United, they stand!

Nina grits her teeth, trying her hardest to pry herself free from the Malamar’s hold, but regardless of her efforts, he continues to keep his grip on her. As she struggles, she recall what Neku said to her, about how despite one’s strengths, they can’t do everything and if things can go from bad to worse if nothing changes.

Nina then looks around and saw Kate was at the corner, shaking like a leaf in the wind, and she realizes she wouldn’t be able to compose herself to help. She looked around and saw Rachael who was facing the Jynx, but was at a good angle to provide assistance.

“N-Ngh! R-Rachael!” Nina struggled to cry out before the Malamar used his tentacles to muzzle her mouth.

Unfortunately for him, the Buneary heard her voice and saw the situation. She takes a deep breath and exhales out a freezing wind towards the two. The two shivered at the impact, but the Malamar was more affected by it as he was shivering from the cold, which made his tentacles wiggle in response.

Feeling this, Nina pulled her bindings away from her, finally managing to slip out from his grip.

She moved her limbs a bit as she looked over the Buneary who was facing the Jynx. The Malamar was a more troubling foe than she anticipated. If Rachael wasn’t here, or unable to help her… Nina shakes her head of that thought as she focuses on the Malamar who managed to shake off the cold.

“Valorie was right, you all were trouble the second she met that Zoroark.” The Malamar retorted bitterly.

“You all invited trouble the second you started doing what you did!” Rachael shouted as she charged towards the Jynx, launching towards her. The Jynx takes a deep breath and a beam of ice energy shoots out of her mouth, but Rachael slid underneath it and struck her legs with a kick.

The Jynx let out a cry in pain as she tries to stomp on her, but the Buneary backed away.

The Malamar was using his tentacles to try to grab her once more, but Nina conjured some fiery orbs around that singed all of them, making him wince from the burns.

“Because of you, we have to retreat here before the infected overwhelm us! Any deaths that come is on your hands!” The Malmar blamed them.

“The Slowking was never protecting you! You sacrificed innocents for nothing but fear!” Nina retorts, unleashing a flamethrower with the Malamar countering with his dark pulse attack. The attack held on for a few seconds with neither of them managing to get an upper hand, but Nina was losing momentum, so she managed to get out of the way before the dark pulse can connect.

Nina was starting to sweat a bit from the battle. She takes a peek at Kate who was staring at the battle with worry. She could provide assistance when someone needs help, or to give support once she experiences battle more.

“Hehe, where’s that confidence now?” the Jynx taunted, getting the Vulpix’s attention to see the larger Pokemon sneering at the struggling Buneary.

“T-This is bad…” Rachael muttered, pushing against the fist of the Jynx. Nina smiles as she remembers the Buneary giving her the help she needed. ‘Time to return the favor.’ she thought before looking closely to see how close Rachael was to her. ‘Better not go too hard, don’t want to hurt Rachael.’ Nina thought before blowing a few embers at the psychic’s back, making the Jynx cries out in pain, and weakening her enough for Rachael to break free and push her back. Rachael looked at Nina who managed to catched on of the lunging tentacles with her teeth for a bite, making the Malamar hissed as he flinched back from pain. Seeing the opening, she exhaled a flamethower all over him as Rachael just connected a hi-jump kick on the Jynx.

The two psychic types fell to their knees, panting from the sores and the duration of the battle.

“Just give up! You can’t beat us!” Rachael stated, her paws gripping tightly still being anxious about their next move. She saw their bodies starting to relax, which gave her the implication that they were about to surrender, which let her loosen up her grip and approach them.

“Thank Arceus.” Rachael muttered. “Valorie was wrong in what she’s done, not us.” she stated, walking towards them.

Nina however was watching them skeptically before she felt them powering up. “Rachael wait!” she tries to warn her, but they rose their heads and blasted them back with a powerful psychic blast.

“Rachael! Nina!” Kate cried out in shock and worry as the two of them fell to the ground. The two of them groaned from the impact as they struggled to get up, only managing to rise their heads up from the ground before they approached their feet.

“Ngh.. Y-You…” The Buneary grunted, trying and failing to get up faster.

“Strong fighters, if only you two had a stronger body.” The Malamar mocked them.

“Now it’s time to finished this!” The Jynx announced, both of them powering up for another psychic blast.

Nina and Rachael braced themselves for the impact and they heard an attack being unleashed, but they didn’t cry out, but heard theirs. When they open their eyes, they see the two of them being slashed with hundreds of leaves blasting at the two of them. They look confused until they see the Exeggutor standing behind them, leaves appearing from him.

The Jynx and Malamar fell on their knees once more, and turned their heads around to see him. “Y-You…” The Malamar muttered, trying to move, but then the Exeggutor launched seeds at them, blasting the two in explosives until they fell to the ground, ****.

Rachael and Nina were shocked at what they just witnessed as they got up to their legs, panting as they tried to catch their breaths as they stared at the Exeggutor, who stared at them with remorse. As they digested the incidents that happened, they heard groaning and stone moving as they looked and saw that the stone was being slowly lifted up.

“Rachael! Nina! Kate! You okay?!” A voice belonging to you sounded from behind.

“Rai! We’re alright!” Nina stated, she and Rachael rushed to help lift the stone slab. It took a good moment, but they were able to lift it up enough for them to crawl under.

Since she was the smallest, Kate went through first, the Pachirisu moving underneath with an ease.

“Nina, you go next.” Rachael stated, straining to keep it held up enough.

The Vulpix looked worried, but changed into a determined one. “I’ll be through and get to the other side in no time!” she promised as she moved her hands away and prepared to move.

She jolted when she saw the stone drop sharply, nearly to where it would’ve nearly hit her head. She hears groaning from the others who try to keep it elevated. She can see the stone slowly lifting back up, making just enough room to allow her to crawl through. Despite seeing the opportunity, the Vulpix was frozen in fear. With the size of it, it’s heavy enough to cause serious injury or even **** if it lands hard.

“N-Nina!” She heard you from the other side. “Come on though, we won’t drop it on you!”

“Y-Yeah!” She heard Vargus speaking as well. “No way we’re going to let this fall on you!”

She took a deep breath in response and went down as low as she could, squeezed her body through the opening, and popped out the other side to see everyone on the other side. As she took a moment to catch her breath, she saw the Gardevoir approaching her.

“Are you alright?” Melanie asked her, noticing the scrapes on her body.

“I’m alright.” Nina said, getting up. “We gotta get Rachael and the other one out.”

“Other one.” You asked as she moved in between you and Vargus as you all lifted up, bracing yourselves as Rachael let go on her end and crawled under to join them.

“Okay, we have one more Pokemon coming out. He’s bigger so we have to lift higher.” Rachael explained to them.

“O-Okay…” Vargus stated, bracing himself.

“Alright, on 3.” You stated as everyone, even Melanie and Kate joined in. One… Two… Three!”

All of you lifted the stone with all the strength you all can muster and it rose up where the slab was able to be at your waist height.

Your arms were starting to sore from lifting the heavy weight even with the help you’re getting as you heard shuffling on the other side. As you look down, you notice thin green leaves popping from underneath the slab.

The group stands firm, only moving enough to give the remaining Pokemon enough room for him to slip out from underneath the slab before everyone lets go, the slab hitting the ground with a earth shaking thud.

Everyone takes a moment to catch their breaths and rest their arms. “No one else? What about the Psychic types?” You asked.

“They’re ****. They won’t cause trouble for a good while, and even if they wake up, the slab and talismans would keep anything at bay.” Rachael explained.

“Oh crud!” Nina cried out, making everyone jolt in worry. “We could’ve burned the talismans and have one of you lift it up!” She explained, shaking her head in disappointment. “I can’t believe we did all that for nothing!”

“Well, at least they can’t get out so easily. They’ll have to peel the paper off themselves.” Rachael explained.

As they relaxed, Vargus took a look at the Exeggutor. “Wait, this is one of the Psychics that fought us at the pit!”

When you heard that, you tensed up, but Rachael went to you.

“No wait, he helped us!” she explained, though you kept your guard up.

“True, now why? You were one of those whose group started and then you fled the fight.” Nina stated.

“They weren’t happy about what I did, as well as the fact that I was questioning Valorie’s methods.” The Exeggutor answer.

“You all seriously believe that infected Slowking was protecting this place?” Rachael questioned him.

“I’m sure you can tell, but most of us accepted it out of fear. We’ve been dealing with attacks from both bandits and the infected. If it wasn’t for Reynald, we all would’ve been preyed upon by the ravenous Pokemon out there, either way.” He explained. “Though it doesn’t excuse what we’ve done. When I saw you two faced them and helped each other, I couldn’t stand by when they were getting the upper hand.”

You were silent as he then bowed his head.

“I won’t ask for forgiveness, as I don’t expect any of you to give me any, but thank you for letting me out.” he stated as he then headed off back to where you all came from.

After seeing him disappear, the Vulpix turned towards your sister, looking a bit annoyed. “You shouldn’t just go running off ahead somewhere, even if you’re fast!” Nina scolded her. “You could’ve gotten hurt or something.”

“I-I just wanted t-to help…” Kate stuttered, trying to explain herself.

“We know, and we’re thankful, but it’s still too dangerous for you to run off on your own like that.” Rachael stated before turning her attention to Nina. “Thanks for helping out when that Jynx was getting the upper hand.”

When Rachael said those words, Nina recalled what Neku said to her after escaping the infected at the church door. “You helped me when I needed it, we all must help each other during these despairing times.” she responded back.

Rachael smiles as she looks towards you “Okay, everyone’s alright, we need to go.”

“By the way, where’s Terrence and his family?” You asked Melanie.

Just as she was about to answer, you saw the Nidoking coming towards you. “You all are still okay.” He said, looking relieved. “We saw an Exeggutor pass by and we got worried.”

“We’re fine. We'll be moving soon.” you said as they and your companions started to leave. You kneel to your sister. “You alright?”

“I-I’m okay.” she says, but she’s shaking. “I’m sorry. Nina needed help, and so did Rachael, but I couldn’t do anything.”

“It’s okay, take what happened as a lesson.” You said to her.

“I’m not ready to learn moves Rai. I was scared.” she said, sounding like she’s on the verge of tears.

“Kate, you weren’t the only one scared. Rachael and Nina, they were scared too.” You pointed out. “That Exeggutor as well.”

“But they still fought…” She muttered, raising her head.

“Everyone will get scared from time to time, there’s nothing wrong with that. You just need to not let it stop you. Don’t let fear keep you from acting. You understand?”

Kate looked up to you, thinking about the words and nodded.

“Good, now let’s go, we have to catch up to the others and get out of here.” you said as you headed back down where you came from, intending to reach the exit and escape.