Author's Note:
All due shout-outs to my new Followers, kittycatcacher, STr222, DarkSoul44, and Teraunce, as well as my new Favoriters(?), Vryheid, and, with a slightly larger shout-out, DarkSoul44 and Teraunce again!
The largest shout-out of them all, however, goes to Teraunce for the Review on top of the Follow and Fav'! I don't particularly think the title is catchy, even off the tongue, but if you think so, I suppose that the thought is appreciated!
And for those of you who're wondering why I took so long to pump this next chapter out? I had a six thousand-word plus Halloween special to make for my other story, Dimensions and Realities. Fun fact: it's the longest singular piece of literature I've ever made thus far in my entire life! So, needless to say, I believe that the delay was quite justified. Or, at the very least, I would certainly hope so!
That aside, however, I do request that you all keep it up with reading this thing, lads 'n' lassies!
Disclaimer:
Pokémon and any other referential materials found in this story do not belong to me. They belong to their respective owners and subsidiaries, and I claim no ownership of them.
Of Children, Men, and Monsters
Chapter Fourteen: The Offer
Cue music – Fire Emblem Awakening soundtrack – "We'd best prepare for combat, just to be safe."
Marza's eyes opened slowly and sluggishly, and she yawned widely for an entire two and a half seconds. She lazily glanced around at her surroundings before she came awake fully; the prismatic wisps of energy and space-like backdrop quickly indicated to Marza that this was a dream. Specifically, a dream in which someone would come and talk to her.
'I sort of feel like an insane person for thinking the people in my dreams are real, but considering the mere existence of Oscura…' A head shake.
She then verbally spoke rather than mentally, in an ever-so-slight slight deadpan, "Who is it this time? Is it you again, person-who-never-gave-his-name-to-me?"
A small huff from her left. The lass turned to meet the shadowy man's stare. That veil of his was up just like last time, covering all but his eyes, though the act was somewhat pointless to Marza; she had already seen his face, after all, and the face is probably the most significant and unique feature a person possesses. "Mmh. 'Tis. However did you guess, Marza?"
Marza couldn't help the snort that escaped her mouth. "Well, who else do you think is capable of somehow coming into my dreams like this? Because I can count the amount of people that I know of who can with just two fingers."
"Hmph, point given."
A brief silence, before the teenage-looking man cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, I certainly haven't come here just to be pragmatic, pointless, and all around spooky. Gods, that's such a fun word to say. Spooky, spooky, spooky…"
Marza stared, thoroughly befuddled by the young-looking man's antics. 'Is this another mood swing of his? Is he not right in the head?' she thought as he began an impromptu humming session, the faint auras somehow gyrating as he reached slightly louder parts of his tune. His eyes gained what could easily be considered a look of far-offedness, as if he were fondly remembering something…
She waited for several long moments for him to finish up his little spiel, and when she realized that it was likely that he wouldn't be stopping anytime soon, she pointed out to him, "You said that you were here to not be pointless, and as far as I'm concerned, you're idle humming isn't really fulfilling your commitment…"
His eyes snapped open as this remark, and, grumbling softly, he responded, "Apologies again. You may find some of my tendencies to be… curious, to say the least. Anyways, I have come not to be… well, you've already heard that part, so I'll merely ask you this simple question as well as some follow–ups:
"Are you not curious as to what I may have done to Arceus?"
Marza was hesitant to answer, even though said answer was obvious from the perspective of one such as her's. The man just gazed quietly at her for the several seconds it took to formulate her response, until she finally spoke, giving a disproportionately small phrase for how long she took to make: "Indeed I am. Why is it that you ask?"
She imagined that the being shrugged underneath its veil. "Well, I am willing to give you a chance to investigate what I am up to… as well as give you the opportunity of a life time. As it so turns out, Marza, you have piqued my interest. You strike me as the sort of girl who thinks that his or her life is so very bland… boring… ordinary. I will give you the chance to change that.
"If you are so inclined, I can whisk you away to the world which Arceus ruled – and rest assured, he still does, at least for the moment."
Marza's eyes went nearly as wide as saucers as this. "Wh – you can't be serious! You think that I'll just hop into what is probably and obviously a trap on your part!? Fat chance!"
The being was none too bemused by this ascertation. "Definitely bright for your age, aren't you? Well, yes, your guesses are undeniably well-founded, especially considering how evil I look." An audible scoff. "I'll have you know that being all red and black wasn't exactly a choice on my part. The forces which I work and function upon just so happen to symbolically represent the nature of the wielder, as well as their… mental state." Then, a sigh. "Again, not my fault."
"You know, those statements aren't really dissuading me from thinking that your intentions are malign."
"… I suppose not. However, that still will not stop from asking you to at least humor me. If you're thinking that that world isn't safe, I can show you a few of the things I had the chance to encounter."
He didn't wait for a response; with a wave of the arm, images flashed into existence. A beautiful forest, crawling with adorable, caterpillar-esque creatures; a brilliant azure sky, birds and seemingly dragons flying together; and even a shot of a blatantly beautiful underwater scene, filled to the brim with all manners of fish-looking Pokémon.
Marza was understandably in awe, but managed to ignore the temptation to give in to his offer. "Just because something seems beautiful on the surface hardly means that it's not deadly. Even someone my age knows that. Plus, you could just be making all of these pictures up. Considering that you're, you know, in my dreams, I'm not really doubting the possibility of you doing something as comparatively basic as this."
"Heh. Once again, your skills in deduction are nothing short of impressive considering your age." He let silence hang in the dream-air for a few moments. "Now that I bother to think about it, I suppose that I didn't really have a whole lot of decent reasons for you to come to Arceus' world, huh? Especially seeing as how I look and act like some sort of villain from a fairy tale?" Once again, a brief moment of silence, until: "Well, from what little you've truly seen of me, anyways. I suppose that this leaves me with only one thing left to say to persuade you with, then. Tell me, Marza:
"Do you consider yourself a good person?"
Marza was taken aback by this sudden turn. "A good person…?" She took a short while to respond. "I'm no paragon, but, say, if I see someone being bullied in the streets, I'll definitely try to help the victim out. The bystanders are just as bad as the bullies themselves for not intervening, after all," she decided, remembering distinctly what had happened to herself not a quarter a day earlier.
A glint of respect entered the entity's eyes. "An admirable sentiment, as well as an all-too true fact on that second part." He almost sounded… resentful when he said that second part, much to Marza's curiosity.
'Was he bullied as a child, too? Or possibly even worse…?' Marza pondered, beginning to feel a touch of pity for the being.
He then stuttered out, "A-Anyways! My point here is simply this:
"If you think yourself a good person, you should investigate these potentially dangerous events that I am making happen. Seeing as how I can traverse dimensions, and that I may be doing what I am doing to harm, I imagine that you would want to stop whatever I may be up to… and assist Arceus in the process."
"Again, you aren't going to persuade me to easily, whatever-your-name-is. You'd best just stop trying."
Another several seconds passed in perfect quiet.
"… Is there truly nothing that I can do to persuade you in this matter?"
Marza felt tempted to scoff at his persistence. "Indeed."
The entity exhaled in a drawn-out sigh. "… I see. Very well, then. Regardless of this decision, I shall open a portal in your room three days from now. Whether you go in it or not is entirely up to you – unlike some, I will not force you through it. Do be aware, however, that if something bad happens in the future because of me, and it involves, say, your loved ones…"
The area of darkness covering his face was momentarily dissipated, showing her his pale-skinned face, which, at the moment, was sporting a truly haunting grin. His eyes glimmered and glowed softly as he said, in an eerie tone of voice:
"It just may be on your head for not intervening."
The dream promptly faded into a black nothingness…
And then Marza awoke with a sharp exhale, his words sending chills through her very core...
