The loneliness of the post-apocalyptic environment made Shalin want to turn around, recalling the horrors of MIDAS CORPORATION that put her in this predicament in the first place. She didn't; she had to rescue her missing Pokémon... and the best lead she had would be to capture one of the Invasive Species responsible for their kidnapping.

With newfound confidence, she made a left turn around a twisted traffic light as she cuddled Kiara in her arms. The Litleo ran her motor to try to keep Shalin's spirits up in the otherwise still air. Her eyes shifted more and more as the threat level cycled through all the colors, turning red before she knew it.

The young boy charged through the zone line connecting Routes 7 and 8, catching sight of Shalin and her quarry quickly. He had entered just in time to see the white flash from the critical hit that Shalin's Tropius landed. While it was distracted by the flying-type attack, Josh tried a trick of his own; now that he was combat-capable himself, he circled the Buzzwole while riding Braver, fire bursting from his fingers as he cast the spell of AGI.

"I've got your back, Shalin," Josh comforted her with a big smile as he watched his fire attack burn the Buzzwole's insectile body. "We'll bag this bug and get out. Besides, I need to go back to Beta Island and hunt down a Caterpie. I did my homework, and it's the only worm Pokémon you can find outside the Tower of Worms."

Shalin's battle prowess was impressive; despite being completely stuck on character progression thanks to her CURSE, she was pulling her own weight in this fight, as opposed to against the Naganadel. Perhaps he had been a bit too harsh on her before. The Tropius had fallen, but he had done so much work in the battle that with a well-coordinated attack, he and his fire-types might be able to soften the Invasive Species up for a capture.

No response from Shalin; she must have been focused on the battle. There would be plenty of time to talk on the way back to the Thunderfall Shrine... or wherever she was headed. With an about-face that caught Josh off-guard, the Buzzwole charged directly into a second casting of AGI with a DYNAMIC PUNCH that sent both Josh and his canine steed flying. It had sent him back so far that he crossed the zone line, leaving Shalin all alone...

When Shalin loaded in, she would find Josh hugging a saddled Dewgong bathing him with an AQUA RING to soothe a shoulder with quite the red mark on it. Without his lowered pain thresholds on, the thumping would have been paralyzing. Incapacitating. Pokémon healing sure was a miracle cure, wasn't it? At least for wounds represented by hit points.

"I think I'll be okay, but I need to hit up a Shrine before we return to Asper," Josh suggested as he got to his feet and in the Dewgong's saddle. Wisps of corruption floated upward as he and he crossed the zone line (and his friend if she so desired). Shalin's Golden Poké Ball remained motionless next to the equally still and unconscious Buzzwole. While he would never use one, it could be a good piece of trade fodder for another rare Pokémon... or worst case, just another one to trade to a Trade Shop for the Pokémon he actually wanted.