(To Hazel) Ok. Seriously. What is going on?
Hazel scowled, and started to retort with:
Hazel: “Th-that’s none of your–”
Only to trail off and stop herself. She couldn’t bring herself to finish her own sentence. Forget conflicted–she looked outright tense.
Fenninkou, who had been previously bouncing about, slowed to address Hazel properly with her usual, confident smile.
Fenninkou: “Come on! Something’s clearly bothering you. If anyone is in trouble, me and Rue can help, too!”
[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Fenninkou slightly angled away from the viewer towards the left. She's especially cheerful, her eyes closed with a wide grin that shows her pointed teeth. Fenninkou's appearance is as described here. End ID ]
Fenninkou: “We aren’t Treasure Hunters for nothing! Even if we’re still a junior team.”
[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Rue oriented similarly to the previous image. Her expression is somewhat neutral. Rue's appearance is as described here. End ID ]
Rue: “D-depending what it is you really need…”
Hazel: “It’s… it’s complicated.”
With Rue and Fenninkou both staring her down, Hazel caved pretty quickly. She never was good at being aloof and distant; she still wondered how Vurunnekin pulled it off.
Alas, she braced herself mentally for what she was about to explain.
Hazel: “It’s like this. Me and Vurunne have been on the run from… someone, for some time now. This someone being the tyrant princess I mentioned.”
umbreonrogue asked: (@askappos) Appos@Hazel "You said someone was chasing you, right?" Appos carefully stated, as if she was worried she was prying too much. "Do you, um, know who's coming after you?"
[ @askappos ]
Upon hearing Appos’ voice, she paused. Her voice lowered to nearly a growl, sounding and looking the most serious she’s been since arriving.
Hazel: “Their names are Sinthia and Malice. The princess of the Ruby Nation, and her personal servant and minister.”
[ ID: A grayscale drawing of Hazel shown from the shoulder up in a side profile towards the left, with a rather serious expression. Her eyes are obscured in shadow, and she’s scowling in a way that shows her teeth. Hazel's appearance is as described here. End ID ]
Hazel: “She and her creepy little henchwoman cornered us last night…”
Back to last night…
Sinthia: “She will do anything to get her precious item back. Even fall for such an obvious trick!”
The grinning fox Pokemon began walking up close. In turn, Hazel and Vurunnekin move away. The former was scared shitless; the latter glared and tried to hide her look of fear.
Hazel: “Oh shit, oh shit…”
The foe’s tail swished about, and she cackled playfully. From behind her peered another Pokemon with glowing cyan eyes, who walked on all fours.
Malice: “P-please, surrender yourselves… so we can go home…?”
Vurunnekin: “You know damn well why we won’t! This has gone too far, and she will not listen to reason!”
Sinthia: “Aww, Malice… the fun has only begun. Why even think of returning home~?”
Malice: “B-because it’s really far away from home… and we’re right next to th-th… that kingdom…”
Sinthia: “All the more reason then to deal with these pests. The sooner we find all the treasures is the sooner we can get back~.”
Vurunnekin’s voice lowered to a whisper, addressing Hazel while keeping her eyes on the two before them.
Vurunnekin: “Hazel. When I say run, you run.”
Hazel muttered back, looking at Vurunnekin.
Hazel: “Wh-whatcha thinking there, Vurunne?”
Vurunnekin: “I’m gonna go distract them. You get out of here while you still can. The Fae Wood is right here. You can go and snag the plate while I deal with Sinthia.”
Hazel: “Wh-what? Leave you? With her??”
Sinthia: “Now is your final final chance to give that back~. Or things will get very, very messy!”
She paused to cackle, quaintly raising a paw to her still grinning face.
Sinthia: “But then again. You two have been annoying me for a while now. Maybe I’ll kill you anyway. The world would be better off… kehehehe~.”
Vurunnekin: “Twisted bitch…”
She spared a glance at Hazel, looking her large partner in the eyes.
Vurunnekin: “I’ve handled much worse than her. You know that. If I can injure her here before I have to get away, it would buy us plenty of time.”
Hazel: “B-but…”
Sinthia: “Get them, Malice.”
Vurunnekin: “Now go! Run!”
Back in the present…
Hazel: “That’s what Vurunne said. So I ran. I ran and I ran, and I heard them fighting behind me. My heart felt like it would beat out of my chest. I guess I lost my sense of direction in my panic… since, here I am.”
Fenninkou and Rue, as well as whoever stuck around to listen–all gaped at Hazel with a variety of shock, even horror.
As for Hazel herself? She broke down.
Hazel: “I shouldn’t have ran away… Vurunne, what were you thinking?”
