Return to the Hideout

Before long, the laboratory floor was littered with charred human-shaped figures.

Entei's precisely controlled flames had not taken their lives, but they had made them suffer enough. A faint smell of cooked meat even lingered in the air. Mm, about medium-well, by the look of it.

The sight scared Iron Treads senseless! Its massive body froze in place, and it even forgot to release Yan Yang from its pincers, not daring to move an inch.

Entei's imposing gaze swept across the room before finally settling on the Pokémon still "holding" his son.

Feeling that lava-hot stare, Iron Treads jolted in terror. Wh... why is he staring at me? I didn't do anything! I was forced into this!

Yan Yang took the opportunity to exert a little force, easily slipping free from the seemingly firm grip.

He dusted himself off and waved at Iron Treads. "All right, all right, it's fine now. Go play somewhere else."

He was a little worried that Entei's anger had yet to subside and that he might casually send this seemingly foolish Pokémon flying too, even though it had not really done anything bad.

Iron Treads looked at Yan Yang, now free and completely unharmed. Then it looked at the pitiful people on the floor, then at the dignified Entei. It seemed to suddenly understand something. Oh! So this terrifying fire god beast is this human's partner?

Does that mean... I'm safe?

It cautiously moved a claw and found that Entei showed no intention of stopping it.

This human... is actually pretty nice. He's really letting me go?

It no longer had time for dignity or philosophical reflection. In an absurdly awkward, nearly crawling posture, it fled through the broken opening in the laboratory and vanished into the darkness of the corridor.

I'm outta here!

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