A/N- Okay so I didn't mention a lot of stuff in that previous chapter, but I did manage to finish quite a bit of this story lately, and just haven't had the time to post anything. I keep killing everyone hahaha. You all are going to hate me.
Chapter 6
Mask of Insanity
At the top of one lone tower, a long serpentine Pokémon lay curled into itself, asleep. Then his mouth broke out into one long maniacal smile, and his eyes flashed open. Roaring, he rose, unwinding, and flew off into the sky.
XXX
Ellie still felt numb.
Because of Star.
Everything was because of Star.
Why I kept pushing forward.
Why I came on this quest.
Why I always so desperately needed you by my side.
Come back.
She was lovesick.
"Ellie, come on. We need to go. We're losing time."
Ellie felt resentment rise up for a split second, thinking, you just don't care about Star or Suicune! All you care about is this stupid mission we have! But she pushed the thought back down almost immediately, regretting it. Of course Manectric cared. She had almost completely lost it when Suicune died… And now that Star had left, and Suicune was gone, she and Manectric were all the hope left.
Ellie picked herself up, trying to shake herself free of the thoughts that kept coming back to haunt her. She felt weak.
She hated feeling weak.
"Okay," she simply said. "Let's go."
They had made it to the tunnel Suicune had been talking about, and by then the storm had died down. It wasn't even necessary by then. The two of them had spent the night there, in the small chamber at the end of that tunnel. They'd had the silence they'd needed that whole night.
Manectric crawled out of the tunnel first, Ellie following after her. Snow lay draped over the expanse of the land before them in a glittering sheet of crystal white
"How does Suicune expect us to find Rayquaza anyway? No one knows where he goes," Manectric asked.
"I don't know."
"Do you want to ask around? Or maybe—?"
"I don't know!" Ellie repeated, more forcefully than she'd been going for. Regret instantly entered her eyes at the harsh voice she'd used.
Manectric was silent, looking over at Ellie as if she were thinking something. "All right then." Her eyes were dark, but she didn't press the issue.
"Rayquaza… he's probably not even worth it now." Ellie hung her head after saying it.
Manectric lifted her head to stare at her, almost stunned. "What are you talking about?"
Ellie sighed, looking sad. She turned away. "Our journey ends here."
"Ends here, you say? Really?"
Now they both froze, horrified. Immediately, Ellie turned to Manectric.
"Was that…?"
Suicune.
"Suicune? Is that really you?" Manectric couldn't help the hope that swelled in her voice, but Ellie was skeptical. It couldn't be…
Manectric took one more step forward, and the snow before her exploded. She yelped, pulling back, with Ellie right beside her.
"Of course, you two are probably so weak, you wouldn't be able to handle the Authorities, even with the aid of Azelf and Mesprit or Suicune—oh wait, he's dead!"
"S-Star…?" Ellie stammered.
It sounded just like Star.
Except that was impossible.
"NO." Now the voice was low, rasping. The explosion of snow settled, and there were voices behind where Ellie and Manectric stood. Few citizens of the Ice Region had heard the commotion, and were too stupid to run.
Now hovering above them all was a green and serpentine Pokémon, grinning maniacally as if he'd found the world's greatest treasure.
Well, maybe he had. The world would probably never know.
"WELCOME!" He roared, sneering. "TO THE LAND OF CHOCOLATE! I AM YOUR DEVOURER, RAYQUAZA!"
Ellie looked stunned. Manectric looked horrified. "He's… it's… just like Gyarados…" she said in a very small voice.
Rayquaza suddenly lurched forward, until he was coiling in midair, his face right before Manectric and Ellie's. Some of the Ice Pokémon screamed, and the sound of feet shuffling through snow to get away was heard. Someone gasped.
Ellie flinched back as he said, "GYARADOS, YOU SAY? HE WAS A FINE ONE. THE FINEST OF THE LOT FOR THE LAST GAMES!"
"He was insane!" Manectric retorted, her eyes swirling with mixed emotions. "Ellie, we should just go. This is—"
"THANKS TO ME!"
Silence.
"W-what…?" Manectric asked, shocked at what Rayquaza was saying.
Rayquaza drew back slightly, opening his jaws to speak. "I gave some of my power to Gyarados, in hopes that he would become a fine member of my army, you see."
What shocked them the most was not the words he spoke, but rather the fact that he'd used Suicune's voice to speak. They stared at him in stunned silence.
"I REALLY EXPECTED BETTER OF HIM. A SHAME THAT ABSOL KILLED HIM. I SHOULD'VE BLESSED HIM INSTEAD. YOU," he spoke directly to Manectric, "ARE NOT WORTHY."
Ellie looked over at Manectric, who was trembling in anger. "Manectric," she warned.
"Shut up…" Manectric muttered, but it didn't seem directed at Ellie or Rayquaza.
"You would be dead if it weren't for that pathetic excuse for a power," he said in a smooth and confident, yet battle-worn voice that Ellie did not recognize, yet felt like she'd heard of before. Manectric's visibly flinched.
Manectric's eyes were wide and fearful for some reason. "S-shut up…" she said again deliriously.
"And now, because of you, we're all dead," Rayquaza finally finished, using another voice that was sweet and soft, full of love for the one white-furred Pokémon who had cared for her so desperately, so lovingly. Ellie felt that she'd heard of it before, but…It couldn't be…
Ellie drew in a sharp breath. Rayquaza was using the voices of the competitors who'd died in the Games… More specifically…
"It was all your fault."
Now Manectric glared up at him with more hate than Ellie had ever thought possible. "SHUT UP!" She called down a Thunder, only barely missing him as he flew sharply to the right.
He grinned, then reverting back to his original voice, "BRING ON THE RATTATAS! I WILL EAT YOU, THEN EAT YOUR FRIENDS!"
Behind them was chaos. The Ice Region Pokémon were fleeing their section of the Region. And with good reason. Rayquaza cackled madly and used Overheat. Around him, the snow began to melt and the Ice Region itself began to fall apart. One Snover cried out in pain as the flames licked away at his body, and failing to put it out in time, fell, twitching, until his body was motionless.
"Manectric, you just destroyed the little chance we had!" Elli cried, referring to the fact that Rayquaza might've possibly chosen to help them. She grabbed at Manectric, trying to stop her from leaping at the rogue.
"We had no chance to begin with!" Manectric snarled, struggling to break free.
"We might—!"
Manectric then shook Ellie off, and she hit the snow hard. Ellie rolled onto her feet, looking at the Electric Pokémon in horror.
"I know insanity when I see it," was all she said. "He wasn't going to help us, no matter what we said."
Rayquaza laughed again, his eyes widening in glee. "WELL? CAN YOU STAND UP TO ME? GOD?"
"You… You are no god," Manectric hissed.
Ellie felt fear course through her veins, but she crushed the feeling down. "Manectric!" she screamed. "Stop this! It's suicide! You hear me? Suicide!"
She whirled around, fur bristling, and Ellie could see her eyes rimmed with red and tears. "I can't." she said, quietly. "Not after what he's said." She ran towards the rogue, her coat sparking with deadly electricity.
Ellie cried out as if in pain as Manectric and Rayquaza clashed. Electricity and raw power tore through the air, lighting the sky with sparks and fire. The snow had already begun to melt into puddles of water, and Ellie forced through ice and snow and water, trying to get closer to the fight itself.
Manectric leapt up, claws tearing into Rayquaza's body as he came close, and he roared in fury, but not pain. She snarled wildly, eyes bloodshot, and started to climb up his body, blood falling off her claws and flecking her coat with red, and dripping down into small pools of water below, staining them crimson.
Several drops fell on Ellie and she flinched in horror. She flicked one paw repeatedly over her face to try to wipe it off, but only smeared it further into her fur. "Manectric, please, stop!" Pleading. Begging.
There was the sound of tearing flesh and screams and Ellie looked up, eyes widening in shock as Manectric's claws dragged down Rayquaza's side, drawing blood. The dragon roared, one of his claws flying into Manectric, forming a new long gash all the way from her chest, completely down her side. Blood sprayed the snow and water now, but Manectric only fought harder, set on defeating the dragon for his taunts and insults.
"Please!" Stop the fight…
The mighty dragon flew straight down, forcing Manectric under his body, and snow flew everywhere. Now Rayquaza and Manectric fought amongst the melting crimson snow, screaming and snarling, tearing flesh and drawing more and more blood.
Never had Ellie ever seen this violent of a fight. And Manectric… she was one of the ones that were fighting. Of all Pokémon… Ellie hadn't expected Manectric. She gasped as a wave of pain once again washed over her and gritted her teeth. Another… goddammit…
Except this time, no one was by her side.
She felt her sanity breaking apart, her mind going into a state of turmoil, and broke into tears as the fight raged on.
XXX
"All your fault."
"All your fault."
"Because of you, we're all dead."
No… No! Manectric ground her teeth harder as the painful thoughts rolled back into her mind like a slow, heavy wave of guilt and pain.
It's not my fault!
Rayquaza sneered at her, his razor-sharp teeth smeared with blood, and lunged at her again. His teeth clipped her shoulder as she rolled away quickly, and using the momentum of the lunge, his tail flicked down, meeting her claws. Manectric was hit, but the timing was bad so she wasn't thrown that far back.
Growling, she got back to her feet. Somewhere far away, maybe just behind her, someone was screaming. She paid no attention to them.
She lit her coat with electricity and hurled her body at the dragon and he screeched as the super effective move hit him in his neck. His eyes rolled to pinpoint down at her, and he swiped his claw at her again. Manectric dodged to the right, but Rayquaza's other claw tore through flesh as she danced right into his trap.
Her scream tore through the crisp air and her consciousness finally began to give way. No… No!
Staggering backwards, her steps now sluggish and unsteady, she tumbled over on her side and the world around her faded into darkness.
XXX
Ellie was frozen in shock as she watched Manectric fall, defeated. Rayquaza snarled in victory, grinning maliciously as he loomed over her body.
Shock forced her out of her pain, and she found her voice again, screaming at the dragon. "STOP! SHE'S DONE! CAN'T YOU SEE?"
He froze, slowly turning his gaze to Ellie. Something swirled in his dark red eyes. "No. I cannot," he said, more calmly than she'd ever heard him. Then, as if hearing something that she couldn't, he screamed, "SIGHT? WHAT GODDAMN SIGHT? I LOST SIGHT WHEN HE LEFT THIS WORLD," He wailed, throwing his head back into the sky and roaring into the empty air. Seeming to forget what he had been doing, Rayquaza lifted himself into the air, and flew off in distress and anger, abandoning the bloody and broken form of Manectric.
Ellie pulled herself through the watery snow to where Manectric's body lay, slightly submerged in a deep puddle. The electric canine was breathing, but her breaths were raspy and hard. Blood covered her body and the surrounding water and snow, flowing from angry red gashes that tore her flesh apart, and some trickled from her open mouth. Ellie nearly let out a sob at the sight.
"Hey…" she muttered, her voice shaking. "Hey, come on… pull through for me, okay?"
Manectric twitched, but she continued to breathe. Ellie wanted to help her, but of all things she knew, healing wasn't one of them.
"Don't die on me," Ellie whispered. She didn't think she'd be able to take it, after losing Star and Suicune.
Then, after a long silence, Manectric shivered, and her jaws moved slowly. "I won't," she said, almost forcing the words, her eyes still closed. But she was alive.
Ellie nearly sobbed in relief, but another thought crossed her mind. "We…"
Now one of Manectric's eyes opened lazily, and she asked, "What…?"
Ellie swallowed. "We're done. Let's go back."
"Back to Xatu and the others?" Manectric murmured quietly.
"Yeah."
"A failure?"
Ellie was silent. "No," she said, her resolve once again hardening, her mind clearing. "We haven't lost yet… There's still hope."
Manectric nodded, but when she tried to get to her feet, she staggered again, falling with a thud. She gritted her teeth in anger. "Is… is there a tunnel around here?"
Ellie thought for a moment. "Yeah," she finally said, smiling faintly. "Yeah, there is."
"Help me up?" Manectric asked, coughing blood. "I don't think… I can walk that far right now. Maybe when we get back in the tunnels, I'll rest."
Using one leg and her shoulder, Ellie supported the canine with her own body, and began to trudge a little more to the left. "It isn't that far. Thank Arceus that it's outside the Ice Region…"
They walked on in silence, leaving a trail of blood from Manectric's wounds.
"What… what should we tell them?" Manectric finally asked.
"Azelf and Uxie will help us. Suicune… would've," Ellie choked on unshed tears, remembering the elegant Pokémon's death. "Mesprit and Rayquaza… refused."
"No, about Star."
The one topic Ellie wanted to avoid.
She shook her head sadly, failing to fight the tears that welled up now. "I don't know."
Now they came to a small cluster of bushes. Ellie shouldered her way through one into a smaller grove of some sort. She paused.
"What… what's wrong?" Manectric asked, coughing.
"It… The tunnel. It should be here. I probably just took a wrong turn or something. Wrong grove. Come on." Ellie shoved her original panic down, then walked past another bush. No tunnel entrance.
"What…" Ellie swore. "It was here, I swear—"
The snow behind them shifted suddenly, and Ellie whirled around, accidentally letting Manectric slide onto the snow, letting out a grunt. She got back up, but the effort proved to be too much for her, and she laid back down, sighing something about unfairness.
"Sorry," Ellie stammered, then tensed as the snow in the grove they'd just been in shifted again. Then, a figure forced itself out, green head, white wings…
"X-Xatu…?" Manectric breathed.
The figure froze, then turned its body to face them. Ellie screamed suddenly, but it wasn't hard to figure out why. Manectric's body tensed beside her.
Xatu's eyes were bloodshot, and tears streaked her face. Her head tilted to one side, making it seem like it was simply hanging there. Blood streaked her body and wings, covered in grime and dirt, probably as she had attempted to climb out. And in those very wings, covered in wounds and even more blood…
In her wings, was the dead and bloodied body of a Poochyena.
XXX
He was still holding a waffle.
That was Manectric's first thought. She didn't know what she could say, or do.
"Xatu, what's wrong with him?" Ellie asked hesitantly.
The majestic bird jumped for a moment, as if just realizing they were there, although she had definitely shown signs of seeing them earlier. "Eevee…?" she murmured.
"Ellie," Ellie corrected gently. "Is he…?" she choked on her words, but lifted a paw to point at the Poochyena.
Xatu mourned. "I couldn't save them… None of them…" She raised her face to the sky and asked deliriously, "How could I? They came on us with fire and destruction and killed us all…"
"Was it the Authorities?" Manectric demanded. She still felt weak from her injuries, but she had to find out.
Xatu looked at her sadly. "Yes."
Ellie let out a sob of fury, crumpling to the ground in distress. "No… why…?"
"They've already destroyed half the Regions," Xatu said, and Manectric's eyes widened. "Many of the Pokémon have indeed evacuated, and several of the other Regions have given them refuge, but most, like us…" She shook herself. "You must save the others," she said fiercely. "You must…"
"Half…?" Manectric repeated. She felt like she wouldn't be able to take in this shock. "Already?" But Xatu wasn't paying attention, and let the Poochyena's limp form fall to the blood-stained snow. She staggered over towards Ellie slowly.
"Have you… found allies…?" the bird asked, halfway over.
"Some," Ellie began. She shared a look with Manectric, hesitant. "Two would not agree… and one is dead now."
Xatu stopped, her eyes flickering. "I… I see…" Then she finally noticed what Manectric had been hoping she would not. "Where is Star?" She still spoke with that same delirious confusion.
Silence.
Manectric spoke carefully, "He's missing."
An even heavier silence hung in the air. Then Xatu let out a heart-wrenching sob. "You failed me…"
Ellie looked confused and flashed Manectric a questioning glance, but Manectric herself was frozen with horror, already knowing what Xatu meant.
"Protect them. Please. And I pray that we will all be saved."
"I… couldn't protect Star," Manectric said quietly, and Ellie looked even more confused.
"Manectric…? What did Xatu tell you to do?" she asked nervously.
Manectric wouldn't answer, gritting her teeth as the guilt weighed her down. I'm sorry.
The solemn bird slowly looked back up, turning her dark gaze on them. "Your fault…" she suddenly mumbled quietly. She took a step forward, giggling childishly. She began to shake dangerously and Manectric flinched, trying to get back on her feet in panic. Ellie looked frozen in shock.
"It's all your fault… We're all doomed to die…" Xatu murmured. Her eyes widened and her wings fell at her sides, hanging limply and dragging through the snow as the bird continued to trudge towards them, leaving a dark crimson stain behind her. She suddenly screeched, laughing, "Your fault!" and lunged towards Manectric. "Your fault! All your fault!"
Manectric was too stunned by this sudden display of insanity and Xatu crashed into her, claws outstretched. Manectric had already been weakened greatly, and black spots danced across her vision as they tumbled through the snow. Xatu raised her claw to attack, then suddenly froze, laughter fading to silence. Tears filled her empty gaze.
"You've all betrayed me…" she whispered sadly, then fell from Manectric, a wound that could not be healed scored into her back.
Ellie stood behind Xatu's still form in horror. "I… I only…" Her paws were red.
She shook her head, then tried again, swallowing hard, "I only tried to…"
Not being able to take in what she had done, the distraught Eevee trembled, then collapsed to the snow. "I didn't mean… Why did I…?" Ellie broke down then, heaving great sobs of angst and distress.
Manectric approached her quietly, staggering to her despite her wounds. Her vision was flashing. "I'm sorry," she said softly, nuzzling Ellie in comfort. "I'm sorry."
"She went insane… Of all Pokémon…" Ellie whispered.
"You saved my life," Manectric murmured sincerely. Her heart felt heavy in her chest as she watched Ellie cry. "Thank you."
The Eevee looked up, and she suddenly looked very small. She nodded, trying to force a smile. "Y-yeah…" Then that smile faded away. "All the plans I had… they're all obliterated now that Xatu and the others are…" She shook herself. "What are we going to do…?"
Manectric thought for a moment, but her thoughts were fuzzy. "I think… we need to find somewhere to rest. I need to heal up, and… well, I guess we'll have to call on Uxie and Azelf. We're the only ones left."
Ellie nodded, but she was still frowning. "That other half of the Ice Region is burned down, but we can probably find a place to stay and heal up. Maybe find some herbs or something…" She winced. "Then I guess we'll make a plan and storm the Center with Uxie and Azelf… if they really can help us."
Manectric groaned. "I don't know if I can walk that far right now… I'll try."
Ellie stood, silent. She helped Manectric up and supported her as they trekked to the Ice Region.
XXX
"How long do we have to wait?"
"You know what will happen if I do this," a voice pleaded mournfully.
"I know what will happen if you don't!" the other snapped back.
Silence.
"I'm sorry… Just… just give me a little time, please…?"
Slowly, grudgingly, "You're the last piece of the puzzle. Fulfill this one last order, and it's all over."
"I know." Then again, much more softly, "I know."
XXX
The Ice Region was deserted. Hopefully, they had completely retreated.
Ellie sighed. It was no use mourning anymore, was it? The destruction would just continue… She nudged Manectric towards a small home, forged of ice. The top was still intact, but part of one wall had partially melted. The top itself probably would fall in a day's time, but they wouldn't be staying here that long anyway.
Xatu… Ellie nearly choked at the thought.
Xatu was dead.
Why were so many of her friends dying and disappearing?
Xatu had acted as a parental figure to her all of Ellie's life. She had guided her steps all the way, and helped her through her hardest moments. And yet, when Xatu needed her most, she'd sided with Manectric. Ellie had killed Xatu.
She'd acted so suddenly… One moment she was standing, frozen on the spot, watching as Xatu flew at Manectric. The next, the lifeless bird had fallen, and Ellie's paws were a dark crimson. Shock coursed through her as her actions finally reached her mind.
For a second, Ellie had nearly laughed in derision. Why? Why did I do that?
And then agony, pain, and sorrow overwhelmed her all at once, taking control over her emotions, already beaten down until the slightest crack would break the fragility of her mental state then.
She hated admitting it. She hated how she was so weak now, how she'd cry so easily these past few days.
"Xatu told me…" Manectric began quietly, and Ellie eased her to the snow under the run-down shelter.
"Yeah?"
The Electric Pokémon swallowed. "She said to protect you and Star… and keep you both safe…"
"Manectric—"
"But I failed," Manectric said angrily, letting her head rest on the snow that was gathered under her. "I failed and now we have no idea where or how Star is… It's my fault for Xatu's outburst, and it's my fault that she's now… now…"
"It isn't your fault," Ellie countered sharply. As much as she wanted to believe Manectric's words, she knew she was wrong. "He left for some reason that… None of us know… You couldn't have stopped him then…" And he kissed me then. Did that mean he loves me?
Manectric was crying. "I know… I know, but…" Her shoulders shook with misplaced guilt. "I just can't take much more of this…"
Ellie was silent and Manectric continued quietly, in a whisper, "I lost everyone in the Arena last year." She sniffed. "Absol, Leafeon, Weavile, Arcanine… everyone I knew in that past week, suddenly gone. It feels so strange to talk about them now, you know?" Her voice cracked and she raised her head to look at Ellie, uttering a dry laugh. Her eyes were so mournful, glistening with tears.
"You don't have to…" Ellie trailed off as Manectric shook her head.
"No, let me… let me finish. It's like the Games are happening again… A full on massacre. I thought… I thought that with that last final speech I made at the end of the Games last year, I'd be saving lives… But no, instead… Instead, The Authorities brought the Games to the world. Don't you see? Why Star ran away, why there's so much insanity… All this death, Suicune, Xatu, half the Regions' Pokémon, it's all my fault. They know the Games couldn't continue, so now…" Manectric's head fell back to the crimson-tinted snow. She sobbed. "This is why I can't let my guilt go. This is all my fault. All of it."
Ellie didn't know what to say. Her jaw moved, but no sound came out. Her throat felt dry. Manectric's words just made so much sense that Ellie didn't want to believe her all of a sudden. Was this truly the reason? No, it couldn't be. There… had to be another reason…
"I'll look for herbs and stuff…" Ellie muttered, backing out.
She wandered around the empty Region, scavenging, searching for medicinal herbs, but not having much hope that she would find anything. She wanted Star to come back. She wanted Suicune to come back. She wanted Xatu to return to her senses and wrap her comforting arms around Ellie as she cried all her tears dry. She wanted the friend she couldn't remember anymore to return and show her the way.
But that's where we run into the wall. It's impossible. Impossible, see?
Ellie gritted her teeth and used her shoulder to push a large block of ice out of the way. Her shoulder stung from the chill, but she suppressed her urge to cry out in pain.
"So you've lost another."
She didn't turn around, immediately recognizing the voice. Him. Him. Why here? Why now?
"What do you want?" she snapped.
Silence. She whirled around, but no one was there. Wonderful. Now she was talking to herself.
Ellie turned her attention to the interior of the broken down home, feeling like an intruder. There were several various berries scattered around, two smashed into pieces. Ellie looked around cautiously. There was an untouched tablecloth still draped over a small table. It would have to do for now. She picked her way over to the table, pulling off the cloth, and then laid it out, gently placing the berries she could salvage on it. After opening several cabinets with doors also made of ice, she was able to find several bowls, and snapped a small wood rod off some other broken piece of furniture to place in her makeshift bag. She pulled the ends of the cloth back together, and then grabbed the ends in her teeth. Ellie was able to pull the bundle back to the shelter easily, and then looked over at Manectric, currently asleep.
She was still breathing, and the blood flow from her wounds had slowed to a steady trickle. But this was dangerous for her now. After the deadly beating she took from Rayquaza, she'd lost a lot of blood. It was a miracle she hadn't died yet.
Ellie pulled apart the bundle, then took out the bowl and several of the berries. She was no medicine expert, but she'd be able to mix something to replenish their health a little.
Then Manectric would have to pull through with her own strength. If she couldn't…
Ellie shook her head, then crushed the berries together in one bowl, mixing the thick fluid together using the wooden rod like a spoon of sorts. Survival. That had to come first.
But what was survival worth if they failed to bring down the Authorities in time?
XXX
The next morning, Manectric woke up, feeling slightly better. Well, it was kind of hard to tell at this point, how feeling good and feeling bad felt like.
Ellie had brought back several items yesterday. After eating whatever she made, they both fell into a long-awaited sleep, curled into the tablecloth she'd brought back with her. It was too bad the Ice Region had no use for blankets… it wasn't as cold as it probably could've been, but it was still harsh and cold, the wind biting into their fur as they slept. Ellie herself… she seemed a little off, thinking the whole time she was back.
"You're up?"
Manectric turned her head to face Ellie. "Yeah."
Ellie was silent then, dragging her paw through the snow several times. Her eyes were dark, brooding.
"Hey…" Manectric looked up as Ellie spoke, and she swallowed. "How did it feel, winning last year?"
Manectric tensed, frowning. "You know that's not a topic I like to talk about."
"I know, but… What did it feel like…?"
She winced, painful memories flashing through her mind. "I felt guilty. But you already know that. No satisfaction. Just pain."
Ellie was silent again. "What you said yesterday…"
"I don't want to talk about that either."
"It is your fault," Ellie broke in bitterly.
Silence.
"What?" Manectric's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
"When you gave that speech, it sparked a revolution. I wanted… I wanted to just live peacefully by Star, but after that speech, we've had no choice but to retaliate when we were attacked. And now I can't even be with the one I love. Because of you!"
"You're being irrational," Manectric snarled, standing and backing away. Her claws flexed in the snow.
"Oh, me? I'm the problem? You don't even care, do you?"
Manectric's eyes flashed. "Do you know how much I've suffered?"
"Do you know how much I have?" Ellie challenged. Her eyes darkened even more.
Electricity sparked from Manectric's coat, dancing over the ice behind her as the sparks ricocheted slightly. "No," Manectric said shortly. "I don't. But I do know we have to get going if we want to save this world."
"Is it even worth it?" There was a slight creaking noise as she spoke, but none of them paid much attention to it.
Manectric glared at Ellie, stunned that she was acting this way. "How can you say that?" she hissed.
"There's nothing left anyway—"
"I can't believe you're bringing this up again," Manectric said hatefully. "Right after Suicune's death, and now after Xatu—"
Ellie glowered. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare say her name."
"What, now you can't handle death? What happened?" Now Manectric's voice became almost pleading. "What happened to that strong, confident, Ellie I met by the tunnels that day? How'd she get reduced to the way you are now, huh?" Her voice rose. "What happened to you that changed you so much that now you can't even bear to hear the names of the dead like Suicune and Xatu? You won't even try to talk to me about Star—!"
"Don't say his name!" Ellie snapped. Another creak.
Manectric snarled. "That's it. I'm going to finish this and bring down Leader, whatever it takes, with or without you. Go and be your lonely and miserable self then! See if I care!"
"Fine," Ellie said coldly and with such finality… "Go on this suicide mission then. If you die, I'll be the one laughing." She stalked towards the exit bitterly, her movements stiff with tension.
Manectric grit her teeth. "Fine," she said, but her voice trailed off. Wait… no… Why are we fighting? "Wait…" she whispered. The Eevee didn't hear her.
"This is your fault! No one would be dead if it weren't for you!" Ellie snarled.
"Wait…" Manectric repeated, her voice still a confused whisper. She reached out, blindly stumbling forward towards her.
"I hate you!"
CRACK.
They both froze now. The ice around them started to shift, leaning in towards them. Manectric's eyes widened in horror as she realized what was happening.
Then a sudden resolve hardening, she hurled herself at Ellie, and rammed her shoulder into her, throwing her back like a ragdoll and out of the shelter.
Collapsing on the ground, Manectric suddenly found it hard to breathe. She laughed softly to herself, accepting what she knew was to come. "I was already nearly dead anyway," she sighed as the walls and roof of the shelter began to cave in. Her wounds had weakened her greatly.
I've avoided death for this long.
Seems reasonable that my luck would eventually run out, huh?
She smiled ruefully, closing her eyes as familiar laughter filled her ears, and let her mind and body drift.