Story Notes:
This story is set on EARTH. our earth, you and me earth. you get the idea.Pokemon copyrighted to nintendo, blah blah blahdy blah blah
Chapter 14
He screamed.
He screamed and he screamed into the coming morn. A great wailing through the fields and trees, filled with grief and sorrow one can only feel a few times in life before breaking. He sat there, head craned to the sky, cursing the very existence of this world and any being behind it all. The tears streaming down his face felt like molten lead, burning their way across his face and scarring him forever. Will could not stop him, and the Pokémon who surround him simply let be, sensing what he felt and how nothing could compare to the misery. The sun burned on his skin, the warming light becoming a curse which mocked him with realisation. The realisation that he was alone on this cold and accursed dawn. By the time his screams came to an end his voice was horse and his wails nothing but a pathetic whine, head now fallen to the ground. Will gently tried to rouse him, taking a hold of his shoulder.
"Michael, are you okay?" he repeated yet again
"Five hours..." Michael muttered "What happened to five hours....what happened!" His voice grew enraged, allowing fury to take the place of the sorrow he had felt.
"The portal became unstable...your-your exit caused-"Will was stopped as Michael faced him, the murderous glare in his eyes enough to put even the group of leaders on guards.
"Why didn't you know that?" He screamed, anger boiling through his head and past his lips "Why didn't you warn us, why didn't you know!". Will's response was frantic
"I never-I never thought that an exit could-"
"Why! You were supposed to protect us! You told us we would be fine, you never told us of anything!" Michael pounded his fists on the cold ground, as if his strength could force open the gate between him and Melody.
"I didn't know, I really didn't-"
"You lost her! You killed her! She's gone, Will...she's gone..." His shouts lowered back to the pathetic whimpers of a lost man. With his anger now expelled, he had nothing. He was empty, and nothing but the immovable feeling of guilt remained.
"Michael..." Will said, guilt weighting heavy on his heart to see the man like this "There's nothing I can do, I'm sorry but we should go..." He tried to help Michael up, but he wouldn't budge. It was only after much coaxing from Will that he surrendered, letting himself be escorted back to the car and letting himself slump motionless into the front seat. He sat there, eyes unfocused in terrible contemplation. Time seemed to speed around him, as if he had left his world and now his conscienceless floated lost in limbo. He made no note of Will as he repackaged all the equipment from the field or as he placed it in the car trunk. Even the starting of the engine and swaying motion of the car pulling from the road hardly registered. Unknowingly, his hand reached to his face and ran over the spot here Melody had touched. He tried feebly to feel any lingering essence there, but found nothing but dry stubble. Even her mind was absent; the familiar feeling of having her mind's presence to reassure him now was occupied by a great void. The feeling of having her mind separated from his was more than he could bear, feeling truly alone.
His reflection was only broken by a single vehicle, speeding towards them from the end of the road. For as long as they had driven, the roads had remained empty, but now this large pickup truck charged forward from the corner, moving past in the blink of an eye. As the car sped past, loud hoots and yells could be heard from the back, three men sitting in the flat back. Will muttered something incoherently about drunks and drivers, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. Will did not notice as the pickup truck slowed and turned around, accelerating towards them again. The car matched their speed, moving dangerously close behind them. Michael and Will looked back at the truck, one man driving, one sitting in the passenger seat and three on the back, all standing and hollering at them. Will cursed and accelerated, feeling the old engine of his car grunt with effort. The truck behind them matched their movement and was back on them in seconds. A jolt shook the car, throwing them forward against their seatbelts.
"Dammit!" Will said as another jolt shook the car. Michael looked back; the truck was ramming them while the men standing on the back continued their jeers. Will quickly moved left, slowing and turning sharply as the road bent, pushing them both into their seats. The men in the truck were not as lucky, brakes screeching as they ploughed from the road and into the small roadside shrubs. Two of the men tumbled from the back, falling over the edge as they stumbled, harshly hitting the ground. Will sped away, trying to get away from the track as fast as possible. He laughed as he looked into the rear view mirror, seeing the men struggling to get back onto the truck, now stuck in the roadside shrubs. His laughter was shattered by a shot, however, as glass flew from the rear windshield. The men were armed and one had managed to take a shot at the car. Will floored the car, rustic engine now straining and whining with the effort of carrying them away in an iron chariot.
"What did they want?" Will muttered "Bloody youth get their hands on a gun and think they have all the power in the world..."
"It's not much of a world anymore" Michael answered, his answer being half logic and half brooding.
"Not if those types are the ones in the streets" Will said "People left and now they think they own the place"
"They might as well" Michael knew that the shift in power occurred he as well as in the Pokémon world. Chaos and disorder was a great ally to wickedness, and soon they would face that power which conspired against anyone who stood in its greedy and deceitful path.
The only Pokémon who were now travelling with them were those who had helped in transport of their leaders to the portal site, running alongside the car or flying directly over it. The leaders had teleported themselves back to the farmhouse, knowing its location well enough to do so now. They followed closely as the car rumbled along the road, dust flying up as the tarmac ended and the gravel roads began. Up the long road they drove towards the farm, a cloud of dust billowing behind them to signal their approach. When they arrive at the front of the house, Tom was there to irately greet them.
"Are you lot just going to keep running off?" He questioned loudly "You leave and expect me to defend this place, while you're off searching for some magical cure?"
"It was urgent Tom, a critical state portal won't wait" Will explained, Tom glared at him.
"Then why wasn't I told?!" He jabbed "I wake up to an empty house, no car, no explanation and only these bloody creatures for company!"
"You were asleep! And it looks like it did you some good" Will retorted
"No transport and no idea of where I am! You lot die out there and I get the short end of the stick here!" He yelled "You're all talk of finding a solution, opening magical portals and gate, with nothing to prove of it!"
"We did open a portal-"
"And what happened then! Looks to me like nothing changed, and the whole thing was useless!" He turned to Michael "Tell me about these damn things! You're back and the portal's gone, nothing has damn well changed!"
"Tom, please, Melody-"Will tried to calm Tom as he continued his verbal assault
"Nothing has changed and all you do is gallivant around, hoping to find a way into those damn creatures world. The point was to get them back!" He yelled "They go back and they stay back!"
"Tom..."
"What? The portal's gone, nothing is done and none of these things got back home!"
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"Melody did..." Michael said weakly, straining to even speak with his current strength
"She went back? Good, that was the point of this, wasn't it?" Tom snapped
"No! She-"Michael's voice croaked as it rose, guiltiness dragging behind it
"Did she run off? Is that what happened?" Tom said, getting no response from Michael, only hearing the raw sound as his teeth gnashed in sorrow. "If she ran off, then why do you care? Running from the one she said she loved, she only wanted-"
The crack of bone striking bone filled the driveway. Blinding pain clouded Tom's vision as he fell back, tasting copper on the back of his throat. Michael screamed in rage as he struck Tom, his knuckles connecting solidly with the former priests jaw, with all the fury of a shattered man behind it. For all his combat training and experience, Tom could not dodge sudden jab, falling to the ground, head reeling in pain as he struck coarse gravel. His recovery was quick, leaning onto his side and pulling himself up. Blood ran from his mouth as he stood, the fall making him bite his tongue, tearing a gash in the soft tissue which now stung like molten needless had been driven into it. He winced as his flexed his jaw, lip split and now burning in pain. Michael's eyes pierced him with a look of anger and sadness.
"I lost her!" He shouted "I made the portal close and left her stuck there! She tried to stop me; I didn't want to leave without her!"
"It wasn't your fault Michael-"Will tried to calm him
"Then who's is it?" He said "I went through the portal and came out; I was the one who was safe. She never had a chance because I stole it!"
"You know that's wrong" Will said "None of us knew it would happen, it was unavoidable"
"It was avoidable, I could have stayed and helped her, we could have gone back together, but dammit, we didn't!" He turned back to Tom, the Irishman now regretting his word as he saw the grief they had brought.
"She's lost now, I killed her..."
"You didn't killed her Michael" Will interjected, attempting to quell the man self hatred.
"I might as well have..." Michael continued "what's the chance I'll find her again? You tell me!"
"Well...there's a chance...another portal could open" Will stammered
"To where? She could be anywhere..."
Will sighed; he knew the chances better than any of them. Even if another portal opened, the chances of it leading to the same location or even near it was slim to none. Tom picked himself up, rubbing the reddened spot on his jaw, mouth still on fire. He couldn't hold it against Michael that he was acting like this; anger had gotten the best of both of them. But still, their safety was his main concern. He didn't have any plans on having his comrades' die from a slip-up on their part. Michael stood defeated now; Will tried to nudge away from the uncomfortable situation, turning to Tom.
"Has anything happened while we were away?" He asked, wondering if Tom was worked up from some unknown development.
"Not much...A few of those creatures left, new one's came in their place soon after" He said. Tom remembered sighting a group of the Pokémon, mostly the outer scouts, running away from the farm towards the forest. Only an hour later, new one's arrived. It was amazing how they could organize ranks like that, but he supposed that desperate times had forced it upon them.
Will hadn't seen any of them on the drive up, but that was probably what they wanted, stealth. As he looked out upon the fields, he spotted one of them positioned on a rusted old tractor. Red feathered and hawk like, it sat, a smaller creature held in its arms. Tom noticed Will quizzically staring.
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"He's a lonely one, that one" Tom said "Wanders off from the rest and won't let anyone near him, doubly so now that he's got that chick with him"
"I take it that chick's his child?" Will said
"Something like that, but he holds onto it pretty tightly, mighty protective father it seems". Tom motioned towards the house. "Come on, we'd all be better out of the cold air"
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All three of them moved back into the warmth of the house, crisp morning air turning into a comfortable blanket. They each took their respective positions, the positions they had become so accustomed to. Tom was once again watching over the area from the rooftop, hand always on his rifle's trigger and eye's set on the scope. It was a wonder the man could stay like that for hours at a time, never letting boredom or fatigue take him. He hadn't fired a significant shot in days, yet he always remained in fear that soon he would. Will was downstairs, tiredly pouring over data gained from the recent incident. There was little point to it, but they were no closer to solving anything right now, and for Michael's sake, he could at least look for something. He didn't know what had happened in that world, and he was hesitant to ask, but anything at this time could be of help. Michael had been shifting through his draws when Will fetched him, staring longingly at a picture of Melody. Michael knew that the beauty of this drawing was now the closest thing he had to her, that she had left this world and had just been absorbed back into the page. He had reluctantly replaced the drawing and followed Will back to the downstairs living room. Will had set out two small cans of beans for them, heated using the old wooden stove in the kitchen. They had all wearied of such food, taste processed out of it. Melody had eaten tinned fruit; even she grew sick of it, syrup being like a sickeningly sweet gruel. She had opted for fresh fruit when possibly, trying to save it for when she simply couldn't stand the tinned food anymore. Michael realised that this was why she had been so hungry for berries in her world, being a sad smile to his lips. Will took a small bite before beginning his questioning; grimacing at the undercooked taste the ill kindled stove had cursed it with.
"Michael, what happened there?" He asked, figuring that being straightforward would cause the least harm "Can you tell me from the beginning?"
"We...landed in a small forest clearing, it was only a short walk from the road" Michael began
"Was it a sealed road?"
"No, no it was dirt" Michael said "It went for miles in each direction..." Will pondered about how they obliviously didn't use many cars in that world if sealed road weren't common in such areas.
"We walked for a while, I think it was twenty minutes before we stopped" Michael continued "We found someone in the woods, we saw smoke and went to see who was there. We found a young girl, she was nursing a Pokémon...I can't remember what it was called. She told us that people from our world have...taken over most of the northern area of Hoenn-"
"Other people!" Will exclaimed "Other's have gotten in?"
"They brought weapons; they rallied two criminal groups to help them take over"
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"Didn't they try and fight back?"
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"They don't have weapons, guns were outlawed, only small ones were given to police" Michael hurriedly explained, feeling the pressure on his heart grow as he explained the dangers that could befall Melody and that girl Valerie. He sighed deeply
"They enslaved her town; she escaped and had been hiding in the forest for a while. She rescued a few of the Pokémon from the ones who took over...most of them were killed"
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"Oh, this is bad, very very bad" Will muttered to himself "What happened next?"
"Melody...she asked if there were any berries around there, the girl took us to a small grove not too far away from where we found her" Michael struggled to remember details of the next part. "Two men looking for her came across us, they had guns and were trying to get her back, we ran. We tried to outrun them; I told Melody we could bring her back to the portal...they found us when we got there"
"Did you bring back any berries?" Will asked quickly
"Is that all you wanted?" Michael growled "Some...goddamn berries!"
"No no, sorry...Please, what happened next?" Will said, the outburst wasn't intentional, he had let his curiosity get the better of him
"The two cornered us, but the girl, she distracted them with a rock long enough for Melody to push to away. She kept pushing them away, but Valerie...the girl, she was dragged along too" Michael said, now recalling the moment of terror that had compassed him as he made his deadly mistake "She didn't want to go until she was safe, but I tried to drag her back...I lost grip..." Michael stopped
"You fell" Will said "and that's when you came back through, isn't it?"
"Yes..."
Will leaned back, the rest of his beans still untouched on the table. Nothing of value had been gained, and hearing of the presence of others in that world wasn't comforting either. He tried to probe further, though he thought little would come of it.
"What exactly happened to their world?" he asked "Anything important or wide scale happen?"
"Valerie just told us that people had taken over her town, enslaving the population" Michael said "Transport from some of the cities had been shut down, buildings were destroyed by the portals opening and aqua and magma terrorising the area"
"Who are aqua and magma?" Will asked
"They're two criminal syndicates; they're always fighting for control of the land..." Michael explained "But, they teamed up once these people offered them weapons"
"What did they destroy?"
"I don't know...buildings, caves, anything that could help people get away from them" Michael said.
This was too much, first their world had been reduced to barbarism thanks to the cosmic events, and now people had set their sights on the other world for conquest. Will glanced at his watch, the old metal glimmering in the sunlight that filled the living room. It was noon now and nothing had been learned from the trip. Melody had been lost and Michael had been left broken, but nothing had been gained, there was no fairness in any of this.
Will and Michael heard a sudden shout from the rooftop, beckoning them. They quickly moved up the stairs and into the main bedroom. Will leaned out the window, shouting or Tom, unwilling to climb up himself. Tom leaned over the edge to talk to them
"We've got visitors" He said. Michael and Will looked out the window, what they saw doing nothing to calm them after their retelling of failure. A pick-up truck, the same pick-up truck that had tried to drive them off the road, shot at them and been driven into a tree, now lumbered up the long driveway.
"Take a gun from down there and keep on guard, they might be-"
"Shoot them" Will said hurriedly
"What?"
"Shoot them!" He yelled "Just shoot them already, Tom!"
Tom leaned back up onto the roof and took aim. He knew by the look on Will's face and the seriously of his voice, that this was something he would have to trust him with. As he took aim at the man in the driver's side of the cabin, a bullet launched a small roof tile next to him into the air. Tom kept his head, not even flinching as he adjusted his aim to the man now standing on the flat bed of the truck holding a rifle. He fired, pulling the bolt back and reloading a round with the speed only a trained marksman could possess. The young man went down, but lay in pain on the metal back of the truck, the movement having caused Tom's fatal shot to miss and hit his upper arm. The truck sharply served to the side, throwing itself parallel to the house, the men exiting and taking cover behind it. Tom quickly repositioned himself behind the brick chimney, it wasn't much cover, but it would do for now.
Michael had grabbed the large rifle Tom had fought with during their first meeting. He had never been trained in firing one, but it was simple enough to load and fire. Crawling towards the window, he pressed himself against the wall below, preparing himself to attack. He tried to calm his breathing and counted up to three. On three, he awkwardly heaved the gun and himself up to the window and pulled the trigger, only aiming roughly at where the car was. The recoil hit him hard and he braced himself, watching the bullets impact and spark on the trucks frame. He cursed to himself, he didn't like this, and he didn't need this now. He gripped the rifle tightly, gritting his teeth as the sounds of gunfire bellowed above and below him. He had promised to Melody that he would prove himself, but these people...these murders now stood in his way, for nothing but entertainment. He felt the anger return, boiling through his veins as he sat there. The whole world, just needed to shut up for a while and let him think, but the noise continued.
"Dammit..." He growled "Dammit, dammit! Just go to hell!"
He shot back up, heaving the gun p with him again, not caring for cover any more. He saw one of the men reaching around the side of the car, lying prone to the ground with a gun in his hand.
"Go to hell!" He screamed, whipping the rifle around to where the man lay, jamming the trigger down and feeling every shot pounding back into his shoulder. The ground around the man spewed dust and he saw the man roll back with the force of his shots, sleeveless top shredding along with flesh and bone. The magazine of the gun had been emptied in only three seconds, Michael not realising until the man laid still, crimson fluid seeping into the dirt from his now torn body. He ducked back down, fumbling as he tried to find more ammunition. Even as he did so he could hear the sound of boots on gravel, silently looking through the window to see the men running from the car and towards the house. It was at this moment, a group of the Pokémon scouts burst from the field, catching the men off guard. A Mightyeena took down one of the men, tearing at his body furiously as the man tried to shield himself. The man leading the charge looked back quickly, turning towards the house again and continuing his advancement. A red blur from his side signalled the arrival of the lone Blaziken, launching a powerful kick aimed for his chest. But this one was quicker than the other, deftly dodging the strike even as it managed to knock the gun from his hands. He disregarded his and launched a quick blow at the Blaziken's jaw, sending the feathered creature back as he scooped his gun back up and kept running towards the house. Michael ducked as he sprayed a short burst of fire on the window as the roof, knowing Tom was still raining down death from above. This man was different; he knew what he was doing. Michael finally managed to reload the rifle he was holding and made for the door. He flew down the stairs and found Will firing out the kitchen window, shotgun held clumsily as he struggled against the recoil. He wasn't built for these situations.
"One of them is nearly here!" He said, ducking from view of the window
Michael ran to the living room and flattened himself against the wall near the front window. He cautiously peeked out to see the man now engaged in full combat with the Blaziken, trading kicks and punches. The man's figure was fully visible now, tan skinned with a clean shaven head and arms built like boulders. His bulky frame made him no less agile as he ducked, trying to sweep his legs under the Blaziken and catch the creature off guard. The Blaziken jumped as he did so, swiftly sending a leg into the man's face and sending him crashing into front door. The Blaziken stopped suddenly, turning its head back to where the other men were fighting off the various Pokémon that assaulted them. Michael was confused why it had stopped when the man was so clearly disabled, then as the Blaziken loudly called out in warning, he saw it. The small orange chick, running from the field and towards one of the men by the car, angrily twittering as it charged. The young Pokémon pecked at the man's leg, tearing the fabric of his pant leg, drawing blood from the pricks it made. The man cried out in pain and in anger, spotting the small chick. With an angry shout, he drove his leg into the small creature's body, launching it into the air. The Blaziken could only watch as his young fell from the air, hitting the ground with a dull thud. The man did not stop as he fired upon the small being, destroying any chance of its survival. Michael heard a shifting on the porch, and before the Blaziken could react, the large tanned man drove a foot into the back of its head. The Blaziken fell, but as it did so, flames ignited around its wrist. The flames spewed forth with the force of a ruptured gas hose, intense in heat and near blinding in light. The Blaziken did not stay down for long, leaping to its feet not a second after it hit the ground. The angered and wailing cry it gave, Michael could only describe it as the haunting call of a Valkyrie, choosing the warriors who would be gruesomely slain. A large spout of flame erupted from its jaw, towards the one who had murdered its young, the once being it had treasured from its own world and the last of his family. The stream of fire detonated as it struck true, immolating the man in an instant. His dying screams were a catalyst to the creature's anger as it made for the car with near impossible speed, grabbing the still burning man by his neck with a sharp talon. It screamed into the man face, ignoring the wails of pain coming from him as it threatened him wordlessly over the death of its young. It brought down a fist, speed incomprehensible, and struck the man's head. The force of the blow was enough to simultaneously break the man's skull and snap his neck in a display that made both Michael and Will wretch. Will was lucky enough to vomit into the sink, distracting him from the sight of a blood covered avian standing amongst tongues of flame. The glare from the creature's eyes and the light that the inferno cast upon its body culminated into one hellish display, there a demon now standing where the creature had stood moments before.
But the demon stood shock upright as blood burst from its body; eye's losing the furiosity they had held. The Blaziken fell, eyes fading as it surrendered to death, leaving only a content look upon its face as it knew the blood price had been paid. The man who now stood on the porch held his gun level; having fired the killing shots, now ran towards the truck. Firing a few shots back onto the roof to distract Tom, he kicked away the mightyeena from the remaining man and dragged him back into the car. He quickly started the motor, not caring for the subsequent shots Tom fired upon him, all misaimed due to the smoke and fire obscuring his vision. The car lurched forward and burst through the flames, sharply turning and speeding back down the gravel road. Michael saw a projectile launch its self from the roof as the car did so, landing a nearly metre away from it and exploding into thick, oily flames. The car was long gone by the time Michael had wrenched the door open and ran out into the open. He stopped to examine the carnage around him. Blood splattered across the ground mingled with dirt and ash, the still burning body of the young Torchic's attacker and the shredded body of his own shots laid still, stench of death permeating the air. His eyes rested on the man he had shot early on in the fight. Immediately his stomach churned and he wretched, falling to his knees. The thick stench and thought of what he had brought caused him to quickly throw up onto the rough ground, bile bitter in his throat. He tried to steady himself as he moved towards the body, but failed halfway as he got a good look it. Torn flesh and muscle bleeding red, bone fragments showing through the gaping wounds. The young man looked no older than sixteen, with dirty blonde hair ragged around his smooth face. He had seen movies and read of gun fights and battles, but when one saw the real power of what authors wrote about, there was simply no way to describe the devastation it could cause. He moved back towards the Blaziken, whose rage had been so quickly silenced. The red feathered Pokémon laid motionless now, eye's dead, blood staining the white feathers of its chest a dark red. The young Torchic lay only a small distance away. He moved towards the Torchic's small and ragged body, gently taking it in his arms and placing it in the arms of its father. Will's exhausted voice came from behind him.
"He only did what any father would do in the situation" Will said "The punishment that man suffered...to him it would be justified". Will spoke as if the Pokémon was no different from a human, which Michael knew was almost the truth.
"What about the other?" Michael asked quietly. The young man he had killed, did he deserve to die when he was so young. Even Michael was young by society's standards, and he had been forced into this and had abandoned his life for Melody.
"Whether he deserved it or not, I can't tell you" Will said, gun hanging limply in his arms like a heavy burden he carried. "But it's done now, the boy won't ever have to see the horrors of war he could have now"
"But...he could've been like me" Michael said. In all his years of self medicated depression, he had thought that no one had shared his feelings and even less his predicament, but seeing this boy lying dead before him made him question all those feelings. It was the first time in many years that he had ever thought another human had been like him.
"It's done Michael, we can never know. Don't ask questions you know you can't get an answer to, you'll only hurt yourself" Will said. Toms voice called out from behind as he approached, holding his rifle tightly ad if the danger hadn't yet passed
"We're leaving" He said promptly, turning back towards the house and starting for the door
"What? What do you mean 'we're leaving'?" Will yelled
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"They attacked us, they know where we are, we have to leave before they come back" Tom said
"What about the Pokémon here, they're helping us and we can't just leave them!
"Makes no difference Will, We are leaving" Tom announced it with nothing but authority in his voice
"Think for a moment, man!" Will said "We agreed to help them if they helped us, we can't just leave them with no hopes of getting home, I mean, one of them died for us!"
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"Then they can come with us, alright!" Tom yelled "If they don't follow use, then that's their prerogative, but we are leaving"
"Tom, listen-"
"Give up Will" Michael said slowly "He's made up his mind"
"Michael? You can't be with him on this, can you?" Will said, shocked that Michael would think of leaving so soon after his incident. "You may have lost Melody, but...but we can still get her back! Why are you siding with him?"
"Will...she's gone" Michael said miserably
"She's not gone, she still in her world" Will pleaded "Don't give up on this yet Michael, we're close..."
"You know our chances...I...I need to accept them" Michael said, beginning his slow walk away from the still blazing scene of bloodshed. "I'm sorry that...I can't fulfil my promises"
Will stuttered, failing to string his words together as the man who had showed so much zeal and determination in helping Melody and protecting her, simply gave up. As Michael slowly retreated, he too sighed in defeat. He walked back to the house, knowing he couldn't win this argument.
Will discussed with the tribal leaders of what would happen, they were not pleased, but in the end relented. Their deal would still be upheld and there was no question that they owed these creatures a great debt for their help. The leaders and Will talked amongst themselves for a long time that day, being well into the evening before a final solution was reached. Throughout the day they had discussed plans and intentions, paths and possibilities, but in the end the ultimatum was given.
"This is hardly an ideal agreement, we have lost two because of this endeavour" The main leader spoke. "Our main deal has not yet been fulfilled and now we must make another in order for it to be so. Let us hope this web of trust does not grow to the point of breaking"
"We agree to your leaving, but two of us shall accompany you, along with two of our group's scouts" The younger one spoke up. "The one of us who first encountered your friend and I shall be the ones who take on this burden"
"And the ones who are to travel along side us shall be the Absol, for her speed, and one of the Lucario clan among us, favoured for their fighting abilities" The older one continued "They shall provide ample protection to us, but their lives are valued among yours for now, as your debt still weights on our minds"
Will had no choice to agree. With two of these fantastically minded creatures, the work may take longer, but it was better than nothing. Tom had repackaged all this weaponry and sat waiting in the car, radio blaring nothing but emergency broadcasts from across the country, interspaced with the occasional song to try and calm the maddened masses. He was impatient to leave, and something had been troubling him visibly since the attack. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he had absentmindedly started scratching the Absol who had come to sit by the car, waiting for their departure. The thoughts had whisked away his paranoia of the Pokémon who roamed around them. Even after he broke from his thoughts and looked back at the contented Absol now sitting by the open drivers door, he continued, it was at least something to calm him for the time being. He was not exactly thrilled that the Pokémon had chosen to follow them, but the added security would allow them more freedom, which was always good in a world such as this. Will and Michael finally emerged from the house, carrying with them the last of their meagre belongings to load into the trunk. Michael carried only a small case of his art supplies, a dull leather pouch that he had stuffed all his drawings into, the ones of Melody buried deepest within the pouch. Will carried only his laptop. Tom didn't know what he did with that thing, but for now it had helped However, the man could still learn to handle a gun. Following behind them were the final Pokémon who were to accompany them on this new journey to God knows where. Tom recognised the old and young psychic ones who were so well know to Will, but the other one, the blue jackal like figure he did not. The creature walked with prideful strides, but the eyes showed something more. Fear, perhaps, but he couldn't hold it against the creature as being around these creatures was just as fearful for him. He examined the figure more closely. The thick upper legs of the creature looked as if they would pack a powerful kick, but within the creature's face, he could distinguish small tics of emotions hidden below. It was obvious when he looked for it, but to the others who did not, the creature seemed impassive. Will was loaded into the back seat long with the jackal like being and the older of the two leaders. The younger one took the more reckless option of riding atop the Absol who would follow the car from behind, obviously flaunting its youth for now. Michael rode passenger, not wanting to be close to anyone right now.
The car shuddered to life and slowly moved off, the Lucario looked through the window, expression almost wistful as they continued further away from the house and own the old road. The uneven road surface softly bumped the car up and down along the road, Michael feeling the small jolts as he rested his head on the cool glass of the window. The view of the stars here was grand, being so far away from anything in a landscape of inky black, the stars shone in the hundreds. His mind was cast back to when he and Melody had shared that view from the gaps of the forest's thick canopy, bringing a longing to hold her again, just to hold her for as long as he could and nothing else. The great stars of the heavens dimmed as he began to succumb to his weariness, seeming to fall from the sky as his eyes closed and he silently drifted into a lonely black void of sleep.
Michael didn't often dream, and if he did they were too fleeting to remember. Not once had he ever remembered his dreams and when he tried, he only saw great tracts of grey with the occasional break of colour, but never a full scene. He never remembered which is why he found it odd for him to now be dreaming. He only saw blackness and could not even tell if he was really even there. But occasionally, a bright flash would fly past his eyes; a scene captured in time from which he only glimced a fuzzy and distorted reflection. He waited forever in that darkness, his mind sluggish as he watched the occasional flash of colour. But even though his mind was slow, the time he had now alone as he waited for the next flash was a time when he tried to recognise what he was seeing. Only small things came to mind as he recalled the images, a large expanse of blue, puffs of white rising above. A swath of green, with the occasional streak of golden yellow. It was not until the final flash that he could truly discern something from the distortion. A splotch of white and green and a spot of red slowly moving through an expanse of rising pillars of dim and faded colours moving alongside a splotch of blue and purple. He reached out to the image now projected in front of him, his arm feeling like liquid rubber when he raised it. His hand finally reached the flash, but phased through as it disappeared, leaving him alone with his listless thoughts once again. No more colours came to him that night through the thick curtain of nothingness, but he sat and he mused over the images past, feeling as if he had all eternity to discover their meaning.
He screamed and he screamed into the coming morn. A great wailing through the fields and trees, filled with grief and sorrow one can only feel a few times in life before breaking. He sat there, head craned to the sky, cursing the very existence of this world and any being behind it all. The tears streaming down his face felt like molten lead, burning their way across his face and scarring him forever. Will could not stop him, and the Pokémon who surround him simply let be, sensing what he felt and how nothing could compare to the misery. The sun burned on his skin, the warming light becoming a curse which mocked him with realisation. The realisation that he was alone on this cold and accursed dawn. By the time his screams came to an end his voice was horse and his wails nothing but a pathetic whine, head now fallen to the ground. Will gently tried to rouse him, taking a hold of his shoulder.
"Michael, are you okay?" he repeated yet again
"Five hours..." Michael muttered "What happened to five hours....what happened!" His voice grew enraged, allowing fury to take the place of the sorrow he had felt.
"The portal became unstable...your-your exit caused-"Will was stopped as Michael faced him, the murderous glare in his eyes enough to put even the group of leaders on guards.
"Why didn't you know that?" He screamed, anger boiling through his head and past his lips "Why didn't you warn us, why didn't you know!". Will's response was frantic
"I never-I never thought that an exit could-"
"Why! You were supposed to protect us! You told us we would be fine, you never told us of anything!" Michael pounded his fists on the cold ground, as if his strength could force open the gate between him and Melody.
"I didn't know, I really didn't-"
"You lost her! You killed her! She's gone, Will...she's gone..." His shouts lowered back to the pathetic whimpers of a lost man. With his anger now expelled, he had nothing. He was empty, and nothing but the immovable feeling of guilt remained.
"Michael..." Will said, guilt weighting heavy on his heart to see the man like this "There's nothing I can do, I'm sorry but we should go..." He tried to help Michael up, but he wouldn't budge. It was only after much coaxing from Will that he surrendered, letting himself be escorted back to the car and letting himself slump motionless into the front seat. He sat there, eyes unfocused in terrible contemplation. Time seemed to speed around him, as if he had left his world and now his conscienceless floated lost in limbo. He made no note of Will as he repackaged all the equipment from the field or as he placed it in the car trunk. Even the starting of the engine and swaying motion of the car pulling from the road hardly registered. Unknowingly, his hand reached to his face and ran over the spot here Melody had touched. He tried feebly to feel any lingering essence there, but found nothing but dry stubble. Even her mind was absent; the familiar feeling of having her mind's presence to reassure him now was occupied by a great void. The feeling of having her mind separated from his was more than he could bear, feeling truly alone.
His reflection was only broken by a single vehicle, speeding towards them from the end of the road. For as long as they had driven, the roads had remained empty, but now this large pickup truck charged forward from the corner, moving past in the blink of an eye. As the car sped past, loud hoots and yells could be heard from the back, three men sitting in the flat back. Will muttered something incoherently about drunks and drivers, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. Will did not notice as the pickup truck slowed and turned around, accelerating towards them again. The car matched their speed, moving dangerously close behind them. Michael and Will looked back at the truck, one man driving, one sitting in the passenger seat and three on the back, all standing and hollering at them. Will cursed and accelerated, feeling the old engine of his car grunt with effort. The truck behind them matched their movement and was back on them in seconds. A jolt shook the car, throwing them forward against their seatbelts.
"Dammit!" Will said as another jolt shook the car. Michael looked back; the truck was ramming them while the men standing on the back continued their jeers. Will quickly moved left, slowing and turning sharply as the road bent, pushing them both into their seats. The men in the truck were not as lucky, brakes screeching as they ploughed from the road and into the small roadside shrubs. Two of the men tumbled from the back, falling over the edge as they stumbled, harshly hitting the ground. Will sped away, trying to get away from the track as fast as possible. He laughed as he looked into the rear view mirror, seeing the men struggling to get back onto the truck, now stuck in the roadside shrubs. His laughter was shattered by a shot, however, as glass flew from the rear windshield. The men were armed and one had managed to take a shot at the car. Will floored the car, rustic engine now straining and whining with the effort of carrying them away in an iron chariot.
"What did they want?" Will muttered "Bloody youth get their hands on a gun and think they have all the power in the world..."
"It's not much of a world anymore" Michael answered, his answer being half logic and half brooding.
"Not if those types are the ones in the streets" Will said "People left and now they think they own the place"
"They might as well" Michael knew that the shift in power occurred he as well as in the Pokémon world. Chaos and disorder was a great ally to wickedness, and soon they would face that power which conspired against anyone who stood in its greedy and deceitful path.
The only Pokémon who were now travelling with them were those who had helped in transport of their leaders to the portal site, running alongside the car or flying directly over it. The leaders had teleported themselves back to the farmhouse, knowing its location well enough to do so now. They followed closely as the car rumbled along the road, dust flying up as the tarmac ended and the gravel roads began. Up the long road they drove towards the farm, a cloud of dust billowing behind them to signal their approach. When they arrive at the front of the house, Tom was there to irately greet them.
"Are you lot just going to keep running off?" He questioned loudly "You leave and expect me to defend this place, while you're off searching for some magical cure?"
"It was urgent Tom, a critical state portal won't wait" Will explained, Tom glared at him.
"Then why wasn't I told?!" He jabbed "I wake up to an empty house, no car, no explanation and only these bloody creatures for company!"
"You were asleep! And it looks like it did you some good" Will retorted
"No transport and no idea of where I am! You lot die out there and I get the short end of the stick here!" He yelled "You're all talk of finding a solution, opening magical portals and gate, with nothing to prove of it!"
"We did open a portal-"
"And what happened then! Looks to me like nothing changed, and the whole thing was useless!" He turned to Michael "Tell me about these damn things! You're back and the portal's gone, nothing has damn well changed!"
"Tom, please, Melody-"Will tried to calm Tom as he continued his verbal assault
"Nothing has changed and all you do is gallivant around, hoping to find a way into those damn creatures world. The point was to get them back!" He yelled "They go back and they stay back!"
"Tom..."
"What? The portal's gone, nothing is done and none of these things got back home!"
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"Melody did..." Michael said weakly, straining to even speak with his current strength
"She went back? Good, that was the point of this, wasn't it?" Tom snapped
"No! She-"Michael's voice croaked as it rose, guiltiness dragging behind it
"Did she run off? Is that what happened?" Tom said, getting no response from Michael, only hearing the raw sound as his teeth gnashed in sorrow. "If she ran off, then why do you care? Running from the one she said she loved, she only wanted-"
The crack of bone striking bone filled the driveway. Blinding pain clouded Tom's vision as he fell back, tasting copper on the back of his throat. Michael screamed in rage as he struck Tom, his knuckles connecting solidly with the former priests jaw, with all the fury of a shattered man behind it. For all his combat training and experience, Tom could not dodge sudden jab, falling to the ground, head reeling in pain as he struck coarse gravel. His recovery was quick, leaning onto his side and pulling himself up. Blood ran from his mouth as he stood, the fall making him bite his tongue, tearing a gash in the soft tissue which now stung like molten needless had been driven into it. He winced as his flexed his jaw, lip split and now burning in pain. Michael's eyes pierced him with a look of anger and sadness.
"I lost her!" He shouted "I made the portal close and left her stuck there! She tried to stop me; I didn't want to leave without her!"
"It wasn't your fault Michael-"Will tried to calm him
"Then who's is it?" He said "I went through the portal and came out; I was the one who was safe. She never had a chance because I stole it!"
"You know that's wrong" Will said "None of us knew it would happen, it was unavoidable"
"It was avoidable, I could have stayed and helped her, we could have gone back together, but dammit, we didn't!" He turned back to Tom, the Irishman now regretting his word as he saw the grief they had brought.
"She's lost now, I killed her..."
"You didn't killed her Michael" Will interjected, attempting to quell the man self hatred.
"I might as well have..." Michael continued "what's the chance I'll find her again? You tell me!"
"Well...there's a chance...another portal could open" Will stammered
"To where? She could be anywhere..."
Will sighed; he knew the chances better than any of them. Even if another portal opened, the chances of it leading to the same location or even near it was slim to none. Tom picked himself up, rubbing the reddened spot on his jaw, mouth still on fire. He couldn't hold it against Michael that he was acting like this; anger had gotten the best of both of them. But still, their safety was his main concern. He didn't have any plans on having his comrades' die from a slip-up on their part. Michael stood defeated now; Will tried to nudge away from the uncomfortable situation, turning to Tom.
"Has anything happened while we were away?" He asked, wondering if Tom was worked up from some unknown development.
"Not much...A few of those creatures left, new one's came in their place soon after" He said. Tom remembered sighting a group of the Pokémon, mostly the outer scouts, running away from the farm towards the forest. Only an hour later, new one's arrived. It was amazing how they could organize ranks like that, but he supposed that desperate times had forced it upon them.
Will hadn't seen any of them on the drive up, but that was probably what they wanted, stealth. As he looked out upon the fields, he spotted one of them positioned on a rusted old tractor. Red feathered and hawk like, it sat, a smaller creature held in its arms. Tom noticed Will quizzically staring.
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"He's a lonely one, that one" Tom said "Wanders off from the rest and won't let anyone near him, doubly so now that he's got that chick with him"
"I take it that chick's his child?" Will said
"Something like that, but he holds onto it pretty tightly, mighty protective father it seems". Tom motioned towards the house. "Come on, we'd all be better out of the cold air"
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All three of them moved back into the warmth of the house, crisp morning air turning into a comfortable blanket. They each took their respective positions, the positions they had become so accustomed to. Tom was once again watching over the area from the rooftop, hand always on his rifle's trigger and eye's set on the scope. It was a wonder the man could stay like that for hours at a time, never letting boredom or fatigue take him. He hadn't fired a significant shot in days, yet he always remained in fear that soon he would. Will was downstairs, tiredly pouring over data gained from the recent incident. There was little point to it, but they were no closer to solving anything right now, and for Michael's sake, he could at least look for something. He didn't know what had happened in that world, and he was hesitant to ask, but anything at this time could be of help. Michael had been shifting through his draws when Will fetched him, staring longingly at a picture of Melody. Michael knew that the beauty of this drawing was now the closest thing he had to her, that she had left this world and had just been absorbed back into the page. He had reluctantly replaced the drawing and followed Will back to the downstairs living room. Will had set out two small cans of beans for them, heated using the old wooden stove in the kitchen. They had all wearied of such food, taste processed out of it. Melody had eaten tinned fruit; even she grew sick of it, syrup being like a sickeningly sweet gruel. She had opted for fresh fruit when possibly, trying to save it for when she simply couldn't stand the tinned food anymore. Michael realised that this was why she had been so hungry for berries in her world, being a sad smile to his lips. Will took a small bite before beginning his questioning; grimacing at the undercooked taste the ill kindled stove had cursed it with.
"Michael, what happened there?" He asked, figuring that being straightforward would cause the least harm "Can you tell me from the beginning?"
"We...landed in a small forest clearing, it was only a short walk from the road" Michael began
"Was it a sealed road?"
"No, no it was dirt" Michael said "It went for miles in each direction..." Will pondered about how they obliviously didn't use many cars in that world if sealed road weren't common in such areas.
"We walked for a while, I think it was twenty minutes before we stopped" Michael continued "We found someone in the woods, we saw smoke and went to see who was there. We found a young girl, she was nursing a Pokémon...I can't remember what it was called. She told us that people from our world have...taken over most of the northern area of Hoenn-"
"Other people!" Will exclaimed "Other's have gotten in?"
"They brought weapons; they rallied two criminal groups to help them take over"
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"Didn't they try and fight back?"
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"They don't have weapons, guns were outlawed, only small ones were given to police" Michael hurriedly explained, feeling the pressure on his heart grow as he explained the dangers that could befall Melody and that girl Valerie. He sighed deeply
"They enslaved her town; she escaped and had been hiding in the forest for a while. She rescued a few of the Pokémon from the ones who took over...most of them were killed"
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"Oh, this is bad, very very bad" Will muttered to himself "What happened next?"
"Melody...she asked if there were any berries around there, the girl took us to a small grove not too far away from where we found her" Michael struggled to remember details of the next part. "Two men looking for her came across us, they had guns and were trying to get her back, we ran. We tried to outrun them; I told Melody we could bring her back to the portal...they found us when we got there"
"Did you bring back any berries?" Will asked quickly
"Is that all you wanted?" Michael growled "Some...goddamn berries!"
"No no, sorry...Please, what happened next?" Will said, the outburst wasn't intentional, he had let his curiosity get the better of him
"The two cornered us, but the girl, she distracted them with a rock long enough for Melody to push to away. She kept pushing them away, but Valerie...the girl, she was dragged along too" Michael said, now recalling the moment of terror that had compassed him as he made his deadly mistake "She didn't want to go until she was safe, but I tried to drag her back...I lost grip..." Michael stopped
"You fell" Will said "and that's when you came back through, isn't it?"
"Yes..."
Will leaned back, the rest of his beans still untouched on the table. Nothing of value had been gained, and hearing of the presence of others in that world wasn't comforting either. He tried to probe further, though he thought little would come of it.
"What exactly happened to their world?" he asked "Anything important or wide scale happen?"
"Valerie just told us that people had taken over her town, enslaving the population" Michael said "Transport from some of the cities had been shut down, buildings were destroyed by the portals opening and aqua and magma terrorising the area"
"Who are aqua and magma?" Will asked
"They're two criminal syndicates; they're always fighting for control of the land..." Michael explained "But, they teamed up once these people offered them weapons"
"What did they destroy?"
"I don't know...buildings, caves, anything that could help people get away from them" Michael said.
This was too much, first their world had been reduced to barbarism thanks to the cosmic events, and now people had set their sights on the other world for conquest. Will glanced at his watch, the old metal glimmering in the sunlight that filled the living room. It was noon now and nothing had been learned from the trip. Melody had been lost and Michael had been left broken, but nothing had been gained, there was no fairness in any of this.
Will and Michael heard a sudden shout from the rooftop, beckoning them. They quickly moved up the stairs and into the main bedroom. Will leaned out the window, shouting or Tom, unwilling to climb up himself. Tom leaned over the edge to talk to them
"We've got visitors" He said. Michael and Will looked out the window, what they saw doing nothing to calm them after their retelling of failure. A pick-up truck, the same pick-up truck that had tried to drive them off the road, shot at them and been driven into a tree, now lumbered up the long driveway.
"Take a gun from down there and keep on guard, they might be-"
"Shoot them" Will said hurriedly
"What?"
"Shoot them!" He yelled "Just shoot them already, Tom!"
Tom leaned back up onto the roof and took aim. He knew by the look on Will's face and the seriously of his voice, that this was something he would have to trust him with. As he took aim at the man in the driver's side of the cabin, a bullet launched a small roof tile next to him into the air. Tom kept his head, not even flinching as he adjusted his aim to the man now standing on the flat bed of the truck holding a rifle. He fired, pulling the bolt back and reloading a round with the speed only a trained marksman could possess. The young man went down, but lay in pain on the metal back of the truck, the movement having caused Tom's fatal shot to miss and hit his upper arm. The truck sharply served to the side, throwing itself parallel to the house, the men exiting and taking cover behind it. Tom quickly repositioned himself behind the brick chimney, it wasn't much cover, but it would do for now.
Michael had grabbed the large rifle Tom had fought with during their first meeting. He had never been trained in firing one, but it was simple enough to load and fire. Crawling towards the window, he pressed himself against the wall below, preparing himself to attack. He tried to calm his breathing and counted up to three. On three, he awkwardly heaved the gun and himself up to the window and pulled the trigger, only aiming roughly at where the car was. The recoil hit him hard and he braced himself, watching the bullets impact and spark on the trucks frame. He cursed to himself, he didn't like this, and he didn't need this now. He gripped the rifle tightly, gritting his teeth as the sounds of gunfire bellowed above and below him. He had promised to Melody that he would prove himself, but these people...these murders now stood in his way, for nothing but entertainment. He felt the anger return, boiling through his veins as he sat there. The whole world, just needed to shut up for a while and let him think, but the noise continued.
"Dammit..." He growled "Dammit, dammit! Just go to hell!"
He shot back up, heaving the gun p with him again, not caring for cover any more. He saw one of the men reaching around the side of the car, lying prone to the ground with a gun in his hand.
"Go to hell!" He screamed, whipping the rifle around to where the man lay, jamming the trigger down and feeling every shot pounding back into his shoulder. The ground around the man spewed dust and he saw the man roll back with the force of his shots, sleeveless top shredding along with flesh and bone. The magazine of the gun had been emptied in only three seconds, Michael not realising until the man laid still, crimson fluid seeping into the dirt from his now torn body. He ducked back down, fumbling as he tried to find more ammunition. Even as he did so he could hear the sound of boots on gravel, silently looking through the window to see the men running from the car and towards the house. It was at this moment, a group of the Pokémon scouts burst from the field, catching the men off guard. A Mightyeena took down one of the men, tearing at his body furiously as the man tried to shield himself. The man leading the charge looked back quickly, turning towards the house again and continuing his advancement. A red blur from his side signalled the arrival of the lone Blaziken, launching a powerful kick aimed for his chest. But this one was quicker than the other, deftly dodging the strike even as it managed to knock the gun from his hands. He disregarded his and launched a quick blow at the Blaziken's jaw, sending the feathered creature back as he scooped his gun back up and kept running towards the house. Michael ducked as he sprayed a short burst of fire on the window as the roof, knowing Tom was still raining down death from above. This man was different; he knew what he was doing. Michael finally managed to reload the rifle he was holding and made for the door. He flew down the stairs and found Will firing out the kitchen window, shotgun held clumsily as he struggled against the recoil. He wasn't built for these situations.
"One of them is nearly here!" He said, ducking from view of the window
Michael ran to the living room and flattened himself against the wall near the front window. He cautiously peeked out to see the man now engaged in full combat with the Blaziken, trading kicks and punches. The man's figure was fully visible now, tan skinned with a clean shaven head and arms built like boulders. His bulky frame made him no less agile as he ducked, trying to sweep his legs under the Blaziken and catch the creature off guard. The Blaziken jumped as he did so, swiftly sending a leg into the man's face and sending him crashing into front door. The Blaziken stopped suddenly, turning its head back to where the other men were fighting off the various Pokémon that assaulted them. Michael was confused why it had stopped when the man was so clearly disabled, then as the Blaziken loudly called out in warning, he saw it. The small orange chick, running from the field and towards one of the men by the car, angrily twittering as it charged. The young Pokémon pecked at the man's leg, tearing the fabric of his pant leg, drawing blood from the pricks it made. The man cried out in pain and in anger, spotting the small chick. With an angry shout, he drove his leg into the small creature's body, launching it into the air. The Blaziken could only watch as his young fell from the air, hitting the ground with a dull thud. The man did not stop as he fired upon the small being, destroying any chance of its survival. Michael heard a shifting on the porch, and before the Blaziken could react, the large tanned man drove a foot into the back of its head. The Blaziken fell, but as it did so, flames ignited around its wrist. The flames spewed forth with the force of a ruptured gas hose, intense in heat and near blinding in light. The Blaziken did not stay down for long, leaping to its feet not a second after it hit the ground. The angered and wailing cry it gave, Michael could only describe it as the haunting call of a Valkyrie, choosing the warriors who would be gruesomely slain. A large spout of flame erupted from its jaw, towards the one who had murdered its young, the once being it had treasured from its own world and the last of his family. The stream of fire detonated as it struck true, immolating the man in an instant. His dying screams were a catalyst to the creature's anger as it made for the car with near impossible speed, grabbing the still burning man by his neck with a sharp talon. It screamed into the man face, ignoring the wails of pain coming from him as it threatened him wordlessly over the death of its young. It brought down a fist, speed incomprehensible, and struck the man's head. The force of the blow was enough to simultaneously break the man's skull and snap his neck in a display that made both Michael and Will wretch. Will was lucky enough to vomit into the sink, distracting him from the sight of a blood covered avian standing amongst tongues of flame. The glare from the creature's eyes and the light that the inferno cast upon its body culminated into one hellish display, there a demon now standing where the creature had stood moments before.
But the demon stood shock upright as blood burst from its body; eye's losing the furiosity they had held. The Blaziken fell, eyes fading as it surrendered to death, leaving only a content look upon its face as it knew the blood price had been paid. The man who now stood on the porch held his gun level; having fired the killing shots, now ran towards the truck. Firing a few shots back onto the roof to distract Tom, he kicked away the mightyeena from the remaining man and dragged him back into the car. He quickly started the motor, not caring for the subsequent shots Tom fired upon him, all misaimed due to the smoke and fire obscuring his vision. The car lurched forward and burst through the flames, sharply turning and speeding back down the gravel road. Michael saw a projectile launch its self from the roof as the car did so, landing a nearly metre away from it and exploding into thick, oily flames. The car was long gone by the time Michael had wrenched the door open and ran out into the open. He stopped to examine the carnage around him. Blood splattered across the ground mingled with dirt and ash, the still burning body of the young Torchic's attacker and the shredded body of his own shots laid still, stench of death permeating the air. His eyes rested on the man he had shot early on in the fight. Immediately his stomach churned and he wretched, falling to his knees. The thick stench and thought of what he had brought caused him to quickly throw up onto the rough ground, bile bitter in his throat. He tried to steady himself as he moved towards the body, but failed halfway as he got a good look it. Torn flesh and muscle bleeding red, bone fragments showing through the gaping wounds. The young man looked no older than sixteen, with dirty blonde hair ragged around his smooth face. He had seen movies and read of gun fights and battles, but when one saw the real power of what authors wrote about, there was simply no way to describe the devastation it could cause. He moved back towards the Blaziken, whose rage had been so quickly silenced. The red feathered Pokémon laid motionless now, eye's dead, blood staining the white feathers of its chest a dark red. The young Torchic lay only a small distance away. He moved towards the Torchic's small and ragged body, gently taking it in his arms and placing it in the arms of its father. Will's exhausted voice came from behind him.
"He only did what any father would do in the situation" Will said "The punishment that man suffered...to him it would be justified". Will spoke as if the Pokémon was no different from a human, which Michael knew was almost the truth.
"What about the other?" Michael asked quietly. The young man he had killed, did he deserve to die when he was so young. Even Michael was young by society's standards, and he had been forced into this and had abandoned his life for Melody.
"Whether he deserved it or not, I can't tell you" Will said, gun hanging limply in his arms like a heavy burden he carried. "But it's done now, the boy won't ever have to see the horrors of war he could have now"
"But...he could've been like me" Michael said. In all his years of self medicated depression, he had thought that no one had shared his feelings and even less his predicament, but seeing this boy lying dead before him made him question all those feelings. It was the first time in many years that he had ever thought another human had been like him.
"It's done Michael, we can never know. Don't ask questions you know you can't get an answer to, you'll only hurt yourself" Will said. Toms voice called out from behind as he approached, holding his rifle tightly ad if the danger hadn't yet passed
"We're leaving" He said promptly, turning back towards the house and starting for the door
"What? What do you mean 'we're leaving'?" Will yelled
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"They attacked us, they know where we are, we have to leave before they come back" Tom said
"What about the Pokémon here, they're helping us and we can't just leave them!
"Makes no difference Will, We are leaving" Tom announced it with nothing but authority in his voice
"Think for a moment, man!" Will said "We agreed to help them if they helped us, we can't just leave them with no hopes of getting home, I mean, one of them died for us!"
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"Then they can come with us, alright!" Tom yelled "If they don't follow use, then that's their prerogative, but we are leaving"
"Tom, listen-"
"Give up Will" Michael said slowly "He's made up his mind"
"Michael? You can't be with him on this, can you?" Will said, shocked that Michael would think of leaving so soon after his incident. "You may have lost Melody, but...but we can still get her back! Why are you siding with him?"
"Will...she's gone" Michael said miserably
"She's not gone, she still in her world" Will pleaded "Don't give up on this yet Michael, we're close..."
"You know our chances...I...I need to accept them" Michael said, beginning his slow walk away from the still blazing scene of bloodshed. "I'm sorry that...I can't fulfil my promises"
Will stuttered, failing to string his words together as the man who had showed so much zeal and determination in helping Melody and protecting her, simply gave up. As Michael slowly retreated, he too sighed in defeat. He walked back to the house, knowing he couldn't win this argument.
Will discussed with the tribal leaders of what would happen, they were not pleased, but in the end relented. Their deal would still be upheld and there was no question that they owed these creatures a great debt for their help. The leaders and Will talked amongst themselves for a long time that day, being well into the evening before a final solution was reached. Throughout the day they had discussed plans and intentions, paths and possibilities, but in the end the ultimatum was given.
"This is hardly an ideal agreement, we have lost two because of this endeavour" The main leader spoke. "Our main deal has not yet been fulfilled and now we must make another in order for it to be so. Let us hope this web of trust does not grow to the point of breaking"
"We agree to your leaving, but two of us shall accompany you, along with two of our group's scouts" The younger one spoke up. "The one of us who first encountered your friend and I shall be the ones who take on this burden"
"And the ones who are to travel along side us shall be the Absol, for her speed, and one of the Lucario clan among us, favoured for their fighting abilities" The older one continued "They shall provide ample protection to us, but their lives are valued among yours for now, as your debt still weights on our minds"
Will had no choice to agree. With two of these fantastically minded creatures, the work may take longer, but it was better than nothing. Tom had repackaged all this weaponry and sat waiting in the car, radio blaring nothing but emergency broadcasts from across the country, interspaced with the occasional song to try and calm the maddened masses. He was impatient to leave, and something had been troubling him visibly since the attack. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he had absentmindedly started scratching the Absol who had come to sit by the car, waiting for their departure. The thoughts had whisked away his paranoia of the Pokémon who roamed around them. Even after he broke from his thoughts and looked back at the contented Absol now sitting by the open drivers door, he continued, it was at least something to calm him for the time being. He was not exactly thrilled that the Pokémon had chosen to follow them, but the added security would allow them more freedom, which was always good in a world such as this. Will and Michael finally emerged from the house, carrying with them the last of their meagre belongings to load into the trunk. Michael carried only a small case of his art supplies, a dull leather pouch that he had stuffed all his drawings into, the ones of Melody buried deepest within the pouch. Will carried only his laptop. Tom didn't know what he did with that thing, but for now it had helped However, the man could still learn to handle a gun. Following behind them were the final Pokémon who were to accompany them on this new journey to God knows where. Tom recognised the old and young psychic ones who were so well know to Will, but the other one, the blue jackal like figure he did not. The creature walked with prideful strides, but the eyes showed something more. Fear, perhaps, but he couldn't hold it against the creature as being around these creatures was just as fearful for him. He examined the figure more closely. The thick upper legs of the creature looked as if they would pack a powerful kick, but within the creature's face, he could distinguish small tics of emotions hidden below. It was obvious when he looked for it, but to the others who did not, the creature seemed impassive. Will was loaded into the back seat long with the jackal like being and the older of the two leaders. The younger one took the more reckless option of riding atop the Absol who would follow the car from behind, obviously flaunting its youth for now. Michael rode passenger, not wanting to be close to anyone right now.
The car shuddered to life and slowly moved off, the Lucario looked through the window, expression almost wistful as they continued further away from the house and own the old road. The uneven road surface softly bumped the car up and down along the road, Michael feeling the small jolts as he rested his head on the cool glass of the window. The view of the stars here was grand, being so far away from anything in a landscape of inky black, the stars shone in the hundreds. His mind was cast back to when he and Melody had shared that view from the gaps of the forest's thick canopy, bringing a longing to hold her again, just to hold her for as long as he could and nothing else. The great stars of the heavens dimmed as he began to succumb to his weariness, seeming to fall from the sky as his eyes closed and he silently drifted into a lonely black void of sleep.
Michael didn't often dream, and if he did they were too fleeting to remember. Not once had he ever remembered his dreams and when he tried, he only saw great tracts of grey with the occasional break of colour, but never a full scene. He never remembered which is why he found it odd for him to now be dreaming. He only saw blackness and could not even tell if he was really even there. But occasionally, a bright flash would fly past his eyes; a scene captured in time from which he only glimced a fuzzy and distorted reflection. He waited forever in that darkness, his mind sluggish as he watched the occasional flash of colour. But even though his mind was slow, the time he had now alone as he waited for the next flash was a time when he tried to recognise what he was seeing. Only small things came to mind as he recalled the images, a large expanse of blue, puffs of white rising above. A swath of green, with the occasional streak of golden yellow. It was not until the final flash that he could truly discern something from the distortion. A splotch of white and green and a spot of red slowly moving through an expanse of rising pillars of dim and faded colours moving alongside a splotch of blue and purple. He reached out to the image now projected in front of him, his arm feeling like liquid rubber when he raised it. His hand finally reached the flash, but phased through as it disappeared, leaving him alone with his listless thoughts once again. No more colours came to him that night through the thick curtain of nothingness, but he sat and he mused over the images past, feeling as if he had all eternity to discover their meaning.