It was a little past midnight when everyone finally went to bed. Shortly after midnight, Mark unhooked Arinia's fresh IV bag from the stand that the doctor had put her on before she went to bed, and wrapped Arinia in a spare blanket. Then Mark lifted Arinia into his arms, and tucked her IV bag into her blankets. Now he cautiously left the infirmary with Arinia, being very careful not to make any noise or to awaken Arinia. Mark crept quietly with his blanketed bundle, and he finally made it to the entrance. Mark felt bad that he was leaving his other team members behind, but there was nothing he could do about that at this moment. All he could do was take Arinia to safety. Mark left the base with Arinia and walked through the Fiery Cave until he reached the cave entrance that was close to Fallarbor. He then made his way to the desert, and plunged into it. Arinia began to stir as soon as she felt the sand swirling around her, but she didn't open her eyes. Mark knew that she was awake, so he hurried to the easternmost part of the desert. (Near where you find the fossils in the game) Once there, Mark called out his Crawdaunt and had it use Secret Power on a pile of rocks. Then they both entered the secret base, and Mark laid Arinia on the floor briefly so that he could take his laptop out of his bag. Mark set up his laptop, and removed a chair from it. Then he set the chair in the base, and he scooped Arinia up and set her on the chair. Mark went back to the laptop and took a bed out of it for Arinia, and he set that up. Mark then took some sheets out of his laptop, and he spread them over the mattress. Now Mark walked over to Arinia, and lifted her up into his arms.
Arinia opened her eyes as Mark was laying her on the bed, "Mark, what's going on? Where am I?"
Mark replied, "Don't worry, sweetheart, you're safe now. You're no longer in Team Magma's base, but in the secret base I made for us in the desert."
"Oh, ok." Arinia replied, feeling better now that she knew where she was.
Mark walked over to his laptop and took a quilt out of it, and he spread it out over Arinia, while being mindful not to cover her face with it by accident. He tucked the sides of the quilt in, and Mark took a small table out of his laptop and set it near Arinia's bedside and he place her IV bag on it. Now everything was set, Arinia was safe, but one thing still weighed heavily on Mark's mind; she didn't have her backpack or her pokemon with her. Arinia coughed, and Mark knew that he needed to do something to help her. Mark set down his backpack and took out a first aid kit, and a water bottle that he hadn't opened yet.
"Arinia…… Do you feel okay?" Mark asked her.
"I fell somewhat better, but in a way I don't feel much better." Arinia replied.
Now Mark asked, "Arinia, would you trust me if I were to give you some medicine that would make you feel better?"
Arinia replied, "Yes, I would trust you……"
Mark handed the water bottle to Arinia, and opened the first aid kit and he took out 3 different pills and handed them to Arinia. Arinia took Mark's medicine and laid back.
"Now try to get some sleep…… I didn't mean to wake you when I was escaping with you, but there wasn't much choice……. I'm sorry, Arinia……." Mark told her.
Arinia
replied, "It's ok, Mark……. I'm grateful
that you rescued me……. It's a small
price to pay to be safe again……."
Mark nodded and smiled, then he exclaimed, "But Maxie still has your belongings and your pokemon! How are we gonna get those back!?"
Arinia asked, "Can't that other Admin do something about them?"
Mark replied, "I'm sure he can……. I'll radio him as soon as you fall asleep……."
Mark kissed Arinia, and she closed her eyes and Mark pulled the covers up around her some more. Arinia fell asleep shortly afterward.
Mark radioed his superior, " Sir, I've got Arinia in my company……. However, her belongings and her pokemon were taken from her by Maxie, do you think there's anyway you can get them back?"
The superior Admin replied, "I'll do my best to find her belongings and her pokemon, and I'll bring them safely to Arinia.
Mark replied, "Okay, thanks."
Now the Superior Admin asked, "By the way, where are you? I can't bring them if I don't know where to find you."
Mark replied, "Arinia and I made a secret base in the far eastern corner of the desert."
Now the Superior Admin said, "I'll get her belongings, ASAP……. By the way, how is Arinia? Is she all right? Was she hurt in any way?"
Mark replied, "She's very weak…….. She said that Maxie had tried to starve her……. Arinia's all right, so far she's sleeping well.…… She doesn't have much energy, like I said she's very weak……. Some of the Team Magma doctors said that it was a miracle that she was still alive……"
Now the Superior Admin asked, "But she is still alive? Take care of her as much as you can, as soon as I retrieve her stolen articles we'll take her to our ship's infirmary."
"Okay, I'll do what I can to take care of Arinia……. Over and out."
Arinia rolled over in her sleep.
Mark asked, "Arinia?…….."
There wasn't an answer, since Arinia was gasping for breath.
Mark tried again, "Arinia! Are you okay?!"
Arinia opened her eyes and tried to answer, but she couldn't; only air escaped from her mouth. Mark rolled her onto her back, and her breathing returned to normal. Then Mark took 2 large cushions out of his laptop, and set them on either side of Arinia to keep her from rolling over.
Mark thought, "That's better……. At least she's breathing normally now……"
Arinia now fell back asleep, and Mark kissed her once more.
~*~
The next morning, Maxie came to check in on Arinia.
Maxie asked, "Mark, how is……. She………"
Mark and Arinia were gone.
Now Maxie said, "Curses! They escaped! But how!? They can't have gotten too far…….. Arinia's sick, she'll slow Mark down…….. We might still be able to catch them…….."
Maxie grinned evilly, "Yes……. I will get them……."
Now Maxie began formulating a plan to recapture Mark and Arinia.