* * * Chapter Three: Awakening * * *
"Tiger? Suezo?" Genki called, his voice sounding small and weak in his own ears. There was no sign of his friends anywhere. The last time he had seen his two friends had been right as they were torn away from one another by that purple light…now he was alone.
Well, what of it? Genki bit his lip, forcing himself to remain optimistic. At least this way we can cover more ground. The boy skated forward, deeper into the darkness, calling out Hare's name. At the same time, he kept his eyes wide open, hoping for a glimpse of either the rabbit or his two other friends.
The light below him was the only source of illumination in the void, and Genki was becoming increasingly aware of how much he needed its light to keep him focused. It was dark enough with its presence at his feet, and the last thing he needed was to be wandering around in the darkness, completely alone, without even it to guide him…
Something flickered in front of him, and Genki immediately quickened his pace, moving toward it. The last time he had been here, he had managed to find Hare for a moment by heading toward the light. Even if the rabbit wasn't there, he might find one of his other friends waiting for him. Keeping an eye out for Joker, Genki ran closer to the light.
But as he got closer, Genki suddenly realized that it wasn't Hare. Nor was it Suezo or Tiger. The boy slowed to a stop, staring, confused.
"Mocchi? What are you doing here?"
The little pink monster made no move to answer; he just gazed back at Genki, unusually quiet. Genki frowned at him.
"Didn't I ask you to protect Holly and Golem for me?" he scolded. "Mocchi, they need you more than I do right now…"
"Idiot."
"What?" Genki stared at Mocchi, shocked. The pink monster glared at him, his normally cheerful eyes hard and cold.
"CHERRY BLOSSOM BLIZZARD-CHI!"
Genki cried out in complete shock as he felt his body be hurled backward by the roaring hurricane of petals. His side scraped painfully against an invisible floor, and he raised his head to stare at Mocchi.
"Mocchi…why…" he choked.
The little monster glared at him. "Why does Mocchi always have to be treated like a little kid-chi?" he demanded. "Why does Mocchi have to listen to everything Genki-chi say?"
"Mocchi…" Genki whispered, staring helplessly at the little monster.
* * *
"Genki! Tiger! Hare! If you can hear me, answer me!"
Suezo paused, straining to hear any reply. Nothing. The eyeball monster frowned, shivering as he complained, "Oh great, just great. Now they've gone and gotten lost too. Why can't anything ever turn out okay for us?"
Suezo trembled, gazing around the abyss again. This was the last place he wanted to be left alone. Why oh why did I volunteer to come here? I must have been out of my mind!
Something ripped across his back, and Suezo screamed, instinctively rolling forward to get away from his assailant. Heart pounding, he whirled to face Joker as best he could, praying that the others would find him.
But it wasn't Joker who stood behind him. Suezo stared in silent horror at his attacker, his mind reeling with a thousand protests.
Holly glared at him, chestnut eyes dark with loathing. Blood dripped from her talisman, the dagger she had picked up while in Moo's floating castle, and Suezo stared numbly at its gleaming, bloodstained edge.
"Holly…please…no…" he breathed.
* * *
Tiger of the Wind stalked forward, growling softly. So Joker thinks he's being funny by separating us? Well, he won't be laughing long. Once I get my claws in him…
His sharp hearing picked up on a noise behind him, and he whirled around, his growl deepening as he glared into the darkness. There was no way he was about to let that cloaked fool sneak up on him again! His blood boiled as he recalled what the illusion-throwing monster had made him believe the last time they had met: that he was fighting with Moo. Well, he wouldn't let that happen this time!
"Come out!" he howled, launching his Torpedo into the darkness. It flashed by something, temporarily throwing light over its shadowy figure, and Tiger felt his eyes widen with shock.
No, it can't be. It's got to be an illusion!
"Big brother?" a familiar voice called. Tiger stared at the silver-furred wolf, gazing into his clear, unclouded blue eyes. Despite himself, he breathed the name his mind screamed over and over again.
"Grey Wolf…"
* * *
Joker laughed to himself, pleased. This was going so well for him, right now. The three intruders were being dealt with, and as for his real target, the little rabbit was nearly under his complete control.
He reached out and stroked Hare's fur, almost lovingly. The little rabbit was held fast by the darkness, and he hung limply in the grip of his shadows, unconscious. Only the gentle rise and fall of his chest betrayed that he was still alive. Joker's gaze fell on the rabbit's kerchief, and he mused for a moment on the strange way that fate worked.
Once before, Joker had been a servant to Gali, although he hardly would have described himself as loyal. The cloaked monster had always felt that the golden-masked monster possessed a rank that he himself should have held: that of being one of Moo's dreaded Big Bad Four. But, for whatever reason, Gali had that honor, and Joker had been forced to pretend fealty to him. When assigned to take out the rebels, he had jumped at the chance to outshine his 'master' and prove his strength to Moo.
Everything had worked out the way he had planned it, or at least that was what he had thought at first. The rebels got lost in a massive underground maze, and that was where Joker had confronted them and trapped each of them in his illusions. Their proud Tiger of the Wind had fallen under his power first, then the towering Golem, then the girl, then the others, one by one.
But he had missed one, an accursed little rabbit who had wandered away from the others and had reappeared in time to strike Joker before he could kill his friends. Joker had called out his Evil Hares, and captured the rabbit while they were fighting. He would have killed him then, but Tiger had taken him off guard, and when Joker had attempted to kill the blue wolf, Hare had used his new Dragon Kick to knock the cloaked monster right into a wall.
Joker understood now that Hare had used the Phoenix's Tear to help him use that attack so quickly. After the cave had collapsed, Joker had pulled himself free of the rubble and began stalking the rabbit and his friends. He had watched them defeat Gali –the one time where he had actually cheered for the rebels– and had followed them invisibly as they had defeated each of Grey Wolf's troops. The revelation that Hare was the 'little rabbit' that Naga had lost came as quite a shock to Joker, as had been the truth about Grey Wolf himself. But those surprises had shown him the road to taking his revenge.
It had been easy to invade the little rabbit's dreams and start giving him nightmares of his own making: Hare had already been suffering from nightmares and visions of his own for some time. After that, it had simply been a matter of twisting the rabbit's thoughts and fears into his own creations, and now his little victim was all but drained. His own will and mind were slowly fading away under Joker's influence, and once that was locked away, Joker would be able to completely control the rabbit's body and powers.
And the first thing he would do with his new abilities would be to wipe out what was left of those pesky rebels!
* * *
Mocchi sighed, snuggling up closer to Holly's side. The girl draped her arm around the little pink monster's shoulders, shivering as she looked over at Golem. The stone giant was standing watch over the sleeping bodies of their four friends, his expression solemn.
Hare gasped, and she snapped her head up to look over at him, her chestnut brown eyes darkening with worry. The little rabbit's face was stricken, like he was in pain, and his breath seemed to be coming harder and harder.
Holly bit her lip, and exchanged a worried look with Golem. They already knew that it was hopeless to try and wake up the little rabbit. The only chance they had left was…
Holly's gaze drifted back to Genki, Suezo, and Tiger, and she took a shuddering breath. Mentally, she urged them to hurry up.
I don't know how much longer Hare can hold out, you guys. Or you, either…
* * *
"Mocchi…please stop," Genki pleaded, pulling himself to his feet. "Don't do this to me…Mocchi…"
"SHUT UP!" Mocchi ordered, glaring at the boy. His hands were balled into tiny fists, and the little monster shook with barely contained rage as he spat out, "Don't act all innocent-chi! I'm sick of being bossed around by you, Genki! Stop treating me like a little baby! Haven't I shown you how strong I am-chi?"
"Mocchi…I know how strong you are…" Genki attempted to say.
"YEAH RIGHT-CHI! You only know what you've learned the hard way!" The angry accusation rang in Genki's ears, and he gazed blankly at Mocchi as the little monster's face screwed up into one of total concentration. Something nagged him about the expression on his former friend's face.
Oh no! Genki threw himself to the ground as the massive energy blast surged toward him. He felt it graze over his back, and he heard himself start screaming as pain tore through his entire body. It almost felt like his back had been ripped open, but when Genki glanced quickly over his shoulder, he was relived to see that the only thing in tatters was the back of his shirt. Still, his back throbbed with pain, and Genki gritted his teeth as he rolled away from Mocchi's fists.
The tiny monster bounced toward him, slamming into his chest, knocking him backward. Genki cried out again as a small fist collided with his cheek, and suddenly his instincts took over. The boy brought his hand back and lashed out blindly as Mocchi bounced at him again.
A sickening crack echoed in the darkness, and Genki felt his fist sink into something soft for a moment. Then it fell away, and Genki stared in silent horror as Mocchi rolled backwards, blood oozing from his face and mouth. The little monster lay unconscious, sprawled out where he had fallen a few feet away from the boy.
Screaming Mocchi's name, Genki ran toward the little monster. Tears trickled down his face as he knelt by his friend's side, gently supporting the tiny body.
Suddenly Mocchi's eyes snapped wide open, and his mouth opened. Genki had no time to react before the Mocchi Cannon raged into his face. Releasing the little monster's body, Genki stumbled backward, stunned.
"Mocchi…" he breathed, tears flowing down his bleeding face. "Do you really hate me…that much?"
He crumpled into a heap next to Mocchi, his dimming eyes focused on the monster's form as it shifted and changed into a lost disc…
* * *
"No, Holly…" Suezo gasped. "You can't do this to me…"
"I'm sorry, Suezo," Holly told him, the anger in her eyes slowly fading away. The eyeball stared at her, finding it difficult to believe that he had ever seen such hatred in her eyes. Had he somehow misread her expression?
"I'm sorry," she repeated, her beautiful chestnut brown eyes pleading with him.
"I forgive you," Suezo whispered, meaning it. He struggled to stand, but his foot refused to support him. "Help…help me up…" he managed to choke.
"I can't do that, Suezo."
Suezo stared at her, stunned. "What…?"
Holly raised the dagger again, and Suezo's eye widened. "Holly…"
"I'm really sorry to have to do this to you, Suezo. But I couldn't risk your stopping me."
"Stopping…you?" Suezo asked. Holly met his gaze with glistening, tear-filled eyes.
"Suezo…listen to me. Moo…is my father."
"What?" Suezo stared at his friend, stunned. "But how…?"
"Moo took control of him," Holly said, sobbing out the words. "That's why he can use the Magic Stone, the same way I can. We're the same…"
"Holly…"
"I can't stay with you any longer. My just being with you puts you and the others in danger. Moo wants to capture me, and he'll kill all of you to get me."
Recognition struck Suezo, and he stared at Holly in horror. "No…" he breathed.
"I'm sorry, Suezo," Holly repeated, gazing at him with sad chestnut eyes. "Tell the others…to keep looking for the Phoenix."
With that, Holly turned the bloodstained blade of her father's talisman toward her and plunged it deep into her own heart. Suezo watched in silent horror as she slowly collapsed, blood spreading across her red tunic, turning it a darker crimson.
* * *
"Grey Wolf…" Tiger repeated, again. The silver-furred wolf smiled back at him.
"Big brother," he said with a grin. Tiger stared at him: this was not the possessed minion of Moo his little sibling had become. This was the old Grey Wolf, the one he had known and loved before Moo had attacked them. The dancing, clear blue eyes, the friendly smile…it was all the same.
Tiger of the Wind knew that it was impossible. He knew that his brother was dead, that he was gone forever, a lost disc hidden somewhere far beyond his reach. And yet…he wanted so desperately to believe it was real.
"Big brother," Grey Wolf repeated, drawing closer to him. "I'm glad to see that you're safe…"
Tiger flinched, and he stepped backward, growling, "Get away from me! You're not real! You're an illusion!"
Grey Wolf regarded him with hurt blue eyes. "Do you really want me to leave?" he asked. "Do you hate even me so much that you don't want me here? Do you want me to be dead, brother?"
"No…" Tiger shook his head, trying to clear it. Emotions raged in his heart, and he could feel a sharp, stabbing pain somewhere deep inside of him. "You're an illusion…you're not real…"
"You must hate me," Grey Wolf said, lowering his gaze. "You don't want me to be here with you. You want me to be dead…"
"That's not true!" Tiger cried out. How can I make him understand? This isn't real, it can't be! It's all an illusion.
But his heart shrieked at him to believe what was happening. In the back of his mind, a voice asked, would it be all that terrible to let this be true? I can have my little brother back again, before everything happened. My pack, the Wild Bunch, my old home, I could have all of that back again.
But it wouldn't be real. It would all be an illusion. Nothing I do could ever change that.
But would that be so terrible? My entire life, I've had to lose everything I ever cared for: my pack, my friends, my family, and my brother! I have nothing left in this world other than fighting and revenge! After I've gotten my revenge, what then? I'll still have nothing to return to.
But this way…I can have everything I ever dreamed of. I'll never have to be lonely or lost again. I can have everything back again…isn't that what I've always wanted?
Tiger closed his eyes, and a single tear squeezed out, rolling down over his scarred cheek. He knew what his decision had to be. Opening his eyes, he gazed into his brother's loving face.
"Grey Wolf," he whispered. "You're just like I remember you as, even if you are an illusion."
Grey Wolf smiled at him, and Tiger returned the smile, although his was much sadder. Then the expression on Grey Wolf's face faded as lightning coursed into his body.
"I'm sorry, little brother," Tiger of the Wind whispered as the image of the silver-furred wolf faded into the darkness. Turning his back on the sight, he plunged deeper into the void.
* * *
"Holly…" Suezo whispered, gazing helplessly over at the girl's body. He struggled to stand up and half-hopped, half-limped over to her side. The soft chestnut brown eyes were wide open, but no longer saw anything. Tears blinding him, Suezo managed to gently close them, though it hurt just to touch her. He could see where her blood had smeared onto him, but he no longer cared. Holly was dead.
"It…can't be true," he sobbed to himself. "Holly, you can't be dead!" His tears rolled freely down his face, clouding the sight of her body. Through the mist of tears, however, Suezo abruptly noticed something.
Holly's talisman, her father's dagger, lying next to him. Suezo gazed at it, ran his tail over it, contemplating something. After a moment, he carefully lifted it up, staring almost spellbound at its bloodstained blade. As he turned it toward his own heart, he made a decision.
Holly…where you go…I go.
The old promise echoed in his mind as he guided the dagger to what he knew would be its final resting spot.
Something flashed out, and Suezo cried out in pain as electrical energy coursed into the dagger's handle. It clattered to the ground, and the eyeball whirled to see Tiger of the Wind standing a few feet away.
"Don't be foolish, Suezo!" he called. "It's only an illusion! One of Joker's tricks!"
Joker's…tricks? As that sunk in, Suezo looked back at Holly's body. It faded out of existence, becoming part of the darkness again, and Suezo broke free from his depression. A new wave of fear nearly overwhelmed him as he realized what he had been about to do, followed by an intense anger. Just who did Joker think he was to play with the feelings of others like that?
"Let's find the others!" he told Tiger. The blue wolf nodded, and the two monsters headed off together, following Tiger's instincts.
* * *
They found Genki draped over a lost disc, sobbing uncontrollably. He kept screaming something they couldn't understand; the only words they could make out were "Mocchi" and "I killed him." When Suezo finally managed to pull Genki away from the lost disc, he couldn't keep himself from staring at the boy's face. He was bleeding pretty badly, and the eyeball monster felt his heart skip a few beats at the sight of how badly he was injured.
Even Tiger couldn't contain his shock at the sight, but he quickly channeled it into something else. "This is Joker's fault," he growled, his eyes becoming glittering golden slits. "He's the one who caused Genki to get this hurt…"
"What do we do now?" Suezo asked. "The kid can't fight in this condition…Should I try to wake…"
"Don't wake him up," Tiger said with such vehemence that Suezo nearly let go of Genki.
"Why?" Suezo started to ask, but he understood even before he finished the question. The last time Genki had been under the spell, he had nearly gotten chopped in half. But the wound hadn't been real…until he had woken up.
As long as Joker's still alive…then any injuries we get in the dream world will be real when we wake up.
That left only one option left: they had to defeat Joker and save Hare before Genki woke up. If the boy's injuries turned into reality…
"Let's move," Tiger ordered, motioning for Suezo to follow him. The eyeball monster hastily propped Genki up against his side as best he could and helped the boy along.
* * *
Joker swore, more than a little upset by the fact that his three 'guests' had broken free of his illusions. The cloaked monster struggled to regain control, quickly reminding himself of what his true goals were.
It wasn't like it was a total loss. The little rabbit, his true target, was still under his power, still losing strength. It wouldn't be long before his will was too weak to fight back against Joker's powers. Once Joker had control of the rabbit's body, he would be able to deal with the rebels at his leisure.
Joker calmed down, and glanced over at where the rabbit hung suspended in midair by ethereal hands. Yes…it won't be long now…
His laughter echoed into the darkness, a challenge to the rebels.
* * *
Tiger of the Wind raced toward the sound of the noise, intent upon securing his revenge on the cloaked monster. Behind him, Suezo was panting and swearing at the blue wolf as he struggled to support Genki's body. The eyeball monster was having an extremely hard time keeping the boy from falling down, mainly because his body type wasn't exactly designed for holding things.
"Tiger…wait…up! I…can't…run…that…fast…you…" Suezo's voice died out as he spotted a point of light in front of them, and he called out, "Hey! Over there!"
Tiger noticed the light, too, and pushed forward, now absolutely positive that he was headed in the right direction. "Joker!" he howled, finally spotting the cloaked monster, and he surged at the baddie, summoning his lightning.
Joker easily dodged the electricity, and he hissed, "Such a simple trick. I do hope that wasn't your most powerful move, my dear Tiger, or else you are in trouble, indeed."
Tiger snarled, then his golden eyes widened as he noticed Hare held in the shadows behind Joker. He quickly regained his composure, but Joker had already seen the expression on his face. The baddie laughed, mockingly.
"Ah, yes, you finally noticed, did you?" he teased. "What do you think? He may be a little small, but the powers of the Phoenix's Tear will more than make up for that once I'm in control, wouldn't you agree?"
"What?" Suezo gasped, hopping up with Genki leaning against him. His eye widened as he noticed Hare, then he glared at the cloaked monster.
"You're not getting his body," Tiger growled, catching on to Joker's plan. He roared at the baddie, but Joker slid cleanly away from the gale, and he brought the end of his scythe down hard over Tiger's head. The blue wolf grunted, then leaped at Joker.
"Haven't we played this game before?" Joker asked, still laughing as he swung his scythe around again, catching Tiger in the muzzle and sending him sprawling backward. Suezo leaped at his back, only to be knocked away as the baddie whirled around.
"Be careful," Joker taunted the two monsters. "You never know when I'll decide to use the sharp side of my stick!"
Leave my friends out of this.
Suezo's eye widened, and he whirled around, trying to distinguish where the soft but determined voice had come from. The others seemed to have heard it as well, and Tiger flicked a quick glance around while Joker paused in his attack.
Genki groaned, and the boy propped himself up on one bleeding arm. "Hare?" he managed to ask, his voice weak and wavering.
Joker shrugged off the occurrence, and swept toward the boy, his scythe flashing down. Suezo opened his dry mouth to call out, "Tele-port!" but the words wouldn't come as a doubt flickered in his mind: What if I can't use it?
You can. Call it out!
What? Suezo had definitely heard a voice that time, but he quickly complied with the instruction. He felt a rush of power, and then he vanished and rematerialized –with Genki at his side– some distance away from Joker.
"How did you…?" Joker cursed. Tiger took advantage of his distraction to leap toward the baddie, and the cloaked monster quickly dodged away. But Tiger's claws clipped the side of his cloak, and he swore in frustration. Tiger fell back close to where Suezo and Genki were.
"I heard it…that time…" Suezo breathed. Tiger nodded curtly, and he glanced over at where Hare still hung suspended in the darkness, still unconscious.
"Looks like Joker's spell has a few problems," he muttered under his breath. His golden eyes glittered with a strange emotion…Suezo could almost swear that the blue wolf was amused by the unexpected weakness.
Joker surged toward them, scythe glowing with violet energy. Tiger knocked Genki and Suezo away, and leapt to meet the monster's attack head on. There was a sickening thud as the end of Joker's weapon slammed down, and Suezo nearly screamed as he saw Tiger fly backward.
Tiger!
There was no mistaking the mental voice that time. The mental scream lanced into Suezo and Genki's minds, and the boy's eyes fluttered open again as he groaned, "Hare…"
Tiger got back on his feet, blood seeping from a wound on his forehead. A lopsided grin twisted his face: he finally had a plan he could use against Joker. Although Hare would never go for it…he'd say it was too risky. Tiger smirked at that thought, even as he lunged toward Joker again.
Another terrible crack echoed through the air, and the blue wolf tumbled back to the ground. The mental voice screamed his name again, and Hare stirred in the grip of the shadows. Suezo stared at him, then gazed back at Tiger, heart pounding faster as he recognized what the blue wolf was doing.
"You damned fool!" Joker shouted, his eyes flaring blood red as Tiger leaped toward him again. He lashed out, and this time he struck with the sharp edge of his weapon. The blade tore into blue-and-white fur, and Suezo cried out as he saw blood splatter out.
Tiger of the Wind fell backward, eyes closing, a satisfied smirk on his face.
And a mental voice shrieked out the blue wolf's name, piercing the minds of everyone in the dark abyss.
And Joker screamed, falling backward, his cloak billowing around him.
And Hare's eyes snapped open.
* * *
TIGER!
Holly, Mocchi and Golem cried out in unison, the cry lancing into their minds with such force that they nearly fell backward. Holly felt her eyes mist with tears from the pain she felt in her mind, the plaintive cry burning into her mind.
A shadow flickered over the group for a moment, then surged away from where her four friends were sleeping. Holly stared in shock as the shadow slowly changed into a lost disc.
"Holly?" Suezo called out. Holly raced over to the eyeball's side, calling his name. Next to him, Genki groaned and got to his feet, only to get knocked back down by Mocchi.
"It's okay, Mocchi, I'm okay," Genki assured him, smiling. Suezo glanced over at him, relieved to see that none of the boy's injuries from the nightmare had become real. Even the mark on his chest from before was rapidly fading away.
Tiger of the Wind opened his eyes and immediately noticed that Suezo and Genki were both staring at him. Growling low in his throat, he ignored their look and turned away.
And found himself staring into Hare's wide eyes. The little rabbit was sitting up on the ground and staring directly at the blue wolf. Pretending that he couldn't see the hurt and fear that shone so clearly in them, Tiger turned his back on the rabbit.
"Hare-chi!" Mocchi cried out, noticing that the rabbit was awake. Hare barely had time to brace himself before the little pink monster bounced into him, sobbing with relief. As the others gathered around him, asking how he felt and if he was truly okay now, he glanced over at Tiger, who had stalked away from the group and was glaring off into the darkness, as if waiting for an attack.
Hare bit his lip, deciding not to mention that he had seen everything the others had gone through. After all, it had been his nightmare they had gone into, so naturally he remembered what had happened to them. But that was something better left unsaid, at least for now.
He glanced over at Suezo, who was standing close to Holly just like normal. Except…was it a trick of the light, or was the eyeball monster flicking nervous glances over at the girl every few seconds? Hare couldn't help but think about what the illusionary Holly had said before: as a servant of Moo, Joker had access to more information than the rebels did. Was it possible that…?
Hare quickly discarded the thought: even if it was true, Holly had her reasons to keep it a secret. And he knew more about having to keep things hidden than most did…