Transformation: New Dawn
Chapter 13: road to ruin
A/N: In the last chap, we steered away from Cindy's dark course to show another path that may soon intersect it, but will it be in time? Let's find out!
Disclaimer: I do NOT own the pokemon franchise, Nintendo does. I also do not own the Transformation universe created by TurtlesandMonkeys; I am only borrowing it from her with permission. Swack16 owns Sarah and John, Lord Nalthren owns Akira and Omega corp., and I own Cindy.
CHIKA!
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Cindy grimly followed the Staraptor and Ninetales toward her eventual destiny. With each passing step she felt a little bit of herself weakening on the inside in her heart, a sinking pit of despair building in it. But she knew that if she didn't do this, Wilhelm would kill her and her friends. Is it even worth doing this, just to stay alive?
She wishes she were more nobler and self sacrificing so she could even say no in the face of Wilhelm, but it wasn't just her life on the line, but her friends as well, and it just wouldn't be fair for them to die on her behalf. I already lost one set of friends; I'm not losing another…
It's for them…
She saw the Staraptor stop and perch itself. It looked at her. "The humans are resting over there, by the fire."
Cindy stepped forward and saw the fire glowing and saw the human shapes. She stepped a little closer and saw a young man with a boy and a girl, all of them with blue hair. She stepped back when she recognized the face of the young boy. That boy from the woods...Aki…
She shook her head. Why did it have to be them? It wouldn't make any difference if these humans were total strangers, she felt wrong doing what she was about to do.
The Ninetales stepped behind her. "There they are. Bite them to prove your loyalty to the front and you're friends will surely live."
Cindy looked to the creamy fox. "But why are you allowing this? Can't you see its wrong?" The Ninetales turned her head away and snorted at Cindy. "You act as if you humans are the noblest creatures to walk the earth. Is it right that you capture us and use us only for sport and competition? We see this injustice done to our kind on a daily basis and not even one of you humans showed any nobility in attempting to stop it." She narrowed her eyes. "The world will not weep for the passing of the humans. You have already set yourselves on pats of self-destruction anyway; we are simply helping your race run down its natural course to extinction."
Cindy felt like firing a flame attack at the Ninetales right now, but she knew that could possibly risk the lives of her friends.
"…Will you attack too?"
The Ninetales smirked. "This is entirely your test. If you can bite at least one, then we'll assist you if necessary. Otherwise, you are on your own."
"The humans are beginning to slumber." The Staraptor said. The Ninetales gently pushed Cindy forward. "We'll be watching." She cooed. Cindy looked at her and then at her human targets ahead. …Here I go…oh please forgive me…
She felt a tear slide down her cheek as she took a step forward.
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Kyle stared at the starry sky with his arms crossed behind his head as he lay on his back, the sleeping bag up to his waist. Little Nauru and Aki were already tucked asleep in their bags. He smiled as he watched his brother and sister blissfully sleep. So peaceful…nothing can ruin this moment…
He sighed as he checked his clock, reading 11:45. Late night, and a bit risky considering this virus running around…
He reached for his pokebelt at his side, the first ball already clenched and ready to go should they be attacked. But it has been quiet lately and no incident has gone thus far.
Still…
He thought about how first his cousin goes missing, then his sister gets attacked and the village suddenly disappears the next day. It was at that point that Kyle's mother had become more wary about letting them take trips like this. It was very hard convincing her to let them come out tonight.
"I'm just afraid that I'll wake up one morning and fine one of you gone, turned into some wild animal and never coming home again…" He remembered her anguished expression. "Mom, don't worry, that won't happen. I'll make sure of it."
He stretched and felt himself yawning. Maybe if I close my eyes for a moment…
He closed his blue eyes and rested his head against his arm, the fire still burning, the bushes slightly rustling…
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Cindy swallowed the air deeply and felt her flames ruffle. She looked to the Staraptor. "…When would be a good time to attack?" She asked.
The Staraptor ruffled his feathers. "Any time with in the blessing hour, even before that works."
Cindy looked down and felt her legs tremble as she took another step out. Better do it now, so we can get far away from the screams before they happen…
She took another step forward and could hear the crackling flames. She took another cautious step, beginning to hear the soft breaths of the children as they slept. She felt another tear trickle down and took another step, the path a head feeling vast as if she'll never reach them. Still she walked until she saw one of the sleeping bags a few feet ahead of her. It was Aki, sleeping with his fist clenched and his head turned to the side as his chest exhaled and inhaled slowly, his soft breaths reaching Cindy's ears. It had to be him I was closest too… She cursed to herself. She thought about when his Beedrill first attacked Sarah, the fear in his eyes when he began to realize that attacking her was a bad idea. His face, so young…
She took another step when she heard him stir and gasped and looked around, seeing a bush nearby and she scurried to it before he began to rise and look around, then seeing nothing, he began to slump and went back to sleep. Cindy watched from her hiding place and saw how close she was. …This is it.
She stepped out of the bushes and walked over to his arm, the exposed skin right under her. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth.
Aki, forgive me…
"Mach punch!" She heard a voice call out and looked up to see a Monferno rushing at her and cried out as she felt the fist contact with her and sending her away from the boy. She hit a tree and winced as she slid down and looked up to see the Monferno by the young man with blue hair, Aki's older brother. Aki snapped awake and saw his brother standing there with a defensive posture. "Brother what's going on?" He asked with wide eyes.
"Pokemon attack, get Nauru and go!" Kyle ordered his brother as he stepped forward with his Monferno. Aki looked at Cindy and seemed to recognize her. "The Quilava again?"
"Aki, go!" Kyle said as Cindy was beginning to get up. She felt like running right there but she knew the others were watching. Shouldn't they help?
Kyle pointed at her. "Give it a scissor cross, now!" The Monferno nodded and began to run at Cindy with its arms in a crossing scissors position, but Cindy opened her mouth and released a plume of smoke, the monkey ambling blindly forward and slicing at the black cloud, the smoke clearing away to reveal nothing. It looked around when Cindy hopped from the bushes and tackled it. The Monferno however grabbed Cindy's arms and grappled her away from it in a toss. Cindy landed and fired a flamethrower at it, the Monferno taking the blast but recovering quickly. Cindy gasped and began to run as flames surrounded its fist and began to charge at her. She then stopped immediately and crouched as the Monferno tripped over her and toppled in surprise. She then rushed forward and bit it, closing her eyes tight. The Monferno cringed and began to shudder violently as the virus penetrated its system. Cindy only watched with sorrow as the Monferno clenched its head and cried out loud as it tried to fight against the rage building inside its mind.
"Monferno!" Kyle shouted out as he saw his friend reel from the Quilava bite. I knew it! It was infected...and now so is Monferno!
He pulled out his ball as Monferno began to tighten up as it gave in and looked at Kyle with a menacing stare. He pointed the ball at his former friend.
"Monferno retur-" His words were cut off as the monkey leapt at him and swatted the ball away. Kyle fell to the side as the Monferno leapt on him. He heard Nauru and Aki crying for him. "Kyle!"
"Aki, Nauru, get away!" Kyle shouted as he grabbed a fallen branch and stuck it in Monferno's open jaws. He saw the ball a few feet away from him and reached with one hand as he strained for it. Monferno was pushing against the branch tight, the wood buckling. Kyle strained even more, his fingers within a few tantalizing inches. Monferno grabbed the arm holding the branch and began to squeeze, Kyle wincing from the pressure. He stretched even more for the ball, his fingers almost around it as his other hand was beginning to go numb from the immense pressure, his grip on the branch loosening. Almost…there!
There was a snap as the branch shattered in Monferno's jaws and at that moment Kyle yelled and grabbed the ball and slammed it into the monkey's face, pressing the button and a red beam shot out, encasing the ape and sucking it inside the ball.
Kyle sighed in relief and rested his head back and saw the Quilava approaching again. He stood up and reached for another ball. "One down." he told it. "Another to go!" He tossed the ball and out came a Beedrill, the same one that attacked Cindy before. Cindy looked down. He just won't give up…
She bent down in a battling position and her flames ruffled.
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Aki and Nauru were running when Aki stopped and turned in another direction. "Aki, Kyle told us to run!" Nauru panted as she saw her brother heading back.
"I can't leave Kyle back there, I just can't!" Aki said back as he tightened his headband and picked up a stick. "I'm going to help him!" Nauru shook her head as tears came out. "But they'll get you too!"
Aki just stared at her before running back. "Aki!" she called out and began to follow him.
They came to a set of bushes by the campsite to see the Quilava staring down Kyle's Beedrill.
Beedrill began to fly with its stinger glowing and the Quilava looked up and fired a flame attack. Beedrill dodged and sailed at the Quilava but it dodged and Beedrill became stuck in the ground, its wings buzzing hard as it struggled to get up. It was soon peppered by embers and cried out as the flames stuck its body. The Beedrill then collapsed and Kyle recalled it. He looked at the Quilava and picked up a piece of branch as the Quilava continued its slow advance…
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Kyle recalled Beedrill and muttered. Man, Beedrill was my last shot…should have brought the others…
He looked around and picked up a piece of fallen branch and stared at the Quilava head on. It's not going to get me with out a fight!
"Come on!" he shouted at the fire shrew as he swung the branch. The Quilava looked to a set of bushes with nervousness then looked back at Kyle and began to advance nervously at him. Kyle watched the Quilava carefully as it walked closer to him. Something is not right here…
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Cindy looked to the bushes and saw that the Ninetales and Staraptor were not even moving to help her. She saw the boy named Kyle hold a branch and stare at her in defiance. He just won't give up…She shuddered as a thought entered her mind. Just like John…
She felt like tearing herself to pieces right there. This was like fighting her love, and it was shredding her apart by the second. Why did he have to be like him! She felt a tear enter her eye. If she were fighting John, she wouldn't dare hurt him in anyway. But Sophie and the others…no…this is wrong…
She looked up at Kyle and shook her head. Every time she saw his defiant eyes, they reminded her of John. She felt like screaming right there.
"QUILAVA!" She found herself screaming as she screamed to the ground and let the tears fall freely. I can't…I can't…
Suddenly she heard a flamethrower shoot out and strike Kyle in the shoulder, the boy screaming as the flames singed his skin. He dropped the branch and fell to the side, clutching his burned shoulder.
"Kyle"! She heard Aki's voice and saw him run out of the bushes.
"Now, while the time is right, do it now!" The Ninetales ordered Cindy. Cindy looked to the Ninetales with burning anger. "NO!" She then fired a flamethrower at the fox and struck it in its surprised face, sending it to a tree. Cindy felt a branch hit her on the side of her head.
"Stay away from my brother!" Aki yelled as he stood in front of Kyle. Kyle got up. "Aki…no…stay back…" he said weakly. Aki shook is head. "No, you need me!"
"Aki, go now!" Kyle said as he got up holding his burned shoulder.
Cindy looked at this and heard the Ninetales get up. "little runt…consider your lives forfeit." The Ninetales growled. Cindy's eyes widened. "No, wait!"
She felt a blow in the back of her head and saw that Kyle had struck her with the branch and held her down, pushing the branch against her back. "Aki, Nauru… go now!"
The hands on Kyle's clock slowly drifted to the 12 on his clock as midnight began and some screams from somewhere. Kyle looked up.
He suddenly felt a stinging as the Quilava he pinned down sank its teeth into his hand. He gasped as his eyes widened to the blood beginning to flow from the wound. The Quilava ha tears running down its face as if pleading for forgiveness.
Kyle felt a tingling sensation shoot through his body….
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Cindy felt herself growing lightheaded as Kyle pushed the branch tighter. Suddenly the screams broke out and he lessened his grip as he looked up. Cindy saw his hand so close to her. The Ninetales and the Staraptor looked in the air when they heard the screams and the Ninetales glared at Cindy. "Consider your lives forfeit…"
Sophie, Steve, Warren, Hakura…
Sarah…
She felt herself opened her mouth and felt Kyle's flesh enter her mouth as her teeth penetrated his skin and she felt his blood run through the broken skin.
She bit him.
Kyle then snapped upward from the bite and Cindy felt the branch slide off her and turned to see his shocked face, her eyes pleading forgiveness. He stared at her with shock and confusion. She heard the boy Aki cry out for him. "Kyle!"
What have I done?
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Aki saw Kyle look at his bleeding hand in shock and look at him and Nauru.
"Kyle" he found himself tearfully crying out.
Kyle's eyes then snapped wider as he felt a pain enter his system and he buckled as he felt pain ignite every nerve in his body.
Kyle's face began to change first, his nose suddenly snapping with a loud crack and melting back into his face, leaving the two holes. His ears began to crack and stretch becoming pointed and shifting to the top of his head. He screamed as his face restructured itself and began to shift forward and become more pointed. His blue hair began to fall off in strands as his fingers began to twist and crack and blend together to become his new paws. His arms then began to shrink shorter and shorter until they became his new forelegs with stubby paws at the end. His legs began to shrink smaller and smaller as his neck began to thicken and become the same width as his head and body. His clothes began to drape around him and his skin began to turn a creamy color as blue began at the tip of his nose and covered his back and sides, leaving a creamy underside for his Quilava body. He began to shrink a little smaller as his head suddenly ignited and the embers rested on his draping clothes and set them ablaze. Cindy watched with painful tears as the clothing was reduced to smoldering ashes and blew away from the changing body, a set of flames erupting from the rear.
Kyle was now a Quilava.
Cindy saw the newly formed Quilava open his eyes and saw the wildness in them. "Quilava!" it cried. Cindy stepped back with tears and began to weep for the Quilava's lost humanity.
Aki reached for the Quilava that was once his brother with tears. "Kyle!" Nauru just fell to her knees and began to let the tears fall freely, shaking her head. "No no no no!" She clutched her head as Aki reached for the Quilava that then began to stare at them before rushing for the forest.
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Cindy stared at the scene with the most biting sadness she ever felt. It was just like her when she lost her friends, and now she had inflicted that pain to someone else.
Oh god, if only I can just die right now…
She then turned to the boy Aki who was trembling toward the ground with tears and then he looked at Cindy with an intense look.
"You...YOU MONSTER!" He screamed as he rushed at the Quilava with his fist balled up. Cindy gasped and fired another smoke bomb, the black smoke stalling the boy as he coughed. She then rushed for the bushes, leaving the boy to claw at the sky and land on his knees as he punched the ground. "Kyle! KYLE…"
He's right…I am a monster…
His weeping words will never escape her mind.
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…this was probably the darkest chapter I ever wrote.
I wanted to show Cindy as a reluctant fighter in the battles and didn't want this to be a sneak-in-the-dark style bite. One of the more interesting things about her is when she compares Kyle's determination to John's. One reason I gave him a Monferno was because I was currently raising one in my Pokemon Platinum game, but now I think it definitely fits since it likened Kyle to John. Well, please review…
Jonseycat, out.