she’d never been to the safari zone. she’d never thought about going to the safari zone, even, until it had been advertised that there would be eevee. she’d always wanted one, even as a child. now, here was a cheap opportunity, at a time when she needed to find the right partners. it was luck, or fate.

after handing over the ticket, she wandered in with her safari balls and a couple of small companions. togepi trilled as a morelull led the way ahead of them curiously, glowing through the grass.

let's go

with her attention much sharper than last time, her eyes settled on the small cleffa ahead as it played in the sand. it wasn’t bothering anyone, but unfortunately for the fae, it looked just about the right size to pick on.

plucking earbuds out, she looked down at her companion. ”ready?”

An affirmative growl responded, and it was off, kicking up clods of wet sand in its wake. A deeper GROWL rumbled at the cleffa, who only then realized it was being closed in on. With COPYCAT, it growled right back.

”nidorina, double-kick!”

the little dino rounded, and one foot followed the other into the cleffa’s face, knocking it onto its backside. it struggled to get up. the nidorina hesitated, without an order.

”keep going!”

and it somersaulted onto the cleffa, the poison sting of its barbs immediately enough to faint the small pokémon.

nina jogged over, feel pride well in her chest for what felt like the first time in a few weeks. She crouched to pat the nidorina on the head. she pressed the button of a pokéball against the unconscious cleffa.

catching cleffa

things had changed since last time. it had been a few weeks. the scars were still deep, and she wore a hood pulled over her head. it was buffeted lightly by the ocean breeze. it had gotten warmer, and it wasn’t just that she was more bundled up this time.

in her ear played a short read out of ghost-type stories to tell in the dark. her attention was peeled, however. this was not just time for relaxtion.

a nidorina joined her, enjoying the cool water that lapped across its feet as it followed along.

solo wild -- water / fairy

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

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

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

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

she was alone today, but it would not be her own judgment that would fail her. these were orders, and as she pulled her sneaker out of mud with a squelch and looked towards her dark, abandoned destination, she was reminded: she was expendable.

when she reached the warehouse, it felt off—for more than just the effect of its spooky appearance. the person she’d been meant to meet was nowhere to be seen.

this was the right place. she was good with directions.

”look around.”

she crossed her arms from the cold night air, swallowed in her dark hoodie. the ekans that had slithered in with her hissed, and went off into the shadows to look for their supposed associate.

@onyx / mission: make it double

she watched him, scrutinizing his expression too hard for judgment. quickly, she saved, ”speed date.” and it wasn’t a lie.

bertrand the flapple held the spotlight with a beautiful shimmer, and as she stared, her thoughts ran. the clock was ticking, and she knew nothing about her first date yet. she needed to be quicker, she realized.

but, did she really want to connect with shots guy, anyways?

”he’s cute,” she smiled.

”so, what do you do, uri?”

URIAH BLACK

it had been an interesting date.

she regarded the flapple that crawled onto his shoulder with a smile, but her attention was quickly absorbed by him again. she seemed really chill, he said. it felt weird, because they’d hardly said anything yet.

”oh. thanks. i’m glad. yeah, i’ve actually never done this before.” KING WAYLAND had been her first real date. the others had been for work. speed-dating? as the real nina larson, no less? totally uncharted territory.

”not yet. i’m afraid that if i name her something she doesn’t like, she’ll give me bad luck.” her eyes traveled from her togepi and back to the flapple again. ”what about your flapple?”

URIAH BLACK