"Sorry about the scare mate," Zac said, sticking out a huge, wine-warmed hand to shake with his date. "You're Priam then? Fantastic to meetcha. Did you really dress up for me?" he asks. Zac had worn his nicest (and warmest) casual clothes, complete with a very gaudy golden explorer's jacket that Delibird had delivered during his last date. "Sorry about the runaround. I just couldn't stay at that freezing table anymore." 
    Zac held out an extra mug of mulled wine and three Comfey rings by way of apology. "Wanna have a go? I haven't had a lot of luck so far."

---

    The Comfey toss stall was set up like a classic carnival ring toss, only with the added difficulty of using a living pokemon. Contestants had to toss the floaty fairies and try to land them on poles stationed a good 10 metres away. Each pole had a prize associated with it.

Please indicate which prize you are aiming for and then use the ROLL command to throw. You have THREE rings, so please roll 3 times.

Prizes:

• Plush Pokemon [40+]
• Free food tickets [60+]
• Drifblim ride for two [75+]
• Mystery Gift [90+]
• Snom [100] - GRAND PRIZE

"Whoa! Now that's one hell of a style you've got there." Zac said, as Priam's through flew across the booth and settled gently on the 90+ point prize stick. 
    "Congratulations!" said the booth-runner. "You've won the Mystery Gift!" He ducked below the counter and pulled out an envelope. it was sealed with the wax image of a Comfey. "Here you are," he said, sliding the paper across the counter to the pair. "Two VIP passes to events for the rest of the evening. Just flash these at any of the booths and you can get whatever you want."
    Zac whooped in excitement. "What a legend! not often you meet a man with such determination and discerning aim. Bet you're pretty fearsome out in the field too," Zac said, mentally ticking off some boxes.
    "Well lets give these babies a whirl. Where do you wanna go next? The Haunter House, the Ferroseed Wheel, or Madam Absol's Love Tester?" Zac took a deep drink of his wine, finishing off the mug. "Or did you have something else in mind?"

    "Yeah no worries mate, this place can be a bit of a maze but I walked past it earlier." Zac lead Priam the rest of the way to the love tester. They stopped outside of a black and white tent that seemed to be emanating a dark energy. There was a single attendant outside, dressed in flowing robes and a hood with one black horn poking from the side. There was a sign next to him listing the cost, as well as a disclaimer.


    They flashed their VIP badges to a strangely dressed attendant and walked inside. Inside the tent was a candle-lit hallway, and they continued on until they were stopped just outside the inner room. "There are already people in there I guess." Zac said, and as they waited he overheard snippets of what was happening inside through the thick black curtain. 
    "-touch the horn-" 
    "-visions of your future-"
     There was silence for a few moments, and then a scream. A young woman came running out from beyond the curtain and almost ran into Zac. "Whoa! You okay?" he asked, but she was too distraught for words. Her eyes were wide with fear and tears streamed down her cheeks. She pushed past Zac and ran for the exit. Another young woman emerged from the room and ran past after her. "No! Amber! It's all just a carnival game, come back!"

There was a soft cackle from inside, and the attendant ushered the pair through into the love tester room. Inside, an ancient old woman sat in a cracked wooden chair. Next to hair stood an Absol. The creature's eyes bored into Zac, and he shivered

"Are you ready then? Zac and Priam? For a taste of disaster? Simply touch the Absol's horn, and you will be granted visions of your future together."

"Hell yeah we are!" Zac said, and he grasped the horn.

    Zac grabbed the horn, and saw his death. 

    Devastation, as alien monsters tore through a city. The invaders' attacks sliced through fighter, friend, and foundation alike. Buildings fell like concrete redwoods, and landed with deep, resonant booms that Zac felt in his molars. He is covered in mortar dust, still-warm blood soaking deep into his Delibird-gifted jacket.  
    Zac grabbed the body of some fallen fighter and dragged them to cover. They looked familiar. Not to Zac but to this Zac. He tried to will them back to life, doing whatever passes for medicine in his mind. 
    Nearby, others still battled the menace. The faces were blurry, but one stands out, even from across the battlefield. Priam? Zac thought. From far away it looked like him, but something was different. When did he get those scars?
    Zac felt something change around him. A shudder in the air as something, someone pulled away from the fight. Left Zac alone to fend for himself in this nightmare.
    And then Zac's friend was gone. Not dead but just gone.
Priam had disappeared from the battle in a twist of reality.

    Somewhere far away Zac gripped the horn tighter. 

The vision shifted. The air was boiling hot, and it seared Zac's skin. No, boiling is too gentle, it was searing hot. Flecks of magma splattered down around them as he and Priam faced off against each other on the bank of a lake of lava. The peak of Mt. Mortar?
    Zac looked around at the shattered bodies of his Pokemon. Heliolisk, Steelix, Rhyperior, Clawitzer, Turtonator, Flygon.
His whole team, strewn around limply on the rocky juts or half in the pool of magma that bubbled restlessly nearby. There had been a battle here, and it was almost over.
    It was a vision of the future, and a bleak future, as Priam advanced alongside his sole remaining Pokemon: Samurott. 

    "This is it, Ramsay," called the shadow-Priam over the hiss and rumble of the lava.
    "It doesn't have to be," Zac answered as he backed away from the pair. "You can still join us Priam. There is still good in you!"  
    "The Priam you thought you knew is dead. You saw to that," spat the shadow-Priam, and he motioned to Samurott. The Pokemon drew his leg-sword, a great blade of bone that trailed darkness and emanated a deep, shuddering loss.
    Zac bumped up against the rim of the volcano. Zac looked into Priam's eyes, and saw only the dispassionate, disconnected look of someone who has had something crack at the very core of their being. What did I do to you? Zac thought, searching those void eyes for hope. "Priam no, I-"
    Samurott lunged, and his bone sword drove through Zac's chest, shearing his ribs and burying itself two-feet deep in the rock wall behind him. Zac shuddered, words lost on his lips. The last thing he saw were Priam's eyes, tear-less in the volcanic heat.

---

   
Zac let go and jerked back from the horn, the hand going straight to the phantom wound in his chest. He was kneeling on the floor, with Priam beside him. How long was that vision? 
    He could breathe. He could breathe and he wasn't dying. His hands shook, and he coughed, expecting blood. Am I in shock?
    Priam was talking to him. Saying something. Asking if he was okay? Maybe. Zac could see his lips move, but all he could hear was a rushing, whooshing sound. He was deafened by the sound of his own breathing.
"I, uh, I need to go..." Zac mumbled, waving away any help as he staggered for the door. Need to go sit down. Need to go think. Need to go throw up. I need to get away from him.