#rue vuling

Safety is comforting, quiet, still. It stays out of the way of the world as it crashes against itself.

It's why you keep so many things close to your heart…

[ ID: A grayscale drawing of Lief running on his fours through the Fae Wood, during a rainstorm. He's shown from his left side and has a look of clear concern on his face. Lief's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Heroes don't get paid for the risks they submit themselves to.

Why should you involve yourself now? Why risk that safety that you craved so much?

Hazel: “You… y–you heard enough, right? W-wouldn’t want to give you nightmares.”

Fenninkou: “I-I’m not scared!”

Back with Hazel and Fenninkou, the former finally stopped to catch her breath. Most notably, she chose a spot with plenty of shrubbery and shade, quite a ways from the well-traveled road.

Another thing most notable, that the scrawny Fenninkou could easily tell, being in her arms–Hazel was shaking.

The Rigtretoon was glancing to and fro as if worried they were being followed, and she was trembling.

Hazel: “Not yet, you aren’t.”

Rue: “Fenninkou… F-Fenninkou…”

[ ID: A grayscale drawing of Rue shown from her left side, staring downwards with wide, teary eyes. Above her, taking up most of the image, is a gradient with the text in question; asks sent by anons. Rue's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Rue: “Th-this is all my fault…”

Pikavee: “Rue, answer me…!”

It hadn’t held her form for very long. The two women had watched, horrified, as it quickly fell apart and became black sludge.

It still moved–it ballooned and bubbled, forming a round shape with blank eyes that shifted around and never quite stayed in one place. Sometimes extra eyes appeared; sometimes they disappeared.

Pikavee: “Wh-what’s going on? Why did it look like Fenninkou–”

Her fur tingled. The previous feeling of dread became fully realized.

Her life flashed before her eyes–but in reverse.

She saw herself and Rue in this same spot, surrounded by void shadows. She saw herself being attacked and swarmed. Rue would be lost in the chaos.

She saw herself lying on the ground, on the verge of fainting. It would end here–just before she was presumably finished off.

And with a blink and a gasp, she was back in reality.

Rue: “She’s gone, Pikavee… t-that’s the only way it could have…”

The Vuling trailed off. She was too distraught to explain her conclusion further.

Pikavee: “W-what–??”

Before Pikavee could question this, a headache briefly and severely flared, enough to stagger her. It only ebbed once she tried to calm herself down and steady her breathing, though it didn’t completely go away.

She came to just enough to notice movement on the void-matter’s surface. More of them were emerging.

The sight made the Twileon step away even more in fear. Instinct, foresight–whatever it was, it didn’t relent.

It told her to run.

Rue... J-just take easy, okay?...

There's... No... W-way to prove that was.. what it was...

Anonymous asked: Wait... What is that black stuff doing?

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Rue slightly angled away from the viewer towards the left. She appears fairly nervous, looking off to the right. Rue's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Rue: “That’s what happens when you touch it. You get drawn in. Unless you’re very strong or very lucky…”

Again, she trailed off. Some weak sniffles could be heard from her as tears freely fell from her drooped head.

Rue: “She… she has to be gone. She has to be…”

Pikavee: “Rue…”

Anonymous asked: @Rue She isn't gone! There's no way to prove that! That had to be some sort of fucked up trick! A FLUKE! I mean... Wouldn't there be signs of a struggle? Scratch marks? Burn marks? BLOOD? Wouldn't we have heard something? Screaming, or something? ANYTHING? Look, there has to be some other way way to explain what we just saw, you hear me? FENNINKOU CANNOT BE DEAD!

Rue shook her head and clutched it. She was trembling a bit, and she quietly sniffled some more.

Rue: “L-let me grieve. Please… let me grieve.”

She sounded so certain of something Pikavee found so awful. Clearly, it really bothered her.

She understood little of what was happening as is. From Rue’s reaction to the whole thing, to the void shadow looking like Fenninkou and then falling apart, to what she currently assumed to have been a vision–the vision where she very well watched her own death.

But she did realize this current path was no good.

Anonymous asked: @Pikavee I-I think we should go, like now!- 𝙉𝙊𝙒 !

And at any rate, they were in no shape to fight multiple opponents.

Pikavee stepped away from the encroaching void shadows with a gulp.

Pikavee: “W-we’ll have to find another way around.”

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Pikavee oriented similarly to the previous image. She appears somewhat concerned or timid, and her eyes are downcast. Her ears are drooped down. Pikavee's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Pikavee: “But, Rue. I-I think there’s still a chance. We’ll find her.”

Rue’s expression didn’t change. She slowly moved to grip onto Pikavee a little bit tighter, bracing for a retreat, and said nothing else.

Pikavee: “H-hang in there…”

She would turn tail and flee a moment after.

Meanwhile, Hazel still held Fenninkou in her arms.

Fenninkou: “You know, you can let go of me–”

Hazel: “Shh!”

Hazel had started glancing about again, more attentively. Both ears were perked up.

It was that noise from just before–a low rumbling of some kind. Fenninkou, however, didn’t hear it. She certainly didn’t see anything, either.

Fenninkou: “I’m fine, really.”

Hazel: “On that leg? No, you’re not. If we need to get away fast and you fall behind… y-you’re staying right here. I am not losing you again.”

Fenninkou: “Hmph.”

Fenninkou sulked in her arms. The rumbling was at a distance, already faint and growing ever fainter. It stopped moments later.

Hazel sighed, and her ears slacken. Her expression softened upon glancing at Fenninkou–though she didn’t completely relax.

Hazel: “Speaking of. Let me see your leg again.”

Fenninkou: “Ow! Easy…”

Hazel repositioned Fenninkou in her arms somewhat, just to better scrutinize the wound on her hind leg. Her eyes would further furrow with concern, even though the injury itself didn’t look any worse.

Hazel: “Right. You need an oran berry. Oran berry, oran berry…”

She slowly looked around for said oran berry bush. In doing so, she became progressively distracted and disturbed.

Moments of silence passed with Hazel leerily eyeing her surroundings.

Hazel: “I swear, it’s following us.”

Fenninkou: “What?”

Hazel: “It’s big, whatever it is. I can feel it in its aura.”

More moments of silence. Fenninkou again took a quick glimpse around, before looking up at Hazel with confusion.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Fenninkou oriented similarly to the previous image. Her eyes are somewhat wide with confusion, and her mouth is agape in a manner that implies she doesn't know what to say. There’s a question mark to the left of her face. Fenninkou's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

[ ID: A sequence of four grayscale drawings. The first panel shows Pikavee and Lief staring at each other, with Pikavee’s eyes brimming with tears and Lief staring up with concern as he leans against her paw. The second panel shows Lief again, considerably close up and glancing to the right with a baleful glare. The third panel shows Fenninkou and Rue looking on with varying expressions of worry. Fenninkou’s pose suggests that she came to a stop just then. The fourth panel shows Fenninkou from behind, with Pikavee’s tail swinging overhead as the giant turns to leave. Fenninkou’s appearance is as described here. End ID ]

The somber footsteps of Pikavee slowly fade from their ears. No sooner did she and Lief leave the way they came, the other townsfolk emerged to watch her walk away.

Fenninkou in particular was pinched by the ear by Eve.

Fenninkou: “Ow!”

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Eve directly facing the viewer. She appears real angry, her teeth bared and her cap lifted to show her glaring eyes. Eve’s appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Eve: “You got lucky. You hear me? If this were a real attack, that bravado of yours would have ended very differently.”

Rue, meanwhile, stared ahead while lost in thought.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Rue slightly angled away from the viewer towards the left. Her expression is somewhat neutral. Rue’s appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Rue: “Is it possible? A real city, full of humans…”

Adam: “If such a place is anywhere, it could be well beyond the Lost Sea…”

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Adam directly facing the viewer. He's fairly scared, looking off to the right. Adam’s appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Adam: “But, well… It has that name for a reason. Nothing survives out there.”

Unknown to anyone else, but correct to Rue’s suspicions, another Pokemon truly had been watching in secret.

??: “Well, that was a turn of events. Surely my lady would be forgiving of me taking so long on my errands if I told her why every shop in the square had to go on lockdown?”

Until now, the way back into the forest was mostly silent, broken only by Pikavee’s soft sniffling. Lief was fluttering ahead of her.

Wiping her tears, she spoke up to ask:

Pikavee: "Lief?"

Lief: “How are you holding up?”

The tone of his voice, so much more monotone and hollow, made her hesitate a moment.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Pikavee slightly angled away from the viewer towards the left. She looks defeated, or heartbroken. Many tears fall freely from her barely open eyes. Her ears are drooped down. Pikavee’s appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Pikavee: “W… worried about you, to be honest.”

Lief: “Don't worry about it.”

Pikavee stifled a gulp, feeling nervous to ask any more.

Lief: “Look, we’ll find another way. I don’t get this human thing and why it means a lot to you, but we’ll have another place to live.”

Pikavee: “Do you not like them?”

Lief: “...”

Pikavee: “I-I mean, the villagers. When she offered to help, you seemed really upset…”

Lief: “Oh. It’s complicated.”

Pikavee: “Do you… w-want to talk about it?”

Lief: “…”

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Lief oriented similarly to the previous image. He looks sad or concerned, appearing to have some troubling thoughts he's refusing to speak of. He's looking away to the right. Lief’s appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Lief: “When we get back to my place, I owe you an apology.”

It was only for a moment that Pikavee wondered what he meant, as everything else about the way Lief acted thus far clicked.

She stopped walking.

Pikavee: “You knew… didn’t you.”

Lief winced. He fluttered there in place.

Pikavee: “Yesterday in the forest… you were going to tell me the same thing they did.”

Lief: “...”

The rest of the way there would be occupied by silence.

Earlier that night…

At the sound of that explosion, the duo jump to their feet and hurry on the move. It sounded so far away, and they were uncertain of the cause, but they did not care. Out in the Wilds, any sort of sudden noise was bad news.

Running in front with an annoyed expression was Vurunnekin, a Vurunnekin. Behind her was her only companion who stumbled over herself trying to keep up, Hazel the Galarian Rigtretoon.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Hazel slightly angled away from the viewer towards the left. She’s looking off to the right with wide eyes, gritting her teeth in a small grimace. Hazel's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Hazel: “V-V-Vurunne! You don’t really think that’s them, do you? We only just caught a break!”

Vurunnekin: “We’re not taking any chances, Hazel! It’d be just like them to sneak up on us!”

Hazel: “Sneak up on us? With an attack like that?!”

Vurunnekin: “They’re air-heads. Never forget that. Persistent, power hungry air-heads.”

Hazel: “But even an air-head would get sick of chasing us over that little thing, right? Or recognize how this is a complete waste of time?”

A barely audible sigh came from Vurunnekin.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Vurunnekin oriented similarly to the previous image. She looks especially exasperated. Vurunnekin’s appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Vurunnekin: “You mean the sacred treasure that’s the She-Demon’s heirloom?”

Hazel: “O-oh.”

Some moments of silence followed–other than the sounds of their feet hitting the ground, and another explosion that seemed farther away than the first.

Hazel: “Y-yeah, why did we do that? We definitely totally had to steal that, right??”

Vurunnekin: “Damn right!”

Another explosion. One that made the duo go quiet with how close it sounded.

Hazel wasn’t wrong–the two were absolutely winded. Their breathing was ragged and it clearly hurt to keep running, but they pushed on a little further, coming to a stop only when they heard no more explosions, or smelled smoke.

The two would take cover in a ditch. Vurunnekin took note of the pouch she carried on her person, scrutinizing it for any rips or tears–any sign of losing the treasure in question.

To her relief, she didn’t spot such signs.

[ ID: A grayscale drawing of Vurunnekin similar to the previous image. Her eyes are closed with a calm and focused expression. End ID ]

Vurunnekin: “She needs to be stopped. The further we can get with this, the better.”

Hazel: “Still, there’s a dozen more of those… can’t she just go get the other ones and then come back for us?”

Vurunnekin: “How would that ch–”

??: “The fat one is confused… has the runty one not made it clear~?”

The two jolt at the sound of that voice, snapping their heads in the direction it came from with looks of terror.

[ ID: A grayscale drawing depicting a Braixen hybrid directly facing forward and smiling evilly towards the viewer. The upper part of her face is in shadow, leaving her toothy grin visible. End ID ]

??: “She will do anything to get her precious item back. Even fall for such an obvious trick!”

The next day…

Fenninkou had made up her mind to visit Pikavee again after getting her chores done. So came the conclusion that the faster she did so would be the sooner she could get to see her; thus her rushing about that morning with even more zeal than Rue thought possible.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Rue slightly angled away from the viewer towards the left. She looks very shocked, maybe even fearful. Rue's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Rue: “Y-you really need to slow down! You could run into someone like that!”

Fenninkou: “But I haven’t yet, have I? Besides, you’re still too slow!”

But upon saying this, she did.

At the same time, Hazel was here by herself, frantically going about and asking for directions.

Until Fenninkou ran right into her leg because she was looking back at Rue to reply to her, that is.

The larger Pokemon tumbled forward as she tripped over Fenninkou. Falling into some others in this crowded path, she inadvertently took them down with her.

The folks in question, who had ignored Hazel before, merely rose back up with a glare and some grumblings about ferals, using a series of nasty words to describe their perceived intelligence. Then they dispersed to go about their business, not even bothering to help her up.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Hazel oriented similarly to the previous image. She’s dazed or spacey, with cartoony swirls for eyes and her mouth gaping open. End ID ]

Hazel: “Owowow…”

Fenninkou would be the last to get back on her feet, crawling from underneath Hazel and shaking off her dizziness. She would be spitting out some fur from her mouth.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Fenninkou oriented similarly to the previous image. She’s visibly sulking, her eyes closed shut and her mouth in a pout that puckers her lips. Fenninkou's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Fenninkou: “Ugh, you smell like smoke!”

Rue: “I told you to slow down…”

It would be just now that she reached the two, going up to Hazel as she began to sit up.

Rue: “I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”

Hazel: “Oh sure, never better. A pipsqueak just ran into me and those Fae turds over there are calling me names.”

She rose to her feet, continuing her tangent.

Hazel: “All the while my best friend and only friend is out there somewhere with a tyrannical princess. Fighting as we speak over a treasure so precious, so powerful, it could destroy us all.”

For a moment, she stood over them with an intense gaze. Rue stepped away–Fenninkou stood her ground.

Then, making a puppy-eyed face not unlike Pikavee, her entire demeanor changed.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Hazel oriented similarly to the previous image. She’s sobbing in a melodramatic manner not unlike the “sob” emoji. End ID ]

Hazel: “Basically, I’m not alright!”

Hearing and seeing Pikavee go up to the edge of the pit and kneel to look in at her was quite a shock to Rue. She’d heard their voices nearby, barely, but didn’t think either of them would act upon it.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Rue slightly angled away from the viewer towards the left. She looks surprised, taken aback. There's a couple of sweat drops on her face. Rue's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Rue: “Pikavee?”

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Pikavee oriented similarly to the previous image. She appears somewhat concerned or timid, and her eyes are downcast. Her ears are drooped down. Pikavee's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Pikavee: “A-are you alright?”

Rue watched as Pikavee’s forehead spot lit up with a pink light, emitting psychic power.

A numbing sensation overtook her body from the neck down as this same power surrounded her, proceeding to slowly and gently lift her out onto the ledge opposite of Pikavee.

Rue: “I’m alright. Just a little bruised…”

For a moment, she had an invasive, morbid thought that completely betrayed the worry she saw on Pikavee’s face.

This tingling numbness that completely restrained her body–if the Twileon had a tighter grasp on her…

Of course, no such thing happened. She would be released upon being set on the ground without incident.

Rue: “Thank you…”

She wished she could more properly express her thanks, but she still appeared no less stressed about what happened earlier.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Rue oriented similarly to the previous image. She appears fairly nervous, looking off to the right. End ID ]

Rue: “I-it’s Fenninkou I’m more worried about. She rushed off here in the forest after someone came by and mentioned a friend being in need of rescue…”

Knowing that, Pikavee looked guilty for not stepping in sooner.

Pikavee: “Oh… n-no wonder you two were arguing.”

[ ID: A grayscale drawing of Rue similar to the previous image. Her eyes are half-lidded in a wary, otherwise displeased stare. End ID ]

Rue: “So you heard all of that.”

Rue pointing it out made Pikavee feel even worse. A part of her realized in hindsight how she may have sounded upon saying that.

Pikavee: “I-I was listening in before. I’m sorry…”

Rue: “I-it’s… don’t worry about it.”

Rue’s eyes shifted down towards the ground. She basically looked grief-stricken; her ears were nearly flat against her head and her face was on the verge of openly expressing pain. Her tails flicked about behind her somewhat.

Pikavee’s concern grew as she watched. Today has been quite a few firsts for her, regarding seeing this side of Rue. She wanted to help, and began to offer exactly that.

It would be Rue that ended up asking first. She was clearly hesitant to do so–but she had no other recourse.

Rue: “I’m sorry to bother, but I’ll need your help catching up to them now. If anything happened to Fenninkou and that’s what I said to her last…”

Pikavee: “Y-yeah. I can help you find them.”

Rue sighed a little. Underneath her unease, she felt relief.

Rue: “Please be careful.”

Pikavee: “I-I won’t go too fast. They went this way, right…?”

Lief watched the following exchange take place, still eating that berry from before.

He didn’t move to join them, even as the duo took off in the general direction he had seen Fenninkou and Hazel ran in.

He shrugged, and commented out loud to himself.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Lief oriented similarly to the previous image. He looks puzzled, or curious. His left eyebrow is noticeably raised, while his right eyelid is lowered somewhat. At the left is an angular question mark. Lief's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Lief: “I see the kid still very much has a lust for death… forget what I said, I guess.”

[ Typical. He’s staying behind. Yet something seems to be clearly bothering him regardless... ]

Lief: “You’re still here? This isn’t a party, you know. And if it was? Not invited.”

[ @askthecosmicprince ]

Rue: “W-well, yes, they are quite big in size. In fact, I think the Sea Guardian herself is much, much larger than Pikavee.”

She seemed taken aback at the sight of this Mew; a full-blood Mew, no less. She recalled Livingston’s teachings about how such Pokemon are extremely unlikely to come by.

Yet here one was, casually speaking with her.

Rue: “But a Dungeon Master is just what we call god Pokemon that lord over the ruins scattered around the Isle. True to their name, they protect those lands from threats.”

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Rue slightly angled away from the viewer towards the left. She appears fairly nervous, looking off to the right. Rue's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Rue: “But what is and isn’t a threat tends to vary with the Dungeon Master. Some areas are incredibly dangerous to set foot in for that reason. Mainly areas outside our borders.”

Once again, to Rue’s increasing chagrin, Hazel butt in, approaching close to the Mew to begin rattling off.

Hazel: “Oh, yeah. Basically everything she just said. Those guys are a big deal. A bunch of them are patron deities, which is what happens when that protection extends to certain bloodlines, then there’s the treasure they’re said to be guarding… wait, I’m supposed to be looking for that now!”

Upon realizing she became distracted with side talk, she proceeded to further make a scene. She clutched the sides of her head and began to rant in frustration.

Hazel: “I-it’s important. Vurunne needs me, she asked me to do something important, and what am I fucking doing?!”

Fenninkou: “Hey, cool it!”

Fenninkou stamped her front paw in response, stepping up to Hazel as she growled at the latter.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Fenninkou oriented similarly to the previous image. She's glowering with a generally serious expression. Fenninkou's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Fenninkou: “I swear, if you hurt anyone here…!”

Pikavee saw them rush by just within her peripheral vision, among the trees. She turned her head to watch as Fenninkou sprinted ahead in a flash of yellow and red, with Hazel, then Rue, trailing behind her.

Fenninkou: “You always say that we can’t! But the truth is, you just won’t!”

Rue: “Fenninkou, this isn’t just beyond our grasp anymore! It’s dangerous! We could die–!”

Hazel: “Y-yeah, I don’t know if ‘death by she-demon’ is how you wanna go, kid!”

Pikavee quietly lowered back on her stomach, and started to tell Lief what she was seeing.

Only to see that he was not only already watching, but had plucked out another berry to snack on. He was sitting there with the same vaguely amused expression as the night they met.

Pikavee: “L-Lief. Do we go see what’s w–”

He whispered back at her, cutting her off.

Lief: “Shh! Missy. Keep it down. Let’s let them work it out first…”

He raised the berry with both paws to bite upon and chew some more.

Lief: “Rule one of the Isle? Never get involved in arguments.”

Fenninkou: “I still wanna try! The forest isn’t that bad, anyway!”

Rue: “‘Not that bad’?! The last time you were out here, I found you passed out cold!”

Fenninkou: “But there’s three of us! And it really isn’t that bad–”

Then Pikavee perked up in alarm as she witnessed Rue fall right into a pit trap.

Fenninkou skidded to a stop at the sound. Hazel came to a stop next to her.

Both rushed over to the pit’s edge with a shout upon looking back.

Fenninkou: “Rue!”

Hazel: “What the–there’s booby-traps here?! Who the hell does that?!”

Lief blinked in disbelief. He grumbled to himself, trying hard to quell the guilt he felt.

Lief: “Oh, now that one works. At the worst possible time…”

Pikavee: “W-what, Lief–?”

Meanwhile, Hazel was the first to start searching around.

Hazel: “H-hang tight, we’ll get you out! We just need a long enough stick!”

Rue had only just stood up down at the pit’s bottom. Her tails were visibly frazzled, twitching considerably as they lay low to the ground, by her hind paws. Her ears were drooping, and her head was bowed low, low enough for her hair to obscure her face.

Fenninkou: “Rue!”

She peered down the hole at her friend, looking more worried as she saw her posture.

Fenninkou: “A-are you ok, Rue–?”

Rue: “You’re so careless! You don’t even think about how your actions affect other people, do you?!”

She had snapped her head up in anger, glaring at Fenninkou.

The sight of which made Fenninkou wince. Her tail curled inward, between her hind legs.

Rue: “Do you even understand how scared I was? The night we met, then yesterday. If this keeps happening, you–someone will get hurt. It’s too much. Us, all of this–”

Fenninkou: “R-Rue, hey.”

She finally responded in a somewhat low voice. The smile she gave Rue was a little shaky.

Fenninkou: “I-I’m still here, aren’t I?”

She had hoped to reassure Rue, but the Vuling got even more upset.

As if she had heard this exact excuse before.

Rue: “You really are just like her.”

Hazel, clearly uncomfortable from overhearing this, hastily returned from her search to interject.

Hazel: “Ok, so! I didn’t find a stick, but I did hear yelling, a-and wanted to check in. You guys aren’t fighting, right?”

As the smaller, thinner duo directly looked at her, she awkwardly shuffled her feet and twiddled her thumbs. She felt even more like a third wheel.

Hazel: “Please tell me you’re not fighting right now.”

Fenninkou, initially hesitant to speak, slowly turned away from Rue. Her ears tilt back, nearly flattening against the sides of her head.

Fenninkou: “We’re… I’m leaving.”

Rue now had a look of regret upon hearing those words. She took some tentative steps closer, rising on her hind legs to lean against the wall of the pit.

Rue: “Fenninkou, I–”

Fenninkou: “No!”

Clearly irritated, Fenninkou spat out the following as her tail flicked up some dirt.

Fenninkou: “You always say that! You never wanna go anywhere, do anything. Try anything. Even when your brother is out there.”

Rue winced from that last bit. Her ears droop upon hearing the venom in her friend’s voice.

Hazel gripped her floppy ears, looking even more stressed.

Hazel: “U-uhh, look. Let’s not do anything hasty. Lemme just help you help her out of that trap, and then I can be on my way and leave you two to deal wi–”

Fenninkou ran off again before Hazel could finish. Caught off guard and feeling helpless, she looked between the retreating Fennlin and down at Rue.

Hazel: “With wh-whatever… any of this is… fuck.”

She didn’t like the idea of leaving Rue down there, but the idea of leaving Fenninkou to rush off on her own sounded worse.

Hazel: “Uhh, ok! I can still fix this! Just need to catch up with her and uhh… g-gotta run!”

She rushed to quickly follow the teen in the end.

Leaving Rue standing there stunned, and leaving Pikavee and Lief to take in what just happened.

Lief: “We’re totally gonna leave them alone, right?”

Pikavee: “What–?”

The idea of just leaving this be was obscene to her, after what she just heard.

Yet, she watched in appalled shock as Lief casually took another bite, looking up at her as if he didn’t just suggest something ridiculously callous.