"Hold on, I think I have a map somewhere," Willow said to Lillith. She rushed into one of the back rooms for a moment where she recalled Constance had kept all the maps. It took her a while to find the one she was looking for, muttering "Not this one, not that one..." as she searched, before suddenly exclaiming, "Ah-ha! Found it!" and rushing back into the main room.

"Here," Willow said, holding out the map to Lillith. "This should help you find us. I trust you know how to read a map?" She realised a few seconds later how rude that last sentence may have sounded and quickly forced a smile. "Ah yes, of course you do! Anyway, take it with you. It should help you and Timothy to track us down." She nodded before turning to the rest of the group.

"Alright, everyone! Look a little more lively, if you please," Willow said, clapping her paws together. "We're heading out!" She began marching over back to the doorway as she spoke. "Come on, let's get a move on! Time is precious!"

'I'm not sure what could have triggered such a reaction, but if he really has a case this bad, then he'd be better off in a less combat oriented line of work. In the field, he risks the lives of him and his allies if he losses it like that' Ame mused to himself. There wasn't any malice or ill will in it, he was simply stating it as fact. Although considering the fact that he came from a village of warriors, it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that he had seen other people with PTSD before, so his words, internal though they may be, held a little more weight to them. Wordlessly, he followed Willow, his feet not making a sound

---

"Awww, that's too bad. Poor guy might miss out on the adventure." Monado's heart went out to the poor Rhyhorn. "You know, when we get back I'm going to give him a big hug. he looks like he could use one. Hugs are really nice. I remember back in the orphanage when I saw other people getting hugs, and it looked really nice. I bet what he really needs is just a big old hug...but let's give him a chance to calm down first. Anyway, on to adventure Best Friend Lupus!"

The Eevee stood in front of Timothy and blocked his view of the Honedge as she tried to console him. With the Honedge hidden from view, Timothy shifted his gaze to the rest of the pokemon in the room, each of them staring back at him. The expressions on their faces were all too familiar to him. Looks of shock, looks of disappointment, looks of worry. Expressions he was all too familiar with back at home.

"He's so skittish"

"He won't amount to anything!"

"You bring shame to our family!"

Voices from the past. The voices of his siblings. Taunting him.

"Children, be nice!"

"He's been a complete loser ever since he got hurt!"

Everyone in his family had already accomplished so much. He'd done nothing. Nothing. NOTHING. NOTHING!! Useless! Completely useless! Why, he could just-

Something tickled Timothy's neck and brought his mind back to reality. The Eevee had brushed him with her tail and was nudging him to get back up.

No! I can't let that happen all over again! I can't keep making a fool of myself!

Timothy grunted, avoiding eye contact with the Honedge, as he slowly began picking himself up off the floor. His legs were shaking, and his body was sweating, but he refused to drop back down on the floor. Once he managed to get back up on all fours, he stumbled a bit, hitting a few book shelves, but he brought his mind to thoughts of flowery meadows, of sitting under the shade of the tree at the top of the hill by his home. One at a time, he brought each foot forward towards the door.

If I evolve, I'll have nothing left to fear. But I have to earn that evolution first! I need to overcome my fears!

It took a minute of hard determination, but he managed to get himself outside, where he leaned against the tree with a big thump and rested there, panting.

He did it!

As Lilith took the map from Willow, she felt the Rhyhorn moved from under her. Lilith took a step back to give him some space and watched in silence as he made a great effort to stand to his feet. When she notice him struggle, shaking at the knees, Lilith quickly positioned herself beside him, allowing his body to rest lightly against hers if only for a moment. It seemed he remained his own balance quickly enough. Still, she stayed close, worried he’d topple over. Not the smartest move, in hindsight, as her small fluffy body would be crushed under the weight of his own. She hovered alongside her new companion for a moment before feeling comfortable to let him go on his own. He’s good… she figured. And he was.

Lilith watched from a distance as Timothy walked by Willow and the others, making his way outside. She blinked. I feel like I should clap…or something… She looked down at her feet. Oh…right Lilith perked her ears up, a half-hearted grin across her face, and rushed over to her new partner. She made sure not to stand in the way of the doorway and stood beside him, her tail swaying behind her legs. She placed the map out in front of her.

“How do you feel, Timothy?” she asked, waiting for him to catch his breath. A part of her felt as if she should congratulate him but then again…perhaps that would be silly. He only walked a few feet. If merely seeing a trigger caused him such distress then perhaps he wasn’t emotionally stable for the dungeon. However, Willow had partnered the two together and to some extent that made them fiends. Lilith was taught to never turn a back on a friend or those in need. She took a deep breath. It wasn’t for her to decide, she supposed, whether he go or not. She didn’t really know his what he's capable of and did not want to judge him so quickly. Arceus knows a few, if not all, of the others already have. After giving him a few seconds to regain his composure, Lilith spoke up again.

“It’s up to you. We should stay back for a moment so you can calm down, but if you’re still up to it then we’ll go to the dungeon together. Look,” she gestured to the map with her nose, “We can catch up to the others if they go ahead of us. It’s okay if you want to rest up. No rush. It won’t stop you from becoming a Rhydon. You’ll evolve someday and this whole ordeal will be a thing of the past!” Her smile never faltered.

Lupus's started to walk out of the door, late to leave means your well rested or your just simply lazy. Lupus smiled at that last remark of his. He slowly Began to catch up with the rest of the group making it a rather bumpy ride For a certain Sword laying on his back. He had almost caught up with willow when his Foot slipped from beneath him and his face said hi to the floor. "Ow..." Lupus said as he picked himself up one of his cheeks grazed. Meh it was a simply injury, it would go in time. like most injury's a look of doubt appeared on Lupus's face like a shadowy veil before lifting just as fast. "hey Monado. You should really give that Rhyhorn a hug." Lupus said eager to put his mind off the subject it had settled on and also maybe get a laugh outta it because he really needed a laugh.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ice was moved out of the way of the paws of the creature moving through the snow. It moved gracefully like it had been living their all its life. snow and ice turned asunder from beneath its white fur paw's, it was a white shadow on the white snow Invisible to all yet everything was visible to it. including the beacon of light emitting from the small down. the Creature walked Into down Its hair wet but neat. Noticing the tavern it began to run at a pace that unmistakably was the pace of a hunter. Soul burst through the wooden door, shaking the icy water out of her fur much to the disgust of the Charizard next to her "Alright" Soul spoke up Her eyes looking across the room for a certain individual "Has anyone seen a Empoleon in here" Soul shouted across the room. She moved towards the bar table where a Sceptile was busy cleaning mug's slowly while eyeing her with caution as She moved forward, She slipped over the stagnant puddle she had made and her face hit the floor. "Dammit" She said as she slowly picked herself back up.

Franklin sort of hung back, waiting on his partner at the end of the line. It wasn't that he was scared or anything, because he was a very brave pokemon and all. Still, he wanted to make sure his partner was equally as brave, and didn't need reassurance or anything. Still, it didn't hurt to check on, you know, how challenging it would be, that seemed like a very good idea.

"H-hey, Willow?" Franklin croaked, timidly. "Um, how strong are these pokemon going to be, you know, in the Mystery Dungeon?" he called to the leader of the group. He was asking for Russet's sake, obviously. He wasn't scared. Nothing scares him. Nope, nothing. Not bug types, or fire-types, dragon-types. He heard a russling in a bush beside the road and jumped back, frightened until he realized it was just the wind.