Chosen had not been expecting Orchid to throw Purple, but he silently thanked her for it.
It had distracted her for a moment for Purple to gain a higher upper hand and for Chosen to show up and hold her down.
As he tried freeing her from the brainwashing spell, which it was becoming very clear that the theory had been correct, a thought came to him.
"At least let King do the honors."
"Hey!"
"Well, Purple can really register only your voice when he's brainwashed, so it's fair."
"He might register our own voices." Blue suggested.
"It's the same thing with Dark," Chosen explained. "The only voice he can really register whenever he is brainwashed is my own or Second's."
"It may be a level of familiarity with the voice. Or how close the person is with another," Yellow said. For example, Dark and Chosen. They're really close. So Dark registers Chosen's voice as getting through to him."
"And it would be the same for Second." King said.
"It's the same with King and Purple," Yellow continued. "With how close King and Purple are, Purple registers King's voice when he's brainwashed."
"With Purple, it does sound like it makes a lot more sense. It would also make sense since King's been there to help Purple through the entire Navy debacle since it's beginning, so it only makes sense that it's King." Green added.
"Exactly."
"So all we need to do is get King to get through to Purple, open up a rift to the real world, and we're home free?"
"Pretty much."
"That's it!"
"What's it?" Purple had another energy ball at the ready.
"We need someone to get through to her! Someone close!"
"Like me?!"
"It was one of Yellow's leading theories! Brainwashed people can register people close to them! Like you and King! You register his voice when your brainwashed! I think that might work with Orchid, too!"
"I don't think I'll be able to get through to her. Navy or Night Shade might, but I don't think I can!"
Chosen's plan fell apart in his head. Purple had a point. Brainwashed or not, Orchid and Purple hadn't had a decent conversation on years. Chosen highly doubted Purple would be able to do much of anything, except put himself on a suicide list.
"Fuck."
The only other option Chosen could think of was killing Orchid. It was one less villain, but it would also ruin their chances of bringing the others back.
"We might have to kill her."
Purple's face fell.
"I know, we'll lose the easy way to bring your family back, but it's all I've got. If we can't bring Orchid back to resurrect them herself, we're going to have to kill her."
He watched Purple weigh the options. Chosen didn't even think there was another way to bring King and the others back, unless Purple had some miraculous resurrection abilities, which he didn't remember having.
Hell, he doubted it was Purple who brought them back the first time.
"Do it."
He could tell Purple didn't like the option any better than he did.
Chosen raised a hand, a fireball already forming, and was ready for an attack...
...before a burst of pain went through his side.
He knew that feeling.
And it sucked.
Dark stares in horror as Chosen collapses to his knees, his body glitching and faded where he was.
"Oh Mary, contrary how does your garden grow?"
"CHOSEN!"
Second and Purple jump for an attack. Orchid just smirks and throws Chosen into a wall. Dark watches as Second and Purple attack Orchid, giving him an opening to run for Chosen.
"Cho! Chosen, can you hear me?!"
Please no.
Not again.
Anything but this.
"Stay with me, I can't see anywhere that we could go"
"D...Dark...?" Chosen gasps out weakly.
"Yes! Yes, it's me! It's Dark! I-" Dark chokes on a sob bubbling in his throat. "I'm here, big brother..."
"Their answer was laughter as darkness swallowed them up"
"It...it hurts..." Chosen reaches up, no doubt that his vision cannot last longer.
He has enough sight left to see Dark, reaching out of cup one of his cheeks in a hand.
"Cho...please...don't go..."
"One more time, I'll be fine, sometimes kindness is enough"
Dark chokes on another sob, placing his hand over Chosen's. "Please don't leave me...I need you..."
"I-I know...I'm sorry, firefly, but it's too late for me right now..."
"Oh Mary, contrary, how does your garden grow?"
Dark's fingers intertwine with Chosen's, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Chosen...please..."
"Don't leave me, please don't be the seventh maid in a row"
"Firefly?"
Dark stares at the fading stick, tears streaming down his face.
"Cho?"
Chosen places their foreheads together.
"I...love you..."
More tears fall onto the ground. Dark combs his free hand through Chosen's hair.
"I love you too..." He whispers through broken sobs.
"My answer a whisper soft as he lowered his head"
Chosen's grip leaves Dark's hand, and the body in his lap vanishes off.
And Dark is suddenly aware of Second's hands around his shoulders.
Sobbing uncontrollably.
Dark wipes his eyes to show something, but is only met with looks of pure horror from the others. Sapphire hides in Gold's arms, sobbing into his shoulder. Blue, Green, Red, and Yellow watch in shock as the black particles that once was one of their strongest allies float into the sky.
Scarlet and Copper only comfort Sapphire as she cries for the loss.
Amethsyt, Willow, Sunny, Crystal, Lavender, and Sky all watch on mournfully. Only Amethyst gives her brother a small pat on the head while King holds the sobbing child. The two make eye contact.
Dark feels the look of sympathy King feels him. He knows the pain of losing the person you love most. Far too well then he should.
Dark finally moves to return Second's suffering embrace, pulling the kid into his lap and letting him sob into his chest. He runs comforting hands through his hair, choking on another sob.
"Set them free, I'm sorry, this flower's already dead..."