Blah, Don't any of you clean your shoes?
Do you even know how many dirty Soles I've had to eat.
I can't believe you all made me do that!
Just for doing that to me, I'm doing this to you...
Did you know that Climax can also mean "Crowning Point"?
Do you love bittersweet irony and puns like I do?
I just might have Tarsa succeed after all.
You never know…
When it comes to the Last (official) chapter of this Story Arch.
Though after this blood bath, I may need to write another chapter just to clean up this mess.
National Suicide Hotline:1-800-488-3000
Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Light a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
Terry kept me immobilized on the center stone. The Priestesses stood with their backs to Terry and me. They kept their eyes on their respective Pokémon.
"Bring forth the sunlight," he motioned to the blond's Sunflora to summon a Sunny Day, "Rise and give us the energy to grow strong."
Even though it was near midnight, Sunflora's Sunny Day produced an artificial sun that was bright enough to eclipse the moon. Sunlight rained down on the stone site.
"Summon from the depths of the earth," Kenda's Vileplume dug its feet into the stone, "the dust of the earth which gives us form."
Vileplume released a storm of all the powder attacks at once. Poison powder, Stun powder, and Sleep powder mixed together to form a cloud. Vileplume followed with a pink cloud, Sweet Scent. These clouds swirled around within the ritual site.
"Bring forth the winds," he motioned for the Shiftry to use it's Gust, "the breath that fills us with life."
The Shiftry's winds grabbed the dust and forced it all into a column of wind. These winds surrounded the center piece, cutting Terry and me off from the outside world. The artificial sun topped off the tornado. It was… surprisingly beautiful.
Terry swiftly stripped the rope from my beak.
"(I'm so glad you're safe!)," I chirped.
"(What the heck do you mean by that?)," Terry yelled as he finished untying me, "(Never mind, you have to get out of here now!)"
"Creatures born from the fires of Hell, We banish thee to the depths of the earth," Tarsa called out, "Great Sango take our noble sacrifice to the heavens and rain down your Judgement of Thunder."
The Sunny Day fell down like a anvil. I flinched, but Terry caught it at the last second.
"(Move it! Shoo! Scram!)," Terry begged me.
"(Not without you.)"
"(You're crazy kid.)," Terry's Paws glowed a soft green,"(Now run, I'm risking everything to save you right now.)"
"(Go!)"
"(No!)"
"(Just Go!)"
"(No, I can't!)"
"(Give me one reason why not!)"
"(Because we made a promise, Terry!)"
"(How do you know that name!)," Terry snapped almost dropping the shining orb, "(No one's called me that for months. How could you know that name!)"
"(Terry…)," I ignored his questions, "(You were going to be the strongest Pokémon in Golnar.)"
"(What ar-)," Terry stood still as he continued to absorb the Sunny Day's energy. I just ranted on.
"(I was going to pass school with flying colors.)"
"(What sch-)," Terry growled.
"(We promised mom we were going to bring back a Trophy the size of a Swimming Pool!)"
Terry's eye's widened.
He didn't respond as the last of the Sunny Day's energy was Absorbed into his body.
"(It killed me last time I lost you.)," I shook. I could felt cold. It was as if, I said something that I shouldn't have.
Terry stayed quiet for a few more seconds before he sat down, "(Oh Mew...)"
…I killed them. Oh, God… I killed them all…
…It's my fault they're dead…
…But my curse… it's still here…
"So how did it go, Pseudo?"
"You lied to me," I screeched, "You said the curse would be lifted."
"And it has," Tarsa laughed, "the world is finally rid of you cursed Fabulists."
"Bastard," I swung at him with the cane. He caught it.
"Ah, the cursed Rod of Pulata, with the power to absolutely control plant Pokémon," He grinned as the cane was slipped out of my hands, "Did I forget to mention the price of using it?"
My legs were giving in. Tarsa stood there smiling at me, or at least I think he was. My sight was failing me.
"Using it even once can risk one's life. So sad for you. Now be sure to tell your father that I'll be seeing him soon," Tarsa blew a purple powder into my eyes. It burned worse than the pain in my abdomen. I felt the entire world spinning as I tumbled backwards. I fell onto my bed and listened as my heart slowed to a stop.
I could have sworn that I could hear someone clapping.
"Rendement Maximum, Tarsa," a dark voice said as the cold gripped onto me.
"So glad you enjoyed yourself."
"There were, an excellent, selection of bodies, to pick from," the man's voice change a few times in that single sentence, "how's this one for my form when I'm mortal."
"Yes, Derrick fits you well."
I heard a lighter, the fowl stench of smoke filled the air, "Blah, I just wish that he was a smoker though. Guess he'll have to get used to it."
"I'll get my prize now, right?"
"Not quite yet," the fiend had my son's voice as snickered, "There were complications."
"What!"
"Your mother interfered again."
I could barely hear them now.
"Damn that woman," Tarsa cussed, "Can't she see that I'm doing this for her."
"She feels that what you are doing is, how did she put it," Derrick's voice caughed, "Morally wrong."
…God bless Charlotte… she truly is the best cook we ever had… I thought as I could see the light.
"What does she know," Tarsa screamed, though to me it only sounded like a whisper, "I'm going to make that man pay for what he did to her, Even if it takes me a hundred years."
"If you feel that strongly about it," the voice took a second to enjoy his cigar, "Then how about I get you a nice gift to make the last four years worth while."
A claw stabbed it's way into my chest. It felt like a fire was ignited inside my lungs. I couldn't breath. The light was fading. It was slipping away from me. I was so close to the other side. My very soul was being torn from my body and put someplace else… into some place warm.
"Take care of your new master, Pseudo," that voice echoed in my head, "Or I'll be sure that you will never see your family again."
I watched as dark clouds swirled overhead. Lightning was jumping from cloud to cloud, preparing for it's attack on the Earth. From what I could recall about the Sango, they were supposedly the Gods of Thunder. That would mean Zapdos or Raikou.
"Now's the time, Jade," Tarsa turned to me, "Use it on them."
I stayed quiet. I was searching for their presence, but could feel nothing. Then where was Tyrone? He should of been back with help by now.
"Kill them or else…," Tarsa growled. I had to stall.
"I wont do it."
"No? Well then," Tarsa's eyes narrowed, "your little brother will pay the price."
"I don't have a little brother," I raised the medallion to his face, "Phoenix Ga-"
Tarsa knocked the wind out of me with the top of his cane to my stomach.
"Then I'll do it myself," he laughed as he released his Skuntank again, "Use Flamethrower."
The Skuntank shot off a fireball, but it was deflected by a burst of air. Shiftry had protected the tower of dust and his master.
"Tarsa, what are you doing," the dark head yelled, "that's not part of the ritual."
"How dare you defy me," Tarsa shouted, raising his cane, "Sit down!" Upon stamping the cane on the stone floor, all the Grass-type Pokémon fell to the ground without hesitation.
"Skuntank, use Flamethrower again."
"Shiftry Whirlwind!"
"Ignore her," Tarsa stamped again, and Shiftry paused. This time there was nothing to stop the fire ball from turning the powder tornado into a spinning firewall.
"Take hold of your Trainers," Tarsa ordered. The top of his cane emitted a strange light.
"The cane…," I realized a little too late. The Grass-types had no choice, but to comply. Vileplumn (Having short arms and being stuck to the ground) wasn't able to get a hold of Kenda. She just stood in terror of what was going on.
"You can't beat me. This item was given to me by a god," Tarsa laughed to himself, "Of course an item of this caliber comes with a heavy price, but when I'm this close to Divinity what's a little bit of one's soul."
"Phoenix Gat-," I didn't have time to use it against him as he kicked me.
"Stop this Tarsa," Kenda pleaded with him, "This is not what we wanted… what we strived fo-"
"Stupid Bitch! I'm in control here. Me! I will become a god! I will kill all of you to do it! And then I'll make you pay for all eternity for your insolence! You hear me!"
Tarsa was going mad with power. He raised his cane one last time, this time to hit me with it.
"(Leave my Aneki alone!)," Tyrone howled as he leaped onto the platform and bit down hard on Tarsa's leg.
"Gah, let go you Damn Mutt," Tarsa hit Tyrone instead of me, "I said let go! I'm the master here!"
No matter how hard Tarsa struck, Tyrone didn't lose his grip. He refused to let go of the leg, unless it was to get a better grip into it.
"Eat this," Karen threw a rock at Tarsa. Bulls-eye in the forehead! Tarsa's large body fell backwards off the platform, but took Tyrone with him.
"(No)," Tarsa's Skuntank seemed to wake up and jumped down after them.
"Are you alright, Jade," Brandy leaped onto the platform.
"I'm fine," I said as I got to my feet, "You have to put out that fire, quick!"
"Phineas, put out that fire," Brandy ordered his Totidile, "Hydro Pump!"
"(Okay Pops!)," Phineas released a geyser of water upon the firewall. The storm clouds faded away as the flames died down. The Treecko and Torchic were drenched in water. Terry ran off into the woods. The Torchic tried to follow him, but fainted almost immediately after the flames died down.
"No, Tyler," Brandy and Karen both jumped down to retrieve the Torchic.
"(Hey, you get back here!)," Tyrone barked and growled. Turned around to see that Skuntank was getting away with Tarsa on his back. Tyrone was unable to get up, most likely poisoned.
"Where do you think you're going," I made a mad dash after them. It shouldn't have been hard, but I was a little out of shape and I still had the wind knocked out of me.
"There they are," officers appeared out of nowhere, "Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut!"
"What the-," Kenda shrieked as the officers surrounded the area.
"Don't move we have you surrounded," Officer Jenny announced, "Tarsa Coiner you are under arrest!"
"(Stay back!)," Skuntank hissed, "(I've plenty of experience using this.)"
"He's a criminal Skuntank," I told him.
"(He's going to die if you touch him.)," Skuntank threatened with his tail, "(I can't let that happen.)"
"If Tarsa needs help then that should be even more reason for you to hand him over to Officer Jenny."
"(No, I wont. I can't.)"
"Jade, let me handle this," another man led by Louis, brushed his way past Officer Jenny, "Calm down Skuntank."
"Louis," I was shocked to see that he was alright, "Where were you?"
"I did like you told me to," Louis bounced his way into my arms, "If you're ever got into trouble, then get Uncle Smith."
"Uncle Smith," I looked at my uncle. He smiled. In all honesty, I didn't recognize him at first. I also told Louis to do that years ago. I couldn't believe that he remembered that.
"(You!?! Get away!)," Skuntank ran for it when he saw my Uncle Smith.
"How dare you threaten my niece. Come out Ninetails," the man appeared to release a black Ninetails to the field.
"Will-o-wisp," Uncle Smith called out. Matchless black flames swirled themselves around Skuntank and Tarsa.
"(No, let us go!)," he growled, wastefully firing random Flamethrowers at the black Will-o-wisps.
"It's over now." Uncle Smith took a few steps closer to them, "you can rest easy now."
"(Forgive me if I don't believe you, Tenma-ah-aaa-aaga-a…)," Skuntank shook for a moment, before stoping… completely frozen in place. For a few seconds, he continued to look like he was having trouble talking. Soon his eyes glazed over and fell flat under the weight of his master.
Dead.
Uncle Smith quickly ran up to it and closed its eyes, so Louis wouldn't cry.
"Votre travail est fait… Pseudo," Uncle Smith quickly prayed.
(end)
I really am sorry for ending the arch like this.
Believe me, I had no idea how to end this without it being even slightly awkward or having people going WTF.
The arch is finished, but I'm going to add a "clean up" chapter after this one.
Then I'll go on Hiatus.
I didn't lie, I just didn't expect that the ending would be this WTF-ish.
On a brighter note…
I just have just written my first official death in a story!
………… feels kind of bittersweet... ya know?
Well, Je ne parle pas de français mais…
Je peux le truquer.
Jusqu'à la prochaine fois!
REVIEW OR ELSE::::::::::::::::~~~~~~~~