A crack like thunder shook the earth, swaying the very buildings. What had been a quiet night immediately devolved into chaos. Screams reverberated through the city like aftershocks, their shrill echoes punctuated with more and more explosions. Smoke billowed from another section of the city. Alarms were drowned out in the cacophony. 

Haven was death to it all. She stood tense against a wall, eyes unfocused and breath shallow. 

[i]Storms and fangs and fear–[/i]

There was the sharp sting of electricity in her arm. [color=coral]"Aah–!"[/color] Haven gasped out, snapping back to attention. She looked to the side to see Dagger, her heavy jaw lightly clamped around her shoulder. Traces of pink electricity crackled out of existence as the Granbull stared up at her with sharp eyes. Haven looked to her other side to see Cloak watching her just as intently. 

She was ok. She wasn't being attacked. She was safe.

Another explosion rocked the city.

She was [i]relatively[/i] safe. No one was actively trying to kill her, at least. 

Her heart still hammering in her throat, Haven looked back to the smoke pouring into the sky. Panicked cries from humans and pokemon alike fought to be heard over the alarms. What had happened? Some sort of accident? Something to do with the blackout? People filled the street, most rushing away from the smoke. A few brave (stupid? Reckless? Noble?) souls were running towards it. The rest were standing stunned on the road like Haven, unable to do more than stare.

Her grip tightened around her bag strap against her chest. Whatever had happened, something had clearly gone wrong. Haven needed to do something. Run to safety. Run to help. But she was petrified. A voice in her head screamed at her over the ringing in her ears to [i]move.[/i] To not just [i]stand there[/i] like an idiot! 

She needed… she needed to run. Last night was proof enough that Haven wasn't meant for these kinds of situations, no matter what the pit fighter had said. She'd survived because she'd managed to live long enough for someone else to swoop in and save the day – and then she'd run away from him and what protection he could offer. Haven had always only been good for causing problems. She could only hope to stay out of the way as someone else solved them.

She knew all this. The rational, cautious side of her assured Haven that the best course of action was to stay safe, avoid pain and fear that was already growing too familiar.

Unfortunately, her frustrated, reckless, spiteful side had a much louder voice.

[color=coral]"C'mon."[/color] Without another thought, Haven broke into a run towards the explosions. She hated that helpless feeling that made her feel like she didn't have a choice – she didn't have a [i]say[/i] in what happened to her or what she could do. An angry desperation to prove she was more than some crying little girl pushed her forward. 

Haven wasn't a fighter. But she could still help. And if she could help, then didn't she have a responsibility to?

She fought against the crowds, Cloak and Dagger following close behind her, forced reassurances that she [i]had[/i] to do this circling in her mind.