As a dreary, grey dawn broke over the island, the three reluctant companions left their, socially awkward, shelter behind and ventured out into the island once more. Once again, Gengar led the way, his ephemeral form allowing him to slip in and out of the landscape and act like a scout, while The Prisoner, Weiss, and Kazooie followed behind in a loose group. They moved furtively, the persistent storm clouds, strange lightning, and even stranger visual phenomenon setting their nerves on edge. A death game was one thing, and something each had prepared for in their own way, but none had even considered preparing for what was happening now.
Flame a dull yellow, and large eye scanning the surroundings, The Prisoner's mismatched hands reflexively clenched and unclenched at every small sound. So, it was unsurprising when it nearly leapt out of its skin at the sudden speech to its right.
"So… I kind of get why your friend doesn't want to kill me anymore…" Weiss began, her nervously shifting eyes and halting speech belying a uncomfortableness with striking up a conversation.
"And I doubt I'll get much of an answer from you, but… why aren't you trying to kill me?"
Kazooie squawked irritably at Weiss possible provocation of the thing that had already killed her once, but left it at that, as both women stared intently at the flame-headed undead, waiting for an answer. Unfortunately, they wouldn't be much satisfied with what they got, for after a moment, apparently in thought, the corpse candle merely gave them an exaggerated shrug and looked away.
Again, it nearly fell over in surprise, as its gaze fell upon a very close, and unhappy, Anubis. The jackal-headed mental image stared down at The Prisoner as a parent would a child who had broken an expensive toy.
"Bullshit," he began, showing his fangs menacingly. "I've been bonded with you long enough to know when you're hiding something. You know that only one person is going to survive all this, right? So why save her?"
As The Prisoner began to raise its hands in protest, eye wide with innocence, Anubis spat at the ground, his glare strengthening.
"You're not so clumsy, friend, that you'd 'accidentally' heal the woman just because a bird charged at you. I'm sure you'd like everyone to believe that, but I'm in your mind! So, why?! Pity? You'd insult her warrior honor so?! Or is it compassion? The girl has no arms left! You've done nothing but prolong her suffering!"
Nearby, Gengar had dropped back to watch, with Weiss and Kazooie, as their companion flailed madly in gesticulation, its head shifting between various colors, even as its eye remained fixated on the nothing before it. Weiss leaned a bit closer to the ghost, whispering.
"Is… is he always like this?"
With a sharp chortle, Gengar replied, "Yeah, she is."
"Wait… she? That things a girl?!"
"Honestly? I never asked and was too embarrassed to look!"
Gengar laughed, then continued, "I think he's got one of those living weapons, like your Pidgey there, but we just can't see it. But she could just be crazy."
As the ghost Pokémon moves ahead again, Weiss decided to put a bit more distance between herself and The Prisoner.
As Anubis continued to berate his undead host, The Prisoner was so fixated on the Stand, that it was barely cognizant of the world around it. That is, until what seemed to be the motion of Weiss tripping caught the periphery of its vision. Instinctively, and without looking, it reached out with an green, insectoid arm to keep the armless girl from face-planting on the ground. And that's when Anubis froze in place, mouth hanging open on mid-sentence. The world itself seemed to freeze, and the corpse-candle slowly shifted its gaze towards its female companion. As it did, it saw that Gengar was grinning even more widely than usual, and when it finally saw where its hand had landed…
For the first time, The Prisoner's flame turned a brilliant pink and it leapt back away from the girl, hands raised in defense and head shaking side to side as it, wordlessly, tried to defend itself.
Nearby, the ghost Pokémon nearly doubled over in laughter, holding his sides as tears welled in the corners of his eyes.
"Jeez, dude! Second base on the first date? At least take her to dinner first!"
Cheeks red, in embarrassment or anger, not even Weiss knew, the Hollow glared up at the rapidly widening eye of the undead who had dared to touch her so familiarly. Her mouth opened, but not to speak. Instead, a small ball of energy formed on the tip of her tongue.
"CERO!"