COPYRIGHT NOTE: I don't own Pokemon / Pocket Monsters, Resident Evil / Biohazard, Calamity Jane, (again) Rambo, (again again) Greater Love Hath No Man, and (again again again) Frankenstein. (Nya, seriously, do you guys even read these? You do? Really?! Wow! Thanks! ^.^).
COMMENTS: I'll cut my opening babbles short, since I'm sure readers are dying to see what happens in Part 2 of this week's 2-part chapter posting of Chs.13+14. Still, all I can say before this chapter is: "brace yourselves!"
* Content Disclaimer: Brutal and gruesome violence ahead (very nasty). Reader discretion is advised. Please don't read this particular chapter on a full stomach (if you're brave enough to do so, kudos, but don't come crying to me if this nasty chapter creates a nastier mess all over your keyboard). ^_^; Enjoy!
CARNAGE NECROPOLIS
Aiselne Phoenix
FILE #014: "Greater Love Hath No Man"
Sniff…sniff…hiccup…sniff…hiccup…
He could not stand tears. Granted, there were times in his past when Meowth's crimes made others cry. Back then, the thieving cat used to believe making innocents weep was a sign of his superiority. Was it not true that weaklings blubbered like babies, while the strong ones sucked in their tears? That was what Meowth used to believe, anyway. It was true that the cat had a habit of caterwauling (no pun intended), but to be honest, Meowth was never a fan of lachrymose moments. Why?
Sniff…hiccup…sniff sniff…sniff…
Why? Because tears effortlessly tore apart Meowth's conscience, just like Tentagator sliced through solid steel shutters.
Sniff… "To-t-togi…"
The baby's sniffles broke Meowth's heart. "Aaw, poirk up, Togepi," the cat encouraged, biting back his own emotions whilst patting the vibrating egg's back. Meowth did not have a watch, so he had no clue what time it was, or how long ago Jessie and James left with Butch and Cassidy. Since then, the cat and egg had been held-up inside one of the Team Rocket cargo trucks, locked in a small metal cage for safekeeping.
Fortunately, the agents never harmed the Pokemon. Rockets knew better than to bring harm to Pokemon that would eventually be offered as presents to their boss. In fact, just the opposite, the agents actually sprayed Meowth and Togepi with unnamed disinfectant chemicals, presumably to sanitize the Pokemon from Acheron's contamination. It was probably just a preventative until the Pokemon were brought back to the base for more thorough treatment. Meowth was never infected, so he was not worried about himself. Togepi, on the other hand, had gotten up close and personal inside Tentagator's infectious tentacle-arm/mouth. It was a fifty-fifty gamble if the egg would remain clean. However, the cat had been keeping an exceptionally close eye on the baby's behavior ever since the Tentagator incident at the chemical plant. So far, the baby had yet to show any signs of infection.
Then again, after discovering that Ash had been secretly incubating his own infection since the sewers, Meowth was not about to take chances with Togepi. He could only hope whatever "treatment" the Rockets provided could ensure the baby's survival. Meowth really, really did not want to ponder the possibility of losing the dear little egg. Hell, Meowth was still worried about whatever might happen to Jessie's dismembered Wobbuffet! Yes, the blue blob was annoying, but…that never meant Meowth wished the Psychic Type's death. After all, the Team Rocket motto would no longer be complete without "Meowth, dat's right!" followed by the obligatory "Wooooobbuffet!" True, Meowth and Wobbuffet's crew were no longer Team Rocket members, but…dammit…Meowth was going to miss that blue bumbling pain in the ass if Wobbuffet died!
The same applied to the twerps, too.
Truly, Meowth may have been an ex-criminal, but he never wished death upon anybody, not even Ash and his pals. There were times the cat wished terrible things might happen to the brats, more or less as recompense for the times the twerps made Jessie, James, and Meowth's lives miserable. Meowth wished the twerps could get "blasted off," or experience a dosage of bad luck and taste sour defeat once in a while. It always seemed like the cards were in Ash, Misty, and Brock's favors, as if life was one big poker game that had been rigged from the start. No matter what Jessie, James, and Meowth did, they always lost everything. Conversely, the bratty twerps not only effortlessly won, but the kids' profits typically came twofold, if not threefold! Such was excessive in Meowth's eyes and perpetually frustrated him and his colleagues. The cat wanted those kids to understand that life was not usually a happy-go-lucky free-for-all. People did not always get showered with rewards, even for doing "good deeds." That was not how real life worked.
After living his youth as a stray cat, fending for himself in alleys and eating garbage scraps, Meowth knew better than anybody that life is not always rosy. If life was a bouquet of roses, Meowth knew only a few of those roses would be "perfect." The rest of the bouquet would be wilted, decayed, or consumed by beetles. Like it or not, real life was just imperfect. In fact, there were times in his past Meowth believed the word "life" was the polar antonym for "perfect." Yet, those damned twerps always seemed to emerge from any mishap that befell them "smelling like roses." In turn, Meowth's crew typically emerged from the identical mishaps smelling like shit, often looking like it, too. It just did not seem fair. Yes, Meowth knew unfairness was part of the "real life" package. Still, it always seemed like the twerps were too naïve, and too lucky, to be educated about the dark sides and unfairness of real life.
That is, until tonight.
Everybody, ex-Rocket and ex-twerp alike, was getting a crude crash-course in "real life." Despite how unbelievable the situation in Acheron City became, from walking dead to mutant bioweapons, tonight was nevertheless the cold proof of how painful real life could be. In real life, serious problems were not usually solved via a simple Thundershock to "save the day." Quite the opposite, serious problems, such as those in Acheron City, were usually solved at a high cost. In real life, heroes were not always rewarded with bountiful praise and victory banquets. Quite the opposite, true heroes, such as those in Acheron City, paid the aforementioned "high cost" and died without ever knowing if their sacrifices were worthwhile. Brock, Pikachu, Nina, Tauris, and countless unnamed victims of Acheron were perfect examples of this. Even though zombies and bioweapons bended the line between fact and fiction, everything that happened in Acheron City taught the factual lesson that real life just was not fair.
Hiccup…sniff…sniff…hiccup…
And the most painful part about the whole affair was that Meowth took no pleasure in knowing the twerps tasted the pain he once wished upon them. Then again, although Meowth often wished ill on the brats, he never wished death upon them. Frankly, it almost felt like life finally cut Meowth, Jessie, and James a break in Acheron City. After all, the Rocket trio was still together. They had a quick scare with Jessie's infection, but now she was alive and the Rocket trio was still in one piece.
The same could not be said for the twerp trio, could it? Technically, Meowth should have been enjoying this small victory over the brats, savoring the moment like exotic catnip. And yet…Meowth actually felt sorry for Ash and Misty, even Brock and Pikachu.
Sniff…hiccup…hic…sniff…sniff…
But of course, Meowth was not heartless.
Sniff…sniff…sniff…hic-hiccup…
Togepi's constant sniffles and hiccups were chipping away whatever remained of Meowth's nerves. Even though Meowth and Togepi were now the safest of all the escapees, the cat still felt as though he was smack-dab in the middle of a helpless, hopeless situation. But Meowth's helplessness was a little different than those who were undergoing Acheron's nightmares. The cat just felt helpless regarding whatever he could, or could not, do for his friends still stuck in Acheron's hell.
Sniff…sniff…sniff…
Meowth also felt utterly helpless in comforting Togepi. The baby could not stop crying. True, crying was a characteristic of any normal baby, but Meowth understood that Togepi's tears were a bit deeper than typical baby blubbers for food or diaper changes. Togepi wanted its mommy. Those facts went without saying. More over, Togepi wanted everything to go back to normal: back to the days when Ash, Misty, and Brock were just three happy-go-lucky kids always winning effortlessly against the bumbling Team Rocket.
Sniff…sniff…
Honestly, despite past resentments of the twerps' luck, after what happened tonight, Meowth actually wished he could go back to those "good old days," too. He would give anything for the three twerps to order Pikachu to send him, Jessie, and James blasting off again. If only…
Sniff…
"Don't cry, Togepi," whispered Meowth, cradling the weepy egg in his arms, attempting to rock the infant to sleep. Togepi was bound to cry itself back into slumber, and honestly, Meowth wanted Togepi to shut its eyes and sleep. Hopefully, once the egg reawakened, this fiasco in Acheron City would finally be over.
Sniff…
Meowth wished he could do the same; just close his eyes and shut out the rest of the unfriendly world.
Sniff…
It did not help that both Meowth and Togepi had a terrible sinking feeling goading their insides. Aside the obvious, there was no evidence supporting their foreboding fears. Yet, the two imprisoned Pokemon somehow knew something terrible, something far worse than anything that already happened tonight, was about to happen.
Sniff…sniff…
After a while, it became impossible for the cat to differentiate which sniffles came from the egg, and which ones came from him.
Real life truly is unfair.
Blood. Blood! BLOOD!!
Tentagator was still far from finished, very far. This black-haired boy's bizarre new strength was perplexing, but nonetheless a momentary setback. The bioweapon would sink its teeth into that boy if it were the last thing Tentagator did. Once Ash's fresh DNA restored Tentagator, all would be right with the world. The cocky boy might have thought he was winning, but all of these wounds across Tentagator's mutilated legs just drove the monster to fight harder and more viciously. Rage was starting to blind Tentagator all over again. Senses numbed by the swallowed peroxide and ignited fury, making it impossible for Tentagator to fight via anything other than raw instinct.
Kill. Kill! KILL!!
"Grrraaaaarrrrrrr!!!"
Screaming like a banshee, Tentagator mustered all of its strength into its powerful arms. It never mattered that an axe was now embedded in the beast's left leg. Like an ape, the monstrosity's arms heaved all of its body weight forward, lunging like an animal with bioengineered agility. Unarmed and unprepared, Ash was easily pinned onto his back, certainly not possessing the ability to kick away Tentagator. Weaker arms struggled, but the leering monster was smarter.
The boy's arms would no longer be able to cause trouble with that axe…if he lost his arms.
Tentagator's huge jaws glared down at the frightened boy. Squirming and sweating underneath Tentagator's bulk, Ash instinctively attempted to fight back. It was dead obvious Tentagator was not laying its full body weight onto the boy, else Ash would have already been crushed to death. Heaven forbid Tentagator grant Ash a quick and easy death. Very well, then. If Tentagator was not going to make this fight easy, Ash would do the same. It was stupid to punch the hefty beast, but the axe had been a fine weapon tonight. Considering the said weapon was still in the beast's leg, Ash's flailing left hand attempted to reclaim the axe.
A very foolish, foolish decision, indeed.
Talon-covered fingers grabbed Ash's wandering wrist, nearly crushing it. But where was the fun in that? Admittedly, in spite of its wounds, Tentagator was starting to enjoy itself, too. Most prey fell apart like a house of cards in the creature's wake. There was never a challenge. Yet, now this seemingly weak little boy was actually fighting with Tentagator. If Tentagator were human, it would have respected this boy. Their affinity for each other was strengthening by the second, closer and closer, as if Tentagator was starting to fight with its own kind. Was this boy not a normal human being? If not, what in hell was he?
Tentagator looked forward to finding out.
Fear…flesh…executioner…blood…
It was not fair, after all. Why should Tentagator have two butchered limbs, while Ash only had one? Now it was Tentagator's turn to even the odds in this gruesome battle.
The behemoth snapped the child's arm with one flick of its oversized wrist.
"I'm doing this world…a favor…little girl."
Naturally, Vincenzio was not surprised to hear Misty snort incredulously. "No matter…what I do with the viruses…it will be miniscule…compared to what Khimaira…will do once it awakens." Shuddering, himself, the doctor gingerly slid his other hand into his coat pocket. Misty tensed, expecting a gun, but her eyes widened all over again when she noticed him retrieve something…else. "I alone…hold the final 'piece'…to completing Khimaira."
Holding out the vial of purple liquid, Vincenzio morbidly declared, "This is the L-Ject."
The sample's pigment instantly burned into Misty's memory. Purple seemed to be the defining color for infectees in Acheron City. Ulisse implied the color had to do with the mixing of the red G-Ject and blue S-Ject. Blue and red mixed to create violet. How ironic that there was a virus sample, the L-Ject, that just-so-happened to be colored purple.
"The S-Ject, G-Ject, and L-Ject…" heavily voiced Vincenzio, his voice caught between growling and slurring. "…Three liquid substances…combine to create…one catalyst of a…symbiotic phenomena," he almost preached, sending additional chills down Misty's spine as the crazed doctor continued his disturbing explanation.
"The S-Ject…the vicious snake…poisons with one bite…infecting its host.
"The G-Ject…the gentle goat…nourishes with milk…heals and strengthens those…bitten by snake.
"And the L-Ject…" paused Vincenzio, admiring the said chemical through the corner of his tired eyes. "…The mighty lion…combined and superior to…snake and goat…possesses the greatest power of all.
"Together…snake, goat, and lion…form the Chimera…the vicious mythical beast…who will burn everything…through the flames…poured from her mouth."
Burn everything… Ironically, after losing his son, that was exactly what Nicolas wanted to do to Team Rocket, and to the rest of this God-forsaken world.
Ash never felt this type of excruciatingly burning pain before in his life.
It...hurts...oh God...I can't feel my arm...
I can...feel blood...pouring out. It...it hurts.
Is this...what it's like...to die?
No, this was not what it felt like to 'die.' This was what it felt like to be fatally mauled by a rabid beast. Such was probably worse than dying.
Misty...where are you? I want to...see you again...before I-
But she was nowhere to be found. Perhaps Misty was already dead, waiting for Ash with wide open arms.
I'm waiting for you, too. I trust you.
I know you'll come back, Myst.
Meaning Misty was probably risking her life to find the vaccine. No matter how much it hurt, no matter how hard it was to remain strong…Ash was not about to make Misty's efforts futile. He still held onto his sanity.
Ash was dying, but he was not dead yet.
It was Tentagator's turn to indulge itself in the delectably intoxicating sounds of blood-curled screams. Regaining the upper hand in his fight, the tentacle bioweapon growled ferociously as its smaller, weaker prey cried out in agony. Sticky blood spewed from the left arm's grossly dislocated socket. It was a beautiful sight, invigorating Tentagator to continue twisting the arm…harder…faster…noisier. The beast felt like a giddy kid playing with the crank of a brand new toy: a jack-in-the-box. Crank…crank…crank…
…CRACK!
How sad.
Tentagator's new toy broke.
Misty heard Ash scream. Oh God…
Vincenzio heard the screaming, too. It never fazed him, though. The old man was accustomed to screams and pain, thanks to meeting Team Rocket.
"Team Rocket had already…used two of the three Jects…S and G…across this city…as the 'virus' and "vaccine,'" Vincenzio snorted at the foul, meaningless names. Such titles Team Rocket coined his creations only proved how the thugs truly did not understand the doctor's work. "But once…Team Rocket brings…brings the three Jects together…they will be able to use them…and fully awaken their…Khimaira abomination. Once that happens…" he trailed, knowing Misty was obviously smart enough to piece together the rest of his morbid prediction. The shudders Vincenzio felt through Misty's side of her magnum told the doctor this child was not stupid: she knew what would happen once Khimaira awoke.
"Whether you…like it or not, child…" Vincenzio declared matter-of-factly, stating truths even he disliked. "…This world…will come to an end. I am merely choosing the…'softer' alternative. If Khimaira awakens…it will be much…much worse."
Misty did not like, nor want, to admit it, but after hearing Tauris' tales at the chemical plant, the redhead knew Vincenzio was speaking the truth. Who better to know the devastating effects of the combined Jects than the actual creator of the viruses? Vincenzio may be mad, but he was not stupid, either.
"I took care of…all the other samples…I could find…except this one. I have managed…to hide the definitive L-Ject…from Team Rocket…with my life," noted the scientist, tightly holding onto the purple vial. He and Misty knew that one sample was the deciding factor between the world's salvation and destruction. Even though the possibilities sounded far-fetched and cliché, if the L-Ject was as dangerous as Vincenzio claimed, then that one sample could potentially "destroy the world." Viral terrorism was not to be taken lightly.
"But even so…" Vincenzio trailed, glancing away for a moment. Even though he was technically 'holding all the cards,' Vincenzio knew there was indeed one small flaw in his plan. "…As long as Team Rocket…has S and G…they can still potentially awaken Khimaira." Naturally, Misty's heart sank all over again thanks to that uplifting notion. "Those idiots…they never bothered to…listen to me…to fully understand 'how' to handle the Jects. Their naivety…is in humanity's favor. As long as…the Rockets…don't know their asses from their elbows…they won't be able to utilize the Jects…to their full potentials."
Misty never wanted to know what those "full potentials" could be.
"Unfortunately…sooner or later…Rocket scientists are…bound to realize…that the L-Ject is a…culmination of S and G. And when they realize this…Team Rocket will be able to…make their own L-Ject…through S and G…and then finish Khimaira."
Innocent aquamarine eyes blinked in astonishment. "The L-Ject has properties of the virus and vaccine?"
Disregarding the cliché virus and vaccine names, Vincenzio nodded. "I made L…out of the two preceding Jects. When S and G are combined…in tactful moderation…they can compliment each other…like two sides of a coin. Team Rocket could never…handle the Jects properly. They never listened to…an 'old codger.'"
It was "Gian" who gave Vincenzio that unflattering nickname.
"However…if S and G are combined…combined under precise dosages and formulas…they can actually compliment and support each other…rather than simply contradict each other. S and G can create L…but by the same principle…S and G can be derived from L. That is why…the L-Ject is so valuable. As long as Team Rocket…doesn't realize this…as long as they continue…blindly fooling around with S and G…then humanity stands a chance. But sooner or later…even idiots like them…are bound to figure out…the precise formula…that makes L-Ject work perfectly."
Misty assumed such, too. Team Rocket had many brilliant scientists at their disposal, such as that weird Professor Nanva who experimented on Pokemon. Nanva was probably one of many Rocket scientists that could potentially unlock the secrets of Vincenzio's three Jects. For all Misty knew, as she and Vincenzio spoke, Rocket scientists were probably researching the secrets of the Khimaira-Jects, and seconds away from making that fatal discovery that would doom the world.
"That's why…" coughed Vincenzio, before slipping the L-Ject back into his shirt pocket. "I have to act quickly…before Team Rocket makes the concluding move. That was why…I sacrificed this city. There's…no time to lose!"
There certainly was not any time to lose. Team Rocket was close to awakening Khimaira, Vincenzio was close to igniting a worldwide outbreak, and Ash was…
God only knew what was becoming of Ash downstairs.
Ash…
Suddenly realizing all the different ways this night was destined to go to hell, Misty shook her head. Now she finally understood Tauris' dilemma. She was still not fond of Tauris, but she did understand the man's indecision. Tauris wanted to protect Nina, but he also wanted to stop Team Rocket, and he could not have both. Misty was faced with similar circumstances. She wanted to save Ash, stop Team Rocket, and prevent the world from falling prey to Khimaira and Vincenzio's mad terrorism. Sadly, Misty came to realize she could not have everything, either. Given one choice, Misty knew which option she would pick.
Ash.
But she was not condemning the rest of the world, either.
Once Ash is cured…he'll be able to help me stop Team Rocket.
We'll stop Team Rocket together.
But first things first, Misty needed that vaccine. Vincenzio said he "took care" of all the other samples, which nearly drove Misty into a fit reminiscent of her outburst at the chemical plant. But now was not the time to fall apart again. Misty did not know, or care, how Vincenzio "took care" of the Jects. The bottom line was he still had at least one more sample left.
And Misty realized, if the L-Ject possessed properties of the G-Ject vaccine, perhaps Misty could use the L-Ject to cure Ash!
The whimpering dark-haired boy tasted his own metallic blood and shards of ivory bone. Sadistic Tentagator enjoyed flailing around the dismembered arm like a trophy, mindful to ensure that Ash was fully aware of the beast's victory over him. It felt so surreal, and Ash did not want to look at his removed arm in Tentagator's grasp. Blood poured out like a faucet from whence the arm came, draining more of Ash's life and blurring the world around him. Yet, Ash could still feel tingling, phantom limb sensations where his left arm once resided. He would never have believed Tentagator actually dismembered him, unless Ash did not see the removed arm pouring gore across his face. Tentagator was certain to bathe Ash in the boy's own fluids, churning the child's stomach and taunting him to give up entirely.
Give up…it was tempting, but…
Misty…
If Tentagator was mutilating Ash, there was no reason to suspect the devil would not do the same to Misty once it finished playing with the boy.
"Guaarrrgh…"
Snarling in satisfaction over its work, Tentagator briefly admired the boy's limp arm. It was bleeding blood…such a lovely sight…Tentagator could hardly wait to taste this boy's savory ichor. The boy was too weak to be troublesome anymore, so Tentagator was hell-bent on letting this obnoxious child suffer as long as possible before the end. Until then, the fiend wanted to savor every taste of Ash's delicious flesh and blood.
Ash bit back oncoming whimpers and tears as it watched Tentagator run its slippery tongue along his dead arm. Like a dehydrated dog, the tentacle freak greedily lapped up the arm's blood. Gore and saliva dripped onto Ash's face as he unwillingly watched Tentagator begin to chew his arm like a hyena. Everything was fuzzy to Ash, but clear enough for him to hear snapping flesh rip off bone. He heard every chomp of bone break between Tentagator's jaws. The chomps would be followed by a gulp as the monster swallowed mashed flesh and bone down its second throat. The thought of there being parts of himself inside Tentagator felt so disgustingly vile to Ash. He did not want to be a piece of this hellish abomination. Ash never wanted to have anything to do with Tentagator.
Yet…
…Ash, too, was beginning to feel a strange…'connection'…to this beast.
He could not describe the feeling. Ash certainly was not attracted to this monstrosity, but the feeling was almost as indescribable as what Ash felt for…Misty. The only difference was the indescribable feelings he felt for Misty made Ash feel whole, secure, and happy. The feelings he felt towards Tentagator were out of obligation, blood, and fear. Everything around him was a liquefied haze, and Ash could not decipher the prime instigator of his tears: pain, sorrow, or both.
I'm infected…I'm becoming like…Tentagator. This…THIS is my fate.
As the world around Ash became colder and blurrier, he realized one other revelation.
So be it.
Traversing the outskirts of death, Ash suddenly realized his fate was not excruciatingly scary. Zombies, Tentagator, and even Team Rocket were not nearly as frightening as losing Misty. If Ash were to lose all the strings of his sanity, minus one thread, he knew which thread he would hold onto with whatever remained of his will.
The boy's fluctuating, infected emotions started to shift again. Back and forth, kind and malicious, forgiving and unforgiving, Ash could not keep track of his mood swings. At this point, he did not care. As Tentagator continued to feast on whatever remained of the boy's arm, Ash's other intact arm started to wander.
Enjoy yourself, you sick freak.
The indisposed monster was so consumed by food and lust that it never noticed Ash's right fingers near the axe.
I'm your last meal.
"Doctor...I need that L-Ject now. My friend needs it!" Of course, Misty knew Vincenzio was not just going to 'give' her the precious Ject. "I understand you think I may be a spy, but I'm not," Misty reassured, finally lowering her weapon fully to show she meant no threat. "I hate Team Rocket, too, and I'd love nothing better than to get out of here and expose them for that they did. I promise, if you help me and my friend, I will bring Team Rocket down."
"I have…no reason to believe you, child…" stubbornly huffed Vincenzio, causing Misty to snarl. He was not surprised at all to feel Misty's gun barrel return to the small of his back. Yes, he heard the noises downstairs, but there was no reason for the doctor to assume the racket was never staged. Vincenzio had seen Misty traveling with other Rockets, and all of them could have conspired this noisy act to coerce Vincenzio to drop his guard. "In the unlikely event…you are telling me the truth…you have my condolences…for your friend." Surprisingly, Vincenzio almost sounded honest, almost. "But I can't allow…Team Rocket's nonsense to continue. If you want to kill me…you can try…but it won't change…anything."
That was true. Killing Vincenzio would not change anything, except waste time.
"Besides…as if you would even understand…'how' to use the L-Ject to heal your friend," Vincenzio snorted mockingly, causing Misty to shudder upon hearing him start to cackle again. "If you plan on…using L as a 'vaccine'…you'd need to…chemically bisect…the S and G properties respectfully.
"The L-Ject possesses characteristics of…your 'vaccine' and 'virus.' You can't just stick L…into an infectee…and expect him to be cured. Remember…injecting L means you're injecting…both G and S…into the victim. If your friend were infected…by the S-Ject…then injecting him with L would have the same effects…as injecting him with G…and an extra dosage of S. The double dosage of the virus…would easily override the vaccine's influence. If anything…you would be intensifying your friends' infection!"
Misty never thought of it that way, but the L-Ject was still the closest "vaccine" Misty could find. What else could she use? Were there any G-Jects left after Vincenzio "took care" of them?
"The only other option would be…" Vincenzio mulled, placing a hand over the pocket concealing the last L-Ject. "…If your friend were infected by…the L-Ject. But most of Acheron's zombies…were clearly infected by…the S-Ject. I can tell…of course. The S-Ject's side effects are…much milder than L's."
Misty blinked.
"Those infected by the L-Ject…they mutate into deadlier creatures. Team Rocket…came exceptionally close…to unearthing the formula…of how S and G combine to make L. It happened…when they used…both chemicals on Pokemon experimentations. The mixtures…mutated the Pokemon into…hideous beasts…with powers superior than nature. But…without precise L-Ject calculations…the side effects…of the Rockets' mixing of S and G were…unstable."
The first image that came to Misty's mind was Tentagator!
Tauris said Tentagator was made out of the viruses, and the bioweapon was more viral than all the other creatures sauntering through Acheron City. Tentagator clearly was no zombie. If what Vincenzio said was true, then most likely, Tentagator was developed through a haphazard culmination of the S-Ject and G-Ject, indirectly the L-Ject. It was a damn miracle Team Rocket never realized what they were doing! For all intents and purposes, Tentagator was a walking receptacle of the L-Ject. Yet, those so-called "Rocket fools" probably never realized it! Chances were, what was swimming through Tentagator's morphed veins was the unintentional equivalent of the L-Ject, and if that was the case, then Ash was infected by the L-Ject! No wonder Ash's symptoms were dramatically different than Ulisse's, Brock's, and Jessie's.
"L-Ject infectees…have a fifty-fifty success rate…of being cured by the L-Ject," continued Vincenzio, causing Misty's heart to swell with hope. "Since L infectees harbor…the S and G-Jects in their…bloodstreams, countering with the L-Ject…would give the victim…a double dosage of the…'virus' and 'vaccine.' Whichever took dominance would vary…based on the infector and the infectee…a gamble. Either the person would be fully cured…or mutated more severely…double or nothing."
It was a gamble Misty was willing to make.
"But you're…not getting this L-Ject…missy…" Vincenzio suddenly voiced darkly, causing Misty to scowl back a choice word. Before she could voice her not-so-nice opinion, the mad scientist finally peered over his shoulder, flashing dark hazel eyes into Misty's blinking orbs. There was something very odd about this doctor, aside the fact that he was undoubtedly mad. "…The…chief of police…foolish man…infected himself out of spite…but…it's not a 'bad' idea…heheh…"
Somehow, someway, Misty knew what Vincenzio meant.
"…With powers far superior than nature."
In the blink of an eye, Misty realized 'how' an elderly man such as Vincenzio was capable of maneuvering faster than an athletic child or Pokemon. Vincenzio did say he "took care" of the remaining S and G samples. Now Misty knew how.
Too bad Misty was not quick enough to stop the genetically infected man from spinning around and knocking the gun from her hands.
Blood…blood…yes…delicious…blood…
This was Tentagator's obsession. If the behemoth was loyal to anything, than Tentagator pledged its devotion to blood, its own selfish lust. But this child's DNA was worth the effort. The blood was sweet, energetic, and invigorating. Tentagator almost felt a buzz as it drank the youthful liquids. And the flesh was tender, juicy, and tasty. The new DNA swam through Tentagator's bloodstream like underwater ballerinas, elegantly spiraling and sending seductive sensations through the bioweapon's metabolism. Naturally, Tentagator could feel its regenerative abilities begin to stir, fueled by this boy's DNA and preparing to heal Tentagator's wounds. Tentagator knew these regenerative sensations better than anyone.
Thus, the demon was the first to realize a problem.
Unfortunately, Tentagator realized the problem a few seconds too late. Before the beast could react, everything it just consumed regurgitated whence it came. Clamping his eyes (and mouth) shut, Ash winced as the revolting sewage-like vomitus spilled all over him. Ash did his damnedest not to breath in too deeply, lest he smell the disgusting nastiness of his almost-digested body part, and puke, too. Some of the fluids sneaked up his nostrils, reminiscently of whenever he swam underwater without pinching his nose. Sea salt water and chlorinated pool water were unpleasant inside an uncovered nose. Yet, they were nowhere near as putrescent as was mashed flesh, bone, and blood, mixed with saliva and other unmentionable digestive fluids. Ash was amazed he never threw up again upon smelling Tentagator's vomit. Fortunately, the rancid stench was not quite as merciless on the boy's nose as Ash expected.
That was when it finally dawned on the infected boy. He could not smell anything.
Except…blood…
More specifically, Ash recognized the blood as infected blood.
That was when the boy's lips cracked in sadistic amusement.
Tentagator's body convulsed as it attempted to regurgitate the last of its snack. What in God's name was happening?! Surely, this boy's DNA would be the delectable wine Tentagator sought. Instead, the blood and flesh tasted like spoiled juice, fouled and leaving a horrid aftertaste. Unidentifiable matter trickled down Tentagator's chin, its advanced body rejecting the presumably delicious DNA. Not one sliver of the boy's sweet blood or flesh was accepted by Tentagator's body, and once vomited, Tentagator felt hungry and empty all over again.
It all made sense now. This boy was undeniably infected, and now one of Tentagator's own.
And for once, Ash was proud of that fact.
My DNA's no longer fresh, Tentagator.
If you wanted my blood…
…You should've thought about that before you infected me, dumbass!
Plus, Ash also realized one other tidbit of sadistic entertainment.
You can't eat infected flesh, can you?
And if you can't eat my infected DNA…you CAN'T regenerate!
Realizing such, Ash was more than happy to embrace his viral infection…and once more rip the axe out of Tentagator's leg.
Nina's magnum clanked to the floor, skidding into the squishy heap that remained of Noctowl. Before Misty could even think about retrieving her gun, she also went careening into the bloodstained floor, courtesy of a rude shove. The force of the fall would have easily cracked or popped her left hip upon impact, had Misty's hip not landed in Noctowl's soft corpse. The warm gooey guts seeped through her green shorts, clinging to her hip's crawling skin and coercing the girl to retch. Alas, Misty never had time to vomit before a black shadow cast above her, eliminating the slivers of light in Vincenzio's dark office.
"I have acknowledged…that I am the instigator…the cause of this city's nightmare," slurred the aged man, narrowing eyes that seemed to get darker by the second. "If I never…developed the Jects in the first place…Gian would never have been taken…and things never would have gotten…out of hand. This is my fault…I'm ready to…burn in Hell…because of my doings.
"However…" Vincenzio snarled, balling a fist in a threatening manner that caused Misty to brace herself. "…I have every intention…of dragging Team Rocket…to Hell…right along with me!"
Perhaps Vincenzio's intentions were justified, but Misty was not about to award this madman a 'hero,' either. Squirming in her bloody puddle, Misty spat incredulously, "You're gonna' drag the rest of this world to Hell, too!" The girl's hands fumbled through Noctowl's headless body below her, attempting to find the gun that fell nearby.
As if the snorting Vincenzio cared about the "rest of this world." His own wife and countless colleagues and psychiatrists eventually betrayed him. They dubbed Nicolas "insane," and tossed him into institutions to get "help" as an excuse for them to wash their hands of his foolishness. Nobody cared, so why should he care? This world was dark, vicious, heartless, and Vincenzio did not give a shit about it.
"…So be it."
Misty's slippery fingers managed to slink around her sticky revolver, just as Vincenzio declared "I guess…I'll see you in Hell…spy."
There was no use reasoning with this psycho anymore.
I'll see you in Hell, Tentagator.
Ash felt as though he was embracing his cliché "dark side," and perhaps that was just the case. However, sometimes it was necessary to become a hellion to kill a hellion. Ash knew his old tactics of trying to be nicey-nicey to a Pokemon would never work with Tentagator. The old Ash would try to talk and reason with Tentagator, but that was a stupid idea. Frankly, the new infected Ash was not aroused by nicey-nicey, either. He craved hearing Tentagator scream, and was looking forward to exacting some vengeance for the beast's crude dismemberment of Ash's left arm.
But Ash still had his right arm, and the attached hand dug fingers into the axe's wooden handle as the weapon flung out of Tentagator's calf. The beast howled again, and Ash thought his heart fluttered. The old Ash would have screamed at the thought of mutilating a Pokemon, but this new Ash reveled at the opportunity. Come' on! He mentally taunted, with one hand gripping the axe like an impatient batter versus a sluggish pitcher. Scream! Yes! Scream AGAIN!
Deprived of DNA necessary for regeneration, Tentagator was starting to significantly weaken. The beast was far from dead, but Ash knew he was finally starting to understand how to fight this monster. But before victories could be celebrated, Ash knew his job was just beginning. Besides, what fun was there in having Tentagator die quickly? That was boring.
While Tentagator started to nurse its newly bleeding leg, Ash seized the opportunity to break away from the monster's weight. Holding the axe flat against his chest, the boy rolled off to the side, slopping through bloodied Pokemon remains that almost tasted good against the boy's lips. Bayleaf, Corsola, and Politoad were dead, but their DNA was still fresh enough to perhaps lick a few of Tentagator's wounds. Ash would have to hurry before Tentagator realized this.
For some bizarre reason, Ash's body felt lighter. No longer did he feel like gravity was against him. He did not feel like he was floating, but he did not feel like he was carrying twenty sandbags on his back, either. He climbed to his knees almost effortlessly, which was excruciatingly painful a short while ago when Ash first acquired the axe. The boy already knew his body was changing, but all of a sudden, Ash was not entirely sure that these changes were 'bad' things.
Tentagator obviously infected Ash with something 'special,' something that was unlike what infected Ulisse, Brock, Jessie, and the rest of Acheron's inhabitants. Instead of treating his infection like a curse, Ash knew the only way he was going to win this fatal fight was by embracing his curse as a blessing. After all, Tentagator did unintentionally bestow onto Ash several advantages over the beast. Tentagator was the "Frankenstein monster" Team Rocket created. Now, Ash was the monster Tentagator created.
Gore-painted lips sneered.
One arm lifted the heavy axe.
And two previously useless legs…stood.
Vincenzio grabbed the barrel of Misty's gun the moment she pointed it back up at his face. Wrinkled fingers wrapped around the barrel, twisting it to drive Misty to let go. The gun was out of Misty's hands and facing her before the girl had a chance to gasp.
"Checkmate," sneered the doctor.
The red-haired girl ground her teeth and gripped blood-sticky hands. Surely, if Misty did not stand a chance against the L-Ject-equivalent-infected Tentagator, the same odds would apply to her versus an L-Ject-equivalent-infected human. Ulisse had infected himself on a similar scale, but the end results for him were much different than Vincenzio's. The infected chief practically shriveled up and died, whereas Vincenzio was flourishing. Obviously, the Jects killed the living, and revived the dead.
Honestly, Misty was not surprised that Vincenzio's infection enhanced him. Vincenzio knew better than anyone how to use the Khimaira-Jects to the best of their abilities. Ulisse and Team Rocket had no clue what the hell they were doing. Conversely, Vincenzio was the man holding all the cards and masterfully pulling the strings. In a way, Misty felt fortunate that Vincenzio was not on Team Rocket's side. The havoc this man could cause alongside Team Rocket would be much more catastrophic. Unfortunately, though Dr. Vincenzio was not working in Team Rocket's favor, he was also not working in humanity's favor. More specifically, he was not working in Misty and Ash's favor.
Misty had to stop Vincenzio.
Vincenzio was carrying the last L-Ject vial. There was a chance that L-Ject could save Ash. If Misty was willing to fight Tentagator to reach Tauris' vaccine, then she was willing to fight Vincenzio to get the L-Ject. Both the doctor and the bioweapon were infected via L-Ject-level combinations of the S and G-Jects. Vincenzio could not possibly be any greater of a threat than Tentagator.
I can do this.
"You would do anything to save your son, doctor…"
Not expecting those words, Vincenzio blinked as he stared down at the little girl's determined blue-green eyes. Reflected in Misty's eyes was the sea: fierce, determined, and a force that should never be challenged by man. Surely, this weak child was not going to fight Vincenzio, was she? She won't stand a chance!
How many times were the odds against Ash, and yet he still managed to pull a miracle and succeed? Misty did not consider herself as brashly talented as the black-haired child. However, Misty was growing to understand that the boy she often callously called "stupid" was actually much smarter than Misty and the world gave Ash credit. Maybe he was just damn lucky, or maybe, deep down, Ash knew what he was doing after all.
He's driven by his heart, and there was nothing greater and more powerful than that.
"…And I will do anything for Ash!"
Bizarre, unearthly sensations crept through his young body. Ash could feel his strength ironically dwindle and increase all at once. This was not his own natural strength growing, but rather, an artificial kind, one that was clearly induced by the manmade viruses consuming his body.
But real or fake, this was the chance Ash needed: just a brief moment of strength to subdue this weakening monstrosity once and for all. Standing before the wounded Tentagator, Ash felt no pity for the poor fiend. Instead, he happily gripped the axe's handle with his remaining arm. For some reason, the axe was not heavy anymore, prompting Ash to swing the blade…
…Slicing off Tentagator's super-sensitive tentacle arm.
"GURRRRAAAAAAAAARRRGGH!!!!!!"
The boy's body sensually marveled over the monster's ear-piercing screams as though they were the most enchanting of melodies. The feeding tentacle bounced off a wall, leaving a trail of blood behind it before involuntarily squirming on the floor. Losing its precious tentacle arm was probably as painful to Tentagator as raw castration was to a man. The beast attempted to stand again, but fell right back onto the floor, cracking more floor tiles and its own bones. Its kneecaps smashed to the floor due to its overwhelming weight, forcing Tentagator to prop itself up with its one good muscle arm. Blood poured out of both of its mouths, coughing snarls and roars resonating through dying breaths.
Ash just smirked like a madman. Poetic justice again. After all, it was not fair that Ash lost an arm, and not Tentagator.
Continuously clutching the axe, Ash started taking a few shaky steps towards the mutilated fiend. Ash's own legs snapped with each step, the boy's own body weight crushing his previously useless legs, as if Ash was walking on rotted stilts. He felt none of the pain, just like the zombies who waltzed around Acheron with dislocated legs and feet. His walks were staggered, but the boy had no trouble reaching the Tentagator on its hand and knees. Tentagator no longer looked like Hades' right hand man; the freak looked like Hades' reject.
Ash just continued sneering like the devil he was becoming.
This beast before him…this was the freak that terrorized Ash and his friends throughout most of their adventures in Acheron City. This was the demon that killed his beloved first Pokemon. This was the beast that Ash grew to despise passionately.
This was the beast that would kill Misty…if Ash did not kill Tentagator first.
The axe's wooden handle almost cracked inside the boy's death grip.
You killed Pikachu, you bastard.
You've probably killed countless others.
Now…you want to kill me, and you can go right ahead and try.
But I'm the last being you're ever going to kill.
Another wavelike 'power' started building within Ash. One arm raised the axe, so tightly his pale-purpled arm and hand turned white. The boy's teeth grinded as fury peaked within black eyes.
Once the axe was above Tentagator's head, all Ash wanted to do was send this beast back to Hell.
Vincenzio might have been powered by the incredible Khimaira-Jects, but Misty believed she was imbued with an even greater 'power.' However cliché and novelistic it sounded, this power inside Misty was what enabled her to launch herself from the floor, tackling the stunned doctor before he pulled the trigger. The magnum fell back to the floor, out of reach for both Misty and Vincenzio. The force of the girl's blow sent the old man flying backwards onto the desk where the nailed corpse laid. Camilla's fragile skeleton was crushed under Vincenzio's weight, raining streams of bony dust like waterfalls down the sides of the desk.
Dust was not the only thing to run down the desk's sides, either.
Drip…drip…drip…
The burst of energy momentarily prevented Misty from realizing 'what' happened until it was already over. By then, it was too late. Stumbling away from Vincenzio's body, the hands Misty used to tackle him immediately covered her mouth as she noticed a red pool widen around the desk. Streams of blood trickled from various points across the sprawled man's body: neck, wrists, chest, stomach, head…each area sporting a long jutting needle.
By the time Misty realized she impaled Vincenzio the same way he killed his wife, the doctor was already dead.
Oh God…
Even though she did not like Dr. Vincenzio, Misty had to admit she respected him enough to never intend to kill him. Alas, the deed was done, and Misty could not afford to waste any more time than necessary. She could only hope her accidental impaling never ruined the L-Ject vial in the process, much like with happened to Tauris' samples at the chemical plant.
Continuously chewing her lower lip, Misty skittishly approached the immobile body. After tonight's affairs, Misty was almost expecting Vincenzio to inexplicably return to life, but nothing of the sort happened. Honestly, she did feel bad for killing him, but she could grieve and loathe later. Fumbling through the man's breast pockets, the girl's blood-covered fingers managed to find a hard bump in one pocket.
Misty nearly wept tears of joy upon finding the L-Ject intact.
Oh…thank you, God. Thank you!
Of course, celebrations would come after Misty healed Ash. With the L-Ject in her possession, there was nothing more Misty needed to do upstairs. Vincenzio was dead, as was poor Noctowl. She hated to leave the bird here, but…Misty figured Noctowl would understand. Slipping the L-Ject capsule into her shorts' right pocket, Misty then quickly scrambled to reclaim her magnum. The safety was still off, and Misty had no intentions of turning it back on. She had heard Tentagator downstairs, and that bullet Nina entrusted to Misty was bound to come in handy.
Gripping the revolver with two shaky hands, Misty took a deep breath before leaving. She only gave the bloodied Vincenzio one last glance. He was not worth shedding tears, but Misty did hope the madman was finally at peace. His son obviously meant the world to Dr. Vincenzio.
Releasing her held breath, the girl finally ran, maintaining her concentration on the boy who meant the world to Misty.
I'm coming Ash.
Left behind in the office, Vincenzio's limp blood-spilling body remained motionless.
…Except his curling lips.
Bang! Bang! Tatttatattattta! Bang! Bang! Tatttatattattta!
James was the first person to spot Acheron Memorial in the distance. The hospital was barely noticeable over the sea of undead Butch and Cassidy were boisterously exterminating. Ironically, the more zombies they shot, the more zombies congregated, attracted to the noise and the Rockets' fresh scents. It did not help that showy Butch and Cassidy were still gung-ho with their weapons, wasting more time shooting than running. James quickly learned that in a city like Acheron, sometimes the best survival method was running. It was pointless to shoot every single zombie. Sooner or later, Rambo and Calamity Jane's weapons were bound to run out of bullets.
Naturally, Jessie was getting impatient and trying to coerce Butch and Cassidy to work faster (and, for the love of Ho-Oh, she wanted the dark Rockets to stop screwing around!). Unfortunately, the temperamental redhead's typical means of coercion were saying crude lines like "let's move our asses a wee bit faster, Cass!" which usually encouraged Cassidy to pipe up with her two cents. And God help them if "bitch" were mentioned, else Butch would go off the deep end all over again. Granted, the Rocket pairs never got along in the past, so there was no reason to assume tonight would be any different. Nevertheless, James knew now was the worst possible time for immature bickering.
…Especially when his emerald eyes spotted the hospital's front door busted in.
The violet-haired young man felt his heart plummet to his stomach. Even as the sky was beginning to brighten via oncoming sunrise, James felt colder than he ever did at that very moment. It almost appeared that James already knew what happened at the hospital.
Oh no.
Oh Ash…please still be here.
Misty had heard all the commotion downstairs, but could only pray the time she spent with Dr. Vincenzio would pay off. Besides, Ash had Bayleaf, Corsola, Politoad, and the rest of their Pokemon for defense. She did remember hearing Ash scream, but…Oh God, PLEASE let Ash be okay! The girl could only pray as she reached the bottom of the stairs on the hospital's ground floor. Gripping the door frame, Misty spun around the corner, heading back whence she came through the hallway by the main office.
She almost slipped and fell to her knees when Misty saw the lobby.
…Oh…my…God…
Blood was everywhere; puddles on the floor, trickles down the walls, and drips from the ceiling's light fixtures. Intermixed with the blood were various matters of all colors, smeared like goopy jelly and taunting Misty to faint or retch. The stench was overwhelming, burning Misty's nostrils like fire. The only reason she never gave into emetic impulses was because she had a more important job to do.
Even so, Misty's resolve never prevented the tears from falling when she recognized 'what' those mashed, bloody heaps resembled. One pile was pinkish, C-Corsola, the other mound green, Poli-t-toad, and the last was yellowish. Bay-Bayleaf!
Only one creature in the world could have massacred Misty and Ash's Pokemon in such an unbelievable way.
Tentagator.
Misty knew she should have been careful, in the event the murderous monstrosity was still around and waiting to add Misty's gore to the lobby's gruesome painting. But at the same time, Misty wanted to find that tentacle freak. More specifically, the snarling vindictive Misty wanted to find Tentagator and feed it that one bullet in her magnum's chamber. She wanted to rip apart that monster, limb to limb, once she found it!
Fortunately, Misty's prayers were answered. Somewhat. Turning to one side, she most certainly found Tentagator…
…With an axe plunged into its cracked, bleeding skull.
She was dumbstruck yet again. Misty needed a double take before realizing the gigantic body sprawled before her was indeed the same behemoth that terrorized Acheron City. T-TENTAGATOR?! Misty could hardly believe what she was seeing. The beast looked as though it lost a fight with a lawn mower, hacked in countless pieces. Its trademark tentacle arm was nowhere to be found in the immediate vicinity, and Tentagator's head…dear God, Misty could not believe an axe is in this beast's head!
No matter how many times she blinked, Misty could not believe the sight before her eyes. This body before her was the demon that chased her and her friends throughout Acheron City, and the same monster that killed their Pokemon, Nina, and Tauris. Now, Tentagator almost looked…pitiful, though Misty was not about to send her sympathies. She was glad this formerly fearsome beast was now nothing more than a slaughtered animal, mincemeat just like Tentagator did to its victims. How ironic.
Even so, Misty still took no comfort in knowing Tentagator was dead. That beast was the strongest adversary Misty and the others faced in Acheron. Nothing seemed to be able to kill Tentagator, which therein drove Misty's suspicions…what killed Tentagator? Bayleaf, Corsola, and Politoad clearly did not carry out the deed. Misty shuttered to think there could be something else roaming his hospital, something worse than Tentagator.
She was about to find out.
Crunch.
Jumping, Misty swept her magnum, aiming it directly at Tentagator. She knew she heard something move, but the demon remained inanimate. Past experience taught Misty to never underestimate Tentagator, but the bioweapon remained motionless.
Crunch…crunch…crunch…
Sounds of motion continued to echo slowly and staggeringly, increasing Misty's heart rate. Sweat suddenly broke at her brow as her arms shook whilst aiming Nina's revolver. Something was moving, but that 'something' was not Tentagator.
Crunch…crunch…crunch…
Whatever that 'something' happened to be, was moving from behind Misty.
Crunch…CRUNCH…CRUNCH…
Swallowing and gripping the trigger, Misty braced herself. God only knew what was breathing down her neck, and though Misty preferred never to find out, she could not be a coward. Keeping her nerves as steady as possible, the redhead mustered enough courage to spin around instantly, pointing the revolver at the lurking stalker. Her heart nearly burst when she almost pulled the trigger...
...On Ash.
It took her senses another second to realize Misty was not looking into the face of a zombie or demonic monster. Like a dream come true, Ash was right before her eyes. Misty was so overcome by relief that she never bothered to question why Ash was outside of his hiding space. Was it any wonder, considering the commotion in the lobby? Misty just hoped Ash never witnessed whatever happened to the slaughtered Pokemon.
Lowering her weapon instantaneously, a wave of the purest joy washed over Misty, provoking her to wrap her arms around the boy. "Oh...thank God, Ash," she choked, feeling a few more tears trickle from her eyes as she held him tightly. "Thank God."
Ash remained silent and motionless. He felt so cold to the touch, which was the incentive Misty needed to skip the hugs and kisses until after Ash was administered the L-Ject. She knew the L-Ject was not 100% guaranteed to purify Ash, but Misty was willing to take the chance. 50% odds were better than no odds at all.
Not possessing the time to overindulge in their reunion, Misty quickly parted from the one-sided embrace. Holding her gun with one hand, Misty's other free hand slipped into her shorts' pocket, pulling out the purple L-Ject. Like all the other Ject samples, this vial was designed like a small syringe. Misty was not a doctor, and Nina had been the one to inject Jessie with the earlier vaccine. Thus, Misty was not proficient with needles, especially since her earlier jitters were making her injecting hand twitch. She had to stay calm. Ash would be fine! The sooner the L-Ject was flowing through Ash's veins, the sooner it could work its miracles.
"Ash..." Misty started, grabbing one of his purple-pale arms, noticing blood was all over it. She decided to dismiss it for now and ask questions later. "Hold out your arm so I can..."
She had let go of his right arm, just for a second, and blinked, watching it drop back down to Ash's side. Was he simply too weak to hold his arm? Oh, poor Ash… Maybe the reason he was covered in blood was because Ash was wounded. Tentagator may have had something to do with that, though Misty prayed the beast never laid another finger on her precious boy. Understanding, Misty reached for Ash's other arm, the left one. She could only hope he could hold out that arm better, at least long enough for Misty to inject the L-Ject.
Unfortunately, Ash could not hold out his left arm, because...there was no left arm.
Misty's eyes widened in horror as they scanned Ash's side, coated in red blood and snowflake-like bone shards. All of the gore trailed from Ash's socket...his armless socket. It was no exaggeration to say Misty's heart stopped. Only now did she finally realize Ash was standing in front of her. A short while ago, Ash could not walk, and Misty doubted he would ever walk again. He was even shuffling closer…closer…closer. But now, Misty doubted Ash's newfound mobility was a 'good' thing.
Oh dear God...please no, Misty prayed with all her heart before daring to look upward. So preoccupied with finding and curing Ash, Misty never noticed these definitive details about him…until now. Her glassy eyes widened in utmost terror when Misty finally saw Ash's face. The boy's usual spunk and optimism was gone, replaced with a pale mask of death. His eyes were black and lifeless, and faint hairlines of red fluids cascaded from the corners of his mouth.
"…Silly…silly…vaccine no work…if wait too long…"
Cascading transparent fluids mercilessly fell from Misty's eyes. This could not be happening! This is a dream! Wake up Misty! WAKE UP!! But no matter how many times Misty denied the truth, the shattered heart inside her chest told her otherwise.
Please Ash, fight it! FIGHT it! I believe in you! Please don't leave me!
The lifeless boy just continued to shuffle closer.
I don't want anyone else to die, especially you!
Closer…and closer…and closer…
Oh please Ash, don't die!
Closer…closer…
I need you to live! I need YOU!
Closer…
Please, Ash. Let me see your eyes again. Let me see them full of life.
Her prayers were answered. When Misty looked back up at Ash's face, she saw those eyes again...
...But Ash's eyes were not full of life. They were only full of death.
Misty did not want to believe it, even as Ash closed the space between them. Several lines of tears mercilessly rolled down her pink face as Misty heaved sobs, backing into a nearby wall as Ash's dark eyes tore into her. An overwhelming sense of failure took over the girl; failure to save Brock, failure to save Pikachu, failure to escape and expose Team Rocket, and above all, failure to save Ash. Somehow, Misty already knew the L-Ject was not going to cure Ash. Clear as day, the poor boy was too far-gone.
I'm…too late.
After slipping the useless Ject back into her pocket, Misty's hands then folded over her broken heart. Her tear-filled eyes closed, squeezing out access salty fluids. She could feel Ash's weight lean against her, gently sandwiching Misty between him and the wall. If this moment happened any other time, Misty would have blushed fervently. If this moment happened any other time, Ash probably would have blushed the brightest. Unfortunately, now was not one of those times. Still, Ash was so close to her…so close to Misty that she could have heard his heart.
…If his heart were still beating.
His cold lips caressed her neck, sending the strangest chill down Misty's spine. Strangely, there was nothing feral about his behavior. The infected boy moved too slowly and hesitantly for a typical Acheron zombie. If Misty did not know better, she would have sworn Ash was trying to prevent himself from biting her, but he was not succeeding. More and more, closer and closer, it was obvious the boy was fighting a losing battle. His cold lips could not stop themselves from touching Misty's neck, not bites, but shy pecks. For the redhead, such touches were both horrific and pleasing at the same time, like butterfly kisses from the devil.
No. Misty knew 'devil' sounded too malevolent for Ash. Perhaps the kiss was from a fallen angel, which was synonymic for 'devil', but sounded kinder. The wings of Misty's sweet little angel had been ripped from their bones, left to bleed and decay for all undead eternity.
Unless…
"Misty...k-kill me."
In the middle of Misty's folded hands was her magnum, held by her heart, but pointed upward into Ash's chin. The weapon's safety was off, the trigger was gripped...
...And there was one bullet left.
"Misty...k-kill me."
Tears still leaked through her clamped eyes. Misty did not want to open those eyes again. She wanted to remember Ash the way she loved him: that happy little boy, wearing his goofy grin whilst getting himself into trouble. Yet, somehow, Ash won his battles, he somehow won against impossible odds, and…he somehow won Misty's heart.
Coughing back her sobs, Misty gently kissed Ash's cold forehead. She wanted to apologize for failing him, to beg for Ash's forgiveness.
Alas, considering the state Ash was in now…he did not need apologies.
Misty knew what Ash truly needed.
"I don't…want to h-hurt you."
Ash needed liberation: freedom from his plague, his nightmares, and his self-loathing. The boy deserved to rest, and Misty knew 'rest' would be the last thing Ash experienced if he killed Misty and continued to roam around this undead necropolis. After what happened tonight, and after all the additional pain that poor boy endured, often via his own volition, Misty knew Ash suffered enough. Yet, in spite of his own suffering, he still put others before himself. Clearly, in spite of his stripped sanity, Ash still did not want to hurt Misty.
After all, he loved her.
Plus, Ash did not want himself, or anyone, to harm Misty. It did not take a genius for the girl to realize 'who' killed Tentagator. It was pretty damn obvious why Ash killed the fiend, too.
For Pikachu…and…and…for me…
Ash was not selfish, and neither was Misty.
"You w-won't hurt me," Misty whispered in a sob, before caressing the boy's chin with the revolver's barrel. For just a brief moment, Misty could have sworn she felt something wet touch her cheek, though she just assumed it was her own tears. The warm, sensitive boy she once knew was already dead.
"I love you, Ash."
BANG!
TO BE CONTINUED
A/N: Thanks to this episode, I have a hunch that 99% of readers will make Tentagator-style mincemeat out of me now. ^_^;
Okay, okay…I'll admit, I never had any intention of letting Ash survive Acheron City. His demise was a part of the story I planned from the very beginning. I've been foreshadowing Ash's death since his attack at Nemi's Restaurant in Ch.2. Surely, people noticed that Tentagator just-so-happened to injure the same leg Ash injured in Ch.2. (Or, did you really think it was just a coincidence? Come' on folks, if you've made it to Ch.14, you should know me better that that!). Frankly, I think Ash's death was pretty obvious (they very title of this chapter should've given it away. You've had plenty of time to brace yourselves!!). Then again, I'm sure readers didn't expect me to a.) kill the Pokemon series' star, and b.) kill my so-called favorite character, either. Of course, letting Ash survive Acheron City would be total favoritism on my part, and you know I don't want to do that. That's how devoted I am to this story: I sacrificed my own favorite character for the story's sake. If it's any consolation, Ash's death was the hardest, most gut-wrenching segment for me to write in this entire story? T^T (That was most likely the reason it took me extra time to finish this 2-part chapter. I didn't enjoy killing my dear Sato-Chan ;_;).
Hmm. Something's telling me the above paragraph won't spare me from the wrath of the Ash fans who I know are reading this fic. I'd better run while I still can.
Okay, onto more serious topics. Though I'm sure readers are more interested in massacring me than reading my annoying credits, I've still got one credit for this chapter.
I know several reviewers already figured this out (kudos!), but Khimaira's name is derived from the Greek mythological creature "Chimera." Chimera is typically categorized as a female monster that spits fire and possesses the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a snake (there are other variations, but this seems to be the most popular). The word "chimera" can also be used to refer to impossible fantasies. In biology, a chimera is also used to refer to genetically altered organisms (such as bioengineered Pokemon in this fic's case). Obviously, the names of the S/G/L-Jects were derived from the three creatures that create a Chimera. For curious RE veterans, I refrained from calling TR's Khimaira as "Chimera" for a reason. In the RE games, there is a monster called "Chimera," but it's significantly different than the Greek Chimera (and also significantly different from Khimaira you'll see in this story). To avoid confusion, I dubbed TR's "Khimaira" instead. "Khimaira" is simply a root derivative for the word "Chimera," anyway. Khimaira/Chimera are generally synonymic.
Well, again, many thankies for everyone's patience with Ch.13+14's delays. What did you guys think of this story's biggest showdown/revelation/tragedy? Provided I'm still alive after whatever the rip-shit Ash fans do to me, I hope to see you guys next week (provided no more obnoxious delays* crop up. Incidentally, I hope the Ash fans will spare me, solely b/c the next episode is the grand finale…you wouldn't want to miss it, would you? (That's still not gonna' spare me, is it?).
All right then, I've had my say. Go ahead and mincemeat me, Ash fans. I've accepted my fate like a big girl. ^_^;;