Miranda: What a marvellous object. How did you get it?

Kain: You shouldn’t get your hopes up. Do you really think that I am going to tell you?

Covering the poke ball with his hand, he shrunk it and put it away in his pocket.

Miranda: … of course not. You even refused to save the life of my daughter voluntarily.

Kain: Exactly.

Caressing the warm and soft fur of his dog, he smiled at the mature woman who was looking back with a dead serious expression on her face.

Miranda: A sorry excuse of a living human.

Kain: I would rather think of it as someone cautious and cold.

Miranda: Egoistical and selfish work as well.

Kain: Hahaha… you are right. Then I guess we all are.

Miranda: What are you talking about? I have always been a—

Kain: Then why didn’t you try anything to save me when I was getting beat up? Isn’t it the same?

The mature woman wasn’t able to continue as he interrupted her, with something that caused her to be at the loss for words.

Kain: Did a cat got your tongue?

Miranda: … like I said. I didn’t believe it to be true.

Kain: I think the same. I don’t believe your daughter to be poisoned, so I wanted to confirm it with my own eyes by watching her dying.

Miranda: … that is taking it a little too far.

Kain: It isn’t from my point of view. How was it… oh… right. Same shit. Different smell.

Placing herself in his position, she understood what he was trying to say and knew that he was right. There was little to none that didn’t knew or heard of his crappy and scary situation, even then no one tried to do anything to help him. Some did really try to, by calling the police and such, but it all end with nothing happening and those that helped weren’t heard of afterwards or no longer brought up the topic again.

Miranda: Aii… can we let bygones be bygones. Bury the past.

As she spoke, she extended her arm forward to a handshake. It was her attempt to reconcile things with him. If her and her daughter were going to continue live under this young man’ wing, it was better to favor him then and not piss him more. Even though she thought as such, she still hadn’t given up.

Kain: …

Miranda: …

The two of them gazed at each other eyes with time going by, when he suddenly stood up and walked away.

Miranda: Where are you going?

Kain: Taking a piss.

Miranda: Huh? Ah!

Just as she was surprised by his words, she saw him, around 1 to 2 meters away from her, unbuttoning his pants and started to do his business. He seemed to not even be interested in covering what he was doing, showing of what he had to her, causing the woman to be surprised by his actions and cover her face involuntarily. Her reaction was such that she even covered her daughter’ eyes, even though Beth was sleeping soundly like a baby.

Miranda: What is wrong with you?

Kain: You can also consider me a calculative person, or scheming as you would like to call me.

Miranda: What does that have to do with this? “Miranda Lynstein! He has the same age as your daughter!”

Although she could cover her eyes completely with a single hand, she couldn’t help but peek on the show happening in front of her. She wasn’t some pervert that enjoyed watching others doing their needs, it was more related to the size of his dick. Looking away blushing, she lectured herself in her own mind.

Kain: Nothing. I just needed to do it and I don’t like to hold it in. As for your other business… it’s simple idiotic your thought process.

Miranda: Huh? Ah! What do you mean?

Confused by his choice of words, she turned to look at him and caught him shaking it a little bit. Releasing a little yelp, she looked away once more with a blush bigger than before.

Kain: Let’s just say that actions are more valuable than words. You say that you want to bury the axe, but is there even an axe to bury?

Miranda: …no?

Kain: Although you did nothing to help me, it’s something that I would expect from any primate considered human. My conflict isn’t with you.

Miranda: Then why were you---

Kain: You can say all you want. I won’t trust any of it, unless I see it in action. Do you need an example?

Miranda: No. I get what you are trying to say.

Kain: Good. It saves me time and patience. Now rest and save your strength. It is going to be a long day.

[4 Hours Later]

The three of them were still in the open space, but in comparison to before it was all different. The wall was broken in several places, their surroundings were no longer on fire but still burning, the smoke and ashes in the air had worsened.

It was a miss calculation on Kain’ part. He had forgotten to put in consideration the fact of the dungeon possibly being a closed space, which left them in a precarious situation. Although it could be him just being too cautious, he didn’t want to bet his life on it. With a limited reservation of air and him burning and intoxicating the air, with the fire and smoke, they had to hurry and get out of the dungeon, otherwise they could end up dead.

Kain: “Time is counting down… but I don’t think we should move out like this… it’s too dangerous…”

Miranda: Is something bothering you?

Just when he was thinking about it, he heard the sweet voice of the mature woman. He felt surprised by her choice of words. Looking over towards her, he found her to be looking at him without her previous indifferent or cold expression, instead there was something that he didn’t like seeing in anyone but, at the same time, admired it. She was observing him attentively.

Beth: It should be this heat. Couldn’t you have told us to bring more water?

No one was sleeping currently due to how unbearable the heat had become a while after the fire reached their surroundings Beth’ suggestion had a valid point, after all, instead of making them bring all of those detergents and perfumes, wouldn’t it be better to bring water.

What she didn’t know was that Kain made them bring the detergents and perfumes with them since he was planning on killing them inside the dungeon, but he refrained in doing so after careful consideration. With one of the factors being it Miranda. It wasn’t as if he loved her, but rather he liked her attitude and personality. She was loyal, smart, intelligent and, more than anything else, she was calculative. The only error, in his eyes, she had made till now was having her daughter run off in the dungeon but considering the fact of her not possessing knowledge of such thing at the time and the desire of wanting to protect her daughter, it could be understandable.

After all, she was a human being like him, and he also made a miscalculation earlier in elaborating his plan.

Kain: We have a problem.

Looking deeply into the beautiful and profound eyes of the mature woman, he could see that she was growing used to him as she seemed to have noticed his state of mind.

Miranda: The air?

Surprised once more, he looked at her more closely. To think that she could have reached the problem they were facing, it seemed that he had underestimated her like he did with this world before meeting Warren.

Miranda: What?

Seeing his intense gaze on her, she felt a little creepy causing her to back away a little bit.

Kain: Nothing. Just surprised. And yes. You are right.

Beth: What are you two talking about?

Miranda: Sweetie, it’s like this—

Kain: We are running out of air.

Her mother could not even start to explain the situation to Beth, when Kain said everything sparing no words.

Beth: … are you fricking kidding me? You first bring us—

The young woman couldn’t continue any further as she felt her mother’ touch on her shoulder, looking to the side she found Miranda shaking her head from side to side.

Miranda: Now isn’t the time for that, sweetie. We have a bigger problem to deal with right now.

Beth: … but… mom…

Miranda: I know. After we get out of this, you can lay it down on him.

Kain: Are you done? If so let’s go.

Miranda: What is the plan?

Kain: What I originally wanted to do when planning to burn the forest down, but we will have to speed it up.

Beth: Why can’t you just bring us out of this place?

Kain: Cause I have things to do, and we can’t do it.

Miranda: What are you talking about?

Beth: What do you mean ‘we can’t do it’?

The two women were bewildered by his choice of words, after all, they previously assumed that he had done this before. Otherwise, where he would have gotten that purple rat and fiery dog?

Kain: … there shouldn’t be a problem to tell you this. This space we are in right now is something that you could call it a dungeon. Not those kinds of perverted ones, but like the ones you can see on games and such.

Beth: I think I know what you are talking about… I used to play one game like that when I was a kid. Then… does that mean that we have to defeat the boss?

Miranda: Boss?

Kain: I will explain everything in detail when we are on the move, but you just need to know that it is exactly like Beth just said. Putting my business aside, without defeating the boss it is impossible to get out of this dungeon.

Beth: Where are we going to find the boss with this wildfire? Couldn’t you have thought of a better plan. Jesus.

Shaking her head from side to side in disapproval, she thought it was ridiculous how this guy that was so cautious and smart, made such a bad and dumb move.

Miranda: That is precisely why he did it.

Beth: Huh?

Miranda: Correct me if I am wrong, but from what you just told me. I can assume that he started this fire to trap that ‘Boss’ and even kill it. Right?

Kain: You can look at it that way. It wasn’t my main objective when I thought of it, but it’s a happy coincidence.

Beth: We still have the problem of moving around with all this heat and smoke. Not to mention the air. My nose is itching and my throat hurts.

Miranda: … don’t you have one of those creatures to stop the fire or help us with this smoke?

Thinking of something Miranda spoke towards the young man. If he had a creature that could generate flames, couldn’t he also have one that could expel water or manipulate wind?

Kain: No. We will just have to make do with what we have. “Even if I had they wouldn’t be able to do much before running out of energy. With a wildfire of this level and power unless it’s a really powerful pokémon or move, they wouldn’t be able to do much.”

What Miranda recommended, he also thought about it as well, but he knew it was essentially useless. He knew that his pokémon although had the potential to even destroy a forest like this one in the future, right now they were basically younglings. An example of it was their evolution that Kain already studied about, Raticate and Arcanine, respectively.

Kain: “Escan doesn’t seem to have any problem with breathing, although the smoke seems to bother it a little bit and his nose won’t be viable as well… we will just have to proceed carefully and attentively.” You just have to follow me. Even if you stay in this safe place, the air is eventually going to burn out.

Miranda: You won’t find any opposition from us. Just one thing.

Kain: What is it?

Miranda: What if that ‘Boss’ is still alive and kicking? Are you confident in defeating it?

Kain: Defeating it? No.

They couldn’t even process their emotions and reactions when it was all shot down in the next moment.

Kain: Now killing it? Yes. Especially in this scenario.

Beth: Aren’t you too confident? Overconfidence can be a curse.

Miranda: Although she could have said it nicely, it is the truth. Shouldn’t you hesitate more before pronouncing on such matters?

Kain: You could be surprised on how many ways there are to attack, incapacitate and hurt, much less killing someone. That is why…

Looking intensely at the mature woman, he opened his mouth once more.

Kain: … related to that matter we spoke about, I can’t defeat him, but I am certain on kill him right now.

Miranda: !!!

Beth: … what are you talking about?

Miranda and Beth had completely different reaction, as Beth was confused by his words while Miranda immediately realized what he was talking about and was shocked by it.

Kain: I simply won’t do it for now since I can win the battle, but not the war. Now let’s go.

Beth: Crazy.

The two women soon followed his lead, as Beth whispered towards her mother, who was absentminded thinking about his words.

Miranda: “He couldn’t possibly… but with the use of these creatures…”

Looking at his scarred and deformed back, she thought that it was silly to take his words seriously, but it all changed when she shifted her gaze to Escan.

Miranda: “It seems that I should be making my mind. Let’s hope this ‘Boss’ is alive for me to check it.”

Seemingly resolving on something she narrowed her eyes and returned her gaze to Kain’ back.

[17 Minutes Later]

Kain: Let’s go through here.

The three of them were no longer on the safety of their little camp, they were now going through the burning forest. The ground cracked and ashes rose disappearing into the air with each step they took, if they were to look down at the ground, they would find it surprising how lifelike it seemed, with the burning sparks of trees and bushes giving it some sort of pulsation feeling. They were surrounded in danger causing their movements to be made carefully. They were even walking slightly crouched with their knees slightly bent and their stance lowered, it was all they could do to avoid the smoke as much as possible.

Beth: Mom, are you sure we should be following him?

Miranda: “This is something else.”

Behind the young man were the two women, Beth whispered something to her mother, but she didn’t get an answer as the woman in question was looking in wonder at the dog accompanying the young men.

In comparison to the three of them that had shoes to protect their feet from the ground, which was covered in burning sparks everywhere, the doggo didn’t have anything to protect its furry paws.

Beth: Mom?

Beth seeing her mother so distracted, traced down where she was looking at and saw that it was at the front. The problem was that with the difference of perspective she had from her position, it seemed, to her, that Miranda was looking at Kain instead of Escan. After all, why would she look at the dog? It was just a dog in Beth’ eyes, although a little bit special. She was far more terrified and scared of the purple rat.

Beth: “What is mom thinking about? Could she be planning to kill him when we manage to get out of here? Or perhaps…”

Meanwhile, at the front, Kain was having a tough time navigating through the forest. When he previously had to worry about the pokémon of the dungeon hiding and ambushing him, he now had to take care to the paths they could take and the condition of their surroundings, especially of the trees.

Kain: “I have been trying to choose the less dangerous patches, but its beginning to become difficult to do so. It’s obvious why, the fire isn’t weakening at any time soon, much less going out. If it weren’t for my suspicious, we could have stayed in the camp. Or… I could just kill the two of them and it would be two less air consumers.”

Looking back at the two women, he locked gazes with them as they were also looking at him.

Kain: “No. I shouldn’t be that extreme after all that work. Let’s see how things work out for now. Huh?”

Returning his gaze to the front, he was momentarily caught of guard by the sight that laid before him. He wasn’t the only one as the women behind him were also in the same state after seeing him stop and looking past him.