A Dragon's Tail
Tail 2: Zetarus' Tail – Ambivalence
Tail 2-9: Overture
-Several Days Later, At Desert Palace
After the Succession Ceremony ended, Terrus was crowned as the heir to throne of Dustorm Empire and became the next Hero of Legend who held the power of Ground type, special guests from other nations started to depart to their own home. Right now, Daimyo Augustine of Principality of Leafburg and President Voltson of Republic of Civilight already left. Pontifex Hawkins will stay in Dustorm Empire for a while longer. And…
"Hohoho!" Queen Nyxier laughed happily. Now she and her daughter, Princess Misvale, were in the foyer of Desert Palace to say goodbye to the Quakersand Royal Children, Prince Terrus, Princess Natasha, Prince Largo and Princess Freya. Soryl and Fenrir Jr. were also here too.
"Good bye, your majesty." Terrus said and bowed down. "Thank you for your kindness of joining the Succession Ceremony."
"Hohoho! That's very nice of you, Prince Terrus." Queen Nyxier spoke with a high-pitch voice. "Actually, I want to stay here a little longer, but as a queen, I have my nation to take care of. See you soon, Prince Terrus, Princess Natasha and Prince Largo!"
Everyone spoke nothing after hearing Queen Nyxier's words of farewell, as she didn't say farewell to Princess Freya and Prince Fenrir Jr., who were also here too…
"Thank you for your kind hospitality…" Misvale bowed down. "May we meet again, Prince Terrus, Princess Natasha, Prince Largo, Princess Freya and Prince Fenrir Jr."
"Hohoho!" Nyxier laughed as she walked toward the exit of Desert Palace with her daughter.
When everyone realized that Queen Nyxier was already out of their range, Largo spoke up. "Terrus, do you mind if I curse that queen?"
"Yes, my brother." Terrus said. "Despite her attitude, we must pay our sincere respect for her, the queen of Queendom of Riverbrine…"
"But Princess Misvale was nice and gentle, wasn't she?" Natasha spoke up. "It's hard to believe that she is Queen Nyxier's daughter…"
The group's conversation was cut off when two guests walked up to them. They were none other than Prince Apollo and Princess Artemis of Fireview Kingdom.
"Good day, everyone." Prince Apollo and Princess Artemis spoke up. "It's time for us to depart back to our beloved nation, so we come here to say goodbye…"
"Thank you for joining my Succession Ceremony, Prince Apollo and Princess Artemis." Terrus spoke up.
"The honor is mine too, Prince Terrus." Prince Apollo said. "I hope that you and your siblings will come to my Coronation Ceremony too."
"Oh, that's right." Largo spoke up. "Apollo, you will be 20 this year, right? And so, you will succeed King Leonardo Inferoar the Pyroar soon…"
"That's right, Largo." Prince Apollo said. "So, in the name of crown prince of Fireview Kingdom, I give my sincere invitation to my Coronation Ceremony to all of you, Prince Terrus, Princess Natasha, Prince Largo, Princess Freya, and you too, Prince Fenrir."
Terrus, Natasha, Largo and Freya nodded while Fenrir Jr. just crossed his arms and spoke up with a cold voice. "…I will think about it…"
"And I hope you will come, Prince Fenrir." Princess Artemis said.
"Don't forget to invite Chronos and Dinus too, Apollo-kay?." Largo said.
The foyer fell into a silence for a moment after Largo finished his words, and it was Prince Apollo who broke it.
"Of course, Largo." Prince Apollo said. "I will never forget my beloved friends who study under the Volcano Guardian with me."
"Then, see all of you soon." Prince Artemis said, then both Pyroar left Desert Palace.
After they left, everyone's attention was on Largo. "Largo, you…" Natasha spoke up.
"Come on!" Largo said. "Apollo and I studied together while I was in Fireview Kingdom before I moved to Shadowlost Territory!"
"Sigh…" Terrus mumbled before he remembered something. "Speaking of Shadowlost Territory…Natasha, Largo and Fenrir Jr., will you go back to Shadowlost Territory soon? And Freya, will you go back to Windsky Plateau soon?"
"Well…" Largo spoke up. "I think I will stay here until a month before Apollo's Coronation Ceremony, and then I will go to Fireview Kingdom to join his ceremony before going back to Shadowlost Territory."
"Me too." Natasha said.
"Father allowed me to stay here for a bit longer!" Freya said with a cheerful voice. "So, I will have more time to play with all of you!"
"…I will go to Theocracy of Venturnome." Fenrir Jr. said. His words shocked everyone here.
"Prince Fenrir Jr., are you mad?!" Largo spoke up. "It's suicide for a dark type Pokemon like you to go to Theocracy of Venturnome! That nation is racist as hell!"
"I know…" Fenrir Jr said. "But I want to go to there to visit my father and my younger brother. It had been an age since the last time I saw them…"
"Oh, that's right." Natasha said. "While your mother is the chancellor of Shadowlost Territory and a Heroine of Dark type, your father is the 'Hero of Justice' and a Hero of Fighting type, right?"
"True." Fenrir Jr. said. "It also meant that I will be the next Hero of Dark type while my brother will be the next Hero of Fighting type."
"That's good…" Freya mumbled. "Both you and your brother became the Hero of Legend…"
"A…Anyway…" Terrus quickly changed the topic as he knew what Freya was thinking. It was because, among the royal children of Quakersand, only Terrus and Natasha would become the Hero/ine of Legend while Largo and Freya wouldn't. "I think I am a bit hungry. Does anyone want to go and find something to eat with me?"
Upon hearing Terrus' words, everyone (Excluding Soryl) stepped away from Terrus.
"I…I think it's time for my studying. See you later!" Natasha said and moved to the stairs that led to the second floor of the eastern wing.
"A…And it's time for my training! See ya!" Largo said and left the foyer of Desert Palace.
"W…Well… I think I have something to do… S…See you soon, Terrus." Freya said and left the foyer and entered the western wing.
"…I will go and prepare for my journey to Theocracy of Venturnome." Fenrir said and left Desert Palace too. Right now, only Terrus and Soryl remained.
"So, shall we go, Soryl?" Terrus asked. "I was so upset that they didn't serve my favorite dish during the banquet of my Succession Ceremony."
"Sigh…" Soryl sighed. "Who would believe that the crown prince of Dustorm Empire's favorite dish would be 'soil'."
"Come on, Soryl." Terrus said. "Soil is the most delicious thing to each. Let's go and find some to eat!"
"Yeah, yeah… But I will have something else…" Soryl said. Then both of them left Desert Palace to find something to eat together…
-Meanwhile…
"So, you were thrown into a fxxxxxg Desert Prison since when you were in your egg." Diego said. "And you still don't know what happened in that day that made your life become such a fxxxxxg hell like this."
"Yes." Zetarus answered. "But I don't care about it at all. Someday, I might find the truth, or not…"
Right now, Zetarus and Diego were on their journey again. Their next destination was the Sandust Port, where they would find a ship to go to Fireview Kingdom. Zetarus and Diego were now in Sandstorm Dune, a dune that separated Dustorm City from Sandust Port.
"That reminds me…" Zetarus said. "What about you, Diego? You said you were a gladiator since the day you were born…"
"Half-true." Diego answered. "I was born in a care of a knight of Fireview Kingdom…"
"Knight?" Zetarus asked. "So, you are actually a son of a knight of Fireview Kingdom."
"No, he is not my real father." Diego said. "He was my step-father. He told me that my parents died before I was born, so he took care of me instead, which I remembered that he did a really good job at that… But…Everything ended when he and I were thrown into a pit of arena."
"…For what reason?" Zetarus asked.
"They said he and I have committed treason against the king of Fireview Kingdom, so it was our punishment." Diego answered. "But I don't believe in that bxxxxxxt. I knew that he and I did nothing wrong, but why did they do that to us, I don't know…"
"…" Zetarus carefully listened to Diego's story.
"You know, in the arena, its kill or be killed." Diego said. "So, he and I had to fight and kill in order to survive, but he wouldn't make it. One day, he had fallen to a stronger opponent, leaving only me alone in that pit of hell…"
"…Oh, look…" Zetarus changed the topic of conversation to distract Diego from his tragic story. He pointed his claw at a port town in front of both of them. This town was quite smaller than Dustorm City, but it was still a lively town. Two most outstanding places in this port town were a huge port and a big strange-shaped building near the port. "That must be Sandust Port."
"Then, I will wait outside the town." Diego said.
"Right. And I think… I will buy us tickets for a ship to Fireview Kingdom too." Zetarus said.
"Just don't be an idiot and buy the wrong tickets, okay?" Diego said.
"Sure." Zetarus said and went into the town.
Zetarus walked around the port town freely without anyone knowing that he was a wanted criminal ('They are all idiots…' Zetarus thought.) He first went to the armor shop to buy a new armor set for Diego. He also bought an eyepatch for him too.
'When the wound at my right eye is healed, I will wear this instead.' Zetarus thought.
When he had finished, Zetarus went to the port area to buy tickets for him and Diego.
"Where the hell they sell tickets?" Zetarus mumbled. He then walked around the port until…
"Ah! It must be there!" Zetarus looked at a line of several Pokemon in front of a big strange-shaped building he had seen when he first arrived in this town. Because the line was very long, Zetarus had to wait for several hours before it's his turn.
"Good afternoon, sir." The ticket seller greeted when it's Zetarus' turn. "How can I help you?"
"Two tickets." Zetarus answered bluntly.
"What time of this round do you want?" The ticket seller asked again.
"As soon as possible." Zetarus answered.
"That would be the 19.00 round." The ticket seller said and picked two tickets. "Three hundred PokeCoin, please."
Zetarus opened his purse and gave the money to the ticket seller, and then he took the tickets.
"Thank you, sir." The ticket seller said. "It will start at 19.00, but you can come early at 18.00. Have fun!"
"…" Zetarus said nothing and left the place where they sold the ticket. He then went back to the town area and left the town.
-Outside the town…
"What the hell took you so long, Zetarus?" Diego asked as he saw a Garchomp walked up to him. Right now, they were at Sandstorm Dune near Sandust Port. There's no one around here, so Diego could wait here without worry of being spotted.
"There's so many Pokemon at where I buy tickets." Zetarus answered. He then opened his bag and took an armor set he bought for his comrade out. "Hey, this is for you. Now change it."
"Thanks." Diego said and took the armor set from Zetarus, but he still didn't get changed.
"What's wrong, Diego?" Zetarus asked. "Hurry up and change your clothing!"
"C…Could you turn your face away for a while?" Diego asked.
"Why?" Zetarus asked. "I heard that an armor suit is difficult to wear, so wouldn't it be better if I help you?"
"T…That's not it…" Diego said. His face blushed red while he spoke.
"…Oh, I see…" Zetarus realized what's wrong with Diego's action. "Don't be shy, come on."
"H…Hey!" Diego said as Zetarus approached him and started removing some pieces of his armor.
"Next…" Zetarus said while removing Diego's shoulder pads. "Take off your pants."
"WHAT?!" Diego said. His face was now very red.
"Come on! Hurry up or I will do it for you!" Zetarus said.
"WHAT?!" Diego said, but it was too late…
"S…Stop it!"
"Would you stand still?! I can't help you if you keep struggling!"
"I…I can do it myself! Get away from me!"
"Just shut up! And next, the underwear…"
"WHAT?!"
-After twenty minutes of struggling…
"…There! All finished." Zetarus said and looked at his friend, Diego, in a new armor suit.
".Y….You idiot…" Diego mumbled. He now wore a flaming red armor plate with spiky shoulder pads and flaming red greaves. He also wore gauntlets and boots of the same color on both of his arms and legs. The upper half of his head was covered with a flaming red helmet in the shape of a dragon's head.
"You look much better in this armor suit…" Zetarus commented.
"…" Diego said nothing. If Zetarus could see behind his helmet, he could see that Diego's face was still blushing red.
"How about you, Diego? Do you like this new armor suit?" Zetarus asked.
"…It's a bit heavy." Diego commented. "But overall, it's much better than my last one."
"And…" Zetarus looked at Diego's wings, which were one of the few parts of his body that weren't covered by the armor suit. "I didn't buy the armor for your wings because I think it would hinder your ability to fly, but that means you must be careful with your wings while in a battle, okay?"
"…Fair enough." Diego said. "I don't usually fight an aerial battle, so that won't be much of a problem for me."
"Now, here's your ticket." Zetarus said and handed over a ticket to a Charizard. "Let's go, Diego. They said the ship will depart at 19.00, but we can go aboard since 18.00. I think it's about a right time for us to go..."
"Right." Diego said.
Zetarus and Diego walked into the port town. Zetarus was right. No one could recognize Diego in his new armor suit, making it a breeze for both of them to walk around the town without worrying about being caught. They then went to the harbor area to find where they would go aboard the ship. But…
"Good evening, sirs." A ticket inspector who stood at the entrance of a ship greeted. "Welcome to S.S. Symmetria. Do you have a ticket?"
"Here" Zetarus and Diego handed over their ticket to the ticket inspector. He then took a look at it before speaking up. "I am sorry, sirs, but these tickets are invalid."
"…What?" Zetarus mumbled.
"You see…" The ticket inspector handed over the tickets back to Zetarus and Diego. "These are tickets for tonight's show at the Sunset Opera House over there."
The ticket inspector pointed his paw at a big strange-shaped building that Zetarus went to buy these tickets.
"…Do you know where could we buy tickets for S.S. Symmetria?" Diego asked.
"It's over there, so." The ticket inspector pointed at a ticket office not too far from them.
"Alright, thank you."
Diego and Zetarus then left the port. Once they were in an area where there's no one around, Diego started speaking up in an angry voice.
"YOU FXXXXXG SXXXXXXXN!" Diego roared. "YOU IDIOT GARCHOMP! YOU DXXXXXXD!"
"Hey, calm down…" Zetarus mumbled.
"YOU ASH-FILLED BRAIN IDIOT!" Diego still roared.
"…Alright, I am sorry." Zetarus apologized. "But, let's go and buy new tickets."
"Hm!" Diego mumbled. "Alright, but this time, I will buy them myself!"
Diego then walked up to the ticket office of S.S. Symmetria and bought two tickets for him and Zetarus before walking back to the Garchomp and gave him a true ticket.
"Here!" Diego said. "You fxxxxxg dxxxxxxd, didn't you read what the sign says when you bought the first ticket?"
"Don't forget that I couldn't read, and so do you." Zetarus said.
"Hm! Thanks to you, we now got a ticket for a ship that will leave this port at 21.00!" Diego said with an angry voice. "We have to wait for 3 fxxxxxg hours!"
"Hey…. At least I know what to do for killing time." Zetarus said and showed Diego the ticket he mistakenly bought. "While waiting for the ship to depart, why don't we go and see the show at that Opera House?"
"Are you serious?!" Diego said.
"Unless you want to go and kill someone, I think this is the best way of killing time, and it wouldn't be a good thing to waste the money I used to buy these tickets…"
"Hm! Fine!" Diego said, and then both of them walked up to the Opera House together.
Sunset Opera House is a famous tourist attraction of Dustorm Empire. It got its name from being located at the westernmost point of the continent of Symmetria. This place is famous for being a place that hosted many beautiful shows such as opera, exotic dancing, drama and musical show.
Right now, it's 18.55. The next round of the show will start at 19.00. Zetarus and Diego now were sitting at their seats, waiting for tonight's show to start.
"Mother! I can't wait to see this show! I heard there's a new dancer here, right?!"
"Right! And you will love tonight's show! It's about two lovers who got separated by their fate, and at the end, the woman dies so the man commits suicide in order to join his lover!"
"WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH…"
"Oh! Your brother is crying! Such a cute little boy you are!"
"Daddy! This snake is so tasty! Do you want some?"
"Yes, thank you. Yab yab yab…"
"…Zetarus, do you mind if I stab someone right now?" Diego asked.
"Yes, because it will be me who buries bullets into their skulls." Zetarus answered.
"Ah! The curtain!"
Zetarus and Diego saw a curtain that veiled the stage being lifted, and then, a show started!
Tonight's show started with an overture, which was a classic song that relaxed everyone who heard it, including Zetarus and Diego…
And then…
Everyone's attention was turned to the center of a stage when a songstress appeared from behind the curtain and walked up to the middle of the stage. She was a slime snail Pokemon with gooey light-violet skin and violet belly. Her slimy tail had a curled tip. She had two long horns on her head and several green spots on her body; three on each side of her tail and two on each side of her head. Her paws and her chin had a dripping green goo. She wore a beautiful and graceful white dress that was usually worn by a songstress or a dancer. She also carried a long, white ribbon made from silk.
'…It seemed like she will perform a show for the overture…' Zetarus thought.
The symphony started playing a new song. It was a calm and beautiful song that soothed the soul of everyone who heard it. The songstress then started performing a beautiful and graceful dance and sang a song. Her voice was beautiful and graceful like a song, but it also hid a tone of sadness, as if…
Jade leaves fall from a newborn tree
Falling free to a bottomless chasm with no return
The stream of time, I want it to flow back
But it's impossible; the god of time will punish me...
The future of the world is bright
God of ideal gave us a civilized world of light
The world walks forward every day goes by
But yet it abandoned me behind...
The ocean waves, created by the god of sea, are like a love
Sometimes they cry, sometimes they calm, and sometimes they crash
No matter what happens, they always end gracefully
But why for me, the ending is so cruel...
My wrath is more than the erupting volcano
Both can destroy, dispose and devour
Although they plead for the god of truth's mercy
But for me, they stir my rage...
She paused, and continued dancing while the music still played. While the music was beautiful, the audience started booing at the songstress.
"What's that ugly song?!"
"Your language sounds like the one an alien uses!"
"We don't understand everything you sang!"
"Booo!"
'Why did they say something like that?' Zetarus thought. 'I think her song is beautiful… And what they did right now… So rude…'
The songstress continued dancing on the stage despite everyone's booing until… Another Pokemon appeared on the stage. His appearance made everyone who was booing suddenly stop their action…
The second Pokemon who appeared on the stage wore a black armor suit covered his body, including his tail, and his head was covered with a black horned helmet, making it unable to tell what kind of Pokemon he is. He also carried two long blades made of an unknown material. Overall, his appearance gave him an intimidating appearance.
The second Pokemon walked up to the middle of the stage and stood behind the songstress. He then started performing an aggressive dance using his double blades. The music then changed into a much faster and much more passionate tone. And the songstress started singing the second half of the song with a stronger and more powerful voice.
The god of absence's betrayal was harsh...
Like the snow that melts away and reveals its true form...
But it is still acceptable, unlike me...
He will never forgive me, and I will never beg for his mercy...
Time passed, everything changed
I lurk under the stream of time, from the ancient era
I wait for the day, since the birth of the realm by the hand of an Ancient God.
The day I will get a chance of revenge...
Struggle in the endless cycle means nothing
Like the busy life of steel, never last long
Just end everything, and leave them behind
I will devour your soul, free you from the torment...
I am the cursed blood who betrayed my own kin
I have taken countless lives, all with no mercy
Even it seemed cruel and heartless, I have no regret
That is me, this is my life…
While he couldn't understand some words in the song that the songstress sang, Zetarus had to accept that her song was beautiful and mysterious…
As the second half of the song ended, both songstress and the sword dancer performed their dance for a while longer until the music ended. Then both of them left the stage and disappeared. This was a sign that showed that the overture was now over, and the real show will start soon…
"Zetarus, what do you think of that show?" Diego asked.
"…I think that it's beautiful." Zetarus said.
"Me too." Diego said. "I don't understand why everyone else said that the song was awful."
"They all say as if they didn't understand the lyrics of that song…" Zetarus commented.
"In my thought, I think that the lyrics of that song has a very good meaning…" Diego said.
"I agree with you, Diego." Zetarus said.
The music continued playing, and the real show finally started. It started with a scene of ballroom dancing, with many beautiful female Pokemon such as a Lilligant or a Tsareena dancing on the stage. As they saw the female Pokemon, most male Pokemon who watched the show started applauding and whistling, but not for Zetarus and Diego…
"Yawn…" Diego released a yawn from his gaping mouth. "This show is so boring…"
"Yeah…" Zetarus nodded. "I don't understand what happened to those male Pokemon. Why do they have to act like that…"
"Zetarus, let's go." Diego said and stood up. "I would surely fall asleep if I stay here any longer."
Zetarus nodded and stood up. Then both of them left their seats and headed to the exit of the hall…
After leaving the Opera House, they realized that the time now was 20.30, which was half an hour before the ship departed, so they decided to head to the harbor.
"Good evening, sirs." The same ticket inspector greeted. "How may I help you again?"
"Here" Diego and Zetarus gave their ticket to the ticket inspector. After checking it, the ticket inspector spoke up again. "These are the right one. Please follow me. I will take you to the ship."
The ticket inspector then led Zetarus and Diego to a luxurious ferry that would take them to their destination. Zetarus and Diego then boarded the ship.
"Thank you for your patronage." The ticket inspector said. "And have a good time on our S.S. Symmetria!"
As the ticket inspector walked away from the ferry, S.S. Symmetria then started departing from the port.
"All aboard!"
"So…" Zetarus spoke up. "This will be our new adventure, right?"
"I think so." Diego said. "But still, we don't know what's waiting for us in the future. Maybe we would succeed in what we are doing right now. Maybe we will fail. Or maybe… We may end up being an enemy of each other…"
"Hey…" Zetarus looked at Diego. "Do. Not. Say. Something. Like. That!"
"We will never know, Zetarus." Diego said. "While I was in the arena, I ended up fighting and killing my friends countless time, and who knows, my next victim may be you, Zetarus."
"And I will do anything in order not to let it happen." Zetarus said. "If something bad will happen, it should be something such as you buying wrong tickets for us and we ended up arriving at Republic of Civilight instead…"
"HEY!" Diego roared. "DO. NOT. SAY. SOMETHING. LIKE. THAT! I know what I am doing! There's no way I would make a mistake like that!"
"Haha! Just kidding!" Zetarus said.
Zetarus and Diego then looked at Sandust Port, which was gradually getting further and further away from them as the ship already set sail, until the port town was in the distance, where they couldn't see it anymore… It told them that they were now in the middle of an ocean far from the land where their adventure started, the Dustorm Empire…
What fate waited for them? What will happen?
No one will know… Because it wasn't a thing that was destined…
It was a thing to be decided…
-End of Tail 2: Ambivalence-
To Be Continued…
Dragon of Vale: And this is the end of Tail 2: Ambivalence. I think you may already know the answer why this tail is called 'Ambivalence'…
Zetarus and Diego decided to leave the Dustorm Empire and headed to Fireview Kingdom. What will happen to them? No one knows…
This tail, in my opinion, is one of the darkest tails in this story, but don't worry, the next tail would not be as dark as this one! I promise!
The next chapter will be the interlude of the second tail, and after the second interlude, I will write the third tail. And… There's one thing I forgot to tell you. The end of the second tail took place before the start of the first tail! And the start third tail will take place after the end of the first tail. So… Rachael, Jasper and Zenpai will appear in the third tail too! Yay!
A special thanks to Ridin Valon for helping me with the error correction.