Chapter XL: Showdown
Hello again, everyone and welcome back to "Darkness Falls!" Sorry for the delay, but we had to rework a section. We hope you like the rework that we came up with. So on with the story!
Last time, Violet left the infirmary with her friends and went to the Obelisk girls' wading pool/ hot spring. She had to fight Mary off and then asked Annie to go with her back to their suite. Annie complied and then Mary attempted to kill Annie. Violet took control and fled, while Annie passed out. The gang found Annie, while Violet took refuge in the Horakhty dorm, Mary continuing to torture her. And so our story continues…
Disclaimer: Please see the previous chapters… Our lawyers, if we had any, would thank you.
As Mary continued to mentally torture Violet, the small strike force headed toward the once-stunning Horakhty dorm. "I keep expecting this to be a mirage," Yusuke Fujiwara sighed as the old building came into view. "I keep expecting the dorm to turn back into what it was years ago... But it's not going to change..."
"Well, who knows? Maybe they'll decide to renovate it like they did the Slifer dorm," Alexis replied musingly.
"It was a great place... I remember when Atticus and I played pranks on Zane," Yusuke snickered.
"Pranks?" Jaden asked eagerly, his brown eyes lighting up with mischief.
Alexis sighed. "That doesn't surprise me... He still plays pranks on Zane, as well as anyone else in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Yeah... but ours together were priceless... when I felt like it," Yusuke stated. "We actually got his boxers up on the flagpole one time..."
Syrus's eyes nearly popped out of his skull at that. "You did?! He never told us about that!"
"I'm not surprised. The mighty Kaiser... with Kuriboh boxers... Not something he'd mention," Yusuke said drily. Despite the seriousness of their current situation, everyone cracked up.
"You're right. He never told me about that either," Alexis snickered, smirking.
The gang's laughter was abruptly broken on the edge of the woods next to the dorm as Axel's army boot crunched down on something. He looked down to see something silvery, about the size of a first-generation Apple iPhone. "Guys... she's definitely been by here," he stated, picking up the PDA. The PDA had a pink border around its edges, and on the back was a large Watapon decal. Students were allowed to decorate their PDA, so long as it was appropriate and didn't harm the PDA or the PDA system.
"This is Violet's... Nobody else has a Watapon decal like hers," Annie murmured, examining it carefully. "She must've... she threw it... She's trying to keep us away."
Some of the group looked over at the abandoned dorm, sitting there like the cliché buildings in horror movies or games looking all innocent. And then as soon as you enter, all Hell breaks loose and you're trapped. "She doesn't want anyone else getting hurt," Rosa stated; that exact thought was in everyone's mind.
"Well... I have to go in there... Mary's telling her that she'll always be alone and that we won't be there for her... I've got to prove her wrong," Annie said softly, eyes burning.
"Sam Hill, Private Annie, she's already out for your blood!" Tyson yelped.
"I know... and if it comes down to it, it's Mary or me... I fear no evil," she murmured. An unusual peace was descending upon the dark-haired girl.
"Annie," Syrus said softly, taking her hand. He looked at her with a concerned frown, the same emotion radiating from his big, silvery eyes. "I don't want you to get hurt again... maybe worse..."
She was starting to feel the pain in her cheek again from the damage Mary had inflicted. And again Annie could see in her husband-to-be's eyes what nearly losing her had done to him. But she also knew she could not back down, and she could not allow other people to do this for her. "Honey," she murmured, pulling him into a strong hug, "I have to do this. Violet has to know I mean what I said, that I would put my life on the line to get her back. And I think that she will be able to hold Mary back. Syrus... I have to, like you had to do what you did when Jaden was missing..."
Syrus hugged Annie back, holding her close and listening to what she said. Yes, he knew all of that. Yes, he knew he'd done much the same thing. He just couldn't help but be protective of her after all that had happened. He couldn't lose her now, not after all they'd been through together. Syrus sighed, realizing what he had to do as well. "Then... then I'm coming with you. I'm not letting you face her by yourself. I want to be able to protect you if something happens."
Her face softened, and she got a small smile on her face. "Okay... I figured you'd go in with me... We'll get her back... We have to... and not just for her..." What didn't need to be spoken was that if Violet could not be saved, Bastion would be lost as well. And the same theory applied if Bastion could not be saved; Violet would be lost soon after. It was not only for them that this was true, however. The four main couples, who had strengthened their bonds first as friends and then as lovers, all had that weakness. If their love was lost, they would be in some way, shape, or form as well. Bastion had been lost to Darkness after Violet, and Tyson was nearly lost to that same Darkness after Rosa. Back in the present time, Syrus nodded seriously. "You're right. We need to go in there and help her, and bring her back." He meant this in both the physical way and the mental way.
"Okay... let's go." The group arrived at the gates of the dorm and though the place looked innocent, they could sense malevolence. Annie took a deep breath, going forward. "VIOLET!" she shouted. "I'M COMING IN!!!" She knew yelling out was risky, but at least Violet would know Annie had followed her.
There was no answer, so a smaller group headed inside. It consisted of Annie and Syrus, as well as the four strongest boys; Axel, Adrian, Jim, and Tyson. It was dim and quiet in the dorm, everything still and unmoving. Syrus pulled out one of the flashlights they'd brought with them and turned it on. "Well, let's start looking."
"Violet," Annie called.
"Sam Hill... Syrus... this place is... like we're in an episode of Scooby Doo," Tyson muttered, unable to hide some apprehension.
"You aren't scared, are you?" Axel asked with a mischievous look in his eyes.
"'Course not... are you?" Tyson answered, trying to look as tough as he could.
"Nope..."
"How 'bout we keep quiet so we can listen for her, mates?" Jim stated, glancing at the two army boys. After all, he was used to tracking animals back home, and the same rules about being quiet applied to searching for a person.
"Good idea," Adrian agreed, softly. "But no one splits up, even though we'd cover more ground..."
Annie caught something in the dust of the floor. "It's her... I see her footprints," she whispered, pointing at definite imprints. They led to a bedroom off the common room and Annie tiptoed forward. She moved close to the door, noticing that no one had exited the room. "She's here... I know she's here."
"What should we-" The sound of something hard hitting the wall, followed by shattering glass interrupted Syrus.
Violet had been mentally arguing with Mary's reflection, and in a fit of desperation had thrown a table lamp at the mirror. Of course both had shattered, and she now stared shakily at the pieces. 'They look sharp... Maybe... It would stop her... Everyone would be safe,' she thought, breathing heavily. Violet reached down and grasped a jagged-looking piece of the mirror, wincing as it cut into her hand. Her back was to the door, and she had no clue that her friends were just outside.
Annie opened the door and saw her best friend holding the deadly implement and knew she had to be the one to stop it. "VIOLET! NO!" she shrieked, running forward and wrapping her arms around the purple-headed girl. "I won't let you!" She was holding Violet from behind, as tightly as she could.
Violet tensed in shock, still gripping the piece of mirror as she craned her neck back to see Annie. "A-Annie? What... are you doing here?" she stammered. She placed her free hand on the shorter girl's arms, pulling out of the hug so that she could turn to face her fully.
"I told you... I'm not leaving you alone," Annie answered, her eyes burning intensely. "You're my best friend and if you're in trouble, I'll help you fight... even if it means I'm putting my life on the line to do it!"
"But Annie... I hurt you... And she wants to do it again... I can feel it..." Mary was tapping at the edge of her consciousness again, obviously working to take control.
"Let go of that glass... Violet, please..." Annie could sense what her best friend was thinking. "You... can't... I won't let you..."
Violet's head dropped, bangs shadowing her eyes as she gripped the already bloody glass. "I… I can't..."
"I won't let you hurt yourself... Violet, you can't..."
"N-No... I can't... because I... I..." Violet lifted her head to reveal blazing red eyes. "I need it to KILL YOU!!" Mary shouted, moving to charge at the unsuspecting brunette.
"ANNIE!! Look out!" Syrus yelled, glad he'd been standing only a foot or two behind his fiancé. He ran forward, slamming into Mary's mid-section so that they both hit the ground.
The wind was knocked out of her, but she managed a few words. "Why… you... little... DIE!" Mary growled out, lifting up the makeshift weapon.
Annie charged back, ready to take the blow, but Tyson, Adrian, Axel and Jim raced in and managed to grab Mary/Violet. "No way you're hurtin' her, Mary!" Tyson growled.
"You aren't going to get free," Adrian added, holding her as tightly as he could without hurting her.
"And we can stop you," Axel stated as calmly as if he were dueling.
"Now don't make us get violent with you," Jim added in warning.
Mary scoffed, obviously unphased by their words as she dropped the piece of glass. "Well of course I won't be able to fight four against one. That's just plain unfair. But that doesn't mean I'm giving you what you want."
Annie was down at Syrus's side. "Are you all right?" she asked him, holding his hand as she checked him for injuries.
He nodded, sitting up. "I'm fine. A little dizzy from when I crashed into her, but that'll go away. Are you okay?"
"I will be," she stated, helping him up. "Guys... let her go... If Mary's going to be stopped, I have to help... no matter the cost..."
"Annie, are you sure? Shouldn't we go somewhere a bit safer?" Jim questioned, frowning.
"You should listen to your friend, you know. I don't need much to kill you. One hand is plenty," Mary stated in a light tone.
Annie looked at the burning red eyes, the calmness coming back into her. "It won't matter where I confront you, because you want me dead... And I'd rather deal with you now, because I know something you don't care about, Mary..."
"Oh? And what's that?" Mary countered, smirking.
"Bastion loves her, and right now, he needs her... He will never stop loving her... and he will fight hard to keep you from taking her over, and I won't give up on Violet... I will fight this through with her, even if you decide to kill me... She is like my sister, and I won't let my sister be destroyed by you!"
Mary stared blankly at Annie, like she had said something utterly stupid. "Destroyed by me? I'm the only one who doesn't want to destroy her, you stupid girl!"
"Well, we don't want to destroy her," Tyson growled, ready to grab her again if it came to that. "We're her friends and we ain't abandonin' her..."
"HA!! You say that now; so did her old friends. And look what happened. Feelings change. I'm the only one she can count on to stay by her side forever, because I'm part of her," Mary shot back, arms crossed over her chest.
"Tell us, Mary...why would we knowingly go here to bring her back if we weren't her friends?" Axel asked, dark eyes meeting the blood-red ones.
Mary rolled her eyes. "Like I said, you may feel this way now. But that doesn't mean you always will. Triana, Mike, and Cherri all would have done this had it happened before the incident. But that doesn't mean it would have changed anything."
Adrian also met her eyes. "Then how do you explain away Bastion going so far as risk his health and his life to get her back from the woman who tried to have him first? He turned her down and took her down to save Violet!"
Mary smiled. "I know. If there's one person out of any of you I'd trust to stay with her, it's him. But he's not good enough. I've given him every chance possible to prove himself, and every time he failed. If he can't protect her, then he's the same as the rest of you."
"Because he couldn't be in two places at once? You can't be in two places at once, Mary," Annie countered dangerously. She was going to fight the dark half of Violet with everything she had in her head, heart and body if necessary.
"I don't need to be. I'm right here with her at all times," Mary reminded simply.
"But you can't protect her..."
"And why not?!" That seemed to definitely hit a nerve with Mary. How dare Annie make such a false statement!
"Could you protect her from Mike or Taniya? Could you stop them? If you could, why didn't you?" Annie demanded, eyes flashing.
"I told you! I was testing Bastion! And as for the first time that monster harmed her, I wasn't fully formed yet. It was that incident that gave me real consciousness," Mary explained deftly. She wasn't giving up that easily.
"What about in Cleveland? What about then?!" Annie wouldn't let up. "Or back in South Royalton? What about then?!"
"Well that's simple. And this should make you quite happy," Mary stated, looking away with a frown. "She suppressed me. I could have easily taken over and killed her attackers. But she was scared. She didn't want them harmed. It's why she herself didn't lay a hand on them. And trust me, she could have."
"It's because killing won't solve the problem, and you know she'd end up in jail," Annie answered evenly. "In case you've forgotten, Mary, she'd get charged for your actions..."
Mary's brows furrowed, fists clenching. "Killing will solve the problem. Once you're dead you can't hurt that person any longer. Death solves everything, and I'll solve all of her problems."
"So you're saying you'll get rid of her?!" Annie demanded, eyes wide as she understood a very dark possibility. If Mary had to, she could take control and kill Violet and herself with one stroke. "Is that it?!"
"I'd leave before laying a finger on her, idiot! Don't accuse me when you don't understand!" Mary countered fiercely, eyes blazing like two burning coals.
"Well, what did you just say?! 'Death solves everything, and I'll solve all of her problems!' What does that mean?" Annie shouted.
"That means if I find anyone to be a problem, I'll kill them! And that includes every one of you!" Mary answered just as loudly.
"Well, what happens when your actions get her arrested for multiple homicides? Do you think you can kill everyone?!"
"I can very well try. And if I fail her, then I deserve the same death as anyone else."
"And what happens to her?" Annie asked, dropping her voice to a calmer tone.
Mary's gaze dropped to the floor. "I don't know. I'm only doing what she wanted to do all those years ago."
"So you just want to do what you want to do, and she takes the fall and you disappear... How convenient," Annie stated bluntly.
Mary's fists clenched as her eyes closed tightly. "I told you! I'm only doing what she wanted to do!"
"She may have wanted to, but she held back because she knew it ultimately wouldn't solve anything. She'd still be hurt and the pain wouldn't end with them; it would grow. So she'd go out into the night, trying to find someone else to take out her pain on," the dark-haired girl continued calmly. She had to break through to Mary, to Violet… This had to work.
"Then what do you suggest?!" All that Mary had been created from was being torn to pieces.
"She needs to talk it out, and face what's hurting her. Instead of hurting other people because she's in pain, she needs to confront that pain and deal with it. And she needs to let the people who love her help her. And I would give up my life if it would help her." Annie held Mary's gaze, the truth showing in her blue eyes.
Mary looked away, frowning deeply. "Killing, hate, and anger is all I know."
"Then look through her eyes," Annie said. "See through her mind... and know love... know the truth of it..." Annie took a step forward, taking her life in her hands. She knew this creature was capable of murder, and yet she had to try to convince her of the truth of humanity's good side. "There is love and joy in this world... Violet knows it... And she knows that I won't abandon her, and the pain is not forever. And Mary... you don't have to know only hatred, anger or killing... it doesn't have to be that way..."
"But that's how I came to be. How can I change that?"
Annie took another step forward. "Let me try..."
Mary blinked. "What?"
Annie took another step, holding out her arms, completely vulnerable. "Let me show you one thing about love between friends..."
Mary stared at her. "Uh... what are you doing??"
"I'm going to hug you..." The boys looked at each other, wondering if Annie had gone crazy.
"Annie... are you sure?" Syrus asked worriedly. If Mary decided to spill Annie's blood during the hug… He didn't want to think of the possibility.
She nodded. "Mary needs to know..."
"How can you trust me like this? I can kill you right now," Mary stated.
"Because you're part of Violet," Annie answered simply. "And look through her eyes... see how we've always been..."
Mary fidgeted. The only thing holding her back from killing Annie was the possibility of helping Violet even more this way. "I… don't know how to hug exactly," she muttered.
"Hold your arms out... and look through her mind, and then do as I do," Annie said calmly. She knew Mary could hurt her, but she knew so much hung in the balance if she didn't do something. Mary hesitantly moved her arms up, holding them out like Annie was. She tried to focus on the fact this would help Violet, and that's what she wanted. Annie moved forward and wrapped her arms around her friend's body, trying to help the dark soul that possessed Violet's body. "It's okay," she murmured. Mary tensed, slowly returning the hug and obviously unsure. But she felt something melt on the inside, and seconds later Violet's body went limp in Annie's arms. Annie gasped, sinking to her knees with her friend. "It's all right... I've got you," she murmured, knowing that somehow she'd stopped the dark presence.
"Private Annie... what were you thinkin'?" Tyson wondered in awe. "You were..." And then the understanding that came with being a child of a soldier. "Wait a sec... this was your battlefield... and you were pullin' her back... even with the gunfire..."
"Yeah," Axel stated softly, impressed that this rather timid girl had held her own, risked her life and neutralized the threat without violence. "There are different sorts of battlefields... And Annie, you did well on yours..."
Syrus sighed in relief and kneeled beside Annie, putting an arm around her. "I'm glad you're all right... I was so worried she'd hurt you again..."
"Do you think she's gone for good?" Jim asked.
"No idea," Annie answered, keeping her friend in her arms. "We'll know when Violet comes to. Violet?" she called softly. "Violet, wake up..."
But Violet was exhausted and unconscious, and didn't look like she'd be coming to any time soon. "Let's get her back to the infirmary. Miss Fontaine will need to look at that hand," Jim stated.
"Yeah," Adrian agreed, moving to carry her. Annie bandaged Violet's hand with a handkerchief she owned and together, the group left the dorm.
Yusuke sighed in relief along with the others who'd remained outside as the group of five came out. "You guys all right?" he asked.
"Violet's hurt... but I think she'll be okay," Annie answered, relieved.
"And Mary?" Alexis asked.
"We... won't know until she wakes up," Annie sighed, hoping that Mary was at least better, but wondering if she was gone for good.
"Well, then let's get back to the infirmary. At least no one was severely injured this time," Echo stated.
"Yeah," Adrian answered, carrying the unconscious girl in his arms.
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When they arrived in the infirmary, Chazz, Atticus, Rosa and Marcel were out of bed, looking out from their cubicles. "HOLY CRAP!" Chazz yelped, having not seen Annie when she was brought in after Mary had harmed her. "What the heck happened?!"
"We'll explain in a minute, guys. Okay?" Syrus replied, knowing that the other three hadn't seen her either.
"Uh, sure... Looks like we missed a lot," Atticus stated, blinking. "Si. Tyson, you had better tell me what happened," Rosa added, looking expectantly at her fiancé.
Tyson nodded, helping his fiancée back to bed. The other patients were escorted back to bed and as Miss Fontaine took care of the damage to Violet's hand, the group went over the events of the past few hours. "...So I think Mary's at least restrained," Annie finished, "if not gone..." She sighed. "I just want Violet to be okay..."
"What if Mary is still there and dangerous?" Syrus asked, frowning.
"Then... we help Violet as long as it takes," Jaden asserted. "You guys helped me... and I know I'll help Violet get through this..." The rest of the group nodded in agreement as Miss Fontaine worked over the unconscious young woman.
The shadow may or may not have been banished, and Violet's future may be unclear. So next time, please join us for "Violet's Unexpected Challenge." Until then, please read, review and stay tuned! Thank you, as always, from the bottom of our hearts!