A Chance for

The air underground was stuffy from the earth surrounding you as you and your small group continued down the mon-made tunnel, moving past the various support beams that lined the tunnel in order to keep it from collapsing. The fact that they made a tunnel not only with diverging paths but able to make an escape route in case something goes wrong in a few months would be impressive… if it weren’t for the fact of what the church members were doing.

Ever since dealing with that Jynx and Malamar, you didn’t encounter any more psychic types in your path. Maybe they’re in other paths for their traps, maybe they already left, and maybe they already sealed the exit. You quickly shake your head from that thought, there’s no way you all are going to be trapped down here.

You see what looks like an entrance that has a crafted wooden door made for it as each of you passed through in order to see what’s inside.

The area was quite wide than you expected as you all look around. “We made it pretty far down here.” Gloria stated as she looked over her children.

“Gardevoir, you said that there was another exit from here. Where and how much further is it from where we are?” Terrence asked her.

Melanie turned towards you all. “We’re almost out. The path up ahead is a straightforward upwards climb towards the largest bell tower. After that, we can climb down past the church walls and we’ll be away from here.” She pointed towards the entrance that leads the path upwards.

“Okay, then we should wait here for our friends to get here.” Vargus suggested.

“Not yet, we need to make sure they’re not trying to seal the exit.” Nina pointed out.

“I hope they get here soon, time’s running out!” Vargus stated, entering through the doorway with Rachael and the Nido family close behind.

“We’re almost out of this you two, hang in there.” Gloria said, hugging her kids.

“O-Okay.” James responded as they all entered behind their father and husband respectively.

You look to your sister to see her nodding to you, saying she’s okay to keep going. You smile and turned to your right just to barely catch the sight of an energy beam powering up, right in your area. You grabbed your sister and leaped out of the way, barely escaping the psychic beam.

“Rai! Kate!” Rachael cried out, seeing the impact. The dust settles and saw that they were on the floor, but not hurt. You tried to get yourself up before you noticed the assailant leaping down and going after your sister. Though you managed to interrupt them and you two struggle and ended up with you pinned on the wall. They tried to punch you again, but you held it back, struggling as they struggle to connect.

“Shouldn’t we try to attack?” James asked everyone.

“We can’t! We could hit Rai!” Nina explained, trying to find a moment, but it’s still too risky. Eventually, they grabbed the top of your head and throw you to the ground, though you managed to quickly roll back onto your hindpaws. When you look up, your eyes narrow and you bare your teeth as you recognize the one who attacked you, the one who put you all in this situation in the first place. It’s Valorie!

Her clothes were covered in dirt and dust, due to traveling through the tunnels like you all, but the fact that she was still here means that escape wasn’t in her mind. She stares at you darkly, her indigo eyes burning with rage and hatred for you. The sight of them was making your blood run cold. She’s here for you… she wants to kill you... for ruining what they were doing here.

“You took so long to get here, I was starting to wonder did you got caught by one of the member or even the infected…” She spoke to you, a crazed sneer on her face. “I’m glad you made it Rai… So I get to repay you for the mess you made.”

“You made this mess…” You responded back to her, keeping yourself tense in case she tries to pull any more dirty tricks. “You put those innocent Pokémon down here, under a false pretense that they were helping you.”

“They were, their contributions help protect this place!”

“That’s what you call it?!” Gloria called out to her. “Protection?!”

“The needs of the many over the few.” The Medicham responded.

“Needs of the many?! That’s complete bullshit!” Terrence barked back. “You killed children, fed them to that infected Slowking!”

“He kept us safe from the tainted ones out there!” Valorie yelled.

“No, we kept ourselves safe from them…” Melanie corrected, walking towards them, standing in between them. “It’s been us doing it the entire time, Valorie.” The Gardevoir closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them, though her eyes were to the ground in shame, “But we let our fear lead us astray from what we needed to really do.”

“I don’t want to hear it from you, spineless coward.” Valorie spat at her, “Who kept us all from falling into despair?! It was me! Who stepped up after our priest fell?! Me!”

“Yes, you did, and even after everything you’ve done, I appreciate it. But what you’ve done was wrong, and this has to stop!” she looked at her pleadingly, “We can still get out of this!”

“Nothing’s stopping until that rat pays for bringing this down!” Valorie announced venomously.

“Valorie, please!”

“Melanie… she isn’t going to listen to reason…” You say sternly, charging electricity.

“It’s fine, we’ll just knock her out and head out of here!” Vargus stated as he and the others get ready to fight her.

“You think you still got a chance to get out?” Valorie stated with a smirk, which got the group off guard. “It could already been destroyed, and I just got to teleport out of here, I just staying here for him.” she stated, pointing at you.

You lowered your eyelids out of skepticism. She could be lying about this in order to get fewer enemies to fight, but if she is telling the truth and if Neku and the others get here with a pack of infected coming after them…

“You all go on ahead.” You spoke out.

“What?” Rachael got out, looking shock.

“Make sure the tunnel exit is clear. And if it’s not, work on it as fast as you can.”

“What are you going to do?” Nina stated.

“I’m staying put to make sure she doesn’t come after you.” you said to them, though it was half-true.

“But Rai!”

“I said go!” You told them once more with a firm tone. “I won’t be long!”

Kate was staring at you with worry, not having heard you speak like that before, and it was frightening her. “R-”

“Kate, please go with them.”

The Pachirisu started to whimper, but Nina went and held her, gently leading her and everyone away. Melanie is the only one left.

“Didn’t you hear that mouse over there?” Valorie asked in a mocking tone.

“I promise myself I would get the two of them out safely.” The Gardevoir stated, taking a deep breath. “And I intend to do whatever it takes to do so.”

“Well then… You think you got the strength to do so, considering you didn’t despite Reynauld trusting you more?”

“I’ll still try.”

“He’ll lead you into an infected’s belly that one…”

“You tried to feed my sister to an infected…” You hissed at Valorie, your cheeks sparking with electricity as you grip your paws into a fist. “You’re going to wish you’ve never seen me again!”

“Big words… Show me then…”

Your cheeks burned red as you prepare to battle. It’s one thing to do this to innocent, unassuming Pokémon, but children?! Your SISTER?!?!