Chapter 51 - Electrical Showdown
At around the same time that the Tower of Wyste was heading towards the ruins, the group consisting of Susanshi, Leo, Tokot, Jon and Alex were following after it, sticking to the path it took through the meadows leading up to the Southern Coast. The tower had crossed all the way across the land, having traveled from the north of Sacreca towards the south, and had quite a big lead compared to the group, who had left town through the south exit. They had already traversed through Jade Meadow, and were at the edge of the desert, which connected to Southern Coast. The tower was already crossing the sea at this point.
"I hope you have an idea on how exactly we're going to cross the ocean, Susanshi," mentioned Jon.
"Don't worry, I have an idea. We went to the ruins once before. This Drilbur keeps this motorboat at the shore. I'm certain he'll give us a ride to the ruins again if we can meet him again," Susanshi explained.
"And will there be enough room for all of us in this boat?"
"We had six on that boat at once and we were fine."
"Yes, fine, minus what happened to us along the way," uttered Tokot.
"Hm, I can swim fine, but I know not all of you can actually do the same," spoke Jon.
Susanshi looked over to Alex, who had been quiet since leaving town.
"You OK, Alex?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm still a little...shaky about things going on..."
"I understand, Alex," Susanshi replied. "And how are you, Leo?"
"Oh, I'm OK, Susanshi," assured Leo. "The encouragement we got when we were about to set off sure has given me a bit of confidence. There were so many other Explorers there to see us off when we were leaving town. They all wished us good luck. It was quite amazing. We had so many cheering us on. That's the kind of recognition I hoped for."
"Yep, they all want us to win this battle and return home," added Susanshi. "They swarmed us all with best wishes. This fight is for them now, after all."
"Being surrounded by many others was a little unnerving for me..." mumbled Alex.
"Yes, but they meant well, Alex. They all want to see the sun again. And that's why we're going to the tower," stated Susanshi. "And we all have a reason to fight this final battle. We'll all stick together and refuse to surrender!"
"You know what, guys?" Leo spoke out. "I'm actually a little excited about this. Our efforts shall finally mean something! We'll trash Vascious and save the land! I know there's the fact that I've had something very unfortunate happen to me, but if anything, it's more incentive to be victorious."
"Such exuberant thoughts. That pleases me, but you still better be careful, Leo," said Jon.
"I'm always caref-"
"Oh no, Leo! Don't finish that sentence!" barked Tokot. "If you screw up now, we won't be stopping to help you. Got it?"
"O-OK... I'll try my best..."
"It's do or die now. No turning back now. Not for anything," declared Susanshi. "We must all be on full force now."
"You heard her, Leo. No going back until the job's done. So you'd better not go hungry," warned Tokot.
"Hey, I ate a quick snack just before leaving. How do YOU know you won't get hungry, huh?"
"Don't give me that smug look. I'm used to hunger, and you know it!"
"Focus, you two! We can't have any mindless bickering at this time!" exclaimed Susanshi.
"Sorry, Susanshi..." Leo mumbled, before saying in his mind: "Heh, she acts like a leader. ...I think she'd make a good leader."
He cracked a faint smile.
Some time after that, they reached the Southern Coast and were now moving along it. The tower had already reached the island and was now sitting next to the ruins. It had rotated slightly so that its entrance faced the path that led out the back of the ruins.
"I just hope Doug isn't too far away..." uttered Susanshi.
"He's usually around the same spot. He practically lives there..." spoke Alex.
"Tch, and I thought my place of living was crappy," remarked Tokot.
"I don't know, Tokot. Living by the sea sounds like one of the best things ever!" commented Leo.
"Nah, I'd rather not get wet at all."
It didn't take much longer for somebody to come into view up ahead. There, a Drilbur in a tattered yellow jumper was perched on the back of a Skiddo. They were both looking out at the distant isle.
"Heeey!" shouted Susanshi.
"Oh, who's that?" the Drilbur wondered.
He looked aside to spot the team approaching. Their presence evoked a smile on his face.
"Oh hey! It's you! And you! And...you! And a stranger! Oh, and Alex! Where's Lisa? You two are never apart!"
"We are right now..." replied Alex.
"Oh, so sorry to hear that. I hope you'll find another partner."
"...No. It's not like that..."
"Uh, anyway, Doug, can you take us to the island with the ruins again? We need to get to the tower that stopped there," requested Susanshi.
"The tower? Yeah, I saw it fly right overhead! Both me and Conanom saw it! It was crazy! I thought I was dreaming!" exclaimed Doug.
"Believe me, I wish this situation was a dream too," responded Susanshi. "We chased after the tower, so we need to rely on your sailor skills to get us over the sea. Think you can do it?"
"Of course I can do it! I don't know what exactly's happening, but sure thing! I'll lead you to the boat!"
"Aww, but what about me?" questioned Conanom.
"You'll have to stay behind, Conanom. So sorry."
"B-but..."
"Hey, don't cry. We'll be back. Don't worry."
"O...K..."
Conanom was almost about to weep when he walked away, leading the group with him. A little way up, Doug's motorboat was seen on the shoreline.
"OK, all aboard!" announced Doug, slipping off Conanom's back and approaching the boat.
"Come on, let's help to push it into the water," instructed Susanshi.
With a total of six Pokémon pushing the boat, it proved effortless. Once it was floating on the waves, Doug stepped in and stood next to the engine. Susanshi, Leo and Tokot sat together at the front seating, while Alex and Jon took the back. Doug revved up the engine, and before long the motorboat was moving forward. Conanom was forced to stay behind alone. With nothing to occupy his mind, he instead chose to simply lay in the sand and take a nap.
Oblivious to any peril that may be at hand, Doug began to sing a jolly song to himself.
"Ohhhhh...! Sailing across the sea once more. I sail over here and I sail over there! On this fine night, I cross the sea, on course to the Ru-ins of Wyste! Why do I go there, I don't even know! But it's an excuse to sail o-ver heeeeere! ...And over there! Yeah!"
As he transitioned into gleeful humming, Tokot showed signs of irritation.
"Ugh, how can he be overly happy at a time like this?!" he quizzed.
"He just doesn't know the danger at hand. It's just innocence," explained Jon. "He sure is an enthusiastic one. I almost don't want to tell him what's actually happening."
"I do, if it stops this annoying display!" snapped Tokot.
"Aww, no. Don't be that way, Tokot! Let him be happy!" Leo insisted.
In the midst of the humming coming from Doug, Susanshi could hear Alex mumbling something quietly.
"Everything OK back there, Alex?" she asked.
"Yeah... I'm just...regretting leaving Lisa a little. Just a little..."
"I know you miss her already, but we must go on. I'll look out for you; you'll be fine."
"Thank you, Susanshi... It was my choice to go anyway. It's just that earlier today, I told her my feelings for her. And she did the same. I'm just glad...I at least got to tell her...before all this. When I get back...I'm going to return to her side and stay there. I just can't see myself going solo again... The way she reacted was just...just..."
"Worrying?" guessed Susanshi. "Well, of course she's worried. You two had quite an event this morning. The least she'd want is your safety, especially after whatever you two said up at the Quad-Eye Peaks."
"And there's no way for her to know I'm fine until I return, if I return. Hmm...I do wonder what Lisa's doing right now though..."
All Alex could do was go on without an answer, yet at the same time of his pondering, Lisa was hard at work back in Sacreca Town. She was currently wrapping a bandage around the arm of a Lickitung. Laura, one of her friends, was with her.
"There, that should do it," she said upon finishing.
"Thank you kindly," the Lickitung said, before leaving.
"I never would've imagined you bandaging up so many Pokémon at one time, Lisa," Laura commented.
"Well, that's because I've never bandaged up so many at once," replied Lisa. "Alex will be working hard, so I should as well."
"Are you sure it was wise to let him go without you?"
"It was tough, but I let him go. Of course, I'm still trying not to be overcome by worry over him. Especially now, because... Well, I finally told him how I really felt."
"You did? And what did he say back?"
"The same thing."
"Oh, I'm so happy, Lisa! I thought you'd never out with it!"
"So did I. I thought I would never get the chance to stop bottling it up. And I regret nothing. It makes me feel great knowing we're finally taking things a step further. But right now, he's with Team Revolution, fighting for the future of Sacreca. I'll wait for him to return. I'll greet him with open arms. Only then will we live happily ever after."
"And I'll be there to greet him with you!"
"Thank you, Laura. I'm glad to still have company I can trust with me during times like this."
"Lisa! Oh, Lisa!" a voice called from behind.
"Oh no..." groaned Lisa, recognizing the call.
Pachy and his teammates walked towards Lisa. She looked back at him.
"Lisa, I have a rather nasty wound on my arm!" Pachy stated. "Would you be so kind as to...tend to it...for me? Maybe kiss it better for me?"
Lisa stared down at his arm, which was being presented to her. It was clean and free of any injuries. Lisa looked back at Pachy's face, and suddenly lunged out, punching him in the face. He fell backwards from the blow.
"Whoa! Boss!" cried Ed.
"My word, he's out-cold!" announced Diego. "Quick, let's get him out of here!"
He and Ed grabbed one arm each and dragged him away.
"Whoa... L-Lisa! You're supposed to help with injuries, not cause them!" gasped Laura.
"Sorry, but Pachy got what he deserved. Now that me and Alex have started a relationship, having him harassing me is much more intolerable."
"I get that, but still... Poor Pachy, ouch."
"Come on, let's go find others in need."
"Oh, all right, Lisa. And we'll try to find Melle and Sarah."
Now back to the party, and Doug was still humming.
"...Yep, he's not stopping," sighed Tokot.
"I'd say we're about halfway there now. Just bear with it for a little longer," said Susanshi. "Just think this to yourself: if you can survive through this and defeat Vascious, a share of that prize money will be yours!"
"What? A share of it? I don't remember this..."
"I want us to split the money between us. It's only fair."
"B-but a million Poké would be enough to buy our own mansion!"
"Was that really your plan? Use all that money for a mansion for your family? Isn't the least you'd want just to get a better home than your-"
"Garden shed, yes."
"Ooh, this is good news to my ears! ...Although I'm not sure what I would do with my share," commented Leo.
"It's for you, so do whatever you want," replied Susanshi.
"You could give it to me if you really can't think of a use for it," suggested Tokot.
"Uh...no..." uttered Leo, lightly shaking his head.
Tokot grunted to himself in quiet frustration.
"Was that a profanity I just heard you utter?" wondered Susanshi.
"Susanshi, I'm not that foul."
A large and tall rock that surfaced out the water was spotted in the path up ahead.
"Whoa, better not hit that rock over there! I'll just navigate us around it..." announced Doug.
The boat tilted lightly to the side, and continued on, passing the rock with just a few inches between.
"Careful there, Doug! We're a little too close!" exclaimed Leo.
"No need to worry! We aren't even moving fast enough to sink!" assured Doug.
"Woop," quipped Tokot.
Suddenly, a bright flash appeared in front of the boat. It struck the sea, giving off an intense strobe from all around. It blinded everyone, as well as knocking Doug over. A bolt of lightning had struck the water, creating the flashing and waves that rocked the boat about.
"Wh-wh-what was that?!" bellowed Leo.
"A lightning strike? But there are no storm clouds!" analyzed Susanshi.
After that, there came another lightning bolt, grazing past the side of the bolt, blowing out a piece.
"This is bad! We have to abandon ship!" shouted Jon.
"Abandon ship?! I can't go for a swim, you know!" argued Tokot.
"If that bolt only barely struck the boat, who's to say it won't be hit full-on next time?!" Jon snapped.
"I think Jon may be right! Hurry, everyone jump onto the rock!" ordered Susanshi.
"The captain always goes down with his ship!" declared Doug.
"Not today!" replied Jon.
He reached for him and grabbed him by the back of his jumper, and leaped towards the rock. He clung onto it and held on. After that, Susanshi, Tokot and Alex jumped off the boat.
"OK, Leo. You can do this. Just don't go in the water..." Leo shuddered as he walked to the side of the boat.
As he jumped, a third lightning bolt cascaded down on the boat, obliterating it into many pieces. The force also threw Leo forward into the rock side with enough power to knock him out.
"Leo!" shouted Susanshi.
Realizing Leo was unable to stick to the rock for long, she reached for his hand and held on.
"Help me! I won't be able to pull him up alone!"
"Hold on, Susanshi!" called Jon.
Taking Doug with him, he climbed up onto the top of the rock. When he did, he showed a brief look of hostility, before turning back and pulling up Susanshi and Leo. Alex had no trouble hoisting himself up. Now, with Leo unconscious and lying on his back, Susanshi and company confronted the one who had cast the lightning upon them: Andose. He wasn't displaying his usual happiness.
"Andose!" exclaimed Susanshi, refusing to leave Leo's side, as she was kneeling behind him.
"So, it was you who wrecked my beloved SS Doug?! Wh-why?!" lamented Doug.
"Doug, let us handle this," uttered Susanshi.
"Your arm... So you've been cursed," announced Jon.
"Yes, I have. But I won't let some curse hinder me," said Andose. "I have been sent by Lord Vascious to kill you all. Yes, even you, Susanshi. He teleported me to this very spot so that I may do so."
"What?!" responded Susanshi.
"Lord Vascious no longer needs you to obstruct his path. He has already obtained the mystical Scepter of Wyste, and now he is all powerful."
"It doesn't matter how strong he is. We'll destroy him no matter what!" shouted Susanshi.
"It is impossible, Susanshi. You have lost. Lord Vascious will soon resurrect Hadreca and put his design into action. And the six of you will have tragically lost your lives to the might of my supercharged electrical powers. It is the same power that was cast down upon you, and it shall smite you. It was all possible with the Scepter."
"You have made a horrible mistake, Andose. That Black Stain that infects your arm is the sign of a curse. That curse comes free of charge with the wish you made. Your own incredible power will be your ultimate undoing for sure," explained Jon.
"That does not matter to me. This is the kind of power that will get me noticed by all! I desired a dream of recognition, and now I can live it! I didn't fancy a boring, uneventful life, and now that won't be the case! You have no idea how amazing it all feels!"
At this point, a visible static charge ran from the tip of his ears, all the way down his body, stopping at his toes.
"No, Andose. No matter what kind of wish you make, if it gives you a Black Stain, it will be most unwelcome," sighed Jon.
"I wanted to live a life of fame. This power will give it to me! All eyes will fix upon me!"
"Don't you realize at all, Andose?" questioned Susanshi, before lightly shaking Leo.
"I don't need to listen to you when I have all I could ask for!" argued Andose.
"So you're really choosing to defy us..." muttered Susanshi. "...So be it."
She stood up.
"Andose, if you intend to stand in the way of our mission, we will fight you. You were a friend, but now you're an enemy."
"So you won't surrender? Very well, let's fight."
"Leo, please wake up..." mumbled Susanshi.
"Leo can't fight with us right now, Susanshi. We'll have to do this without him," said Jon.
"I have to be careful. Electricity is a weakness of mine," added Susanshi.
"It's OK, Susanshi..." spoke Alex.
The two looked at each other.
"I'm immune to electricity," Alex concluded, smiling lightly.
"Of course... You cover for me," instructed Susanshi. "You too, Doug."
"M-me? O-OK," stuttered Doug.
"Ready or not...here I come!" shouted Andose.
He raised both arms up and was struck by a bolt of electricity. He absorbed the entire thing into his body, which gave off sparks. He next coated himself in a force field of this stored energy. With himself surrounded, he got down on all fours and charged ahead towards Susanshi.
"That's Volt Tackle! Watch out!" called Jon.
With Andose drawing close, Susanshi was ready to leap out the way. Yet, suddenly, Leo rose up in front of her and braced himself instantly. As Andose barged into him, his Counter initiated, returning the damage back and sending him backwards a short distance.
"Leo?!" Susanshi was stunned by such a sudden action.
Leo slowly turned around, showing a willing smile to Susanshi.
"Sorry to make you worry. Let's go!"
Susanshi looked at him in surprise, and before long she nodded.
"OK, let's do this!"
"You know, it's not cool for you to rain a lightning storm down on us like that!" Leo spoke to Andose. "You've messed with the wrong Explorer team, pal!"
"Really? Well then, come and get me," Andose replied, performing a motion with his hand, signaling to those who opposed him.
"Lemme at 'em! I'll show him for ruining my precious SS Doug!" yelled Doug, scraping his claws together.
He started running towards Andose, swiping his claws forward repeatedly while letting off angry yells. All Andose did was kick him away. He landed on his back.
"Awww!" Doug lamented.
"Doug, leave the fighting to us if you can't hold your own. Just stay away," instructed Susanshi.
"But he wrecked my baby!"
"There's no time to talk! Just step away! We'll handle this!"
Without another word, Doug stepped away, moving and staying to the side. With him no longer in the way, Andose cracked his knuckles. After that, he stuck his lengthy tail high into the air. It caught a lightning bolt that was stored into the yellow shape on the end. He slowly lowered it and pointed it to Susanshi. From the tip, a thin stream of electrical power was fired towards her. She was able to dodge out of the way, jumping sideways. Stream after stream was shot, yet she would evade each one. After several more times, Andose instead whipped his tail at her feet, tripping her. The charge in the tail was felt in her feet. Not only had she fallen off her feet, but she was also feeling the shock in her body and couldn't move.
Andose drew slightly closer to her. Sparks were being emitted from both his cheeks, and he shot a high-powered bolt from his entire body. Alex suddenly leaped in front of Susanshi, taking the full blow of the electric stream. His horn acted like a lightning rod, absorbing it into him to nullify it. As he blocked the attack, Leo was given enough time to charge up a Focus Blast and send it Andose's way. The impact was successful, canceling the electric attack and knocking him down. Although Alex could finally stop absorbing the electricity, he appeared somewhat worn out, suggesting that some of the devastating power could still be felt through his body. With Andose disarmed, Leo ran to Susanshi's side.
"Susanshi, can you stand up?" he asked her.
"I-I think so. The shock in my feet has eased," she responded.
With Leo's help she was able to stand again.
"Thanks for saving me, Alex."
"I'm glad to be of use," replied Alex.
"This isn't over!" shouted Andose.
After standing up again, he began to rub his arms together swiftly, creating an intense static charge in his fur. After a sort of mini-explosion, every inch of his fur stood up on end in a series of spikes that covered his whole body that sparked on occasion.
"Look out, people! Electrically charged pincushion on the loose!" stated Tokot.
After that, Andose took his right hand and clenched it, focusing electricity into it. With it now glowing with power, he charged ahead towards Susanshi. Alex stood in his path, but was thrown aside by him. He reared his arm back and prepared to punch Susanshi. Leo stood in front of her and readied his Counter stance, but missed his timing. The Thunder Punch was delivered to him in full force, sending him back and taking Susanshi with him. He was sent a few feet back, lying on her.
"Leo! Get up!" pleaded Susanshi.
"I...I failed it..." groaned Leo.
"No, don't kick yourself now. We have to keep going!"
Susanshi was left with no choice but to push Leo off of her so she could get up. Andose was standing several feet across from her. He pointed his arm up in the air, suddenly being followed by a bolt of lightning that struck Susanshi from above.
"Oh no!" cried Alex.
Susanshi fell to the ground after the bolt vanished.
"S-Susanshi!" yelled Leo in horror.
Able to get off the ground, he joined her side where she laid.
"Susanshi! Susanshi!"
"I'm..." grunted Susanshi.
She tried hard to stand up again, but only fell down again.
"Susanshi, you can't fall now! You have to get up!" Leo pleaded.
Susanshi was still breathing, but was lethargic.
"Leo, watch out!" shouted Jon from afar.
Leo was put on alert, looking over to Jon and quickly to Andose. He noticed that he was raising his arm up again. With a sudden rush, he was forced to drag Susanshi across the ground to get himself and her both away from the spot, just before a bolt of lightning dropped down on the spot, charring the rock surface where it struck.
"Come on, Susanshi! Please get up!" Leo was more desperate than ever. "I don't want to let go!"
He was still dragging her around, when a faint voice sounded:
"Leo..."
"Susanshi!" gasped Leo.
"Let go, Leo..." grunted Susanshi.
"But you're hurt bad! If I didn't pull you away, you'd be an easy target!"
"I'm not...ready to quit now. We've...come too far. Ngh...!"
She stumbled a bit, but was able to stand herself up again.
"What a strong will of iron you have, Susanshi. But no matter what, I cannot allow you to be victorious," commented Andose.
With Susanshi obviously still weakened, Andose was ready to unleash another Thunder attack her way. Quickly, she fired a Hydro Pump at full force at him, not letting her current state stop her. He was too busy gathering his internal power together, and failed to dodge as a result. When the water touched his fur spikes, it sparked wildly and he was knocked back. He landed on the floor and was left yelling in pain. Confused, Susanshi ceased the Hydro Pump and looked on. Andose was shaking on his spot, the sound of electricity sparking in his fur. In the meantime, Susanshi fell off one foot. Leo held onto her, helping her to stay upright.
"What? What the hell is that?" questioned Tokot.
"Water causes him to electrocute himself..." replied Jon quietly, having been watching from afar. "So that's the side effect..."
After a short time more, Andose was panting, the shock he was suffering eased.
"What? That can't be right!" he exclaimed in disbelief. "No...! I won't give up now! Haaaah...!"
After shaking himself off, he surrounded himself again in electrical energy for another Volt Tackle, and dashed towards Susanshi. Tokot used his Flamethrower to halt Andose in his path, yet he continued on through the flames. With that attempt a failure, Susanshi spoke out to Leo:
"Get out the way, Leo! I have to take care of this!"
"What? But you're hurt, Susa-"
"GO!"
Susanshi shoved Leo to one side and braced herself. Andose's fur was giving off sparks as he ran. He was flinching mildly each time, but kept on going. Leo was forced to watch in shock, while Alex was appearing highly worried.
"I-I've got to do something!" Leo exclaimed.
"No, no need. I want to see this," replied Jon calmly.
Susanshi continued to bide more a little longer, before creating a Whirlpool over her and holding it out in front of her. Andose was forced to halt, but his speed didn't allow him to stop in time, and he came in contact with the water vortex. There was a blast from his body that knocked Susanshi back. Andose was left lying on his back, seizing wildly while screaming. Sparks were flowing through his wet fur, causing the agony. Leo couldn't help but look on in sympathy. Once Susanshi lifted her head back up, when she saw what occurred, even she fell victim to this emotion. Andose was an enemy, yet he was suffering. Susanshi's pure heart enticed her to step forward.
"Andose..." she spoke.
Andose himself was no longer shaking, but was taking in deep breaths in the aftermath.
"What...do you want?" he snapped.
"Won't you stop now? This can't be good for you," replied Susanshi.
Andose went quiet for a moment, before giving off a shout of:
"Nooooooo!"
Thin electric bolts were ejected from his fur in multiple directions. He was still damp, so this only caused pain again. As the bolts were being shot, Susanshi, Leo, Tokot and Jon had to step and scramble about to avoid getting hit. Alex had it easier, as any bolts that shot towards him harmlessly caught on his horn. One such bolt struck Tokot's forehead, causing him to fall over backwards.
"Andose, stop it!" demanded Susanshi.
Andose was now crying out louder than previously, his fur sparkling. Eventually, the bolts stopped, and Andose appeared completely worn out.
"Why... Why is this happening?" he asked quietly.
He struggled to stand back up, but could only rest on one knee.
"It hurts. It hurts so much. I can't keep going..."
"Andose, take it easy..." muttered Susanshi.
"Susanshi... Why are you still showing compassion? I'm your enemy now, remember?" Andose reminded.
"That may be the case, but I can't ignore someone in crisis. I know you betrayed us all, but it's not the Explorer way."
"You...really are one of a kind, aren't you?"
"Well, I am a chosen one."
"But I've been tasked to kill you by Lord Vascious. I shouldn't be having this talk."
"It's no use, Andose. Your super-electric attacks are proving to be a weakness. It's causing you a lot of pain."
"But...my orders..."
"Hey, you listen here, Andose," Tokot drew closer to him. "It's not worth killing yourself just for some dumb order. It ain't worth it, man."
"Exactly!" agreed Leo, also standing close to Andose. "Ending our lives isn't how it should be. We need to live if we're to defeat Vascious!"
"But why...do you want to destroy Lord Vascious?"
"Because he's threatening the very existence of this world," said Susanshi. "He's defied the Divine Order multiple times, and now the destruction of the world is the cherry on top of a dastardly sundae."
"What a weird way to put it..." spoke Andose.
"Um..." Alex joined in. "You were such a nice guy to everyone at the EA. I'm sure you're a legit nice guy, even after all this..."
"I..."
"Listen, Andose," Jon spoke, also standing with him now. "Do you not realize what you have done? You made a terrible mistake. Just look at your arm."
Andose did just that.
"It's not a pretty sight, is it?" continued Jon. "Do you know how you got that Black Stain?"
"I...wished for power..." confirmed Andose.
"Yes," agreed Jon. "Tell me something, Andose. Why do you want power? Just to be noticed? Andose, don't you understand? If Vascious destroys the land, there will be nobody left to notice you. You'll be lonely. Do you want that?"
"L-lonely?"
"If Vascious destroys this world, everyone will go with it. There will only be yourself, Harstarr, Grandill and Vascious. I know for a fact that Vascious wouldn't give you enough of the recognition you desire. There will be nobody left. The attention you sought will be meaningless. You were seduced by the darkness. You believed you had nothing to lose and a lot to gain. You were lured down the wrong path. Just like with Vascious himself, you too were taken down the path of darkness. You let your selfish desire get the better of you. The Scepter knew that. That's why you're cursed.
The power you wanted was gained, sure, but with the Black Stain and a granted wish comes a price. Your own amplified electric prowess makes you susceptible to water. The electricity in your body harms yourself if you get wet. That's normally something that doesn't happen with Electric-types, but your own power is just too much for your body to handle. Water and electricity don't mix, after all."
"Nobody...left? How did I...not see that?"
"Everybody makes mistakes, Andose. It's just nature," assured Susanshi. "But you can set things right and end the pain. You can come with us. You can use the Scepter to reverse the wish and remove the Black Stain on you. You can be forgiven. So, will you come with us?"
"...I can't show myself to Lord Vascious if I join you. I just can't. Yet now, I got what I wanted, and now I regret it. I guess you really don't know what you'll get until you get it. I am so...ashamed. I can't do anything. Nobody would want me back at the EA now. I've done something...unthinkable. I was a fool. A poor, unfortunate fool. I never thought about the misery I may have caused others. I...I tried to kill others. You've chosen to forgive me, but I don't know if I can even forgive myself."
A tear appeared from Andose's left eye. When it ran down his face, he received a quick jolt.
"I can't even cry... Oh, how the mighty have fallen... I can't go on like this. I can't live with this regret... Not with this pain. Not with the knowledge that I've caused trouble. It cannot go on..."
"Come with us, Andose. We'll help you to put it right. I promise that," offered Susanshi. "Even after hurting me, I'm willing to do this for you. Things can be right again."
As she smiled, she held her flipper out towards him and he looked down at it, then at her face. She was showing much compassion and determination to assist. Yet, he walked away with a sigh. He walked over to the edge of the rock they stood on.
"What is he doing?" wondered Leo.
"Susanshi..." mumbled Andose. "Please defeat Lord Vascious..."
At that point, Andose held his arms out to each side. It was then that Susanshi knew exactly what he was about to do.
"Whoa whoa whoa, Andose!"
She ran over to him as he slowly leaned his body forward. Jon chased after Susanshi.
"Get back, Susanshi!" he shouted, grabbing hold of her and pulling her back.
Andose fell off the side headfirst, followed by a fierce series of flashes all around, accompanied by the noise of loud electric buzzing. Susanshi looked on in horror as Jon kept hold of her. Leo and Tokot were stunned by what they saw, while Alex couldn't even bear to look, shielding his eyes from the flashes. This lasted about twelve seconds before it all finally ended.
"A-Andose?" Susanshi spoke.
Jon released her, and allowed her to walk towards the edge where Andose plunged. She was a little hesitant at first, due to the fear of what she would see. Yet, she kept going and peered down. She saw Andose's lifeless body floating face-down in the ocean. His fur was burnt black in multiple places, and smoke was raising from his back. Jon joined her side.
"And I thought...we could reach an agreement..." sighed a disheartened Susanshi. "I think that...the static charge he created contributed to it. That's why his fur getting wet shocked him..."
"Don't feel bad, Susanshi," Jon said softly, resting a sleeve-covered arm over her. "His body couldn't handle his own amazing and abnormal power... The power he wished for came with a crippling side effect that was unavoidable. And soon, Vascious will suffer the same fate. If he doesn't release the Scepter, his Black Stain will continue to grow. It will spread through his body, weakening him more and more, before shutting down his vital organs. Eventually, he will die..."
"He will die..." repeated Susanshi. "B-but we can't allow him to die like that! My own life will be lost then!"
"Then we cannot stay here," replied Jon.
"But how will we get off this rock? We're stranded, in case you didn't realize!" snapped Tokot.
"Hey, I'd give you a ride in my boat, but I have no boat left!" announced Doug, before everyone, including himself regrouped. "I just witnessed stuff I thought I'd never see! That was crazy!"
"That's just how it has to be," replied Susanshi. "Now, I don't know how we'll continue on, but we need to find a way, and fast."
Alex, looking over the shoulder of Susanshi, could see something large approaching.
"Over there..."
Everybody looked back to spot an object appearing from out the darkness. It towered over the rock.
"No, it can't be...!" Leo spoke out.
The object stopped inches away from the rock. It was a ship.
"Hey, isn't that Cap'n O'Dile's ship?" wondered Doug. "What's that doing here?"
At that point, a rope descended down from over the railing and dangled down. After that, a Totodile wearing an eye patch and generic pirate hat leaned down.
"Get on board!" he insisted bluntly.
"Really? Those losers are our friends now?" quizzed Tokot. "Nope, I'm not climbing up this thing."
He walked over to the rope and was about to burn it with his tail flame.
"DON'T!" yelled Susanshi.
"Oh, you have something to say about this?" questioned Tokot.
"Yes I do, in fact. I say we should climb up to deck."
"I was afraid you'd say that..."
"Come on, we need to get across the sea. This is our only way."
"Uh... Well, this is interesting," Leo commented.
And thus, Susanshi climbed her way up the rope. With a shrug, Tokot followed suit. Next up was Jon, then Leo, and finally Alex.
"I'm serious, Susanshi. This better not land us all in a sticky situation," warned Tokot.
"Hey, it's better than being stranded on a rock, waiting for the apocalypse," argued Susanshi.
"Yeah! Argue against that, Tokot!" exclaimed Leo.
"Shut up, Leo," replied Tokot.
Once the group had their feet on deck, they were greeted by a group of seven pirates.
"Hey, how ya doin', landlubbers?" the Totodile spoke.
"Hey, you can stop with the whole pirate act," said Susanshi.
"OK, OK. Ahem... So yeah, you can call me Charlie if you must," responded the Totodile. "So anyway, we saw all these bolts of lightning coming from this area, so we sailed this way to investigate. And would you look at that! It's you again!"
"I don't understand why you're suddenly so nice to us..." uttered Leo.
"Well, when we battled against that lass, something occurred to me. It's that, simply put, we're pretty lousy pirates. So why should we continue being lousy and actually change things up a bit? We wanna be good pirates now! Me and my crew all had a long chat about it, and we all came to an agreement. So, it looks like you need some help!"
At this point, the other pirates cheered loudly.
"Oh, uh... Yeah, we need to go to the island where the Ruins of Wyste are. Can you...take us?" asked Leo.
"Aye, the ruins! Sure thing! It's the least we can do to redeem ourselves!" declared Charlie. "Alright, turn us around! Man the sails! We set off for the Ruins of Wyste!"
"Aye-aye!" announced the other pirates.
With cries of joy, the ship turned itself around to the right, and after not long, it went on the move. Along the way, Doug was feeling rather content.
"You know, this is a rather interesting turn of events!" he commented.
Susanshi walked over to the railing and looked out over the sea. Leo joined her, as he noticed she was looking somewhat concerned.
"Everything all right?" he asked.
"Yeah, I guess so. Although I still feel bad for letting Andose kill himself like that. It's still...disturbing me."
"Yeah, you offered to fix things for him. I don't blame you if you're feeling down about it. But I guess that's just a price to pay on his end."
"We did what we could, but now we'll just have to continue on. At the very least, nothing more should stand in our way. I'm hoping for a smooth and easy climb up that tower."
"Same here, Susanshi. Same here."
"And Leo..."
"Yeah?"
"Just in case something happens to us, I just wanted to say...thank you, for everything. It's been great traveling with you."
"Oh... And same thing here, too. But don't worry, nothing will happen! We'll succeed!"
"Heh, just as confident as ever."
"Yep! Hahahaha! So, can you still manage? You were hurt quite badly before."
"I'm feeling OK now. I won't let an electric shock keep me down now."
"Susanshi..." Alex was drawing close.
"Hey, Alex," greeted Susanshi. "Thanks for the help before."
"Susanshi, I'm sorry about Andose. I, uh, still feel shaken about him. About the fact he was just a mole, and that he had to go the way he did. It was...grisly."
"Yeah, but that's past now. And we can do now is move forward," replied Susanshi.
She turned her head to the side, taking notice of Jon, who was stood solo, looking out over the railing of the ship with his arms crossed.
"And you'd better keep your promise to me, Jon," she whispered. "And...you'd better break your silence on who you really are."
Some time later, and the ship was slowing down as it arrived at the destination, parking at the edge of the meadow that covered the island.
"Here we are!" announced Charlie.
After that, he threw the rope down over the railing again, having some of his crew members hold onto it.
"Well, looks like it's time to go now," said Jon.
Thus, Susanshi, Leo, Tokot, Alex and Jon made their way towards the rope. Doug was there to see them off.
"Aren't you coming with us, Doug?" asked Leo.
"Nope, I'd only get in the way. I've had a nice time chatting with these fine fellows along the way, so I guess I can hang out with them a little longer," replied Doug. "You know, it's funny! I feared these pirates, yet they're actually pretty entertaining to be with!"
"OK. Well, thank you for the help, guys. See you later," spoke Susanshi.
She was the first one to climb her way down the rope, landing down on solid ground at the edge of the island. Leo descended next, followed by Alex, then Jon, and finally Tokot.
"We'll keep the ship parked right here! We'll wait as long as needed!" Charlie called out from above.
"Thank you!" Susanshi said back. "Well then, it's time. Let's go to the ruins."
"Right with you, Susanshi," said Leo.
"Not much longer to go..." uttered Jon. "Soon I'll put an end to this..."
"We'll all put an end to it, Jon," corrected Susanshi.
"Yeah, I know. Never mind me. Let's get moving."
The team of five moved away from the ship and across to the ruins.
