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Your arms slipped into a crossed position and you gave Erna a slight frown, but dropped the act fast. She didn't <span class="mu-i">sound</span> like she was lying, just caught off-guard...
"I would think throwing yourself right at danger like that would make you look more irresponsible than adult... but it's fine." A sigh escaped you as you continued, and you sat down to be on Erna's eye level. She looked a little more relieved now. That was good... "As long as you're honest about it next time."
That prompted a full-on grin from the bun. "R-right! Next time!"
You continued, mirroring her once more. "That's what friends do."
Speaking of friends...
A glance back to the entrance of the woods netted you some horrors.
The three Timburr who'd come to assist were splayed out on the ground, thoroughly defeated. Erna's parents- or, at least, her mom- weren't faring much better either, with her Alakazam father now guarding his clearly-wounded wife against further attacks. At least he seemed unharmed.
Meanwhile, the Raticate itself was definitely injured... but Dennis remained in its clutches. The blood-red of its eyes stood out even more on a background of now-dirtied fur.
Erna peeked around your shoulder. You could practically hear her trembling as her eyes scanned the area. "...t-told you they weren't fighters..."
You looked the whole scene over again before getting on your feet and pulling Erna onto hers. "Aren't you, though?"
She seemed puzzled for a moment- before it clicked, and her ears shot up. "Wha- not <span class="mu-i">now</span> I'm not!"
Erna's foot began to tap... "You <span class="mu-i">just</span> told me how I shouldn't be fighting right now." ...and your head began to nod.
"I'm not refuting that. And clearly us fighting this thing isn't working." Your fingers felt your chin for a few moments. You had a couple of plans that didn't involve up-close combat, but whether they'd work...
...well, you couldn't find that out without trying them.
But which to try first?
>Talk to Dennis! Try and convince him to fight it himself, or find a way to wriggle out. He seems more defeated than determined to get out of there.
>Taunt the creature to come after you and tire it out through banging it into walls or other objects. Become the bullfighter you've always wanted to be.
>Write-in
