Later that morning…
Avery woke up, sitting up to find himself lying in a hospital bed. He looked over his arms and his left hand, wrapped in bandages with some dried blood staining them. He felt tender sections on his torso where the fight had left some bruises, the memories still fresh of when he lost control.
Avery looked over to his left, seeing Takuya sitting up in his bed as well. Takuya also had some new bandages, though he wasn't in as bad of shape as Avery. After all, Takuya didn't have to catch a sword with his bare hands.
"...You okay, friend?" Avery asked, sounding timid. This was not like the way he usually was when he communicated.
"I'll be fine." Takuya said as they both stood up. "How's your hand?"
Avery looked over his bandage-covered hand. "It hurts a little, and I can't move it much. I'll have to wait for it to heal up."
Dante then walked in with Tyler, Ash, Pikachu, and Reaper.
"Good to see you up and about." Dante said. "Just don't push yourselves until you are healed up. Avery, I wasn't expecting your shadow persona to reveal itself so soon. I thought we had more time."
"So did I." Avery said. "It's probably for the best if you keep us out of the battle action for a while. Especially Kasi. I don't even want to think of how her persona is going to act once it's unleashed. Where's Sparta?"
Dante motioned over to Avery's right. Sparta was asleep again, comatose. He had an oxygen mask over his face, his body covered with cuts and welts from the beating he took from Legion.
"He's got some severe injuries." Dante explained. "Six broken ribs, two on his left side, four on the right. Sparta also cracked the radial bones on both of his left arms, and he has a hairline fracture going from the midpoint of the tibia down on his right leg. Oak says it's a miracle those bones didn't snap in half from the force they took. Aside from the fractured bones, he also has severe bruising all over his muscular structure, as well as some strained tendons. He's not going to be walking for a while. I don't even know when he'll wake up."
Avery looked over Sparta, the guilt stabbing him in the heart. "...Dammit. I should have kept more control. How could I have been so weak to let this happen?"
"Avery, how are you supposed to have control over something you do not know anything about?" Dante said bluntly. "There was nothing different you could have done. This is probably the best-case scenario we just went through. Trust me, it could have been a lot, lot worse. Just try to take it easy for now. It's all done and over with, all we can do now is carry on."
Avery stifled back the tears and sobs that threatened to overwhelm him. He knew Dante was right, even though it didn't make him feel better. He would just have to live with it, and see if he could make things better for them in the future.
"Come on." Dante said. "Brock's got breakfast ready-"
Sparta's eyes then shot open, as he took in one sudden breath of shock before letting out a loud grimace of pain, grabbing the right side of his chest. He quickly started sobbing, the pain coursing throughout all of his body. "Auugh! By Arceus…! Dammit, it hurts…!"
Tyler and Ash quickly took off out of the room to get the professors. "Oak! Rowan! Elm! Krane! Quick, we need some help in here!"
Avery was over at Sparta's side in a heartbeat, Takuya and the rest close behind as Sparta writhed about in pain. "Sparta, stay still! Moving around isn't going to help your injuries!"
"Shut up…! This is all your fault, anyway! Why should I listen to you?!" Sparta snapped before he collapsed on his back from a sudden surge of newfound pain.
"Sparta! Stop and stay still, or I'll have the professors strap you down again!" Avery roared, tears in his eyes. "Dammit, is it not enough that we nearly killed each other last night?!"
"I don't recall you objecting, especially when you went over-the-top psycho..." Sparta growled.
"That wasn't me! Sparta, that was my Shadow Persona! You think I enjoyed being forced to watch as my body was used like some fucking puppet, unable to control my own body movements or even my own words?!"
Sparta wasn't convinced. "Don't deny it, Avery… I know you too well. I bet you were overjoyed when Legion took over and throttled my ass-"
"Oh, by Arceus! Sparta, I didn't enjoy that at all! I'm not some sick monster underneath like you think!" Avery yelled, tears falling from his face at the stab of Sparta's words. "What is it going to take?! What else do I need to do, throw myself off the damn Indigo Plateau?!"
Avery then turned away, anger and sadness pumping through his veins all the way back to his shattered heart. "The only reason I fought you last night is because I was afraid of what you would do to the others! I didn't care if I had to die to keep them safe from you, because I know you had it on your mind! As you said to me, I know you all too well… You've always been short-tempered and prone to fly off the handle, Sparta! I wasn't going to let you hurt anyone else! If I had to be your punching bag to ensure that, then I was willing to take that chance… Legion was just a wrench that got thrown into the gears. If you think I enjoyed everything that happened this morning, you are dead wrong… I didn't enjoy it at all! I saw the whole fight play out through my own eyes, even though I didn't have control, and YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT KEPT CYCLING THROUGH MY HEAD?!"
There was a pain-filled silence as Avery turned back to face Sparta. "...What kept going through my head is what was going to happen to you if I could not get control back. I fought so hard to take back control, I used all of my strength and will to try and claw my way back out… Because I was afraid of what I would see play out. Legion could have killed you tonight, Sparta! I didn't want that to happen! I'm already living with enough guilt…"
Sparta's jaw dropped, his brain processing everything he was hearing and seeing, as well as the facts that became glaringly obvious from then on. He reached up with one of his right hands to try and wipe away some of Avery's tears when another sudden surge of pain went through his right side. Sparta quickly gripped his right set of broken ribs in newfound pain, gritting his teeth as another sob came from his throat. Avery then took one of Sparta's hands into his, giving it a reassuring yet gentle squeeze.
"I didn't want to hurt you… I just wish you would believe me…" Avery choked out.
It was then that Sparta responded, gingerly returning Avery's gesture with a hand squeeze of his own.
"I do now, Avery… I do now." Sparta said.
The professors and Kasi rushed into the room, seeing the scene unfold. Oak got out a med scanner, going over Sparta's vitals. "Vitals are stable, but he's going to be in pain for a while. He needs either a sedative or some pain inhibitor ointment."
"I'll take the ointment…" Sparta said through a pained sob. "I don't want any more sedatives."
Avery looked over to the professors. "Let me apply the ointment… I need to fix what I broke…"
Oak nodded, and went over to one of the medicine cabinets, retrieving the ointment. Avery squeezed some into one hand, and started to slowly rub it into Sparta's skin, being very careful around the large bruised areas.
Sparta's skin was still very sensitive from his injuries, as he grimaced and yelped loudly a few times as he struggled to stay still. "Auuugh!"
"Sorry, I'm trying to be careful!" Avery said.
"It just hurts, okay?! Everywhere!" Sparta snapped.
"Oh, for Arceus' sake, Sparta! Where doesn't it hurt?!" Avery snapped back, patience thin.
Sparta caught his breath, then motioned up to his forehead. "There. That's the only place that doesn't hurt so bad."
Avery's face flushed into a red blush. Then, rolling his eyes with a groan, he leaned over and gave Sparta's forehead a ginger kiss, like a mother would do to her child if they got an injury.
Sparta smiled, and did his best to relax after that. Avery just rolled his eyes.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Avery growled.
"It works every time. I know you too well, Avery." Sparta said with a weak chuckle.
Avery returned the smile, and continued with the ointment, being every so careful as he treated Sparta like a dried-up rose ready to fall apart.
"Also, Avery… Can I ask you a question?" Sparta spoke up.
Avery paused. "...Sure. What?"
Sparta looked into Avery's eyes. "...I don't want to work with Team Midnight anymore. They treat their own people like crap… But I don't know of anywhere else to go, what to do. Could I… Could I join up with you again?"
Avery gave a warm smile. "You don't need to even ask. I'd welcome you back in a heartbeat."
Sparta leaned back, tears of joy falling from his eyes. "...Thank you, old friend."
# # # # # #
The days went by, as everyone recovered. After two weeks had passed, Sparta was cleared to move around, though he had to wear a dual sling for both of his left arms, as well as needing to use a crutch for his right side.
Sparta and Avery walked into the foyer, seeing Reaper sitting at a table with Dante and Takuya looking over them. Their eyes seemed unusually focused, especially on something set on the table.
Avery was about to ask what they were up to when Dante spoke up.
"Queen to F-5."
It was then that they both realized what was going on: Dante and Reaper were playing chess!
Both Avery and Sparta walked up to the table. Dante was playing as white, while Reaper played with the black pieces. The board was set up in a very tense standoff. Reaper had his pieces set up in the formation known as "Alekhine's Gun," Two Rooks set up in front with his queen one row back. Dante had managed to counter the maneuver with a pawn wedge setup. Dante had just moved one of his knights to try and pin down Reaper's king, likely to try and force him to dismantle the Alekhine's gun formation in defense.
Unfortunately, it backfired. "Bishop to F-5. You just lost your queen, Dante."
Dante's eyes widened, his face going rigid in a shocked expression! Dante had a look that he would have had if he had just been shot, or had taken a sudden powerful attack!
"What the…?! How the hell did you see that?!" Dante exclaimed.
"I have sharp eyes and wit, Dante." Reaper said simply. "I could see what you were planning to do as soon as you made that move. I didn't need Telekinesis to figure it out: You're trying to get my queen."
Dante let out an irritated growl. "Oh, just wait! This isn't over yet! Knight to H-5! I'm getting that queen…"
Reaper sighed, again seeming to read Dante's intentions like a book. "You just left yourself wide open… Bishop to C-2. Checkmate."
Dante looked at the board with wide eyes, mouth dropping open.
"What…?! What the fu-…. That… That is impossible! This is not checkmate!" Dante fumed.
"It is Checkmate." Reaper said calmly, an entertained smirk on his lips. "See? You ended up boxing your own king in. He can't move forward, because there's a pawn in front and to the diagonal front. He can't move right because I have a knight ready to pounce on that spot, he can't move left because he's boxed in against your rook, and he can't move backward because that would be off the board. Checkmate."
Dante looked at Reaper with unbridled irritation, clearly steamed. The onlookers would not be surprised if his ears started venting the hot water vapor that reflected his boiling rage at defeat. Then, his expression suddenly changed to a cocky grin, and he flung one arm across the table, sending the board and all the pieces flying through the air!
"Oh! Oops! I appear to have knocked the board over! Oh well... I guess this one doesn't count." Dante said.
Reaper rolled his eyes, grin unchanged. "It's just a game in the end, Dante."