[b][u][color=f49ac2][h3][center]~Melody Hemlock~[/center][/h3][/color][/u][/b]
Melody stared up at the Onix’s feral eyes. It was close enough that she could feel its hot breath against her face. Her legs felt like jelly. She was supposed to run, wasn't she? But what good would it do? All it would take was one snap of the Onix's jaws, and--

[i]So this is how I’m going to die,[/i] she thought, frozen to the spot. It wasn’t a bad way to go. At least she’d finally met her best friend, right?

[color=ed1c24]"Melody, get out of there!"[/color] Jackson’s voice.

And then a blast of water hit the Onix in the side of the head.

The creature roared, swinging its enormous tail in fury, but the move didn’t seem to do much damage, serving only to distract it while Abigail’s new Spinarak pelted the massive rock snake with webbing. It hadn’t slowed the Onix down very much, but…

This was her opportunity to run!

Or at least, it would have been, had Tesla not decided to charge forth and tackle the Onix while it was busy slamming Abigail’s unfortunate Spinarak against a tree.

[color=f49ac2]“Damn it, Tesla!”[/color] Melody gasped, and ran forwards, spurred into action by her fear for her Pokemon's safety. She didn't even think twice. 

She was running [i]towards[/i] a gigantic, rampaging Onix. What in Arceus’s name was she [i]doing[/i]? But she wouldn’t let Tesla get killed by this thing. She [i]wouldn’t[/i].

Tesla’s tackle had done… not much at all, really, but at least he’d tried. Melody scooped him up in her arms just in time for the Onix to swing around, slamming its tail into the ground beside her. She scrambled backwards, and tripped, rolling over just in time to shield Tesla from the impact.

She was going to die. She was really, genuinely going to die.

Tesla growled, squirming in her arms.

He still wanted to fight, she realized, with a dawning mixture of horror and pride. And Melody had to fight too. Abigail had [i]saved[/i] her, after all! She tightened her grip on him and pushed herself off the ground, stumbling backwards and rejoining the other trainers.

[color=f49ac2]"Shh, Tesla," [/color]she whispered urgently. [color=f49ac2]"You can't beat him! Onix is a rock-ground dual type, and look how strong it is!"[/color]

Tesla hissed, clearly dissatisfied, but lapsed into sullen silence. Melody gave Abigail a bright, grateful smile. Melody had [i]known[/i] Abigail was a good person at heart. Then, after a split second's hesitation, she turned the same smile on Jackson. He'd been a big part of helping her get away too, after all.

[color=f49ac2]"You guys saved me!"[/color] she said, bashfully.[color=f49ac2] "Thanks a lot. I really mean it."[/color]

But now wasn't the time for gratitude, and Melody fumbled for her new Zubat's pokeball. It emerged in a flurry of red light and wings, screeching wildly and still clearly paralyzed. Tesla gave it a menacing look --seriously, how was it that a fluffy little Mareep could be so [i]intimidating[/i]?-- and it immediately quieted down.

[color=f49ac2]"Okay, here's the deal," [/color]she told it quickly. [color=f49ac2]"We're friends now, whether you like it or not. I'm going to heal you up, and then you're gonna help us distract this Onix while we make our escape. Mess up and we [i]all[/i] die, so don't, okay?"[/color]

The Zubat cawed rebelliously, but it wasn't doing anything else, so Melody took that to be a good sign. She smiled.[color=f49ac2] "Great. Now, what you're going to do is this: flap around and be a distraction, yeah? Throw in a Leech Life if you can afford it, but avoid its head and tail. Especially the head. Got it?"[/color]

Zubat cawed again, and Melody giggled. One potion and a Paralyze Heal later, and he was all patched up and ready to go. [color=f49ac2]"Alright, you can do it! Go!"[/color]

And then Zubat was in the air, cawing wildly and drawing the Onix's attention. Tesla made an angry noise, clearly not happy with being left out of the action, and Melody sighed. Why was he so eager to fight all of a sudden?

[color=f49ac2]"You can help too," [/color]she said. [color=f49ac2]"Just stick with me, okay?"[/color]

The Onix started hurling mud all over the place. Mud sport? Ew. And that was going to weaken Tesla, too... though it wasn't like his attacks would have done anything in the first place. Ground types were immune to electric attacks, after all. Zubat swooped up to attempt to avoid the flying mud: perfect.

[color=f49ac2]“Thunder Wave on the eyes!” [/color]she said, putting the Mareep on the ground, and Tesla let loose with a wave of electricity that Zubat was thankfully out of the way of. The electricity did absolutely nothing, but the Onix reeled back in shock anyway.

[i]Don’t see too many electric types around here, huh?[/i] Melody thought maliciously. [color=f49ac2]“Leech life!”[/color] she yelled, and down Zubat swooped, latching on to the Onix’s rocky skin.

The Onix roared in annoyance, Zubat’s attack clearly not really doing much but pester it a little, and Melody clenched her fists in irritation. It tossed its head and Zubat went flying off, only just managing to catch itself before it hit a tree.

[color=f49ac2]“We’ve gotta run!” [/color]Melody said, tugging nervously at her skirt. [color=f49ac2]“There’s no way we’re beating this thing. Let’s go!”[/color]