbasaur. His long vines showing great capability for construction and excelled at using tools. In a way, Bulbasaur and Astra did more than 80% of the work, cooperating with each other impressively well.
With the boat finally done after two days of hard work, all that was left was for the human to learn how to actually operate it.
Days of travel and a few ‘overboard swimming’ situations later, they finally reached the Orange Islands where four challenges and the local champion awaited.
One of the trials started with mountain-climbing, something Nica and Astra did with extreme ease thanks to their years of climbing experience. In fact, climbing over and over again provided Nica with plenty of jumping exercises, making her a master at this field and quite good at avoiding ground type attacks.
Unexpectedly, Ninetales provided assistance at making an iceboat for the local trial, a gesture which Nica found to be heartwarming.
The hardest trial proved to be surfing on a pokemon. Poor Staryu struggled so hard, but there wasn’t much it could do against a giant fast-swimming turtle with two water cannons. There was a happy ending though as the Gym Leader allowed an easier trial during the rematch.
Apparently, it was a Gym Leader’s job to evaluate skills and experience of a trainer and prepare a proper challenge. It needed to be hard enough to improve skills of the challengers, but not impossible. Thus far the trials and pokemon battles proved to be quite enjoyable, and Nica found her trainer’s progress to be admirable.
During their travels, they regularly visited a place called a ‘Pokemon Center’, a safe haven with free healing and free food for pokemon trainers and their pokemon, as long as said trainers kept earning their badges and participated in tournaments. Every island and city had at least one and was staffed by Nurse Joys. How one large family became responsible for worldwide pokemon-healing was beyond comprehension of this simple Pichu.
There was, however, one place vastly different from the others, a location formed of three small islands that together had only one Pokemon Center and a very unique Nurse Joy. A Nurse Joy that Astra learned to admire.
Nica had to admit, for a human, this Nurse Joy was indeed very special. The most noticeable features were that she was very tan and incredibly strong. Voluntarily traveling between three islands on a kayak thanks to her strength alone, healing both tamed and wild pokemon on three islands and even those living underwater between them. It was exhausting work from morning to night. Were this Nurse Joy a pokemon instead of a human, she would be an extremely tough opponent to fight against.
Inspired by such dedication and strength, Astra begged the hard-working nurse to become her mentor, which she gratefully accepted.
Days, weeks, months of time passed as Astra abandoned her old boat to travel on a kayak instead, struggling greatly to keep up with the superhuman.
Nica didn’t complain though. There was still plenty of time before the Orange League, and her trainer not only grew physically stronger, but also gained the ability to swim across the water at great speeds and gained knowledge and experience in pokemon healing. Being able to properly use potions and aid pokemon in the field away from civilization was a skill only rare trainers and pokemon breeders possessed.
Much to Nica’s surprise, the Nurse Joy still kept growing stronger, surpassing human limits. The proof came in the shape of a gigantic fish called Magikarp. The first time Astra met Nurse Joy, the Magikarp had over one meter of height and was nearly two meters long, and often jumped onto the land to say <Hello> to his favourite nurse. Each time the tan human provided the giant fish with food and medicine before lifting and tossing it back into the water.
Two months later, when Astra thanked the Nurse for teaching her and said goodbye, the gigantic fish also arrived to say his farewell, this time being at least 20% bigger, and the Nurse tossed the fish back into the water just as easy. It was as if the Nurse Joy worked this hard just to become strong enough to care for her naval friend, no matter how much he grew. It wouldn’t surprise the Pichu if after a few years the giant fish reached two meters in height and became three meters long, probably weighing one ton, and was still not heavy enough to give the tan super nurse a hard time.
Nica had to admit to herself, as distracting as it was, she was going to think fondly of those experiences. Exploring the breath-taking sights while diving underwater to help the pokemon living there. Calming angered pokemon when their fight went too far. Observing a practical use of potions in a pinch. Even time-wasting activities like healing others and enduring one-hour a day lectures and the practice of using potions and antidotes wasn’t all that bad… in fact, assisting those in need started to feel somewhat appealing. One thing was certain, Happiny had plenty of fun sharing her vitality with the wounded, learning a trick or two from Chansey on a few occasions.
Equipped with a kayak that the strong nurse kindly gifted them with, Astra traveled to other islands with ease, and this time it was the pokemon’s turn to grow stronger.
This time Astra’s team participated in a double battle, a test not just of skills but also teamwork.
On one side stood a ground type pokemon with a mask made of a skull and a bone as a weapon, Cubone, teaming up with a powerful Kadabra whose outstanding features were one spoon, a large useless tail, a very long mustache and incredible telekinetic prowess.
Against them stood Happiny, whose ‘Ice Beam’ was a perfect move against the ground type, while great special defenses could handle ‘Kadabra’s’ psychic powers. Happiny’s partner ‘Bulbasaur’ however was in a poor spot, being absolutely defenseless against ‘Kadabra’s’ might.
If Bulbasaur failed to protect Happiny from Cubone’s attacks, or if Happiny failed to protect Bulbasaur from Kadabra’s powers, their defeat was guaranteed.
Rarely was Nica impressed by the performance of her other team members as she was always working harder than them, but even she had to admit that Bulbasaur deserved his evolution into the bigger and more powerful Ivysaur after proving his dedication to the team.
Raichu yawned and stretched her limbs before raising a paw to protect her eyes from the sun as no ceiling was over her head. After another round of stretching and a few deep breaths of fresh air, she patted the bed of leaves, making sure it looked presentable. Not that leaves could rival the softness of the bed and pillow in Twilight’s castle, but comfort wasn’t something she cared about.
She turned to the side and raised a paw to her face, resisting the urge to puke. While the comfort wasn’t a problem as she would even sleep on a rock without complain, the food was a different story.
Deciding to skip her breakfast for now, she stood up and started exploring her surroundings, leaving her saddlebag next to the leafy bed. She was a guest after all, and there was so much to learn.
Primary building material? Stone.
Decorations? Grass, vines and flowers.
Ceiling decorations? Nonexistent. There wasn’t a ceiling to begin with.
Residents? Bug-like greenish friendly creatures and bug-like blackish hissing creatures. If Thorax’s story was accurate, the blackish ones were the rebellious changelings.
Exploring alone felt less like visiting a friendly nation, and more like checking an old ruin covered in moss.
Raichu’s ears straightened upward and her tail started flapping left and right. While the steps behind her were barely audible, the aura she sensed was very noticeable. After performing a sharp turn, she faced the changeling with her tail straightened and aimed at him threateningly. Her muscles relaxed and her glare softened a moment later.
“On guard and aware of your surroundings, very good,” Pharynx praised while staring her a proud smile.
Nica kept staring back in confusion. Finding Pharynx and gaining his trust was on her agenda, but for him to visit her was certainly unexpected. Still, why did she react to his presence with hostility? Did yesterday’s battle awaken dormant instincts within her?
“I’ll be brief. While I found yesterday’s combat exercise to be beneficial, it kept me inside of a healing cocoon for a few hours.” He pointed at her. “In other words, you cost me a few hours and I expect you to make up for it.” With a swing of his foreleg, he grabbed Nica by her shoulder, who yelped in surprise. “Long story short, you’ll accompany me on my patrol. You have a keen sight and your senses are sharp. Having an extra pair of eyes is always useful when searching for threats.”
Nica nodded, trying to comprehend her situation. The opportunity she’d hoped for had come to her out of nowhere. Patrolling along with Pharynx was just perfect. Still, there seemed to be something odd about the changeling’s aura. Excitement, curiosity and a mix of other emotions. It almost felt as if this patrol was an excuse, or maybe Pharynx planned to have his cake and eat it too.
“We’re going to start our patrol in twenty… seconds, so if you want to eat something or refresh yourself, better do it fast!”
The moment she was released from the changeling’s hold, Nica bit her bottom lip and ran towards her saddlebag, digging out her collar while accidently pushing two dolls onto the bed of leaves. She put the collar on her neck and poked it. Yet there still seemed to be something she needed...
“Time’s up,” Pharynx said before picking up the Raichu, throwing her over his head onto his back. His wings buzzed as he now hovered over the ground. “We’ll start with air recon, so keep your eyes open for any suspicious activity, got that?”
Nica nodded, standing on her rear paws as she balanced herself on the changeling’s back. She quickly dropped to four paws the moment her ride flew at quick speed, but balanced herself on two right after.
She didn’t exactly understand what the changeling meant by saying ‘suspicious activity’, but she could always guess.
“Nica, where are you?” Tiny Starlight asked, perched on a leaf with the alicorn doll by her side. The larger critter was nowhere to be found. Taking a few steps, she walked from leaf to leaf while examining her surroundings, looking up at the towering walls. The view of the changeling’s hive proved way more intimidating at her current size. Vines alone seemed to be the size of trees.
Both ground and the leaf under her hooves started to tremble and noise of crashing steps reached her ears. Upon noticing a few approaching changelings, she stood on her rear hooves, waved her forelegs and shouted, “Excuse me! Have any of you seen a long-tailed critter with rabbit-like legs, white fluffy belly and… hey, careful with the goods!”
Much to Starlight’s surprise, she was raised up to the changeling’s muzzle, which seemed big enough to sit on. The good news was the green color of the present changelings, meaning that they were probably friendly and wouldn’t steal anything from the saddlebag. The bad news however were their wide grins.
“Are you a magical doll, or a tiny pony? Can ponies even get this small?”
“You’re so cute and cuddly!”
“I’m totally making a doll based on you during the craft-time.”
“Can I paint you a life-sized art? How good are you at modeling?”
“You look like Starlight, the one who stood up against the queen. Are you her tiny relative? Or did you accidentally shrink yourself with magic?”
Tiny Starlight smiled nervously. While she’d planned to visit Thorax someday and have a tour of his home, this certainly wasn’t how she’d imagined it. Taking a tiny breath, she gestured at herself and spoke, “First off, my name is Starlight Glimmer, the one who helped liberate your hive from the evil queen. Secondly, I’m still in Ponyville, I’m just possessing this doll with a spell to stay in contact with my friend.”
“Can I play with you?”
“Can I cuddle you?”
“Can I rub your cute little belly?”
Starlight blushed. That was her cue to leave.
The tiny pony became motionless and started looking more like an actual doll as several disappointing frowns filled the air.
After a few minutes of air-patrol, Nica now observed the changeling hive from a cliff, and she had to admit, it was a great observing spot, showing Thorax’s kingdom and its surroundings.
“Time to check the perimeter from the ground, so no more riding on my back. Just keep your eyes open and cover me,” Pharynx said, gesturing for Nica to follow him towards the forest. “Those trees make a great hiding spot for hostile forces, but my brother refuses to cut them, so we need to check the area personally.”
Nica nodded, following the changeling’s example as she walked from tree to tree, scanning for noises and auras. Her perfect opportunity didn’t prove as perfect when she realized that she left her notepad and writing tools in her saddlebag, leaving her with no means to communicate.
“So far so clear,” Pharynx said as he hovered above the ground before pushing himself through branches and leaves, occasionally having a branch being stuck in his holes. Peeking from the top of a tree, he gazed down at Raichu and asked, “Found anything down there?!”
Nica looked up and shook her head. <Nothing so far.> The fact that she needed to report her progress at least once per minute told her that Pharynx was overly cautious. Or he probably didn’t trust her enough to leave her out of sight.
“Ugh, I can’t understand you! Nodding and shaking your head just won’t do.” He landed in front of Nica with a loud thump, his eyes narrowed. “As much as I want to puke at the very idea of turning into something like you, I can’t deny your prowess and agility, so I’ll give it a chance.”
Nica rubbed the top of her head. Was he really planning to…
In a burst of green flames, Pharynx shapeshifted into a Raichu, though Nica noticed a few features that didn’t match up.
Size? He seemed slightly taller than her.
Shape? No visible changes there.
Paws? Equipped with long claws, certainly a feature she lacked and was happy for it.
Tail? Different at the end. Instead of the heart-shaped edge, it was pointy and ready to stab.
Face? Filled with scars.
Pharynx stretched and examined himself. <Hmmm… It actually doesn’t feel half-bad.> He poked the sharp part of his tail and next slammed it into the nearby tree, leaving a little thin hole in it. <Lacks in strength, but makes up with flexibility. Once I learn how to attack with electricity, this body may actually become useful.>
<That’s… good… I suppose?> Nica said, somewhat taken aback by the scars. Still, it was way better than seeing those creepy holes in his legs.
Pharynx glanced left, right and behind, making sure he was alone, and commanded, <Now I need you to attack with electricity. Just target a tree or something so I can mimic your technique.>
Nica closed her eyes and massaged her forehead. A few quick memories of her practicing with her team flashed in her mind. She wasn’t a Pichu but a Raichu this time around, and shadow-like silhouettes of her team stood before her, radiating in might, each member looking towards her for guidance. Her vision quickly blurred, too quickly for her to learn anything useful, but what she remembered was her enthusiasm. Teaching and training with her friends was something she enjoyed a lot.
<Hey, wake up!>
Nica opened her eyes, finding herself being shaken by the fellow Raichu. <S-sorry… just had a short memory.>
<Memory? Oh, right, I almost forgot about the seal. Do you need a moment?> Pharynx asked, his voice calm.
Do I need a moment? Was he actually concerned about me? Nica thought before shaking her head. She started untying her collar and gently placed it under a nearby tree. <Watch closely.> One look at Pharynx’s face showed his deep focus and concentration. Tightening her paws, Nica yelled her name and unleashed bolts of electricity towards the sky in a blinding spectacle. The bright light and noise of thunder filled the forest.
<Got it,> Pharynx said before aiming at a tree in a distance. <If there’s something changelings are good at, it is at mimicking others.> He grit his teeth and repeated the body movements and every action of his female companion, screaming “Raiiichuuuuu…!” while unleashing electricity. The tree wasn’t burned to a crisp though, as Nica got in the way and took the attack upon herself. <What are you doing? Are you crazy?> He pointed at Nica accusingly, noticing only a few tiny burns on her spotless fur. <You should dodge long-range attacks, not run into them. Explain yourself!>
<I couldn’t let you damage this innocent nice-looking tree.> She approached the towering tree behind her and gently stroked its surface. <What if animals were living in or on it? Can you not damage or harm anything in this forest, pretty please.>
Pharynx massaged his forehead and sighed. <Alright. My brother wouldn’t be happy if I destroyed anything here anyway.> He narrowed his eyes and looked up at the towering trees. <I’ll practice your electric attack later in a deserted area, away from this forest. For now I better test this body’s agility.>
Nica flinched before running and stopping herself very close to Pharynx, her face filled with panic. <Please, wait! I must warn you about something important.>
<Speak!>
<Be very, very, very careful.> She poked the top of his head. <When jumping, do it very gently. Trust me, your head and everything nearby will be better for it.>
Pharynx smirked. <Noted.> He stood on the tip of his rear paw and jumped, reaching and poking the closest branch of the tree. <You weren’t kidding.> With a quick movement of his paws, he ran up to the top of the tree, jumping to another and then another, leaping between branches as numerous leaves fell to the ground.
Nica gasped, not believing her eyes.
Pharynx approached on two legs and rubbed his fluffy chest. <So, what do you think? Not bad for my first try?>
<Not bad? You’re a natural. It took me days before I stopped crashing into ceilings or walls!> Nica said, nearly yelling into the changeling’s face.
<What can I say, I’m an experienced warrior. I adapt quickly,” Pharynx explained, giving the female Raichu a grin of superiority. A little revenge for losing to her. “Got you.” He poked her nose with his paw. “The truth is, while I can copy your body, I can’t copy your experiences, so my jumps are way weaker than yours. Though I must admit that I rarely expand my arsenal, sticking to guns I know. It has been years since I bothered to learn something new.”
Nica laughed cheerfully before grabbing her collar from the grass and putting it on her neck.
<By the way, why do you keep putting that on? Seems like a big waste of time.> Pharynx asked, <Is this collar just a stupid decoration that lesser creatures bother to wear, or is there more to it?>
Nica’s ears drooped and she looked to the side.
<Why are you so depressed all of the sudden?> He groaned and turned around, now walking deeper into the forest. <We’re wasting time, let’s resume our patrol. You can answer on the way.”
Nica followed, gathering courage to speak as she repressed her sad memories. <Starlight Glimmer and Princess Twilight Sparkle… they made this collar for me to absorb my electricity. It’s a safety measure.>
<Absorb your electricity, whatever for?> Pharynx asked, not bothering to look at his ally, his attention focused on a small hole in the tree. He frowned upon noticing a squirrel running in panic away from its little home.
<To keep everyone safe, should I have an electrical surge. I’m still learning how to control my powers, and I don’t want to hurt anyone ever again.>
Pharynx stopped and turned around, now gazing at the collar with narrowed eyes. <You do realize that by wearing it, you make yourself open for an ambush. Why bother to restrain your biggest strength?>
<Because I don’t want to hurt anyone!> Nica shouted, resisting the urge to cry. Her breathing became fast and unstable. <The ponies fed me, gave me shelter and took care of me. I wish for nothing more than to be useful to them and to protect them, but my powers are still dangerous. I already hurt many young innocent fillies and colts because I couldn’t control my electricity, and if I need to wear this collar for the rest of my life, so be it!>
Pharynx raised an eyebrow. <So you hurt a few brats, big deal, it will toughen them up.> He could sense anger growing in his companion, but he wasn’t going to sugarcoat his words. <You possess the ability of a strong warrior, and once you recover your memories, you’ll be worth more on the battlefield than hundreds of those incompetent Royal Guards we beat up a long time ago. Hurting a few brats in the process seems an acceptable casualty.>
Feeling as if her blood had started to boil, Nica ran closer and wrapped her tail around Pharynx’s neck, pushing him against the tree. <How dare you?! What’s the point of becoming strong if I hurt those I want to protect?>
Pharynx gritted his teeth, using his paws and tail in an attempt to free himself from Nica’s hold. Despite copying her body while improving it slightly, there were things he couldn’t copy. It didn’t matter if he shapeshifted into a Wonderbolt or a weather manager, in the end he just gained pegasus flight and ability to control weather. How good a flier he could be depended of his own skills. How well he could control weather depended on how much he would practice it. Turning into a Raichu gave him the ability to use electricity, great speed and solid jumping, but he could tell there was a large gap between them.
<How would you feel if I accidentally hurt your fellow changelings? Or if you hurt them by accident?>
Pharynx unleashed a ‘Thunderbolt’ in an attempt to push Nica back, and yet she held her ground, ignoring the electricity as the grass under her feet burned. Feeling more annoyed than threatened, he answered, <Changelings were once a fearsome swarm! Even if we hurt each other from time to time, we became stronger for it.> He frowned. <Though if you hurt them, even by accident, I would punish you accordingly. Unless you challenged them to a fight and they accepted, then it is ok.”
Nica gritted her teeth, struggling to contain her anger. <Thorax told me how hard you always worked to keep the hive safe. Whenever a hostile creature attacked and hurt a few changelings, what did you do?>
<I protected them, risking my own life! And I punished the hostile creature for every scratch on my brethren!>
Nica took a deep breath, weakening her hold on Pharynx’s neck. <Would you still do it even now when most changelings are more peaceful and soft?>
<Of course I would! Why do you think I follow my brother’s leadership? Under Queen Chrysalis we were strong and dangerous, but death of starvation was quite common. We couldn’t even shapeshift often because of our limited magic. Thorax weakened the hive in terms of strength and defenses, but most changelings now possess more love than ever before. If I won’t protect them, who will?>
Nica wiped tears from her face and smiled as she released Pharynx, who massaged his neck and groaned. She could sense an aura of hostility, but also something resembling respect. As much as she wanted to apologize for her outburst, there was still something to confirm. <You said you’d risk your own life to protect members of your hive from danger, so you must really care about them.> Upon seeing a firm nod, she asked, <Then tell me, why is it bad when a non-changeling threaten the hive, but it is fine when you’re doing it?>
<W-what? I threaten them? Don’t be ridiculous!>
Nica placed her forepaw on Pharynx’s shoulder, who slapped it away. <Thorax told me a lot. For example, how many changelings now wish to live peacefully. For them, your bullying is the biggest threat.>
Pharynx crossed his paws, looked to the side and asked in a sarcastic tone, <And what do you expect me to do? Change like the rest of them? Become a soft and flower-loving loser while the hive loses what's left of its defenses?”
Nica shook her head, choosing her words carefully. <I’m not asking you to change completely, but maybe adapt a little. Isn’t a changeling supposed to be good at adapting?> Upon seeing how she caught Pharynx’s curiosity, she sat under a tree and explained, <The hive is allied with ponies and no longer needs to steal magic or love to survive, so changelings no longer need to be so aggressive. Just consider the feelings of those you protect and be more gentle. If they don’t see you as a bully, they’ll feel safer in your presence and trust you more.>
Pharynx turned around and crossed his arms. <If I start going easy on them, they’ll become even softer. No one will know how to defend themselves. Even if ponies are no longer our food source, there are still monsters in the badlands that in the past were afraid of the mighty swarm. If they learn how weak we have become, they’ll add us to their menu. Not to mention that Queen Chrysalis is still out there, planning her revenge, and that's when she’s the most dangerous.>
<Then talk with your brother about it. If you stop being bossy and pushy and instead tell Thorax your concerns, maybe you both can find a compromise,> Nica suggested. Her ears drooped upon hearing the answer.
<Pfff… a compromise? Don’t be ridiculous. Like that will ever happen.> Using his tail, he pulled Nica’s forepaw, forcing her to stand. <You should be helping me, and so far you’re slowing me down. Focus on patrolling.>
Nica tapped her forepaws nervously and nodded. Maybe Pharynx would warm up to the idea. Slowly but steady she was making progress, so there was no need to rush. Patience and earning his trust seemed to be the best course of action.
Stats
Page generated in 0.023 seconds
Total duration
673 users online
895,311 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Damn!!!!! Nica got me in the feels there.
I had tears form. That's goooooood!!!
Dang. Nica's got some guts here. She's doing a good job standing up to the stubborn guy.
battle scared vs a batte fem and no blush?! BLASFAMY (pardon my spelling on a Vita)
8740595
Let me guess, it was the part where she pinned Pharynx aginst a tree and yelled at him about time where she hurt fillies and colts, or was it something else?
8740629
I don't think it's as much as her having guts, but more of Pharynx pushing her button. She still blames herself for her past accident and couldn't stand Pharynx attitude.
8740710
I don't get it, can someone explain to me the joke.
Also, I expected this chapter would get more attention. The number of comments is supricingly low.
8741245
The joke is along the lines of a warrior chick having the hots for the battle scared guy BECAUSE of his scars. She likes tough guys that can take a hit.
Savvy??
I have hopes that he isn't turning into one of them now, I kind of like the idea of them not dying out. (the original changelings I mean.)
8741265
sounds a bit like a chliche. Not sure if I would like it, I guess it depens on how it actually look on paper.
8741245
That was actually one of those moments where I finally start to get a different kind of respect for the character. I mean you probably still remember when I always said she looked a bit.....well more or less weak.
Now I start to like how she is and be happy with it, I mean I got my small hints on her being some kind of an awesome little tank and whatever else.
8741378
Nono its not.... at least I hope not..
8741245
Eh, I still think she's got some serious guts anyways.
8741378
Just a side effect of her memories being sealed, and it is in her character to be afraid to hurt others which hold her back.
Eeyup, the hints were there. Even though she didn't remember any of her moves, her body was certainly on the athletic side. The issue was with the peaceful athmosphere of Ponyville. While ponies provided Nica with love and care, it is Pharynx's harsher personality and combat-orientated duty that plays a major role in Nica regaining her skills. Now that she's spending time with Pharynx, new ways are open to her.
well...good chapter sorry i'm late to the party...i'm starting to think Nica is getting tired of Pharynx's attitude to everything.
I relate to these changelings on a spiritual level
Yes. No.
it turns ot that this means different things to different military groups. For example, to the police it means "point your weapons in the direction of the threat". For marines, it meand "lay down a base of fire"/
I just realised that nica's ability must be static as I'm not sure how many chapters ago when Pharynx physically attacked her he got paralysis and nica hadn't used thunder bolt when he was crashing down on top of her