Shadowwolf64: Well now, I didn't expect it to take this long to update.

Gina: Slacker.

Shadowwolf64: And proud of it… Okay not really but moving on…

Paul: Can we just get this over with?

Shadowwolf64: Nope.

Disclaimer: Not mine no matter how much I wish it was.

Chapter 9: Escape

Gina coughed as dust filled her lungs and she shoved a few chucks of cave ceiling off herself as she shakily got to her feet.

"These run-ins are really starting to piss me off," she muttered as she leaned against the wall. Dust shrouded the area and she coughed again as more dust coated her throat. "How the hell am I supposed to find my way out now?" Realization hit her and she quickly looked around but couldn't see a thing. "Damn it Paul you really need to stop running into me." Moving around a bit more she heard rubble shift nearby and she focused on the sound, moving towards it. She tripped on a piece of earth and cursed at the ground as she sat back.

"This is getting me nowhere," she growled as she pulled a pokeball from her belt. Tossing it in front of her, a light shone as the Pokémon appeared but quickly faded. Darkness settled again and snickering could be heard coming from the Pokémon standing before her.

"Firestorm," she growled in warning and flames sprung to life as the Typhlosion looked at her in amusement. "Cute," Gina snapped sarcastically as she got to her feet and dusted off her pants. The rubble next to her shifted again she nodded at her Pokémon and the two took up an edge of a large slab of rock. After a few seconds the rock gave way and they lifted it enough for Gina to peer around to see who was trapped. Onyx eyes met sapphire and the two looked at each other before Gina looked him over.

"Hmph, looks like you got lucky," she said as she shifted a bit.

"Yeah, so lucky that I got found by you," Paul muttered and Gina shot him an icy glare.

"I could just drop this and leave you here," she growled.

"Please do," Paul replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Both glared at each other and Firestorm sighed in exasperation and shoved the slab to the side, away from both trainers. Realizing she didn't have too much of a choice, Gina grabbed Paul's arm and pulled him to his feet while he growled in protest.

"None of that," Gina snapped as Paul steadied himself. "We're both stuck here so we may as well get along for at least a little while," she muttered and he looked over at her in disbelief while she glared back at him. "Don't start with me; I don't have much self-restraint right now." Seeing as she was being serious, Paul reluctantly nodded and shifted his gaze so he was glaring at the wall.

"So what do you propose we do then?" he demanded as he looked to her Pokémon.

"What do you think? Find a way out of here," Gina replied as she and Firestorm made their way towards the blockade.

"You know what I mean," Paul snapped in annoyance.

"I know," she said as she smirked over her shoulder at him before turning her attention back to the problem in front of her. Paul shook his head and muttered something under his breath causing Gina to snicker while he glared over at her.

"So what are we going to do about this problem," she asked her Pokémon and he shrugged. "How long do you think it would take to melt the rock?" Firestorm thought for a minute before shaking his head.

"Phlosion," he replied and his trainer ran a hand through her hair.

"That's too long," she muttered as she looked over her shoulder at Paul, who was looking back at the way they had come. Gina followed his gaze and sighed, both ways were blocked and they needed to get out soon. The place had no way of supplying a source of oxygen. Last she checked rocks didn't give off air. With a sigh she looked at the Firestorm. "Use Flame Wheel," she commanded and the Pokémon looked at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Typhlosion ty!" he exclaimed, panicked.

"I know the risks but if we want to get out we don't have a choice," she snapped at him and she nodded over towards Paul. "I can't do anything with him around," she said as she looked to Firestorm. He sighed, flames briefly flashing in front of him before he backed up to get a running start. Paul noticed the Pokémon moving and he went to stand by Gina.

"What are you planning?" he asked as he watched the fire type.

"Going to use Flame Wheel to try and get out of here," she replied as she looked to him. You should know that if this doesn't work we'll probably die."

"Why?" he demanded as he looked to her, a bit startled.

"Fire needs oxygen and well we're kinda trapped with a limited supply," she replied as Firestorm glared at the wall before him.

"I never agreed to this plan," Paul snapped and Gina shrugged.

"Too late now," she said as Firestorm charged at the rocks, flames erupting around him. Both trainers covered their faces to shield themselves from the heat. Something similar to a small explosion sounded and they both looked up to see an exit though it didn't look like it would hold for long.

"No time to just gape at it," Gina snapped as she grabbed Paul's arm and shoved him through the exit Firestorm had created and she quickly followed after him. The rocks crashed down and both trainers looked at the wall behind them and sighed. They were safe for now but if that guy came looking for them... Remembering the asshole that had done this made Gina curse fiercely to herself causing Paul eye her warily.

"The hells your problem?" he demanded and she shot him a glare.

"Nothing, let's just get out of here before my temper gets the best of me," she retorted angrily as she made her way further into the tunnel, Firestorm following after her. Paul, seeing no other option, reluctantly followed. After half an hour of silence Gina finally sighed and looked over her shoulder at him.

"If you have a question then ask," she remarked.

"How do I know you'll answer the question?" he challenged and Gina threw a look over at him.

"Fine, I'll answer one question," she growled in response and Firestorm threw her a look but she brushed it off. Paul was silent as he thought and Gina knew she was probably going to regret this.

"Why are these guys after you? That guy Chance was after you then these two today, why you?" he asked and Gina wracked her brain for a believable answer, one that was partially the truth but not completely.

"A friend and I used to be part of this group and when we decided we had had enough, they weren't too thrilled with the idea of us leaving. So now we have to deal with the occasional hot head that comes our way," she explained as she glared at the ceiling.

"That Chance guy seems real adamant about getting you guys to return."

"He just wants someone else to obey what he says since he's always following someone else's orders."

Paul was silent as he thought over what she said and he watched as she rubbed her arm, wincing slightly at the contact. As he examined her arm from the distance he realized that the sleeve was shredded and burned, revealing the bandages that adorned her arm. Concern welled up in him and he quickly beat it back in annoyance. What did he care what happened to her? He didn't really even know her all that well. From the way she acted she didn't really want to be friends with him and that suited him just fine, he didn't want her friendship. He looked up when she suddenly stopped and he heard her cursing heatedly as he stopped next to her and spotted what had aggravated her. It looked like it was the same guy that had caused the cave to collapse and from the way she was acting he could safely conclude he wasn't a friend.

Anger welled up in Gina as she glared at the figure before her and she turned to look at Paul as he stood next to her. She needed him out of here before he got caught up in this mess, she didn't need him finding anything out. If he became too involved then he would become a target. Damn it, when had she started caring what actually happened to this human? She shouldn't feel the need to be this protective but, no just let him stay and maybe this guy would get passed her guard and…

No! What the hell was she thinking? She couldn't do that, it would go against everything she had done before and what she had said. The two ideas clashed in her head and she ground her teeth in frustration. "Damn it all," she snarled fiercely causing Paul to look at her in alarm. "You," she snarled as she pointed at him, raw emotions lighting her eyes making him blink in surprise. It wasn't just anger and frustration that was reflected but a small flicker of concern.

"When I say run you better run like hells on your tail," she growled as she turned her attention back to the hooded figure.

"And if I refuse?" he demanded angrily, not liking the thought of her protecting him. The snarl and icy glare he received were answer enough. "Fine," he snapped and the figure snickered from where he stood.

"Kinda protective, aren't you Gina?" Said protector growled in response causing her opponent to laugh. "Touchy, I was just making an observation."

"Keep your comments to yourself," she snapped as she clenched her fist.

"You sure you're up for this, after all isn't your shoulder bone cracked from your last fight? And look at your arm, I mean can you really stay in the game for long?"

"Thanks for your concern but I don't need it," she retaliated as he began to walk along the walls edge towards them.

'Damn it, he's waiting for him to run. I'll have to act fast.'

As soon as he was close enough, Gina tensed and quickly turned to Paul. "Run," she snapped and he hesitated for a second before darting off further into the tunnel.

"No you don't," their attacker snarled as he turned to give chase.

"Flamethrower!" Gina commanded and Firestorm reacted as fast as his trainer had expected him too and blocked the pursuer's path.

Paul could feel the heat of the attack against his back as he ran and he growled under his breath as he ran. Who the hell did she think she was, telling him to run while she stayed behind? His Pokémon weren't weak and could fight back. Another wave of heat blew through the cave and he looked over his shoulder as the flames died out.

Gina's glove was still glowing with a ruby light ready to use another Fire Blast in case 026 decided he still wanted to go after Paul.

"Well it seems that you're a bit protective of that human, honestly I don't see why," 026 said as he circled around Gina.

"Trust me I don't get it either," Gina murmured as she watched him circle her, listening to his footsteps as he disappeared behind her and out of her line of sight. His pace quickened and she could hear him getting closer before he leapt at her and she quickly turned, the gem glowing a steely silver as three metal blades shot out of the gem. The two Metal Claw attacks clashed and the two glared at each other before Gina shoved him away from her.

Realizing she didn't have much choice she sighed and closed her eyes while he watched her in confusion. What was she thinking leaving herself wide open like that? Flames covered his fist and he smirked, well if she left like giving him an opening then so be it. As his attack neared her Gina looked up and caught his fist with one of her own attacks. The gem was glowing with a blue and red-violet mix and the same color mix shrouded her hand like a glove the fingers curling into claws.

"Dragon Claw," he muttered and she looked up at him, her eyes narrowed and the sapphire of her eyes like ice sending shivers down his spine.

"You're not walking away from this battle," she growled as grabbed the front of his jacket so he couldn't get away from her. Realizing that she was using her bad arm, 026 struck at her shoulder using Poison Jab causing her to cry out and release his jacket allowing him to stumble away, out of her reach.

"You shoulder really be more aware of your actions," he hissed as he rubbed his throat.

"As should you," she snapped as the ground began to shift beneath his feet. Pillars of rock erupted around him and when he looked to her, he saw her hand shining with dark brown color. "Rock Tomb."

The pillars trapped him, preventing his escape; he shot a glare over at her and smirked.

"I'm not the first and I won't be the last. There will always be someone to take my place in this game," he called out and Gina smirked back.

"I know and I don't care, I'll keep fighting until I'm rid of you all," she replied, a wild light in her eyes. 026 laughed at her statement as the final pillar erupted into place, encasing him completely before the coffin began to shift, dragging him below the earth.

"Then you have a long fight ahead of you." As soon as the tomb was out of sight, Gina walked over to where it had disappeared and knelt down with a smirk. Ruby shone on her glove as she placed her hand on the ground where she was sure he was concealed. Blast Burn shot into the ground, heating up the ground and she could hear his cried of pain as he was burned alive. The light died out and she pulled her hand away, motioning for Firestorm to follow as she headed towards the exit of the tunnel. The Typhlosion looked at her uneasily as they walked, she was always a bit unstable after fighting like that and he would rather not be in the line of fire if she snapped again.

"Don't worry about it Firestorm," she reassured the Pokémon and he snorted in response. "I know when to restrain myself you know." Again he snorted but moved closer to his trainer and she patted his head with a smile.

Shadowwolf64: Okay, yup it's decided. Gina has a crazy fight to kill side of her.

Gina: Naw, we hadn't noticed!

Paul: …

Shadowwolf64: I think you scared him…

Paul: Who's scared?

Shadowwolf64: Never mind.

Gina: Anyway that's the end of chapter 9.

Shadowwolf64: Till next time, later!