[attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"]

At last, every threat blinks out of existence one way or another. Only the crackling fire remains and with it a deafening quiet.

Hatterene takes care of Hideo, who seems to Cass like he passed out - and she is anxious, but also too scared to approach, unsure if there is even anything she could do. Mesprit takes care of Eris - but then, another figure comes and enters the collapsing cottage. She recognises Suicune, remembers how its healing waters have helped Azelf and might help Eris, too.

However, as she comes out, her face is devoid of emotion, it appears, a simple mask of apathy as she rides on Suicune's back. There's the briefest moment of relief to see her alive, but there's also an eerieness.

It's not fair.

She surpresses the overwhelming wave of helplessness as she could do nothing for her two newest friends, friends who already have been through so much. But life isn't fair, or kind. She feels Jon's touch and picks him up without further thought, she feels Martin settling quietly on her shoulder. His flower garland is almost entirely destroyed.

She reaches for Azelf's hand, and it holds hers.

Is there nothing I can do?

...

Yeah. We'll have to make it.

Effie shakes at the sudden temperature drop, but holds steady next to Cass who looks at Hideo. Should she- how could she even? She waits for a moment, see how his pokémon might take him as the group of them would, at last, move, move somewhere. She just knows she wouldn't leave those two alone - even if there's nothing she can do right now, she believes in company.

And her home is ... not her home anymore.

As everything is set in motion, Cass shakily gets onto Effie's back. Her foot slips as the earth starts rumbling, more heavily than before, but Effie manages to catch her just in time, jostling her onto her back.

Onward.

Hideo Kino Eris Halla
MP +10
gimmick use: red chain (earlier, forgot to count it there) +10
prelude completion: +100
loss: +300
TOTAL: 1520

The return to consciousness was slow, steady. His mind was quieter, his body felt weak, but he could once more smell the smoke around him.

And the wet, metallic scent of blood. The dripping has slowed to a stop, but it was still over his lip and on his Sygna Suit. Thoughts struggled to form in his head, but he could still remember what was going on - that Petalburg was under attack.

"We," he muttered, trying to stand up, "we need to stop Rocket. We-"

His Alakazam caught him before he fell to the ground, gently guiding him to his Type:Null. It was sitting there, staring straight at Cass and her Pokemon. Easy prey, that by all means it could easily claim at this moment - it didn't even fear the Pixie that accompanied her.

But it sat there, because it was ordered to. Not by Hideo - by the one it truly listened to.

His Hatterene tried to pull him away, to get him out for some proper medical care - and was silenced the moment the Alakazam called her back into her Pokeball, discreetly returning it to Hideo.

Hideo could hear something over at the house - but he didn't know what it was. It sounded like, in the infinite flames and heat around them, ice had formed there. And as his Alakazam informed him, a way out of here.

He knew he wouldn't be fast enough to get through that path before it once more became a danger - and he had just the solution for that. With his Alakazam's assistance, Hideo climbed atop his Type:Null, sitting on its back and clinging to its collar. It wasn't the most comfortable mount, but it could easily carry him out of here. "Let's go..."

The Type:Null seemed more annoyed at that prospect, but it would comply. It stood back up trotting its way past the bodies, away from Cass, past Eris and Suicune, past those that the Type:Null had ended.

The Alakazam wouldn't be far behind, Teleporting and watching what unfolded.

And it wasn't the only Pokemon watching, for another had been watching, and knew what had happened, even as it rested in its Pokeball.

Even if Hideo's mind was scattered, even if his focus was lost, even as he was going off instinct, it would make sure he'd remember what happened here. It'd make sure Hideo wouldn't forget what his Type:Null did.

For it was important for him to know that he couldn't protect what was important to him without spilling blood. That too much restraint was suicidal, and that sometimes, a threat had to be removed.

For that was why Uxie hadn't interfered.

Eris Halla , Cassandra Kubrick