nina was highly skilled—but this wasn’t really utilizing her capabilities.

even though she’d been looking for him, she jumped as he came out. ”oh.” why had he been hiding behind boxes? that was weird. was there someone else watching them? her gaze turned in a couple of directions briefly, wondering.

just the two of them, from what she could see. just like he said. them, and the two massive bears flanking him.

she swallowed. ”it’s just me, actually. they didn’t say anything about it being a big shipment.”

how was she going to do this? ”uh… why don’t you just leave it here, and i’ll give you the money so you can be on your way. i’ll call someone.”

@onyx

her mouth went dry. “what?”

she was frozen for a moment, in shock as the bears readied their attacks. just in time, however, her legs began working again. she narrowly dodged out of the way of the cold as it left the bear’s mouth, darting into the dark.

she’d done this before, right? she thought back to running through the berry orchard from NIKO MANNER ’s ursaring—but it hadn’t been real.

this wasn’t real, either, she told herself. all part of the plan. just make it out alive.

the mud suctioned to the floor and one of her sneakers came off. she cursed, ”shit,” and hopped a couple of steps, deciding to throw away and run faster.

@onyx

the other shoe was left behind. nina was light on her feet, sliding around corners in socks and hoping not to step on glass. surely, it was inevitable.

yup. there it was.

”fuck. ow.”

she winced, limping a step long enough for the beartic to make contact. it sent her rolling across the floor away from it on impact, into old debris. dust plumed around, and she coughed, reaching for a pokéball. any pokéball.

nidorina appeared, giving a GROWL. ekans appeared as well, slithering over the machinery nina had landed under with a GLARE.

”why are you doing this?”

who was he?

@onyx

their defensive efforts held their pursuers at bay, at least for the moment.

she stared up from under a piece of equipment, hood knocked off her head and blue hair tangled and smudged with dirt.

everyone in it? wasn’t that a little extreme?

”i didn’t do that. i haven’t been in for more than a few months. i haven’t killed anyone, i promise.” she coughed again. ”i’m sorry that happened to you. please, let me go.”

her defending duo held their ground, watching for the first sign of movement.

@onyx

it was nightmarish. ’no’ felt like an anchor dragging her undersea. what was going to happen, now? she was just going to die in a pile of dirt?

”please!” it was a strangled cry of panic straight out of one of her favorite horror movies.

ekans and nidorina were overrun, valiant in their efforts, but knocked out of the way by the bear’s punches. one day, they would not fall so easily.

nina’s final plea was followed by horrific screams. she would die, she thought. she was dead.

while it lasted hardly any time at all, it felt like long minutes. shredded, too, were her thoughts, when the attack stopped for whatever reason.

curled in a ball, she held her breath. her eyes squeezed shut, and she lied there as still and as quietly as she could. a tear fell, as she clung to life in her mind, fogging from loss of blood. there was little she could do, but hope that they would leave.

@onyx