**Seth – Ayero – Ladyl Woods**

This was a problem.

A small part of him had hoped that the bird-Pokemon hadn't been carnivorous, that all of the children were safe and happy and in immaculate condition, that the creature had only wanted to fill an empty nest – as Belle often did. Not all were as friendly as Belle, however, and at one time he had known that. The Pokemon's descent into the cavern was too fast for the human eye to see and now, shrouded in darkness, it was impossible to make out the species or weak points of it. The light filtering through the entrance did nothing except illuminate how utterly impossible the odds were.

It was *huge*. 

And yet, he couldn't waste any more time – he knew that. The cries of the children were too frantic for them to be safe. Patting down the pockets of his trousers, he found a bent matchstick, but no other source of light. Thank the heavens for keen eyesight, Seth thought, drawing his bow and taking out an arrow from his quiver.

Breathe in. Breathe out. *Don't hit the children*. He could hear them, but he couldn't see them. If luck wasn't on his – or their – side, then the attack would quite easily reach them instead. Still, a pinning shot to the wing... it might be a risk worth taking.

Seth nocked the arrow, pulled his bowstring back with a steady arm and, against his better judgement, sent it into what he was sure was a stone pillar – something safe. He could hear the arrowhead clunking against the rock, no doubt catching the beast's attention.

“Hey, you!” Seth retrieved the matchstick from earlier and struck it on the side of his leg, illuminating his position from near the entrance of the cavern. “Why don't you pick on someone your own size?”

Or someone much, much smaller than you, Seth mused. Cliched though it was, it was something *heroes* said, right? The shape moved, taking a step in his direction, and the trainer started to back away and out the cave – not too quickly, lest the beast lose interest. Once he managed to get it outside (and he refused to think of it in terms of *if*), he had a clear shot, and Belle would too, when she returned.

---

**Belle – Ayero – Ladyl Woods**

Only wasting one more moment to greet the Rayquaza with a trill – it wasn't the Pokemon she was upset with, after all – Belle stretched out her wings and took to the skies, careful not to jostle the girl who was not quite as accustomed to flying as Seth was (though few humans were). Forsaking the flashy spiralling action she had used with her own human, Belle pushed herself further and faster than before, already knowing the location she was looking for.

Still, she left out the nose-dives to pick up speed. Seth always complained about how dangerous they were, especially when they picked up strangers for extra coin. Plus, it made her human turn particularly green with illness... or was it panic?

Belle let out a shrill cry to alert Seth to her presence as she descended at the edge of the forest, loud enough to cause the trees to shake as a colourful collection of seasonal bird Pokemon scattered.  He was nowhere to be found, but there was only one place where he could be: the nest.