-103-
"Where are you taking me, Angel?" chuckled Ramirez.
"Just back to my office," replied Angel sweetly as she guided her blindfolded fiancé about the massive sewing shop. Ramirez could hardly imagine what Angel had planned. Just this morning, his lovely fiancé had asked him to come by the sewing shop for a little surprise. Now, Angel was leading him around the many tables, chairs, sewing kits and piles of fabric.
"So, why did you want me to come by here again?" asked Ramirez.
"I told you," giggled Angel, "It's a surprise." Ramirez stopped in his tracks in an instant, surprising Angel as he refused to take even one more step.
"Did you make something special for me?" asked Ramirez quietly, but also with excitement, "Why else would we be going to your private office, my love?" Angel thought for a moment, smiling when she had just the right answer for Ramirez.
"Okay, you've got me," said Angel in a seductive tone of voice with a grin on her face, "I did make you something special, something very special indeed." Ramirez blushed deeply.
"Is this something I shouldn't know about until… after we're married?" asked a very hesitant Ramirez. The young, female Gardevoir's face turned bright red as she erupted with laughter.
"Try and contain yourself, dear," giggled Angel, "Besides, it's always a big deal when a seamstress gets make and then show her mate-to-be his wedding dress."
"Aren't we supposed to wait until after, like, your bridal shower or something before either of us get to see our wedding attire?" asked Ramirez. Angel giggled quietly with her hand over her mouth, managing to contain her laughter.
"Ramirez, what is my job?" asked Angel sweetly.
"You're a seamstress, one of the best if not the best in all of Olympus," replied Ramirez with a smile.
"Correct," said Angel happily, "And that means we seamstresses don't have to play by the same traditions as the other Gardevoirs when it comes to our wedding attire. After all, I've been working on our dresses for a few months now. I need to see how you look in it and make sure it fits you properly." Ramirez shrugged his shoulders.
"Okay, then," said Ramirez tenderly, "Please lead the way." Angel giggled with anticipation as she held onto Ramirez's hands and drew him ever closer to her office. She just couldn't wait to see the look on his face. Tenderly, the smiling master seamstress guided her fiancé into her office and then closed the door in their wake.
"I'm so happy for them," said Sandra with delight as she sat at her workstation, working on embroidering a small white and fluffy ballet dress for a young Kirlia.
"Me too," said Ariel with a blissful sigh, stitching some up some white satin, "I've never seen Angel this happy before."
"I'm very glad that Ramirez came into her life," said Elizabeth happily, "It made me very sad to see Angel being angry and sullen all the time. Now, I don't think I've ever seen her so happy. On top of that, we never imagined Angel would be utterly delighted and so excited to get married."
"I'm rather jealous, though. She's going to marry a prince who also happens to be the Guardian of Gardev," said Jenifer, jokingly, "I mean, why couldn't that handsome young man have chosen me?" Her four co-workers laughed.
"You really want to steal Angel's man, eh?" asked Ariel with a grin on her face.
"Not at all," said Jenifer, smiling and blushing slightly, "Besides, I really hope that Cecil will ask me to be his wife…" While the four eager seamstresses traded stories about their new boyfriends, Angel was ready to unveil her surprise.
"Just stand right here," said Angel, removing the blindfold from Ramirez's face. The office was almost completely dark.
"Are you sure you didn't just take me back here to sneak a kiss?" asked Ramirez with gentle laughter.
"Nope," replied Angel cheerfully, "Well, at least not just yet." Angel walked over to the doorway of her office and placed her hand on a nearby light switch.
"Are you ready?" asked Angel with glee.
"I'm ready, my love," answered Ramirez excitedly. Angel quickly flipped up the light switch, flooding the large office with bright light. Ramirez was absolutely stunned at what his eyes beheld: sure enough, there was a pair of lavish wedding dresses hanging on the wall in front of him, but these sparkling white dresses were more beautiful than he could have ever expected.
"What do you think?" asked a delighted Angel, "Since we're going to be Guardians of Gardev, I figured I would use the same stunning designs that I used for Mack and Aura's wedding attire." Ramirez nodded his head in whole-hearted agreement. The dresses were identical to Mack and Aura's. Angel giggled as she took down Ramirez's dress and handed it to her fiancé so he could take a closer look at it. The entire dress: the long sleeves, the bodice and skirt were covered with exquisite embroidery, the white satin shimmering brightly in the light. The bodice closed in the back with white laces, threaded through golden loops with a pair of golden buttons, each with a 2-karat inlayed emerald to secure the back of the collar. The collar was also decorated with embroidery, but there was also a very large emerald, probably at least 8 karats in size at the front and center of the collar. All the embroidery was accented with hundreds upon hundreds of sparkling diamonds and green emeralds, the same exact hue of green as his emerald pendant. This was all finished with a very full skirt with no shortage of petticoats underneath for volume and plenty of lift. Ramirez looked up to gaze at his bride-to-be's dress with sheer delight. Her dress was just like his, except per traditions for the bride, there were easily twice as many gemstones to accent the embroidery and all the gems were twice the size of the ones on Ramirez's dress. Finally, a large white bow was attached to the back of the dress, just above the waist, also accented with diamonds. However, instead of a colorful gemstone like emeralds or rubies on Angel's wedding dress, she had opted to use a sparkling black precious stone instead.
"Hey, is that black garnet?" asked a curious Ramirez.
"Well, black is my favorite color," replied Angel sweetly, "You don't mind at all, do you?"
"Of course not," said a very happy Ramirez.
"Great!" said a cheerful Angel, clapping her hands together once, "So, do you like what you see?"
"I love them!" shouted Ramirez as he jumped for joy, "Angel, these dresses are perfect! Thank you so much!"
"I knew you'd like them," giggled Angel, "Now how, we head to the fitting rooms so we can see how we look?" Ramirez nodded, turned around and opened the door. The other Gardevoir seamstresses went wide-eyed and slack-jawed when they saw Ramirez and Angel emerge from the back office carrying two of the most stunning wedding dresses they had ever seen. They said not a word until the two lovers had walked into a pair of fitting rooms and then closed the doors tight.
"Did you see that?" gasped Ariel.
"I did! I… I haven't seen so many gems in one place since Angel redid the Guardians' wedding dresses!" said an amazed Jenifer.
"Well, we're going to have to work hard to even match that!" said Elizabeth, "Especially if Eric, Alvin, Cecil, Andre and their friend David do ask us to marry them!"
"Let's get started right away!" said Ariel with immense joy. Only a few minutes had passed when Angel and Ramirez stepped out of the fitting rooms. The sewing shop had been extremely quiet but now was bustling with activity.
"How are we going to get a hold of a large supply of small gemstones for our dresses, too?" asked Ariel as she carefully looked on one shelf after another for some needed supplies.
"We may have to go see Glacian for that," replied Jenifer as she unraveled a long and wide piece of the shimmering white Gardevoir satin from a large roll.
"Why don't we go see him later this afternoon?" suggested Sandra as she grabbed an armful of soft white tulle to start making some rather fluffy floor-length petticoats.
"Before dinner might be a good time," said Ariel with a nod. The four frantic Gardevoirs only paused for a moment to gaze at Ramirez and Angel as they stood in their fabulous sparkling, shimmering jewel-encrusted wedding dresses. This only reminded the young Gardevoirs of the competition they faced, so they immediately got back to their work.
"What's with them?" asked Ramirez, chuckling warmly.
"I think they're making some wedding dresses," giggled Angel, "And are hoping and praying they can make a pair of dresses at least as splendorous as ours." Ramirez took a nice long gaze at Angel, admiring both her work and beauty.
"You look fabulous," said Ramirez with an appreciative nod, "In fact, if I could, I would go down to the palace with you, right now and ask if Glacian will marry us today."
"Patience, my dear," giggled Angel as she walked up to her mate-to-be and gently wrapped her arms around him and then whispered into his left ear, "I still have not ordered my jewelry, the wedding bands or my bouquet. Besides, I still need to make my garter, among a few other… little things… just for you…" The two lovers smiled and blushed at each other as they embraced.
"Hey! Look at that!" shouted Ariel without warning. Ramirez and Angel looked towards the young female Gardevoirs: the four seamstresses had abruptly stopped their frantic work to look out the large window at the front of the shop.
"Is that them, coming up the street?" asked Jenifer.
"I… I think that is them!" said a surprised Elizabeth, "But, why are they coming here right now?"
"I don't know, but we'd better get this mess in order on the double!" said Sandra with panic in her voice. In a quick flurry, the four female Gardevoirs got all their materials and tools straightened out and calmly sat back down at their workstations. Elizabeth was checking her face in a nearby mirror, making sure she looked fine just in case. Sandra, Jenifer, Elizabeth and Ariel sat patiently as Eric, Alvin, Andre, Cecil, David and Victory entered through the shop's front double glass doors.
The moment the four winged Gardevoirs and Mewtwo stepped into the shop's front entrance, they drew the immediate and undivided attention of every single female Gardevoir in the shop.
"Ah! Hi, Alvin!" said Sandra with great glee, "Wow! I just love your new wings!"
"My dream came true!" giggled Ariel, "Eric has beautiful wings, just like the rest of the Olympus royal family!"
"So, what have you been up to, Cecil?" asked Jennifer with a big smile on her face.
"Why have you come, David?" asked Elizabeth with joy, slowly walking up to the winged Mewtwo. Elizabeth knew something grand was about to happen, but she was not sure exactly what. The young, female Gardevoir soon got her answer and gasped when David dropped down on one knee before her, reached out with his right hand and gently held onto Elizabeth's right hand. He looked deep into her eyes and spoke softly.
"Elizabeth…" said David, blushing slightly and not wanting to mince words, got straight to the point, "Will you marry me?" Elizabeth needed no time at all to come up with an answer.
"Oh, yes!" screamed an elated Elizabeth as she leapt forward, playfully tackling David to the floor in a joyful embrace. David's longtime comrades smiled, happy for David as he and Elizabeth laughed and blushed while they held each other tight.
"Oh! I'm going to get started on our wedding dresses right away! You're going to love them, David!" giggled Elizabeth. David laughed nervously as his bride-to-be wrapped her arms tightly around his neck: he had completely forgotten that, most likely, he would have to don traditional Gardevoir wedding attire. Of course, being a prince of the realm, this probably meant a fluffy, shimmering and jewel-encrusted white dress made of the soft Gardevoir satin. Eric, Alvin, Cecil and Andre looked up to see their girlfriends standing in front of them with looks of excitement and delight on their faces.
"Well?" asked Victoria with a seductive smile on her face, "Is there something you nice gentlemen wanted to say to us as well?" Eric and his friends glanced at each other nervously, knowing there was a very slim chance, if any, of even one of them leaving the sewing shop that afternoon without a bride-to-be.
"There's no escape for them now…" giggled Angel sinisterly.
"Not for us, either," said Ramirez, smiling as he quickly took Angel up in his arms. The blushing bride-to-be laughed with joy as Ramirez twirled around with her.
"Ramirez…" said Angel with a blissful smile, "I can't make sure your dress fits you properly while you're carrying me."
"Good point," said Ramirez bashfully as he tenderly set Angel back on her feet.
"Thank you, Ramirez. Now, to take a closer look at you," said Angel as she knelt down before Ramirez and started to scrutinize the male Gardevoir's wedding dress, "Everything has got to be perfect." Ramirez nodded his head in agreement.
"Take as long as you want," said Ramirez gently.
"Oh, I will," said Angel with a grin while she looked him over. The two lovers listened carefully while Eric, Alvin, Andre and then Cecil made their marriage proposals with no shortage of stuttering, nervousness and hesitation. David was even worse off as Elizabeth moved about him with measuring tape, taking down all of the Mewtwo's measurements for his wedding dress.
"What have I gotten myself into…?" thought David with dread.
-104-
Artemis awoke in a cold sweat, greeted by darkness, breathing heavily as he struggled to sit up in bed. He quickly switched on a nearby lamp and bid good riddance to the blackness, at least for the time being.
"Not again…" thought Artemis as he took deep breaths, trying to banish yet another nightmare from his memory, "These night terrors keep getting worse! I can't take it anymore! The sooner I slaughter that Ninetails, the better!" There was a soft knock on the bedroom door.
"Artemis? Are you okay in there?" asked Mack with concern.
"We heard you screaming in your sleep again," said a worried Aura tenderly, "Is everything alright?" Artemis took a deep breath, praying he was not too tired to keep the Guardians from prying into his mind.
"To be completely honest, I don't think I'm doing very well at all," replied Artemis fearfully while he wiped the cold sweat off of his face, "Please come in." The dark oak door slowly creaked open. Artemis didn't want to admit it, but despite his plans to betray Mack and Aura, just seeing the Guardians always made him question his motives. Their very presence always seemed soothing and relaxing, as if the Guardians possessed an aura that could banish anything unpleasant from their sight and others' souls in mere moments.
"Artemis, I am very concerned about you," said Mack as he and Aura sat next to the juvenile Gardevoir on his bed, "Is it just me, or are your nightmares getting progressively worse?"
"Seems like you wake up screaming every night now," said Aura softly, "What do you think is happening to you?" Artemis said nothing: maybe his conscience was troubling him? After all, the young Gardevoir was still dead set on stealing some of Mack and Aura's high-tech weapons. More than ever, having vengeance on the Ninetails who took Fina away from him seemed closer than ever before. So close, he could felt as if he could now reach out and touch his goal.
"I really don't know," answered Artemis with grief, "I've been having horrid nightmares for years ever since that Ninetails took Fina away from me." Artemis wasn't lying either. It was as if his very spirit absolutely refused to let him forget what had happened and would not stop until the Ninetails either brought Fina back or the hateful kitsune of fire was killed.
"Is there something you need to tell us?" asked Mack.
"You don't need to be afraid," said Aura, trying to reassure Artemis, but to no avail.
"On the contrary…" thought Artemis with growing fear, "I have a LOT to be afraid of! Like what'll happen to me if you and Mack find out what I'm really up to!"
"We aren't going to get anywhere if you don't tell us what is really bothering you," said Mack sternly.
"Is this about Fina?" asked Aura with a gentle voice. Again, Artemis said nothing.
"Artemis, I hate to do this," said Mack as he reached over and placed his hands on the sides of the young Gardevoir's head, "But after months of trying to talk to you, my patience has worn out. It's high time you started helping us find the root of your problem so we can help you." Artemis closed his eyes and took a deep breath as Mack started to read his mind. He could only hope that a trick he had learned from the Elite Guards could save his plans now. He lowered his mental shield and let Mack browse his memories and thoughts, but kept his deepest desires a secret. He hoped that opening his mind to such a degree would ease any thoughts of suspicion from Mack and Aura.
"Hmmmm…" said Mack, closing his eyes and he delved through the Gardevoir's mind, "You're much more troubled than I thought…"
"What do you see, Mack?" asked Aura.
"I can show you, but you won't like it," cautioned Mack, "I haven't seen anything this horrid in a long time…"
"Maybe I can help too if I know what's troubling our friend?" suggested Aura. Artemis was really worried now: he could not tell what Mack was seeing in his mind, but he could only hope Mack had not managed to delve into his deepest and most dark desires. The male Guardian nodded his head.
"As you wish, my love. You'd best brace yourself," warned Mack. Aura sat close to her mate, leaned towards Artemis and also put her hands on the sides of the young Gardevoir's head. Aura gritted her teeth, trying to keep herself from screaming.
"You see it, too?" asked Mack with a scowl on his face.
"I do!" shrieked Aura, "Oh, Artemis! I'm so sorry for you!"
"This explains a lot…" said Mack with a loud gulp, "I would never even try to sleep if something this horrific was always there to greet me in my dreams!" Mack and Aura found themselves in a field of dead grass and flowers, standing next to Artemis. The sky was black as night with flashes of lightning and loud booms of thunder coming from all directions. Artemis looked on in shock as a monstrous Ninetails plucked a terrified female Gardevoir off the ground with its gigantic paws. Mack and Aura looked on with shock as the screaming Gardevoir was devoured by the horrible beast. It smacked its lips with glee as crimson blood dripped down its jaws, all while the Gardevoir screamed and screamed as the beast bit into her again and again. Artemis looked away as the Ninetails gulped down the female Gardevoir and then proceeded to rub its belly with delight. The monster then turned its gaze upon Artemis.
"Now, you are next…" said the demonic creature as it loomed over Artemis and his companions. As the monster drew close, a feminine voice called out from above.
"Avenge me, Artemis! Don't let that devil get away with what he's done to me!"
"You'll never get her back, Artemis," said the monster, "Never…"
"I've seen enough!" screamed Aura as she released Artemis's head and jumped away from him with disgust and shock. Mack also let go of Artemis's head and took several deep breaths.
"So that's what you keep seeing…" gasped Mack.
"I can't believe it!" said Aura with tears streaming down her face, "That was just horrible!" Artemis was the only one in the room who had any relief.
"At least the Guardians don't know what I'm planning…" thought Artemis, "Still, that's little comfort considering what I… 'Get' to see every time I try to sleep!"
"Artemis," said Mack calmly, "I can understand now why you've wanted to hunt down that Ninetails so badly. I can't imagine how you're able to cope at all with nightmares like that."
"Now do you understand why?" asked Artemis, "It seems like I will never again get a moment's peace unless I find and obliterate that Ninetails."
"That is still no excuse, Artemis. Although I admit that I would have a very hard time not doing so if I was in your shoes," said Mack with a heavy sigh. Aura soon managed to regain her composure and sat back down next to Artemis.
"It was just a dream, nonetheless," said Aura, "I'm glad I've never had a nightmare as terrible as yours."
"Indeed," said Mack as he gazed at Artemis, "My friend, you do realize that what you are seeing is not real, right?" Artemis nodded his head in reply.
"That doesn't make me feel any better," said Artemis with despair, "I have to see that same scene night after night." Mack glanced at Aura. She nodded her head once in reply to an unsaid question. Mack turned his gaze back upon Artemis.
"I think it is high time you faced this fear," said Mack, "And you don't have to do it alone."
"And what can you do?" asked a skeptical Artemis.
"Mack and I can help you face that monster," said Aura, "But only if you'll let us." Artemis sighed again. He was running out of ideas and so far, nothing he had tried would give him a good night's sleep. The time to put his plans in motion was still several months away, but he was ready to try anything now just to get a single, peaceful night's sleep.
"What should I do?" asked Artemis.
"Go back to sleep," said Mack as he and Aura got off the bed.
"And then what?" demanded Artemis. Mack said nothing as he walked to and then sat down in a nearby recliner. Aura smiled as she sat on Mack's lap and then leaned back against her mate. Mack tenderly wrapped his arms around his wife's lower torso while he leaned back in the cushy chair.
"And then Aura and I will accompany you and fight that thing in the world of your dreams," said Mack, "This idea may sound absolutely bonkers, but maybe we can help somehow."
"I'm willing to try anything to help you, Artemis," said Aura sweetly, "You are our friend, after all." Artemis was only certain about one aspect of this idea: it did sound totally, utterly and completely ridiculous. Still, Mack and Aura wanted to help him however they could. The young Gardevoir smiled and laid his head back against his soft pillows.
"Thank you," said Artemis happily as he closed his eyes.
"You are very welcome," replied Mack as he and Aura reclined together in their cushy, brown chair. Silence and darkness filled the room as Mack turned out the lights using his telekinetic abilities. Artemis was becoming more doubtful by the minute: Mack and Aura were willing to do anything to help him and still he was plotting behind their backs.
"Well, here goes…" thought Artemis as he took a deep breath. It only seemed to take a few seconds for the juvenile Gardevoir to fall asleep. He could feel himself falling into a dark void that seemed to have no end. Then, there was a flash of light and Artemis found himself standing in the same field of flowers and tall grass that had haunted him for so many years. The skies were clear, not a cloud in the sky and all he could hear was a foreboding silence. Artemis took a deep breath of air, knowing his own private hell was about to be opened up to him yet again.
"Artemis!" said an all-too-familiar, feminine voice from behind the fearful young Gardevoir. Artemis turned around fast. Once again, Fina was standing not more than ten yards away from him: the gentle breeze blowing through her soft green hair, her gentle gaze looking him over. The panels of her silky white skirt fluttered in the slight wind.
"Artemis, do you love me?" asked Fina again with a sweet voice, just like clockwork. Artemis cringed: his dreams always ended the same, no matter what he did.
"I do love you, Fina," was Artemis's reply.
"Don't let him take me from you, Artemis," pleaded Fina quietly, "He'll be here soon… he's coming for me…" Artemis looked away.
"I can't protect you, Fina," said Artemis, "I never could…"
"And why would you say something like that?" demanded a harsh and gruff voice behind Artemis. He jumped slightly. Startled, he turned around fast and found himself face to face with Mack and Aura, the Guardians of Gardev.
"How… how did you get in here?" shrieked Artemis.
"Do I really have to go into details?" asked Mack with a friendly tone of voice, "Using our psychic powers, specifically telepathy, Aura and I managed to sync our minds with yours so we can all experience the same dream together. Now, you are aware that everything you are seeing is merely an illusion, right? It's all in your own mind and in your control. The only question is, what do you intend to do?" Artemis stood silent for what felt like eternity.
"Artemis!" screamed Fina, "He's here! Don't let him take me!"
"I can't help you Fina!" shouted Artemis with despair, "I can't change what happened all those years ago and you should know that just as well as me!" Fina didn't seem to hear him and she turned her gaze towards the ground. The earth shook violently as a huge dome started to form in the dirt several yards away. Fire shot out of cracks in the earth and lava gushed forward, burning everything in its path.
"Don't let him take me! Don't let him take me!" was all Fina said with great terror in her voice. Artemis growled and turned around to face the Guardians.
"Alright, Mr. Know-it-All!" snarled Artemis angrily, "What am I supposed to do? This dream is going to end up just like the rest: Fina gets devoured before my eyes, screaming with absolute horror as a monster swallows her alive! Then, that demonic beast turns its jillions of offspring loose on me!"
"You love Fina, even after all this time, anyone can see that," said Mack with a nod, "So, what are you waiting for?"
"Get over there and protect her," commanded Aura sternly, "Mack and I will do whatever we can to keep that monster away from her." Artemis nodded and ran towards Fina. This time, he could actually move towards her and was not about to let anything stand in his path.
"Ahhhh…" said a horrible and familiar voice from below the growing dome of rock and dirt, "You think you can beat me? You never could stop me before and you never will…" As usual, the gigantic Ninetails burst forth from the ground in a cloud of smoke and bright orange fire with a deafening roar: its massive, sharp claws extended from its two huge front paws. The creature's red eyes fell on Artemis as saliva dripped from its maw of long, nightmarish teeth. Artemis stood between Fina and the terrifying creature with his fists clenched.
"You're not getting her this time, not if I can help it!" shouted Artemis, shaking his right fist defiantly at the demonic Ninetails. The beast only erupted with maniacal and echoing laugher as it towered over Artemis and Fina.
"You're no match for me," laughed the Ninetails. With a single swipe of its right paw, it sent Artemis flying into the air. Artemis cried out as he flew away from Fina, up into the sky and then back towards the ground with great speed. Artemis closed his eyes, expecting he would hit the ground, but then he suddenly felt some strong arms come under his body and the sensation of falling immediately stopped. He opened his eyes and looked up to see Mack's face: the Guardian had flown into the air and caught him before he hit the ground. Aura was flying alongside Mack, flapping her wings to keep up with her mate.
"You may not be a match against that monster," said Mack as his eyes narrowed, "But surely he can't stop all three of us."
"What's your plan, Mack?" asked Aura.
"Simple," said Mack as his pendant started to glow with a bright, blue light, "We get down there and blast that demonic beast to smithereens and save Fina."
"And how do you intend to do that while you're carrying me?" asked Artemis with stark doubt.
"Like this," said Mack as he released Artemis, the young Gardevoir letting out a loud scream, "Tell me my friend, have you ever dreamed of flying?" Artemis said nothing: he wasn't falling towards the ground. He looked over his left shoulder and gasped. Artemis glanced at his right shoulder and gasped again: he now had wings on his upper back, just like Mack and Aura!
"Artemis!" screamed Fina with sheer terror, "Help me!" Just like always, the nightmarish Ninetails had Fina in its right paw and was bringing the screaming Gardevoir towards his jaws.
"You shall go down easy…" said the monstrous Ninetails as it opened its mouth, ready to sink its serrated teeth into the young female Gardevoir. Suddenly, the giant creature howled in pain and dropped Fina to the ground. The Ninetails turned around quickly to see three winged Gardevoirs diving towards him. Their hands were glowing bright with pure white light.
"I see you've dreamed of having our powers too, eh?" chuckled Mack. Artemis smiled at Mack.
"Fools…" snarled the Ninetails, "I shall devour all of you, then!" The monster opened its mouth again and unleashed a torrent of red hot lava from its mouth up into the sky.
"Break right!" shouted Mack, quickly darting sideways with Artemis and Aura following suit. The torrent of liquid stone only missed them by a few feet. Artemis gulped loudly: the heat from the lava felt so real. Was he really dreaming?
"There's no escape!" thundered the Ninetails with rage as he opened his jaws and sent a gigantic wave of fire towards the flying Gardevoirs. Mack and Aura's eyes glowed with a bright blue light and Artemis watched as a large blue bubble of energy surrounded him and the Guardians. Artemis closed his eyes reflexively from a bright flash when the fire collided against the psychic barrier. The Ninetails watched, infuriated as the three winged Gardevoirs emerged from the aerial inferno unscathed and continued their dive towards him.
"You efforts are in vain…" said the Ninetails as an evil grin spread across his face.
"Oh, shut up!" yelled Artemis from up above.
"Artemis! Be careful!" shouted Fina from the ground as the Ninetails again opened its massive jaws. A small ball of yellow light started to form in the creature's mouth and grew larger and larger with each passing second.
"Mack! Is that what I think it is?" asked Aura frantically.
"It's a Hyper Beam, but I've never seen a buildup of energy before the attack as massive as this!" said Mack with shock.
"Now you shall pay for your interference with your lives!" thundered the monster Ninetails. Mack and Aura closed their eyes, bracing themselves for the unimaginably powerful attack, when suddenly, without warning…
"Mmmmm! Tastes like pizza!" said a small, high-pitched voice from below. The large, pulsing energy ball in the Ninetails's mouth vanished in an instant. The huge creature looked down with a look of disgust and surprise on his face as a lone Pikachu took one bite after another from its right paw, which somehow had turned into a giant pepperoni pan pizza… with extra cheese.
"William?" shouted Mack as he, Aura and Artemis flew above the Ninetails's humungous head.
"Someone say my name?" asked William happily as he looked skyward at the Guardians and slurped up a slice of pepperoni as large as a car's hubcap.
"How did that rodent get in my dream?" asked a thoroughly bewildered Artemis, "And where did that huge pizza come from?" Mack faced Artemis and shrugged his shoulders.
"Ten to one, I'll bet he sleepwalked into your room again, Artemis," giggled Aura
"Annoying little pest!" snarled the huge beast with rage as he slammed his other paw down on the Pikachu with tremendous force.
"Mmmmm! I'm drowning in pizza! I must be in heaven! Well, either that or in a coma!" said William's muffled voice with glee. The monster looked on with its eyes wide open while the three winged Gardevoirs almost crashed into each other from shock. The monster's other paw had transformed into another monumental pizza the moment it touched the Pikachu. Mack, Aura and Artemis couldn't help but break out into laughter as they gently set foot back on the ground.
"Aura, what are we gonna do with him?" asked Mack, doubled over and laughing hysterically.
"I don't know, give him extra breakfast as a reward for stumbling into Artemis's dream as well?" laughed Aura.
"Enough of this game!" howled the Ninetails with rage as its paws transformed back to their normal shapes. William's smile faded in an instant and he started to hack and cough: his mouth was no longer filled with the taste and texture of melted mozzarella cheese, warm tomato sauce, a crispy crust, pepperoni and a hint of garlic, but now all the Pikachu could taste was a mouthful of some particularly foul fur.
"Yuck! There must've been hair in my pizza!" said William, gagging on the thick hairs.
"You'll pay for this you little nuisance!" thundered the massive Ninetails. William spat out the fur in an instant and looked over his shoulder to see the huge monster looming over him. Mack, Aura and Artemis were not sure what to do now as William leapt off the monster's paw and ran towards them, screaming at the top of his lungs.
"I think we're in big trouble…" said Artemis weakly. Fina was still trapped in front of the huge Ninetails with the massive monster refusing to let her flee.
"Now I'll show you my real power!" howled the Ninetails with rage. The Guardians, Artemis and William dropped to the ground as a massive earthquake shook the ground under their feet ferociously. None of them could stand, nor could they get their balance long enough to return to the skies. It didn't take Mack long to notice how the earthquake seemed to only be happening under him, Aura and their friends.
"And I was actually hoping the thoughts from someone as unhinged as William would help give us an edge to defeat that horrible beast!" shouted Mack with contempt.
"No kidding!" screamed Aura with fear.
"I resent that!" squeaked William angrily as he futilely struggled to get back on his feet. With the three Gardevoirs and the irritating Pikachu being held back by the quake, the monstrous Pokémon got back to his horrible work. Once again, the Ninetails grabbed Fina with his left paw and brought the terrified, squirming Gardevoir toward his open jaws.
"What a barbarian!" snarled another gruff voice, "Devouring a sweet, helpless Gardevoir…" The monster grumbled and stopped in his tracks, wondering who dared to disturb his meal yet again.
"Who are you?" demanded the monster with hot anger, "Show yourself so you can face your doom!"
"How cliché," laughed the voice, "You're big, tall and quite ugly. Maybe even a little overdone. Now I know why I sensed something I didn't like about Artemis: a mere memory, twisted and viler than I had ever expected."
"Simon? Is that you?" called Mack. Suddenly, the huge creature recoiled and howled with pain, dropping Fina to the ground as he stumbled and fell flat on his back. The quake under the Guardians, Artemis and William ceased almost immediately.
"Indeed," said Simon with a grin on his face as he hung in the air just above the nightmarish beast, "I suspected you might need some help dealing with Artemis's nightmare." Artemis knew what he had to do next: he spread his mighty wings and flapped them vigorously, soaring into the air. The horrible Ninetails had little time to react as Artemis swooped in and took Fina away in his arms.
"Noooo! You can't have her!" shrieked the Ninetails with rage, "You can't win! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"
"Oh, shut up," said Simon the Kabutops as he floated a few feet away from the monster's face, "You're nothing more than a huge vanilla cake, covered with chocolate frosting." The moment Simon finished his sentence the furry, hellish Ninetails disappeared in a cloud of smoke. When the smoke cleared, the Ninetails had been changed into a towering layer cake.
"This can't be! I'm unstoppable! I'm all-powerful! I'm… I'm…!" screamed the gargantuan tower of moist cake.
"…Delicious…" interrupted Simon with devilish smile as he pulled out a small brass bell with a wooden handle out of thin air and rang it a few times, the high-pitched jiggling echoing over the dark plains, "Time for dessert! Come and get it, William!" The Pikachu's ears perked up in an instant and he quickly turned his gaze upon the quivering 50-foot tall layer cake. William licked his lips with glee and charged blindly towards the mountainous dessert with incredible haste.
"Nooooooooo!" screamed the monumental vanilla cake with thick, rich chocolate frosting, "Stay away from me! NOOOOOO!" Simon only smirked as William dove headfirst into the oversized baked concoction with his mouth open wide. The ravenous Pikachu disappeared into the towering, caloric nightmare, slipping through the soft cake and frosting like a hot knife through butter. The cake uttered one last howl of terror as it collapsed upon itself into a pile of crumbs within a matter of seconds, shaking the ground with a thunderous roar. The darkened skies cleared in an instant, turning back to their hue of bright blue while the withered flowers and grass of the endless field became green and colorful, fully revived.
"Thanks for the assist, Simon!" said Mack joyfully as he and Aura got back on their feet.
"My pleasure," replied a smiling Simon as he lazily floated back to the ground, gently touching down on the grassy field in front of the Guardians, "I was worried you and Aura might not be able to defeat Artemis's nightmare on your own, so I figured I may as well drop in on your little party."
"We're certainly glad you did!" giggled a delighted Aura as she and Mack wrapped their arms around each other in a tight embrace. Simon looked away, smiling as the lovers kissed, their pendants glowing with bright blue and red lights.
"Wow!" said William's muffled voice from beneath the ten-foot tall pile of crumbs and creamy frosting with utter joy, "I could just die in here! This cake is so good!" The mound of cake moved and pulsed in a disturbing manner as William scurried and swam through the crumbs and frosting, eating as he went. The Guardians broke their kiss in an instant.
"I think I'm going to be sick…" muttered Mack.
"That goes double for me! What a pig!" said Aura contemptuously.
"Look on the bright side;" said Simon with a scowl, "At least that cake finally stopped screaming."
"Wait a moment!" said Mack, his eyes opened wide in shock, "Where's Artemis?" The Guardians and Simon trained their eyes towards the heavens. Up above, they could make out the two shapes of what appeared to be two Gardevoirs. Mack squinted in the bright light and quickly identified a winged Gardevoir carrying another Gardevoir in its arms.
"There they are!" said Mack happily as he pointed towards the vast blue yonder. Up above, Artemis glided on a gentle breeze with Fina in his arms. For what felt like eternity, the lovers gazed into each other's eyes and blushed slightly. The young female Gardevoir smiled, leaned back against Artemis's chest, and whispered in his left ear.
"Artemis…" said Fina sweetly with a gentle voice, "…avenge me…" Artemis looked down at Fina, shocked and disgusted.
"No," was Artemis's stark reply, "I won't do it."
"And why not?" asked Fina with a bright smile, "Why have you given up on your goal so suddenly and with such ease? You've been waiting to hunt down that creature for over 5 years now." Artemis paused for but a moment or two.
"Because I'm no different than that Ninetails, after all," replied Artemis, bowing his head in shame, "The Ninetails who cursed you made some mistakes, horrible mistakes; however, so have I. I've hurt people and done a lot of things I'm not proud of just to try and kill a creature that truly does not deserve death, even for what he did to you, Fina. I can only bet that the Ninetails was severely punished by his own kind already…" Fina smiled and giggled.
"Is that the only reason?" asked Fina cheerfully.
"No…" replied Artemis tenderly, "Because I love you, Fina. That is why I will not dishonor your memory with more violence." Fina smiled as tears of joy streamed down her face. She tenderly put her right arm around Artemis's shoulders.
"I'm very proud of you, Artemis. You've learned so much," said Fina quietly, but with immense happiness, "You've finally let go of your rage and vengeance. At last, you're free…" Artemis looked down and met Fina's gentle gaze. Artemis looked troubled.
"Are you… really talking to me, Fina?" asked Artemis with disbelief, "Am I still dreaming…?" Fina giggled and smiled, then held Artemis even tighter.
"You are still dreaming," replied Fina happily, "But yes, I am really talking to you, Artemis. You see, I never really did leave you because of the Ninetails's curse. I've been trying to help you all these years, but because of your deep rage over me and an overpowering urge to kill that Ninetails; you were completely blinded to my guidance. However, all that has changed and your mind at last is free."
"Will I… will I ever see you again?" asked a grieved Artemis. Fina looked deep into Artemis's eyes.
"I don't think so," said Fina with a look of sadness on her face, "But I want you to know that I'm alright now. When the power of the curse fades after its 1,000th year, I will be returned to this world. Until then, I will be a spirit guide to those, like you, who need great help indeed."
"But, I'll be long gone by then…" said Artemis as his eyes misted over, "I can't bear the thought of never seeing you again, Fina. I just can't take it…"
"You always did have a tender heart, Artemis," said Fina as another happy tear streamed down her face, "That is why I wanted to be your mate, but now I have to go, Artemis."
"Do you really have to leave me again?" sobbed Artemis, "Please don't leave me alone!"
"I have to go, but I will say this…" said Fina sweetly, "I love you so much, that I can let you go. My life with you is over, but you still have your own life to live out. All I ask is should another female Gardevoir come into your life, who loves you like I do, I hope you will give her the honor of being one of the happiest creatures on Earth with you. I know you will never forget about me, nor will I ever forget about you. My time has come and I must depart…" Artemis said not another word as he held Fina close and kissed her for the first time… for the last time. They held each other close, not wanting to ever let go.
"Farewell, Artemis…" said Fina with a bright smile on her face as her body started to fade from sight, "I love you…" Artemis closed his eyes and wept bitterly: he knew this time, Fina was gone for good. Down below, Mack, Aura and Simon had witnessed and overheard the whole ordeal. The Guardians embraced each other and cried; grateful they still had each other. Even Simon was touched as he wiped a single tear of sadness from his face.
"Does anyone else want some of this cake?" asked a cheerful William, poking his head out of the giant pile of vanilla fluff and chocolate icing, hoping that somehow, he could lift the mood, "There might be some of my fur in it, but it should still taste great just the same." William was smiling, but he quickly realized his antics were not going to be of any help this time.
"Well… I think we've had enough of this nonsense for one night," said Simon with a heavy sigh as he produced a gigantic, old fashioned alarm clock out from behind his back. The clapper rang the twin bells on the top of the brass clock with a ringing that echoed over the silent plains. Mack and Aura opened their eyes, jolted awake by the loud noise. Even Artemis reflexively sat up in his bed, greatly surprised: the alarm clock on his nightstand was still ringing loudly. Mack, Aura and Artemis looked down at the throw rug on the right side of the bed and saw Simon sitting on the small carpet, stiff as a board as if he were meditating. Simon slowly opened his eyes and took a deep breath. The alarm clock soon ran down and became silent. Simon watched as Mack and Aura stood up from their recliner without a word. The Guardians turned their eyes upon Artemis: he was breathing heavily as he started to weep. Mack and Aura walked up to the side of Artemis's bed with their arms and hands held out. Artemis leapt out of bed and wrapped his arms around the Guardians, holding them tight as he cried loudly. Mack and Aura held Artemis close and put their soft wings around the grieving young Gardevoir, trying to console him. Simon bowed his head and closed his eyes again while Mack and Aura embraced Artemis, trying to comfort the young Gardevoir for the longest time. Finally, William perked up, wondering where he was.
"Hey, guys!" said William with slight panic in his voice from somewhere up above, "A little help here! I mean, how am I supposed to get down from here? How did I even get up here?" Simon and the three Gardevoirs looked up at the ceiling and there was William, dangling from a light fixture in the middle of the bedroom's ceiling. Mack and Aura erupted with laughter. Even Artemis was laughing as he wiped his eyes dry.
"Your timing could not have been better!" remarked a grinning Simon with warm laughter, "Bravo, William!" Mack looked at Artemis with a friendly smile on his face.
"You think you're going to be alright now, Artemis?" asked Mack with a gentle tone of voice. Artemis nodded his head, but soon, sounds of sadness replaced his laughter.
"There, there…" said Aura tenderly, "We're here for you…"
"Is there anything we can do for you, Artemis?" asked Mack as he and Aura wrapped their arms around their grieving friend.
"I think… I think I…" said Artemis with anguish, "I think I need to be alone for awhile…" Mack and Aura nodded their heads in reply with understanding.
"Want us to bring you some breakfast?" asked Aura with a smile. Artemis shook his head back and forth.
"Maybe… I'll be able to eat… by lunchtime…" replied Artemis, his eyes shut tight with more tears trickling down his face. Mack and Aura hugged Artemis one last time.
"Let us know if you need anything, okay?" said Mack quietly. Artemis's only reply was a slow nod as the Guardians released him from their gentle embrace. Meanwhile, William was swinging back and forth from the glass light fixture, building up momentum. Then, with a death-defying leap, the Pikachu let go of the light fixture, flew through the air and landed with a soft plop on Mack's left shoulder.
"I'll see you two downstairs," said Simon with a friendly tone of voice as he quietly left the room. Mack and Aura followed with William in tow. The moment Mack had closed the door behind him and Aura, they heard Artemis cry out with immense sadness to such a degree that Mack had not experienced in many, many years.
"You think he's going to be okay?" asked Aura quietly as Mack led her down the red-carpeted hallway, holding her right hand.
"It's going to take time," answered Mack softly, "In the meantime, we need to be here for him. I think Artemis will be okay soon. In fact, even now, Artemis's mind may be in the best shape it's been in for a long time. All that grief is hitting him very hard; make no mistake. Maybe in a week or two, he'll be ready to face the outside world again." Aura leaned against Mack, wrapping her right arm and wing around Mack.
"I love you…" said Aura softly into Mack's left ear, "I'm so glad we're together… I can't imagine what its like to go through what Artemis is dealing with right now…"
"You have," said Mack with a deep breath, "The day your parents were thought to have perished…"
"But they came back, remember, Mack?" said Aura, "You and I rescued them from Dr. Namwen's vile clutches."
"But Fina will never return, certainly not in Artemis's lifetime…" said Mack somberly.
