Meanwhile, somewhere else in the dungeon, Beth didn’t manage to get very far, as she stood like a statue with the biggest caterpillar, she had ever seen in her entire life, blocking her path.

Beth: Well... this is bad.

Although the green caterpillar didn’t scare her as much as did that demonic purple rat and with it not moving to attack or intimidate her, she felt rather relieved but it was still pretty scary when considering the sheer size of the caterpillar. It seemed to be the same size as that purple demonic rat, how is that possible?

Miranda: Sweetie!

Just then she heard her mother’ voice, turning around she found Miranda rushing towards her.

Beth: Mom?

Miranda: Look out!!

Beth: Huh? AH!

Distracted by the appearance of her mother, she was caught off guard by something falling on her and pain suddenly emanating from her left leg.

Miranda: NO!

Sensing the worst, Miranda rushed through the forest, without a single care to her health and safety, towards her falling daughter. She didn't even care about the branches of the trees and bushes cutting her skin and clothes, smashing through the leaves, and her feet hurting like hell from the rough and hard terrain.

Miranda: Sweetie? Sweetie, are you okay?

She barely managed to catch her collapsing daughter from hitting the ground in exchange for her to injure her own knees.

The thing that fell on Beth quickly escaped into nearby bushes, not giving Miranda the time to have a good look at it, but she was able to discern that it was similar to the green caterpillar, which was still looking curiously at the two of them, but this one was yellow in color.

Beth: m..om... I am feeling weird and fuzzy.

Beth’ voice pulled Miranda’ attention back to her, as she saw her daughter slowly batting her eyelids as if she was drowsy and sleepy. Thinking of the worst she glanced at her daughter’ left thigh and saw that her skin had a slightly purplish tone.

Miranda: “Fuck! The worst that could happen...it isn’t even below the knee....”

Miranda began to despair as she thought the worse that could happen, with it being her daughter having to amputate her leg to save her life and, even, death, although it was the least possible result, it could still happen.

Miranda: fff…

Breathing to calm herself down, she slowly placed her daughter down on the ground, covered in leaves, grass, and dirt. Quickly surveilling their surroundings to see if they were safe, she undressed her simple blue t-shirt and lifted up the black skirt of her daughter' left leg, before wrapping around the t-shirt around the poisoned leg, above where the skin seemed poisoned.

Miranda: Forgive me sweetie.

Breathing out and apologizing to her daughter, who barely managed to catch what she said and was perplexed why her mother said such things, but she soon understood everything. Miranda grabbed on the sleeves of the shirt and gave it a strong pull to opposite sides, causing Beth to scream in pain from the tight squeeze on her hurt flesh.

Miranda: sshhh.... mommy is here... mommy is here....

Tears ran down the mature black woman’ pretty face as she continued applying of the little knowledge she had of first aid to her daughter. After giving a tough knot on the two sleeves, while squeezing at the same time, she started to caress and pat her daughter’ head, to help her calm down and relax.

Miranda: …. if this is what I think it is.... then there is only one that can help me....

Seeing the face of her daughter relax, she lifted her head and looked into the distance, in the direction where "Kain' camp" was.

Miranda: …. it’s better than nothing.... it’s better than nothing.... it’s better than her dying.

Although she didn’t know Kain well and for a long time, she was able to understand what kind of person he was, in a general way. As such, she knew that upon returning that he would make their lives a living hell, even though the expectation was for someone to help her and her daughter especially considering their circumstances and sorry appearances.

Putting aside her daughter’ poisoned state, the two of them had numerous cuts throughout their entire bodies, covered in dirt and leaves, with it being due to the fact of them rushing through the forest without a single care to their health and safety. Not to mention that after Miranda used her t-shirt to perform a torniquet on her daughter’s poisoned left leg, she was left with only a white bra to cover her upper body.

Back to Kain, he was no longer digging but was using the same dirt he dug, to build a wall around the open space he was in.

Kain: “It doesn’t need to be too tall... just tall enough.”

Beside him was Escan and Nev trying their best to help, with Escan doing the rest of the digging and Nev patrolling the surrounding area. It left one to wonder why he was doing all of this, with his pokémon being as strong as they were. Couldn’t he just sweep through this dungeon like he did with the one in the school – ‘The Beginning’? But instead, he resolved himself to go through this plan of his.

Taking a quick break, he sat down on a pile of dirt and pulled close the plastic bag, he had brought with him. Reaching inside he took out a white cloth and used it to wipe his hands, before getting a sandwich and a water bottle from the same bag.

ffssshhh

squeak

Kain: What is it?

Turning his head to the side, he found what the source of the rustling was and the reason of Nev' warning.

Miranda was slowly stepping into the open space while carrying Beth on her back, in a piggyback, her breathing erratic and heavy. It was an alluring sight to any straight men as she was wearing only had a white bra, that could barely hold the pair of big boobs she had and leaving a lot of her beautiful dark skin out in the open.

Miranda: …

Kain: …

A silence took over the atmosphere for a second as the mature woman tried to gather her strength to handle the upcoming events, with it being more of a mental strength than a physical one.

Miranda: … please… help us.

Kain: No.

Kain didn’t even hesitate or took some time to think, he had no intentions of helping any of them. Already expecting such answer from him, Miranda didn’t stop and continued going forward till she stood right in front of him. Crouching down a little, she slowly removed Beth from her back and laid her down on the ground, between the two of them.

Quickly looking over, while observing, Beth’ body, he found the reason behind their return. It was the main reason he feared this dungeon, poison.

Kain: “Right on the mark. Even a forest without these creatures with abnormal physical abilities and supernatural skills, is dangerous enough because of this simple factor. Without forgetting about bacteria, infections, rough terrain.... It’s not as easy as one might think, surviving in a forest that is.”

Miranda couldn’t help but feel agitated and nervous under the gaze of the young man, not because he was pressuring her but rather due to the fact that the longer they prolonged the situation the worse Beth’ condition would be. Although she had already come to the terms of her daughter having to lose her leg, she wanted to avoid it at all costs.

Kain: What do you expect me to do?

Miranda: “Here it is.”

One thing she already realized about Kain was the fact that he didn’t do anything without a motive, even if she didn't understand what was the motive behind in some of his actions, she was certain that there should exist some. Considering that, she immediately thought about him getting their phones, him allowing them to leave earlier, to this ‘plan’ of his, that she still didn’t manage to understand the slightest.

Miranda: fff…. I will do anything. I can even be your sl—subordinate. Please… just save her.

Breathing a little to calm her nerves and fear, she spoke the words she never thought she would utter in her entire life. Even then her pride didn’t allow her to say a certain word. That would be too much.

Kain: What makes you think that I trust you? For all I care, the moment I save her, you will just go back on your word.

Miranda: Do you really think I am that kind of person!?

Kain: It wouldn’t be the first time.

Miranda: I—

Kain: Don’t be so self-conceited. I could be talking about someone else.

Miranda: …

Kain: Or not. The thing is that I don’t care about what you say. The simple idea of you saying that you will obey all my orders is essential ridiculous and, subsequently, stupid for me to accept.

Miranda: …. what if…. I did as you ordered me.

The mature woman couldn’t refute his words. She just wanted her daughter to be treated, even if that meant her having to grovel and listen to the orders of this young man, but it seemed that he wasn’t going to believe her. Less did she know that her daughter suffered the same situation earlier in the day, regarding her not knowing about Tom dealings with Kain.

Kain: …. imagine that I order you to kill your daughter? You could say no and that would be the end of it, but what if you say yes and instead stab me in the back.

This wasn’t a question she was prepared for, a little taken back by it, she didn’t have an immediate answer to give to him, but it was clear to the two what it was going to be.

Kain: See. With that being the point, I have no intention in helping you or your daughter.

No one could guess how much she wanted to lash out at him. Weren’t they also human beings like him? Wasn’t her daughter a colleague of his, even a classmate? Had he no compassion? Was it all because they tried to escape from his grasp earlier!? Was it because they didn’t obey his orders like a good pair of slaves!?!

Beth: mmm

As Kain continued to enjoy his food and Miranda tried to contain her anger in check, Beth suddenly squirmed with her face displaying a painful expression.

Miranda: Beth!

Alarmed by the sudden reaction of her daughter, Miranda immediately bent forward and caressed her precious daughter’ face. Beth’ expression slowly eased under her mother touch.

Meanwhile, Kain continued munching on his sandwich, finishing it, while looking over the forest around them.

Miranda: What if I told you that I would do it, except for that last one.

Kain: I—

Miranda: You can believe me. I can prove it to you.

Kain couldn’t even start speaking as Miranda intervened him, as she knew what he was going to say.

Kain: Is that so.

Crushing the paper of the sandwich, he put it in the plastic bag and spoked towards the mature woman.

Kain: What are you doing?

He was suddenly surprised by her actions as she started to do what he was doing before, using the earth dug to build and strengthen the wall around them.

Miranda: You don’t need to do this. I can do everything you ask of me and will do so without fault.

Kain: This means nothing.

Even then Kain didn’t believe the mother, as he wasn’t someone that trusted others that easily. This was something that he brought with him to this world, some would call it insecurity, some would call it him being antisocial, he would rather call it as being cautious. He felt that it was better to not trust anyone than to do so and then suffer betrayals, which he did in his previous life. After all, the best lessons one can learn from, are the ones of life itself. It was also the main reason why he loved and cared so much about his partners, Escan and Nev, since he felt that for the first time in his entire life, which include his previous one, that he could rely on others entirely.

Although he cared a little for Laura and his sister, Sarah, that was it. Those were the best bonds he had in his current life. Maria, for example, was his stepmother, but he thought of her as nothing more than a bank and a driver. With it being all due to the fact of her doing nothing towards the mistreatment his previous body suffered. In his mindset, only the dumb and stupid would trust someone so easily.

Miranda: …. I know… but please just heal her and don’t ask me to do anything bad towards her. Anything else I will do it. I promise you that.

Trembling slightly, Miranda spoke without stopping her hands. She no longer knew what to say to him so that he could help her, the anger she felt was being repressed by the despair, fear and helpless.

Kain: …. “it’s not like I have nothing to lose in trying…fuck it” I will see what I can do….

Light surfaced on Miranda’ eyes as she turned her head around and looked behind her, only for her newfound hope to be shot down.

Kain: … but don’t expect much. The state you brought her in is already pretty severe.

Miranda: ….i…. I understand.

Kain: Good. Now… “… if I remember this correctly, then it’s good that it isn’t a snake bite.... right? This torniquet… wasn’t this what they did in those old movies?”

Analyzing Beth’ leg in detail, he picked up a sleeve of the t-shirt wrapped.

Kain: “Oh yeah, they did that and suck out the poison directly from it. Could it work?”

Sparing a quick glance to Miranda, he saw that she was focusing on the task at hand.

Kain: “She must have done it to prevent the poison from spreading through the body and confine it only on her leg… but it doesn't look to not be the best solution, since the leg seems somewhat swollen.... now in our situation… trapped in the dungeon without the access to medicine and hospitals… I think it is the most correct decision, at least she only loses a leg.... although the blood loss will kill her if we resort to such measures. What can I do …. what can I do …”

Miranda: “Why isn’t he doing anything?”

Miranda while kneeling on the ground and building the wall, quickly stole a glance behind and found the young man to be completely still looking over the poisoned leg.

Kain: “I don’t have anything that can serve as an antidote… nor do I know what could stop it’s effects… WAIT! That is it! The dungeon itself should provide objects that could solve this kind of situation. It’s like what I read in that book when I was younger, the antidote is close to the source of the venom. In this kind of situation… I think it could be something else besides the poke ball and the potion. Which means… case I am right, I just need to mitigate the effects of the poison.”

Touching the purplish skin, he scratched his chin as he thought things over. He couldn’t just go out there into the forest without a plan, but it wasn’t like he knew thinking was helping him as well. He had no clue about where to start to start. Should he kill every pokémon in sight and wait for the possibility of something that could help the situation drop, or go and search for it?

Kain: Come here.

Beckoning Miranda over with his finger, he continued staring at the poisoned leg. The gorgeous mature woman, on the other hand, was perplexed about his reasons of calling her over.

Miranda: Me? Why? I am doing what you were doing before. Is something wrong with my work?

Kain: Just listen to me and come here.

She no longer questioned him further and instead rushed to his side.

Kain: Here.

Suddenly he brought out a phone, that looked like hers, and extended it towards her.

Miranda: Huh? What are you doing?

Quickly shaking and batting her hands together, to shake off the dirt, she grabbed on her phone, that he had confiscated from her, earlier in the day when they were at her house.

Kain: I need you to listen to what I am going to say to you, and not question me.

Miranda: …. I understand.

Seeing his serious expression and since she was already pretty deep into this, she breathed a little bit before nodding her head at him.

Kain: I want you to stand here and take care of your daughter while I go search for something that could help.

Miranda: … why don’t you just call for some help?

Kain: I didn’t give you the phone for that, but you can try.

Unlocking her phone, she soon found that whatever call she made wasn’t going through. Feeling something wrong about it, she spared a glance at the top of the phone and found that she had no connection.

Miranda: I don’t have signal… you knew?

Kain: Yes.