Vanishing Act {Pokemon Mystery Dungeon}

2: An Odd Figure

Nia

Her inquiry was pointless. Who is Gait?

Narrowing her eye to slits, Nia stared down the Roserade in front of her, adrenaline more at work than anything. Her heart was slower than it was moments ago, but it still drummed on her chest swiftly, coursing her blood even faster. The vines that kept her hostage all simultaneously swirled tighter, and Nia couldn't help but jerk at the action and draw her gaze away from the Roserade. A deep, instinctual feeling rumbled inside of her body, and with a little bit of squirming, the Mawile opened her mouth.

A startled hiss of pain echoed from one of the Roselias standing firm behind the Roserade as Nia bit down on the vines that were formerly covering her mouth. Perhaps it was the adrenaline, but pride sweltered through her chest, and she shot a smug look at the Roselia who nursed her wrist gingerly, as if she had twisted it. Catching her look, the Roselia looked offended, and rage boiled in her eyes.

"Miss Kali, we should just-"

"Hush, child. You're running away after a feeble nip?" The Roserade, Kali, snapped, shooting an angered glance at the complaining Roselia.

Nia felt her pulse quicken as Kali returned her angered gaze back to her, and she had to suppress the sudden urge to seize up. She could lose control here- they have control of her life. Terror threatened to take over her actions, but the Mawile swallowed her fear and drew in a deep, grounding breath.

"I have no idea who this 'Gait' is. I have barely even been in this area for a day." She responded to the question, catching herself with her false truths, in this kind of hostile situation, she can't lose track of when she lies.

Her response was met with a dark laugh from the Roserade. "You can't honestly expect me to believe you. Lily and Hydrangea both saw you talking to him today."

"The Cubone?" Nia asked, dropping all of the  bitterness she held for Kali in favor of curiosity, "Why would anyone want to find him?"

"You cannot be serious. Being a Cubone is perhaps the least identifiable thing about him. You can't tell what he is?"

When met by a blank stare, the Roserade lunged forward, wielding two dizzying purple needles from the receptacles of the roses on her hands. Instinctually Nia flinched back, fighting against the vines and willing her bound muscles to lurch backwards.

She couldn't move.

Kali laughed, her voice laced with cruelty and sickening pleasure from getting such a reaction. The needles were held up to Nia's chin, so close she could feel her skin buzz to brace itself to be injected. She took a sharp intake of air, mentally bracing herself along with her body. Again, she heard a laugh.

"You really don't know anything, do you sweetie?" Kali cooed, her voice silky and haunting, uncomfortably running over the Mawile's ears.

"N-no." Nia croaked, eyeing the faint purple glow emanating from the needles held at her neck.

"Not so bold now, are you, Mawile?" The Roserade jeered, pressing one needle up to Nia's neck, then retracting the needles back into the folds of her roses. "We'll talk again tomorrow, okay honey?"

Nia struggled to recall when the five of them left, but the door released a flood of dim light into the room before shutting it all out again. A deep, foggy haze fell over her mind and her eyes, as they left, making it hard to stay conscious. Black splotches invaded her vision, and the world spun uncontrollably around her; even the moon didn't provide any relief or clarity to her sight. A soft thud resounded in her ears as she sank to her knees and stared down at her hands, a struggling to focus on them.