Japanese Title: The Climax Of Champions! The Angel Of Faith And The Devil Of Flame!
Translation: Sono Kuraimakkusu no Chanpion! Sono Enzeru no Jitsu to Sono Akuma no Hi!
By: Pro_V
Important A/N: Well, welcome one and all to the next to last Chapter of "The Angel Adventures"! This is where things end about 95% of the way. Well...At least for now. [Eevy: *shoves her out of the way* Tomorrow will mark the posting of Chapter 105, the very last Chapter of this part of the story! *starts wailing* But wait! There will be more! 'Tis true! Also being posted tomorrow is Lance's birthday fic "What To Give A Dragon". You're definitely going to have to check that out and also to read the A/N for Chapter 105. There's a lot more to come after Champions Live, so don't go away!] GET BACK IN THE CHAPTER! Ahem...Well, as she said, be sure and read the Notes. And read on!
"Would you just start working?" Bashou stood completely still.
"No way," Buson only dared himself enough to shake his head in absolute refusal.
The two Cadre Rockets had been going on like this since Eevy had left them to their own devices. Every so often, a stone would fly from the trees, causing the one it'd been aimed at to move but one step in any given direction to avoid getting hit. Bashou had been conked in the head numerous times and Buson had a good half dozen bruises on his shoulders where their invisible attacker had beaned him. What was really getting to them was the fact the rocks came from any side without even a hint of movement. They'd both been trained for such situations, but in this particular time of "crisis", both seemed to have "temporarily forgotten" their training. In light of this most unfortunate mishap, they simply continued to verbally battle with each other in attempts to force the other into believing he was most fit for the job of best lab rat.
"All right. I say on the count of three, we both start working. Agreed?" Bashou stood as tall as he could to see down the side of the slight hill to Buson, who nodded accordingly, "OK. One, two, th-"
"-Hold on a second," Buson stopped him right in the middle of three, "Do we wait until after three, go right on three, or go just before three?"
Bashou slouched low to the ground, his knuckles nearly hitting the dirt, "Right on three, you great lummox. Now…One, two," he paused, just to be sure, "Three."
Neither Bashou or Buson moved a mussel, "You didn't start," Buson puffed.
"Neither did you," Bashou retaliated.
"I was…uh…I was waiting for you."
"Well, I was waiting for you too."
"Sure you were. You were gonna let me start and have me play the injected rat of NIMH."
"Oh, like you weren't going to do the exact same thing to me, Mr. Brains and Brawn. You were going to make me into the ferret you say I resemble so well."
"If you don't shut the hell up, I'm going to-"
"Hey, boys," Eevy wandered up behind them, noticing the way they seemed frozen solid, "What are you up to?"
"Um…Nothing!" Bashou grinned and turned to face her in a shot of movement, arms crossed behind his back.
"Really?" she asked pointedly, "Well, I see you haven't finished what I asked you to as of yet. Why not?"
Just as Bashou was about to answer her, a rock flew from the trees. It conked Eevy right in the back of the head. She spun around, but saw nothing. She'd sensed Rubeus, but not close. It was too little of a presence for him to have been that close. Was he weak for some reason? Or was it something else? She turned stiffly around to see Buson beside Bashou.
She shakily pointed over her left shoulder with her right hand, "W-Who did that?"
"We don't know. That's why we haven't been working," Buson admitted slowly, "We have no clue where it's coming from."
"OK then!" she snickered nervously, dragging out the O in OK, "This part wasn't all that important. I say we go back now and take care of this later. Uh huh. Yeah," she turned and marched straight away.
"I'm with you," Buson sprang down behind her.
"No exception with me," Bashou followed directly behind them.
As they disappeared, Peter stepped out into the open, "Working on landscaping when the end draws so close? I wonder…" the bright yellow swirls that usual filtered through the blood red in his eyes wasn't there; a sign he was conserving his fire energy.
*^~^**^~^*
"Eevy?" Misty looked around the doorframe, "Are you all right?"
"Yes. I'm fine," Eevy was perched on the edge of the dining room table.
"You can feel something, can't you?" she stepped in and closed the door behind her, crossing her arms.
"Yes. I feel quite a lot now that we're back. This is going to end very soon, Misty. Very soon," she looked over and noticed an ice blue feeling from her, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, really. But-" she cut herself off, "Nothing."
"Please tell me. Maybe I can help," she watched her from head to toe, "You're worried, aren't you?"
Misty looked up ever so slightly to nod with watering eyes, "Yeah."
Eevy's face turned to a bit of laughter, "Don't worry. Nothing will happen to anyone. You don't have to be afraid of him, Misty. You're strong to him."
"Huh?" she couldn't help but tip her head.
"You have friends behind you, Misty; friends that will never back down. Peter is alone; no one will help him. The only person he has ever had is Medira, and she was only there because he actually managed to be human for her. So, you see, Misty, you're strong to him. We all are. Because we know how to live with what we have and we don't need more to remain on a chain of constant happiness."
"That's true, I suppose…But I just have this sinking feeling in my stomach that keeps telling me something bad is going to happen."
Eevy stood up straight, walking to Misty's left and putting her left hand up on her left shoulder, "It's not your stomach that counts, Misty. Your heart knows the truth. There's a big difference," she started walking, "Unless you're Ash."
*^~^**^~^*
"Plan all you like, you silly witch," Peter sat up against a tree, staring at his campfire, "It won't help you. I'll sooner kill you than just force you out of your position. If that's what it takes…" he looked up and between the trees, just seeing Rainbow Mansion, "…Well, then that's what it takes."
The Forest Spirit eyed this man with the bright red hair. It still had no intentions of ever making contact with him, but spying was still an option. It had helped keep Lisle and Morty together and was planning on keeping this boy from messing with the Beasts' couples. If it had its way, it would have wound a good three miles of vines around him and left him for dead in the center of the forest. But, alas, Raikou, Entei and Suicune begged it not to. They wanted this to play itself out. The little Spirit started to recall when it had last spoken to the Beasts…
"Please, Forest Spirit. Do not interfere," Raikou dropped his head, "We know how much you care for the Masters and Mistresses, but you must let what happens happen. Altering the course of time could bring more danger than we know."
"If you were to interject in any way, it could mean serious disaster," Suicune shook her head, "There is only one situation in which you could possibly intervene. Though it's near unimaginable, it could happen; that we know."
"If it does come to such a grim conclusion, then you must undertake the Sacred Promise, as you said you would," Entei sat completely still, "You can't do anything unless it progresses just so far. No matter what happens to them."
"I understand that, Beasts. I will not fail on my quest," a light soprano voice filtered through the air, "Year from year, decade from decade and further, my duties have remained the same. This year will be different from none other. I will not do you wrongly, Beasts of Lightning, Water and Fire. Your people are safe under my guard…"
The Spirit's heart would break if anything happened to her forest if any of its trees were caught in the blast, but the six highest-ranking trainers meant more to her than even that. She'd sworn years upon years before to keep her sights trained more on protection than growth. What the Sacred Promise was, only a few knew, but she hoped never to have to perform it. Not for her safety; but for theirs.
She bobbed up and down behind a tree, watching the Demised Fire Master staring into the flames. It was almost as if he wasn't really in his body half the time; like his form was empty while his thoughts and spirit wandered outside of the confines of his fireproof human skin. He never seemed to look at anything either. It was always more like he looked through it. In a sad, sick, and even agitating way, the Forest Spirit actually felt some kind of sorry for him, though she hadn't the foggiest idea why this disgusting creature deserved her sympathy.
He finally snapped back to reality and fell to his left side, propping his head up with his left arm. He had all he could do to brush the images of Medira sleeping on the other side of the fire away. The scary and strange thing was that he actually missed her and deeply cared about her. Who he did not care for in any fashion, were the two who helped take her away; Champion Major Mistress Evangelina Chenoweth Hikoboshi and Elite First Major Master Jason Jonathon Peruwa III. Needless to say, he had wanted these two gone long before he found love with Medira, but now, more than ever before, he wanted blood.
*^~^**^~^*
The focus of Medira's attention was the clouds. She was flat on her back, staring upward at the slowly darkening sky, watching the clouds slowly disappear. Just because Rainbow Hill was Jason's landmark, didn't mean she couldn't be there. She was just waiting for the darkness to seep into Peter, but he hadn't shown up after the three hours she'd been sitting there. Besides, it wasn't like she was going to make everything all better between them. She was actually going to try and convince him not to go after Eevy, as she knew her friend's plan and didn't want anyone hurt. And again, he still didn't come anyway. She sat up and pulled her knees to her chin, wrapping her arms around her knees and staring down the hill and into the city.
The Forest Spirit knew this girl. This was Entei's chosen Mistress. A sweet young woman, really, just a bit misguided and certainly misjudged at times. What she had ever seen in that wretched firebug Rubeus, the Spirit would never know. She merely hovered in the trees behind the one and only Medio Mistress and tried not to tear up when she heard slight sniffles coming from this most beautiful blond. She saw Medira bring her right hand up to her face, rubbing her right eye and flicking her wrist out to the right. From her hand flew a sparkling trail of light tears that she'd just swiped away. The Forest Spirit couldn't watch; she could not bear to see such pain.
*^~^**^~^*
Jason was sitting inside in a high-backed chair in the room two doors down from where the tree had been. He didn't want to sit in there, as he didn't want to get a pine needle imbedded in his arm. He was clutching a book in a tightly locked grasp and fingering the edges. This book was pulled, not from the library shelves, but from under his pillow. This book was also locked. A hollow book containing dozens of letters written to "JP". He didn't read them anymore, but loved this book for holding some of his most precious possessions. He was worried about Medira; fearing Peter would do something to her if anything happened to him. He was only keeping himself safe for one reason; Medira vowed to Peter that if her friends weren't there for her anymore, she'd return to him. In light of this, he vowed to keep himself alive, even if he was to be the only one keeping Medira from that firefly, Peter Rubeus. If he didn't have to do that, well…Let's just say Jason wouldn't be this down to Earth.
The Forest Spirit started to flutter past the window when she slowed and looked in at the young man inside. She liked this boy, as he was sweet and caring. He had a big heart. What bothered the little Spirit about him was the fact he was usually so negative. Only when that poor crying young woman was with him was he ever truly cheerful and happy. His hair may have been colored cinnamon, but he sure wasn't covered in sugar all the time. He also had this strange tendency to ask to be killed, ask to be dead, or try to kill himself. The good thing was that he always had someone around to stop him. Not that he was suicidal, just lost. Away from his path, if you will. The Forest Spirit was determined to bring him back to that trail of breadcrumbs he'd left behind so long before. Maybe even let him eat a few.
*^~^**^~^*
Luri swung her right leg front and back slightly as she skimmed along the ice on her left skate. She slowed slightly and pulled her right leg up, holding her foot in her hands behind her and spinning. She twisted a few times before dropping her leg and spinning on both feet with her arms above her head. She stopped at the light clapping from the corner of the room. She reddened at the applauding Will and slid to the edge of the rink, pulling him back out with her. He started crabbing about how he couldn't skate all that well (it took all he could do just to stand there like he was), but she ignored him and just kept pulling. He slipped a few times, but she managed to steady him. She pulled him to the frost and snow covered island in the center where she'd conversed with Misty and sat down, pulling him with her. She offered him a very small smile and a "good job" of the kissing sort.
Not that the little Spirit liked to play favorites or anything, (*cough, cough*) but she took a certain liking to Luri and Will. Something about them just made her feel warm and fuzzy whenever she thought about them. She swayed in midair outside the window and smiled a bit when she'd kissed him. These two seemed to be caught right in the middle of this whole Rubeus thing. With everything that had gone on in the twisted triangle of Luri, Will and Peter a few years before, it made it especially hard to determine just what parts these lovers of the Mid Elite played in this warped little game between Present and Demised Champions. It was a shame, really, as both of them had such strong wills and such kind hearts.
*^~^**^~^*
Lance had somehow managed to get up on top of Rainbow Bridge and was now perched calmly on the roof, looking at the brightening stars as the sun set behind the trees in front of him. The beginning stages of one of the things he feared most of all were starting to fall down upon him. Most thought the Dragon Master had no fears, just as Eevy though he couldn't cry. He had two serious fears; the thought of every losing Eevy again, and worry. He wasn't even sure it was possible to dread an emotion, but he damn well did it, and did it with stylish flare too! At least…That's what he said…Now, when he was worried about Eevy, then he really had to look out, because every bit of emotion he had in him would be poured into her safe keeping. This whole thing with Eevy actually going face to face and fist to fist with Peter actually managed to scare the Elite Fourth.
Did the little Spirit ever like this man. A sweet, caring and adoring little creature, this human was. For a Dragon tamer, of sorts, he sure was gentle. His eyes alone were soft and sweet, showing adoration even if he didn't try. She knew this boy's secret, however; the secret of what he was afraid of. Other than love, she could see this in his eyes as well. She could read eyes like Eevy, and could tell he was afraid. Why he was scared of Peter Rubeus, the Spirit would probably never know, but she was determined to make it so he would never again have to fear him, even if it meant setting the Sacred Promise free. His exterior looks were just as his internal feelings; soft when they wanted to be, but also very tough when needed. Raikou made a fine choice in the Spirit's eyes.
*^~^**^~^*
The last person the Spirit's quest took her in search of was the Master of the Crystal Bell…Or, more aptly, the Mistress of the Crystal Bell. Eevy was sitting on the roof of the front porch; an easy place to get to and from. (Simply go up the main stairwell, take a left, go to the third door on your left and out onto the balcony. Hop down over the bar, and botta-bing botta-bip! You're on the porch roof! Um…Anyway…) She cracked her knuckles and leaned back, looking up under the balcony and into the bottom. There was a small Pidgey nest there, tucked on the edge, with a few chicks and their parents. She'd have to remember to feed them later. Eevy wasn't really worried, just worked up. She had a strong spirit and wouldn't show she was scared, even if she was. She knew she could defeat Rubeus…At least…She was 98% sure she could. Couldn't she? She believed what she told Misty, at the time, but she wasn't quite sure anymore. One thing she was absolutely certain of was the fact she wasn't going to give up her position, her friends, her family, nothing, without a fight.
The Spirit floated at her feet, peeking over the porch roof and up at Eevy. This girl certainly was pretty, but she didn't know much about the Champion Mistress. She was new, so she hadn't had the years to get to know her she'd had with the others. The same went for Medira, but she still loved them both deeply. This one had such a loving nature and a kind soul. Never did she want any harm to come to this girl from the Town of Rose. She was much too caring and loyal to let her be harmed. Using the Sacred Promise to save this young woman would not bring the Spirit any grief, as she'd do anything to save the angel. Her eyes alone were heavenly; serene and peaceful unless enraged. Blue and green; sky and earth. Eyes of life.
*^~^**^~^*
"You guys are staying here!" Eevy blared and slammed the door in Ash's face, "I don't need you getting hurt!"
"Come on, Eevy!" Ash banged on the window, letting out glass-muffled cries, "Please?!"
"No!" she hissed back, Medira and the Elite Four trailing behind her, "Stay here! I mean it!" she heard the door slowly creak open, "Do I have to get my cloak to talk some sense into you again?!"
"No thank you," Yuu-Yuu backed away slowly and sat down.
"We'll deal with it…I suppose," Skiff sat down next to her, crossing his arms.
"Come on, you guys. Let's go before we get ganged up on," Medira started walking.
"Hey," Beth stood up, "She never said just where here was. She could have meant here like here in the City."
The group grinned at each other and bounded out the door, sneaking along behind the group heading to Rainbow Falls. Eevy put everyone into position with Team Rocket's fully tested (as in tested on Rachel and Beth) traps set up around them and Bashou and Buson standing at either end of the bridge. Lance was to her left, Will and Luri to her right, Jason directly behind her and Medira right in front. The Forest Spirit was completely oblivious to the situation and was tending trees back behind the Mansion. The sneaky group who'd prowled out behind them was scattered around the premises and the group stood in the center of the clearing. Eevy stepped around to Medira's left.
"Peter Rubeus!" she echoed around the trees, "I know you're watching! Come on out and face me! Show me you're as prepared as you said you'd be!"
"I am prepared, angel-girl," every single shadow around them started spiraling in and wrapping together, some flowing over and around the Elite, "And I will win. I've been saving up my fire energy. I've got a good double dose of my power today. Come and face me," he formed right in front of her, "Angel."
"I will face you without hesitation," she spat, "Let's go, Devil. Fight me. You can try all you like but I'll still win."
"Really?" he reached into his coat, "Will a bullet prove otherwise?"
Eevy gasped and stepped back a step as a gun was pointed directly at her forehead, "What gives? This was to be a fair fight," why did she believe him, she suddenly thought.
"This is fair," he kept it poised, "With you having three powers, and me only two, it's only sensible for me to get my choice of weapons. Well, I choose this."
"Don't you dare," Will growled, "Drop it. Right now!"
"First a knife and now a gun!" Luri barked, "I didn't think even you'd sink that low!"
"Surprises everywhere, hmm?" Peter grinned, "Still going to fight?" he very lightly fingered the trigger, "Or are you going to lose your…cousin?" he fired a round into the bushes, causing Eusine to spring from behind it.
"What the hell?!" Eevy burst, ignoring the firearm behind her, "What are you doing here?!"
"Hehe…Hey, cous," he waved nervously.
"Or maybe…your brother would make a more appropriate choice," two shots went toward Morty and Lisle, who both lunged back.
"Damn you! I told you to stay home! Everybody stand up!" Eevy snorted, "I don't believe you!" she wasn't paying Peter the slightest bit of attention until a bullet spat up dirt right behind her foot, "Holy shit!" she sprang forward a step, "Geez!"
"Drop the gun, Rubeus," Lance stomped his right foot, "Even you should agree this is wrong."
"I don't agree with one thing you say," his eyes kept flowing toward Medira, "Giving up? Good!" he didn't wait for an answer and held his left hand out, "Come on, Medira. We're getting out of here."
Medira looked side to side nervously, knowing this was only playing into Eevy's plan. The problem was that Eevy's plan wasn't going to go as planned. She stepped forward and Jason started to interfere. Eevy sprang forward and pushed Medira away, but in the process, thoroughly screwed things up. The plan was to have Medira go limp, acting as if to be unconscious, and push her down one of the straight paths toward the river. (Bashou and Buson were there to catch her if she had happened to have been knocked out). Peter, knowing Medira couldn't control her power unless she was thinking of it, would have most definitely gone to catch her, thus running toward the water. That would have given the Rockets' traps a good work out, in attempts to either catch him or make him go faster. If he had made it to Medira, she had willingly agreed to assist in shoving him into the river. In all of the excitement, he could possibly have ignored his fire and lost control, causing twice the damage when getting wet and most likely bouncing him out cold. What Eevy hadn't just taken into consideration was the fact Peter had a weapon. She had pushed his empty hand away, leaving his armed hand free. Medira tripped backwards instead of tumbling down the hill and Peter quickly reacted, swinging his left arm around Eevy's oncoming neck and holding his gun right to the side of her head.
"Eevy!" Lance flipped, "Let her go!" he started forward.
"Ah-ah-ah!" Peter just about shot Lance's foot off, "One more step and she'll not live to see another day," he put it right back to her head, "Anybody moves, and I'll blow her head clean off."
Eevy was shivering and turning red, as he was holding tight enough she could barely breath, "Let her go," Luri hissed, "I'll drench you if you don't."
"One inch and she dies!" he started turning, surveying the people around him and showing off his hostage, "Don't sneeze, now. Wouldn't want your hay fever to kill your Mistress, now would you?" he grinned with a pure evil shadow crossing above his nose and across his face.
"Please, Eevy," Misty begged silently, "You have to get away from him."
"Do something, Eevy," Ash gnawed his bottom lip.
"I swear if anyone moves," Peter shook his head and held the trigger harder, "I will do it. But where should I shoot?" he coaxed evilly, "Here; in the side of her forehead? Here; in the back of her head?" he moved the gun each time, "Here; through her neck? Or maybe here; right through her back? Anyone care to choose?"
"You sadistic son of a bitch," Jason gnarled, "Let her go."
"I won't," Peter's grip only tightened.
"Will," something in his head caught Will's attention, "Distract him. I can get away if I have the time."
"Hey, Rubeus. Might I ask a question?" Will surprised everyone.
Peter was a bit hesitant, "Go ahead," the trigger was still focused on.
"We met two people a while ago. Paige and Pietro Padma. Do you, by any chance, know them?"
Peter gave a toothy, sinister grin, "I most certainly do. Pietro is my cousin. Pietro…Padma…Rubeus. I hired him, dear Elite and guests, to suck you dry and find your weaknesses. Torpedo is a very good actor, don't you think?"
Peter ignored Eevy completely to boast. Her left foot went up and slammed back down again, right down onto Peter's foot. He yelped and let go, hopping away and hissing. He recovered too quick for Eevy, raising the gun and pulling the trigger. The shot and scream rang out, causing Pidgey and Spearow to fly from the trees and up into the sky above them. The bullet soared forward, and, unfortunately for Eevy, Peter's aim was impressively good. Right through her and into the woods, striking a tree. What mattered most was not how far it flew, but where it hit. Eevy jolted in mid bound, shot directly through the chest, right through her heart. She froze solid and gagged, eyes rolling back and toppling over.
"Oh my God, no!" Mizu sprang forward, as did everyone else.
Peter started to fire, but he was out of bullets. He dropped to shadow and melted away just as Bashou and Buson reached him. The Forest Spirit not only heard the shot, but sensed the disaster, teleporting out of her end of the forest and working her way to the scene. The only good part about being shot in the heart instead of the head was that Eevy had about fifteen seconds to say what she wanted.
"Eevy, no," no one dared to move her, but Lance and Morty did sit down next to her, "Don't say anything, all right? Just don't move. Don't even-"
"Lance, stop," she choked as bright red filled her mouth, "There is no way to save me. No amount of energy retrieval can heal this."
"Don't talk like that! Don't even talk at all," Morty spazzed, "Stay quiet."
"I will not. Promise me something, Lance. All of you. Promise me something," she leaned her head up, her voice watery and broken as blood drained from the sides of her mouth, "Kill him."
"Yeah, we'll kill him, and you're going to help," Lance managed a sad attempt for a smile, brushing her hair away, "Oh my God I love you."
"The feeling's mutual," amazing the times she could crack a joke… "The same goes for the rest of you, in one way or another. See you around sometime, huh?" her voice started breaking up as she took in one last choked breath, cringed, and was gone.
She fell limp, her eyes staring at nothing and her head slowly turning off to the right. Her hand slipped out of Morty's and her chest dropped involuntarily as the last bit of air she'd brought in escaped. Eusine fainted on the spot, Yuu-Yuu grabbed onto Skiff and screamed for all she was worth, and Sooney clung to Tracey as she wailed uncontrollably. Everyone else just kind of stood there without the faintest clue what they were to do. Morty started falling face-first to the ground, but put his arms out in time to hold himself up. He gripped the leaves and grass under his palms and closed his eyes tightly as they started spilling over. He shook his head, silently asking Ho-oh and the Beasts how they could let this happen. Eusine just laid there on the ground, eyes wide open, staring straight up into the trees.
Mizu slapped her hands over her mouth and ran down the slope to the river, splashing her face with water, "This has to be a dream!" she shrieked, "All I've got to do it wake up and everything will be back to normal."
"No," Lance started hyperventilating, "No. No, this can't happen," he sat her up and wrapped his arm around her back, ignoring his shirt was getting stained with blood, and leaned his forehead on her shoulder, "It wasn't supposed to go this way. You weren't supposed to die on me. Please, Evangelina," he leaned her head into his, "My Angel…Come back."
About two seconds after that, everyone was bawling, as the shock turned to unbearable pain and agony. Even Team Rocket started to sniffle, and then wailed (whether because they were upset or because they probably wouldn't get paid now, no one was sure). The Forest Spirit fluttered up behind a tree and gasped. She was dead! And she'd been too busy with her trees to stop it! But…She'd promised the Beasts just the same. Then again…The Sacred Promise was only to be used when the situation amounted to this. Now was the time…It had to be done.
"Bi bi-bi-bi!" she zipped out into the clearing, causing everyone to jump back a step, "Bi bi-bi-bi bi-bi!"
"It's the Forest Spirit," Luri gaped, face bright red, "The protector of Spectral Spirit Forest."
"That's what we saw from the Ice Room," Misty sniffed, "The Forest Spirit."
"Celebi," Lance blinked the water from his eyes as Mizu sat by the water, still making believe this was all a dream, "The Forest Spirit and Messenger of Ho-oh."
"Celebi?" Ash was too dazed to even remember he was breathing, let alone use his Poke'Dex.
"Bi bi-bi-bi-bi-bi cele!" Celebi sprang into the air, glowing a bright white/silver.
No one had the faintest clue what was going on as everything started going crazy. Eevy's form stood without moving on its own and stepped back to where she'd been being held captive. A bright white spark shot from Celebi and connected with her. The time she just went through completely reversed. The Grass/Psychic- type Time Travel Pokemon was changing everything back to set the Sacred Promise into motion. The Sacred Promise was the ability for Celebi to once, and only once, reverse the course of time. Everyone was hit with at least one spark, causing their time to move backwards. Peter's shadow was suddenly sucked back, and he was replaced behind Eevy with his gun right along side her head. The red splotches on Lance's shirt disappeared completely. Mizu was pulled all the way back up the hill and stood straight where she'd been, proving this was really happening. Celebi's form exploded white, covering everything in light. The light flowed straight through Eevy's bullet wound, until it healed and became as if it had never happened. Vic, who'd been hitting V while sitting at the front gate, was pulled away, now knowing just how he was going to cheat at their game. And…She used this ability…To produce for her brother a great degree of pain. Celebi fell from the air, hitting the ground and bouncing once before rolling away. The light stopped, allowing question marks to pop up around everyone.
Peter pulled his gun away from Eevy and stared at it, turning it around, "OK…Yeah…All right…Sure."
Eevy suddenly choked for air, her lifeless body jerking around in sudden life as she shakily put her hands up to where she'd been shot, running her hands around her chest, "I-I-I'm alive," she coughed.
"Not for long!" Peter pulled back on Eevy's still gagging neck, "No length of Poke'Ball chain and no number of intervening Pokemon can save you this time!"
Eevy's eyes went narrow and burned bright red as she dug her fingernails into Peter's arm and leaned forward, "I don't intend on dying again!" she growled, bent over with Peter clinging to her neck and shoulders as his gun flew to the ground.
"Eevy," Lance breathed.
"She's definitely alive, all right!" Sooney waved, "You go!"
"You can do it, Eevy!" Brock called, "Teach him a thing or two!"
"Come on, Eevy!" Tracey shouted, "Show him what you're made of!"
Medira swallowed hard, "Do it!" she suddenly burst.
Peter looked up at her while desperately trying to halt the swinging Eevy, "What?!"
"Get off me!" Eevy boomed, hoisting Peter up and over her shoulders, "Consider this a message! A message from the Beasts, the Forest Spirit, and me!" she threw him into the air above her head, "You lose!" he slammed to the ground in front of her, bringing herself down on top of him and causing him to heave for air, "This is for Morty! This is for Eusine! This is for Luri! This is for Will!" she kept jamming her elbows into his ribs, "This is for Lance! This is for Jason! This is for my friends!" she brought both up, "And this. This is for Medira!" the Crystal Bell flashed and she hit him with such force that she pounded the wind right out of him, knocking him out cold.
She took the liberty of standing up and starting to stomp down right between his legs, but thought better of it; she figured it might wake him up. She turned around and gave everyone within sight a smile. Morty was the first to hit her with a more than caring hug. Eusine was next and everyone followed suit. Excepting Team Rocket, which was obvious, and…Lance?!
"God, I love you, baby sis."
"Don't ever do that to us again, cous. Ever."
"I don't know how you do it, Eevy."
"Yeah, but you do it so well."
"My stomach was part of the way right, but you still pulled through."
"Don't go and die on me before I finally get to beat you in a battle."
"Pika-pika! Pikachu!"
"Togi-togi-pii!"
"I think I cried on my sketchbook…"
"Please don't scare us like that again."
"There's too much for you to live for now."
"I felt that shot, Eevy. How do you do it?"
"You've gotta stick around for us, you know."
"Kratos would have a fit if you left on us now. And so would I."
"Thank you, Eevy…Truly. From the bottom of my heart."
"You're the best, Eevy."
"Yeah. Go out with me? Ow!"
Eevy managed to push everyone back and stared straight at the one person she'd hoped was going to run at her, yet had not. She stepped forward, noticing Lance looked completely petrified. He thought he was talking to a ghost or something.
"It's OK now," she took his stiff right hand and rubbed it in both of her own as he looked down at her in some kind of warped paralysis, "Everything's over. It's all right."
He shakily examined her, finally realizing this was his Eevy, "Eevy," he murmured to catch her attention before wrapping his arms around her and leaning his forehead on her left shoulder, "Thank you…For coming back," he whispered.
He surprised her by how dazed he seemed to be, "It's OK, Lance," she leaned the left side of her face on his left shoulder, "Like I said; I'll never leave you. I'll stick around until the very end of time, just to keep you in line."
He stepped back and held her shoulders as she noticed a few wet lines down his face, "You broke your promise," she couldn't help but look worried, "You scared me again."
She laughed twice, "Yeah, sorry," she shook her head while looking up.
*^~^**^~^*
"This is totally unfair!" Jessie pressed her face up against the glass.
"How could you do this to us?!" Cassidy wailed in a different car.
"You promised!" James bawled, "Aren't you people supposed to be nice, and kind, and caring, and-"
"And honest?!" Butch flipped, "After all the help?!"
"Why not?" Eevy grinned in Jen's face as she scowled from behind the glass of one of the Jennys' car windows, "I can do what I want. Right, Officer Junsa?" she crossed her arms and looked back at the head Jenny.
"Sure can," Jenny walked up and also crossed her arms, taking the same stance as Eevy, "We've known about your little function with the Masters and Mistresses the entire time."
"No fair!" Domino shrieked and would have been pounding the windows, had her wrists not been cuffed behind her, "What about our money?!"
"I'll pay you each the money I promised you…" she watched them smile, but soon erased the grins, "…Towards your bail."
"No!" Mondo flipped, "No, no, no! My uncle will boil us! Please!"
"Bye!" Eevy waved her fingers as the cars pulled away.
"Hey, Mistress," Bashou was shoved up behind her.
"Bashou," she frowned a bit, "I'm sorry. But…"
"Yeah, I know," he hissed, "We'll be back."
"I'm sure you will," she shook her head, "Tell Buson the same."
"I will," he was jolted as Jenny shoved him forward, "Good bye."
Rubeus was slammed down into the back of one of the Jennys' cars as the one in the driver's seat got out and approached Eevy, "I need to ask you a few questions."
"I can only imagine," Eevy spat out her tongue at Peter, who returned it without question.
"Let's go over here," Jenny saw that and stepped away from Rubeus, "First, I'm going to need to know if he had any accomplices."
In all actuality, she could have said yes, meaning Medira, "Accomplices?" she looked over from Peter to Medira, who was gnawing her thumbnail, "His cousin Pietro and Pietro's wife, Paige. That's…That's all I know of."
Another Jenny stood dead set in front of Peter, "All right, Rubeus. Did you have any help?" Peter seemed to ignore her, "Out with it!"
Peter glanced off to the side at Medira, fighting back the yes that was forming in his throat, "What do you think?" he spat.
"Answer my question, scuz ball!" Jenny gnarled in his face as he merely turned his head to the left and closed his eyes, "Answer me!"
He looked slowly back, glaring at Eevy and then looking softly toward Medira, "I work alone," he hissed, "Only my cousin and his wife accompanied me in any fashion."
Medira gasped a bit and cringed as Jenny shoved him into the car and slammed the door on him, "Peter," she murmured, her eyes shaking.
"I'll give you a call later, Mistress," Jenny walked back to her car, adding a nasty knock on the window and wave to Peter before getting in.
Medira's shoulders fell at the broken expression on Peter's face as Jenny started the car, "I thought you loved me," she could just make out what he was saying, though he merely mouthing it to her.
"I do," she answered quickly as the sirens went on and the car stared moving, "In a way."
"Hey, come on," a hand met her right shoulder, "Don't look so glum. Everyone's safe now," he jerked away as she started crying, "Oh, please don't cry. No. Come on, Medira."
"I can't help it," she spun around and cowered up against him, "I don't know why, but I miss him."
"That's fine," Jason put his left hand on the back of her head and his right on her back, resting his chin on her head, "Just don't cry. Everything's fine."
"I know that," she put her arms around him, "I love you."
"I love you too," he held her back, "Are you going to be OK?"
She looked left at the car as it left and then back at him, "I'm going to be just fine."
"Uh…Eevy?" Eevy turned around at her name, not recognizing that tone of voice.
"Oh. Lance. What's wrong?" she was wondering why he sounded so strange.
"Nothing," his arms slid around her shoulders and pulled her closer, "Absolutely nothing."
She leaned up against him as she felt him grip the back of her shirt, "You were worried all this time."
"I have the right to worry," he laughed once.
"I know," she backed up and again took his right hand, "Thank you. For everything. You've never backed away."
He pulled his hands away and took both of hers in both of his, "As long as you don't, I won't."
"Then you're never backing down," they both smiled before she jumped and squeezed his waist, breathing deep while leaning into him, "I love you so much."
He merely grinned and pulled out her hair band, jamming it in his pocket, "The feeling's mutual."
The Last Chronicle:
Aftershocks
Notes
OK, so what do ya' think? Yes? No? Sorta? Well, Rubeus may be gone for now, but trust me, this is far from over, as I've said before. Keep checking back at the TAA website and on FandFiction.net and I'm sure you'll see quite a few additions to the TAA line-up of stories. If you want some info on the story, provided I find that I want to give it out, you can email me at pro_v@christlinks.com and I'll answer as much as I can without giving too-too much away. Anyways, that's all for now, so I'll see you guys tomorrow with the very last Chapter and a new Special Edition!
*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*
-=O~Her Pokemon~O=-
TAA Pokemon Of The Month: January 2003: The Waterstrider Ametama