Max understood how Ash felt now.
Thanks to his mistake, those creatures were now able to get inside the building and tear everything to pieces. Screams of terror could still be heard, alongside the sounds of breaking glass and destroyed walls. Dakos' employees ran for their lives, hoping desperately to survive this nightmare that had penetrated their stronghold. They came in through the windows, through the walls, through the doorways, and through the tunnel the monstrous Onix had created. Brock's group huddled in the shadows of the generator room, watching the Silent Hill monstrosities run into the home of the emperor.
Luckily, the creatures mostly ignored them. May kept thinking that one of them would notice them in that shadows and attack. Ash would not be happy about this at all. But the abominations just streamed in and headed straight out, never noticing the children.
The Absols were at the front, followed by Ariados and Scyther…or maybe it was Kabutops. They yipped, yowled, screeched and laughed at the prospect of sinking their teeth into Dakos. Brock could see them licking their lips, and giving whatever impression of a smile they could. Ash's skull-headed 'children' came close behind, holding their blades high. The small legion disappeared into the darkness of the building's basement, and there was a moment of calm.
May was about to say something very angry to Max, but thought better of it. The girl rested her head in her palm and sighed.
"So. What do we do now?"
Max looked away. "Don't look at me. My 'plan' just…"
"Guys, SHHH!" Brock heard a low thumping coming from the tunnel. The children hushed and sunk back into the shadows.
Eventually, another creature appeared from the hole in the wall. At first glance, it seemed to be no different than the pink bloated creatures they had seen outside the antique store. But when the creature had dragged itself through the hole, a very painful-looking torture apparatus was shown to have been attached to it's back and tail. Rusty needles and knives dug into the pink flesh, and the entire thing slowed the creature down significantly. iSlowbro/i, Max deduced.
The creature painfully dragged itself further, the thing on it's back scraping the metal floor like nails on a chalkboard. Brock watched the thing struggle forward, and suddenly had an idea. "Hey…those things are going after Dakos." He whispered to the others. The creature didn't notice.
"We know that." May quietly retorted.
"So's Ash. Wherever Dakos is, Ash'll be there. Eventually."
"What are you suggesting? Just say it."
Brock motioned to the thing that had just passed by. It was almost at the doorway leading out of the generator room. "I suggest we follow that thing. Very quietly."
The passageway behind Dakos' bookshelf was much like the hidden passage in the antique shop, but with concrete walls rather than stone. The metal grating on the floor was somewhat cleaner, although drops of blood were visible on the floor. Dakos' fervent scrawlings on the walls ranted silently about how he was cheated of his kingdom, his power, his army. iIt's not fair it's not fair its not fair its not fair itsnotfair itsnotfair itsnotfairitsnotfair…/i
Misty had to shake her head at the words. Dakos really spent the entire time here, locking himself away in his building, crying about how he had lost? He would rather have just sulked and raved in his tower than try to escape or make another plan? Dakos seemed more like a spoiled child denied his toy than an evil mastermind.
Any pity evaporated when she saw what became of his Pokemon.
The Mr. Mime that had saved him from Pyramid Head's blades was strung up on one side of the hallway, and it was more horrific than any of the corpses Misty had witnessed earlier. The skin had been peeled off, and what was underneath had been burned. The end result was something that no longer resembled a Pokemon, with only it's general shape displaying it's former self. It's mouth was still open in an agonized scream.
I DON'T NEED YOU ANYMORE was written in blood nearby.
Misty couldn't hold back the vomit this time, and was forced onto her hands and knees to unload her stomach onto the floor. When she was finally finished, she opened her eyes and saw something through the metal grate.
An army of the monsters were going through the hallways just below, likely having found or made another entrance. Monstrous abominations ran in a purposeful direction, cackling and snarling all the way. An Ariados passed under her, and Misty jumped back up to her feet.
"Wuh-we better keep moving." She managed to stammer.
"Yeah." Ash agreed, watching with fear and shame the procession of his creatures below.
Misty and Ash started walking forward, following the direction the beasts were going. Ash tried focusing all his anger at Dakos, the crazed murderer who killed Marcus, his coworkers, his own Pokemon, and made this entire place a living hell…if he focused on Dakos, those things would hopefully ignore anyone else. The thought of the monsters killing the innocent workers in the building made Ash's stomach churn…
Further down the hall, the secret area seemed to change. Rather than just a few blood splatters on the wall and floor, the entire place was coated in red and several arcane symbols were carved into the wall. Misty hoped it was just ceremonial paint. In order to keep what was left in her stomach inside, she kept telling herself it was just paint. Ash, on the other hand, suspected this was the fate of Dakos' science team after his disappointment.
On either side of the hallway, more of the Banette dolls seemed to be hanging in the air. They seemed to be even more distorted then the first one. The lower halves of their bodies had been torn off, reducing them to stitched heads on top of torsos and arms. The ropes strangled and bound them as their blades hung limply in the air. Their dead grins and button eyes, some of which were dangling by a string, observed the children as they walked forward. Ash and Misty pressed on, not paying them any mind.
Until they started whispering.
Turn around.
Go back.
You want to.
"Are you trying to scare me, Ash?" Misty gulped.
Ash shook his head vigorously.
Yes he is.
That's all he's good for now.
Shouldn't have followed him here.
"Ig-ignore them." Ash nervously asserted.
You can't ignore us.
We're you.
We're more you than you.
"That's ridiculous." Ash tried to block them out, but their whispers kept coming through.
Why do this for Alessa? You have the power.
You're the emperor. Think of what you could do.
You could be the champion. No-one will beat you.
"I'm not hearing this…."
THINK ABOUT IT! Don't kid yourself, listen to yourself!
The Pokemon you could create would be unbeatable! Listen to them downstairs.
You'll have everything you ever wanted.
"No…I don't want…"
What do you want? The voices snapped. To please daddy? To be the very best? To spend the rest of your life living in obscurity when you could be GOD?
"Shut up…"
Turn around. Let Dakos wither and die. Kill Alessa. Become the true king.
We know what you really want.
"You don't!" Misty and Ash retorted.
OF COURSE WE DO!
We know what you want. You want to be champion. That's the only thing that'll draw Daddy out.
"I'm not hearing this…"
You want to win. You want to see all those rivals and enemies reduced to a greasy stain on the floor after you defeat them.
Go back to the stadium. Create your own competition. One you can never lose.
All hail the Emperor! Ash Ketchum of SILENT HILL!
"SHUT UP!" Ash yelled. Pikachu let loose a thunderbolt that zapped everything in the area except his master and friend. The dolls were reduced to charred, silent toys that fell from the burned-out ropes. They didn't say anything else.
Ash tried to catch his breath. Was he really thinking about all that? Were those things really his thoughts made manifest? Did he really want to rule over this bloody kingdom?
Ash shook his head clear. It didn't matter. He would never become emperor. He didn't want anything to do with this cursed town. He didn't want to become like Alessa. He wasn't going to turn back now, for anything. It was time to end this.
Ash and Misty exited the hallway with the dead dolls. Eventually, they came across another hallway intersection. At the end of the hallway was a door with the words 'Emperor's Throne' splattered in blood over the directions to the emergency exit. The dead body of a scientist strung onto the wall stood guard to Dakos' inner sanctum.
Ash felt a chill go down his spine. He had been cold plenty of times before, but this was a certain kind of cold. Behind this door was the end to this nightmare…or it would just be his death. That knowledge paralyzed him for a second. Here was the conclusion to this story, for good or ill. But it had to end.
Ash managed to get his nerve and step towards the door…
"Ash, wait!"
The boy turned back to look at Misty. The girl seemed both nervous and eager, terrified and brave. Much like he was now. She looked Ash in the eye, then looked away for a second, unsure.
"Misty, what?"
Misty gulped, wanting and needing to say something but not finding the nerve to do so. She stammered for a few seconds. "Ash…I…I…"
"What?" Ash asked.
Misty's eyes darted about as if looking for an escape. "I…" She shivered for a second, but not with cold. "I…uh…"
"Misty, what is it?" Ash demanded, more than a little concerned.
"B-before we go in, I…" Misty tried to force the words out, tried desperately. She knew what she wanted to say, but couldn't.
Ash waited, a little impatiently.
Misty sighed with resignation and said something else. "I have an idea."
Brock's group was still moving slowly, following the monster without it noticing. The Slowbro creature kept dragging itself forward, the metal apparatus on it's back scraping the floor underneath. It moaned in agony as it pressed onwards, following it's pack.
May was relieved not to see any more corpses. The people who might've still been inside likely hightailed it or had found somewhere safer. The screaming they had initially heard had long since faded into the distance. The building had gone completely quiet…although the screams and roars of the monsters could still be heard.
"You think they got Dakos already?" Max whispered.
"I hope so." May answered bitterly.
Brock, somehow, didn't think so. If Dakos was as powerful as he claimed to be, he'd be able to fight off those hordes easily. If he hadn't simply erected another barrier around his person. From what he'd seen of Dakos, the barrier would be more likely.
The monsters weren't using any of the corridors…the Onix creature had dug through the building's foundation, leaving several holes that the creatures were going through. A shortcut to their target. The Slowbro creature struggled to get itself through a particular hole.
Max's ears perked up. "Hey…do you hear that?"
May and Brock listened. Soon, an unforgettable and distinctive yelping and barking could be heard. Everyone recognized the sound…they could never forget it's origin.
"Pyramid Head's dogs…" Brock breathed. "They're on the hunt."
"And their master can't be far behind…"
Another figure walked calmly and purposefully through the ravaged halls of Dakos' building. The hellhounds were leading Alessa to her target, but she could probably guess where that worm Dakos was skulking. The place where she had lost her powers to that madman.
Her first escape had been rushed, taking opportunity of Dakos' power-crazed murder of the scientist to run out of the building. Through sheer luck, she was able to escape. She had moved quickly, orchestrating Ash's capture and…endowment of her greatest power. She subconsciously touched the hole where her eye had been.
Dakos' recapture of her was inevitable. That's why she had acted quickly. They were able to capture her again, and brought her back to that damned machine. By then, however, she had nothing for them to take. Dakos saw that the girl had no more of the god's power within her…therefore, he had to have taken it all, because there was no way that Alessa had somehow hid the power from his brilliant plan! Idiot.
A blade hidden in her eye and some smooth talk to her guard facilitated her second escape, and this time Dakos was in no position to look for her. He wouldn't venture outside, knowing these creatures would kill him. He had ranted and raved as he retreated, spitting like a child about how it wasn't fair and how he'd been cheated. Idiot.
Alessa started to wonder if it was a good idea to have sent Ash to stop him. Then again, he had gone up against greater odds…in fact, from what she had seen in his memories, he'd died a few times. And he had that powerful creature beside him.
And since when was anything in this town 'safe'? He had just as much chance as her father and uncle Travis.
Alessa saw a dead security guard nearby, trampled by the monsters in their hurry to murder Dakos. Or did he shoot himself? His gun was in his hand, and his face was too bloody to tell. Alessa simply shrugged and took the gun from his hand. She might need a little insurance if things went awry.
Alessa Gillespie tucked the pistol away and kept walking to Dakos' room.
Ash stood in front of the door leading to Dakos' 'throne room'. The shiver returned, but he suppressed it. He had to be brave about this. For Misty, for May, for Marcus, for Max, for everyone that had been hurt by this insanity. Dakos started this mess, bringing Alessa to life and trying to steal her powers…not that that absolved Alessa of all blame for this mess. But he had agreed…Ash shook his head clear. He could play the blame game later…when he finished this.
Ash pressed his ear to the door, just to be sure. There was a dead silence on the other side, which struck Ash as troubling. Wouldn't his…the creatures be tearing that lunatic apart by now? Or at least snarling in that room? From the sound of it, there wasn't a living soul in that room.
Ash took a deep breath and, doing his best to stop his hand from shaking, opened the door.
The door opened to a darkened room, lit only by a few windows. He could barely make anything out in the gloom, but the windows displayed several of his creations angry banging the glass in rage and frustration.
Ash blinked. They couldn't get in? This was…odd. Wasn't the barrier down?
Ash cautiously stepped inside and immediately felt a sting in his eye. He covered that eye with his hand as it started to bleed again. Yeah, it was another barrier. Great.
There was something strange about this barrier though. When he was inside the larger barrier, his eye just stung and bled. He barely noticed any pain. Now…now it seemed to buzz with pain, making the darkened room spin as he stumbled forward. He breathed hard as he tried to regain his composure…what was so different about this particular barrier…?
Something pushed him forward, and he landed on a hard, cold floor. The pain in his eye still throbbing, Ash got up to his feet and tried to shake his head clear.
Suddenly the lights came on, nearly blinding Ash's other eye. He covered his vision, and his ears picked out a rather drunken triumphant voice.
"I shoulda known. Shoulda known her brother would've helped. Shoulda taken you in, but lookee here, you came by yourself!"
Dakos laughed aloud, and Ash's vision cleared. He was standing on a large metal plate, with a bizarre symbol scrawled on top. The room looked like a science lab someone tried to decorate for a party. Mismatched banners and pictures of Dakos were strung up all over the machines and mechanisms used to siphon Alessa's power. The dead bodies of Dakos' scientists had all been posed to look like they were enjoying themselves. Dakos hadn't bothered to clean off the bloodstains on the floor.
Electrical barriers had suddenly appeared around him, with hard metal antennae pointing towards him. "Nuts." Ash muttered. He'd walked right into a trap.
"But now you're here and…I can really be king again!"
Ash turned to see Dakos himself. He looked nothing like his campaign posters. The man was still wearing his suit, but it had become tattered and bloodstained. Unkempt hair and unshaved stubble on his face made him look more like a bum than a mayoral candidate. His wide eyes, slurring words and teetering gait made it clear what exactly he had been doing while Kalville had gone to hell. The empty bottles of beer scattered around the room and glass in his hands exemplified that point. Ash nearly laughed at how pathetic this emperor really was.
The laugh died in his throat as the machine surrounding him activated.
"Alesssha tricked me, but now you're here. The power's mine now!" Dakos' drunken laugh sounded more menacing than it had right to be. "Ushed my telekinesis to get you onto there…That's how I got Alesssha's strength. Now, I'm gonna be KING! And noone's gonna stop me again! YAHEHAHEHAHAHAHARayayarhar…"