Haven really needed to start thinking out her plans better. Of [i]course[/i] Lavaridge would be a mess after the Mauville attack – it was one of the closest towns that people could run to. Though in her defense, Haven hadn't actually known that at the time. She still wasn't… totally familiar with Hoenn's geography. 

Yup, this one [i]totally[/i] wasn't her fault. The nervous crowd of people overstuffing the sleepy town still sucked, though. 

Haven scowled as she tried to shove her way past the nervous refugees, wincing when someone bumped her arm or back. For a big city girl, Haven [i]hated[/i] crowds. And the events of the past few days hadn't done anything to calm her nerves about them. Her pokemon had all been recalled, the streets too messy and bustling for them to move without fear of getting separated from each other. Haven's size was both a blessing and a curse – she had an easier time than most slipping between people, but the way people tended to tower over her only heightened the claustrophobic feeling. The town's characteristic heat was stifling in the throng, weighing down on her as she tried to force her way to freedom. People shouted over each other, yelling at others to move out of the way, or calling for each other, or pleading for calmness and order. The unmistakable shouts of rangers were muffled in the cacophony.

Finally Haven emerged from the crowd to nearly fall into a small alcove between two shops. Free of the oppressive heat of the crowd, Haven leaned against a red brick wall and heaved a sigh. She closed her eyes.

What was this town's motto? [i]A great place to relax[/i] or something? She had half a mind to spray paint a correction over their welcome sign. Haven slid against the wall to plop down and sit on the ground. Options. She had to think about her options.

She could sit here forever and never move again. That was a solid plan A. In case that didn't work out, what else was there? She was over this crowd, but how could she avoid them? If she stayed in Lavaridge, she probably couldn't. A town this size wasn't meant to hold this many people. The rangers would probably start trying to relocate people to neighboring towns as soon as they figured out how to coordinate it. Until then they were gonna be stuffed to the brim in the different hospitals and inns. There wouldn't be enough room. People would be on the street. Haven really didn't wanna deal with that. But she also didn't want to deal with stuffed rooms shared between eight people when it was meant for three, or crowds, or crime syndicates, or her scars, or [i]any[/i] of this.

She probably should've stayed at Forrest's. Haven groaned.

[b]"Miss!"[/b] a strong voice called out above her. [b]"Miss! You can't loiter here. We need to keep people moving so we can clear the streets."[/b] Haven peaked an eye open to see a young ranger on an altaria hovering above the building. Haven had half a mind to flip her off.

Instead, showing an impressive amount of restraint, Haven squeezed her eyes  shut again.

[b]"Miss!"[/b] She was more insistent now her voice growing closer. Haven felt the wind from the altaria's wings blowing at her hair. [b]"You need to –"[/b]

[color=coral]"Sorry,"[/color] Haven cut her off, her eyes still closed. She did her best to make her voice sound small and tired – she tried not to think about how easy it was. [color=coral]"Sorry, I just… I need a minute. Last night I –"[/color] Haven hesitated, opening her eyes again to see the ranger just a few feet above her now. She lifted her left hand, pulling down her sleeve to show the extensive bandages covering her arm. The ranger's eyes widened. Haven's injury had nothing to do with the Mauville explosion, and it was already scar tissue, but she didn't need to know that. [color=coral]"They did their best to patch me up, but I… I just need a minute. I'm sorry, I'll be up soon, I promise. I just need a break from the crowd."[/color]

The ranger landed her altaria a few feet away from Haven before dismounting. She looked at Haven, approaching slowly before kneeling down. Shit, now she was interested. Haven didn't want her interested, she wanted her [i]gone[/i]. Haven lowered her arm, tugging her sleeve back down over her palm again.

[b]"You witnessed the explosion?"[/b] Son of a [i]bitch[/i].

[color=coral]"N…no."[/color] The ranger's eyebrows drew together. [color=coral]"I didn't see how it happened or who those men were –"[/color]

[b]"But you  saw the men – the ones who attacked after the initial explosion? Did they do that to you?"[/b] Her green eyes flicked down to Haven's arm, now buried in her lap. Haven was trying very hard to keep her string of curses in her head, and not voice them out loud.

[color=coral]"It… it was chaos. Just a painful blur."[/color] Haven bit her lip, eyes flicking down as she tried to remember every lesson from her middle school acting class. [color=coral]"Please,"[/color] she said in a small voice, [color=coral]"don't make me relive it."[/color] The ranger's eyes softened at that. Her eyebrows drew together as she pressed her lips into a worried line.

[b]"Hey,"[/b] she murmured, [b]"it's ok now. You're safe. I'm sorry, but I have to ask you to come to the station to make a statement."[/b] Haven's wide eyes shot up to her in an alarmed look that didn't need to be faked. [b]"Don't worry,"[/b] the ranger was quick to add, raising her hands in a placating motion, [b]"it'll be quick and as painless as possible, I promise. We just need all the information we can get on the attack, and witnesses have been harder to find than we thought they would in all the chaos. If you were close enough to the attackers for them to…"[/b] the ranger looked down at Haven's arm again. [b]"You were at ground zero. We just need anything you can remember, and then we'll see about some proper medical treatment for your injuries and getting you someplace to rest."[/b]

Haven let her head fall back to hit the wall as she squeezed her eyes shut again. God [i]fucking[/i] damn it. She totally should've stayed at Forrest's. This was the opposite of relaxing.