CHAPTER 27

THE UMBREON

(FIGHT SCENEAT TOP, SHAYMIN HELPSBUT DARK, CARRY, AUSTIN. AND WILLARE SUCKEDINTO FUTURE? HEATHER KILLED?)

"...Help," Ashy squeaked. "Please."

Wylie jumped off his chair and walked a few steps forward. Very calmly yet very demandinly, he said, "Put. Her. Down."

"Why should we?" Craeg asked, his smirk widening. "Is the weasel going to kill?"

Wylie stood silent for a moment. Very uncharacteristically, he narrowed his eyes and warned, "...Yes. I'll signal for my friend on the roof to blow this place to bits."

Everyone in the room gasped, but I knew that Wylie was lying. He wouldn't hurt any of us. I was certain.

"No, you won't," Skun argued. He narrowed his eyes to slits and reminded Wylie, "You told me you would never kill. Not for yourself, not for anyone."

Wylie smirked evilly. (I almost frowned, it was so out of character.) "Oh, you stupid skuntank. You see, I'm not such an idiot after all. I had a feeling we'd meet with you here since the very beginning. After all, the conditions are perfect. We're at the base of an isolated mountain with next to no police and plenty of little shops to serve as distractions. You thought you could just come and kill us all. Well, I've decided that if we go down, you're going with us. That little piece of acting you just mentioned was just one part of it."

Skun bit his lip and his eyes widened. "The little weasel... Had a plan the whole time?"

"Couldn't have," Craeg muttered, shaking his head.

Wylie slowly raised his fingers in the air and put them in the position as if he were going to snap. "Your choice. You can put the girl down and get out, or we can all die right now."

Craeg narrowed his eyes and stared at Wylie for a long minute.

"Five," Wylie counted, his eyes narrowing further. "Four."

"Fine. You win this time, freak. Skun, put the girl down," Craeg instructed.

Skun threw Ashy across the room. She yelled as she flew but Wylie reached up and caught her, his eyes still narrowed.

"Now get out," Wylie said, spitting the words onto the ground.

Craeg glared at Wylie for just a moment before leaving, Skun on his trail.

Two minutes passed. Wylie suddenly gave a huge sigh and hung his head, closing his eyes. He stood like that for a second before standing tall and announcing, "That was all a lie, everyone. There's no one on the roof, no bomb, no nothing. I made all of it up, I swear on my life."

"But why?" a little nidorina who looked very young asked from across the room, her eyes wide. "I was so scared."

"I know, and I'm really truly very sorry," Wylie said softly, his eyes showing sympathy. "I didn't want the bad guys to hurt anyone."

"Were they the bad guys?" the nidorina wondered, nodding her head towards the door.

"They're the very bad guys," Wylie said, nodding. "They've hurt a lot of people. I didn't want you or your friends or my friends to get hurt, so I scared them away."

"Um," Ashy said. Wylie was still holding her.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Ashy," Wylie apologized profusely and placed her gently on the ground. "You aren't hurt, are you?"

"I'm not," Ashy said, shaking her head.

Wylie looked to the crowd of people. "Is anyone hurt?"

People looked around. Someone said, "No. Thank you."

"That was so brave of you," Ashy said to Wylie.

He shrugged modestly. "It was nothing. Just words."

"I disagree," Ashy said. She stepped up to him and kissed his cheek.

Wylie smiled a smile so wide that it touched his ears. Then he fell over and fainted.

Ashy started taking his heartbeat and things while we helped everyone get out safely. Spinda was left yammering to her cousin on the phone about the whole mess.

Austin walked over to stand above his still-fainted friend and said with a wide grin on his face, "What a dork."

"I think it's sweet," Ashy told Austin.

Austin's grin softened to a smile, and he shrugged. "I didn't say it wasn't sweet. In fact, I think it's pretty adorable. I only said he was a dork. And he is."

"Well," Ashy whispered to herself, lowering her head to look fondly at the floor with Wylie probably in mind, "Maybe he'll be my dork." She then looked up and Austin and said, "I'll take him back with me."

"Can you carry him?" I wondered.

"I think so," Ashy said, then smiled. "I'm stronger than I look. If not, I know some of the locals here. They'll help me."

"Alright," Austin said, nodding. "I'd like to go with you, but especially after this attack I have to stay with Team Sound."

"I know," Ashy told him. "And especially after this attack, I have to tell you to be careful. Isn't there any other day that you can come back?"

"It's better to get it done," Heather said softly, staring at the ground a bit sadly. She looked up at Ashy and said, "They'll come after us every day either way. It's just better that we get it done. The faster, the better, as they say."

Ashy looked away. "They also say that sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never hurt you. We all know that isn't true."

Heather walked over and gently put a paw on the glameow's slim shoulder. Ashy looked at her, and Heather said, "Thanks for caring for us, but we'll all make it home safe. I promise."

Ashy shook her head slowly. "I've been made promises since the day I was born. None of them have ever come true. Don't add another to the list."

Heather took her paw back and responded, "We'll be alright."

Ashy looked at her. "Okay. Good luck."

"Thanks," Heather said, smiling.

"Ow," came Wylie's voice from the floor.

"You're awake," Ashy realized.

"That I am," Wylie said, then he stood up easily. He looked over at us and said, "I think we should go now."

"You're coming back to the guild with me," Ashy said with determination in her voice. She looked at him with fierce eyes. "Let's go." Ashy turned to go and stepped towards the door, but Wylie didn't follow. She looked at him and said, "Come on." I noticed sadness and worry swirling in her eyes, but I could tell she knew he wasn't coming by the soft, bittersweet smile on her lips.

Wylie shook his head. "I've got to do my job, Ashy."

"I've got to do mine," she retorted. "Don't make it hard for me."

"I'm sorry," Wylie said. "Ashy, I'll see you soon. I promise."

Ashy shook her head slowly and squeezed her eyes shut. A tear slipped down her cheek. "Don't make a promise you can't keep, Wylie. Promises are just words that break the moment they touch the air."

Wylie ignored her last comment and walked over to her and gave her a hug. "Goodbye, Ashy. I'll see you again. I will."

Ashy, defeated, leaned into his embrace for a moment before breaking away. "Goodbye. Good luck." With that she turned and left.

"Thank you," Wylie said.

We all waited numbly until she was out of eyesight before slowly shuffling out of the building. Austin walked out first, Carry, Jared, and Heather following. I came after them. Wylie stayed behind just a moment. He turned and looked at the destruction. I stood behind him, eyeing him carefully for clues as to what he was thinking.

He just whispered, "Ashy, I promise I love you."

I left, following after everyone else. We waited at the mouth of the dungeon cave until Wylie joined us.

As we entered, I took one last look up at the huge mountain, wondering what doom might await us.

Author's Note:

No one's ever kissed Wylie, people, by the way.

On a random note: I really love Wylie's character!

It occurs to me now how fast Wylie and Ashy developed love for each other xD Sorry about the quickness of it all, folks.

Hope you all enjoyed!

P.S. Oh, SHOOT. This next part... is not fun.