Heh, eariler than expected, huh? :) There are a couple of reasons. One is one of my betas is going to be on hiatus in a little bit. Second, I'll actually need to study the second round of midterms during the week of May 11th-15 (which I originally planned to post the ending). Since this is done anyways, might as well get it over it.
I'll tell the truth. For two years I have revised the ending like five times. XD Remember, I actually had this fic done in fall of '07, but I revised the chapters before posting them, some completely. Despite that, I still don't think this ending did justice. I see the other endings of the fics here and dang, they're a thousand times better than this. ^.^; I'm still going to post this though as this is the best ending I can think of at the moment and maybe later your guys' reviews will give me inspiration on how to make better endings. XD; Nonetheless, I hope you guys enjoy the ending (and the epilogue ;) ). If you guys don't like the ending, then I'll revise it.
Want to say more, but dont' want you all to keep waiting. ^^
Thanks to both The Great Butler and DarkPersian479 for betaing! Well, let's get this show on the road!
Chapter Twenty Four
For All It's Worth
Bunny was outside while Ulla, Allen, and Jacob were inside chatting. She gazed at the bright stars, each one twinkling. Despite the chilly breeze, she was not cold.
Her mind could not stop thinking about that battle. She always wondered how the Region Fights had affected everyone and caused chaos for the two regions. If that war had not occurred, would everything be different?
"That battle is something, huh?"
Bunny screamed and turned around to see Jacob chuckling. She took a deep breath and smiled in a lopsided way.
"Yes, still thinking about that battle. I wonder, though. You think things would be different if that war hadn't occurred?"
"I think so," Jacob answered with a grin. "Sometimes one slip up can change plans just like that."
Bunny nodded in agreement. "True. I remember how you would always say, if that person did something else, then this would have not happened."
"Indeed. Speaking of which, let me ask you this. If you could change history, would you?"
The young woman's eyes went wide and she felt she could not breathe. She had never been asked that question before. Change history? After some time though, she grinned.
"Yes. That way, I can prevent something horrible from happening."
Jacob laughed and clapped a few times. "Good, good. Here's another question you might like. How much will history be worth if broken into a million pieces?"
This time, Bunny's eyes went wide and she looked as if someone splashed a lot of water on her.
"You mean artifacts? If so, then they would be worth nothing."
"No," Jacob said while shaking his head. "I mean, if something big happens, like a war, do you think in the end it's all worth it?"
Bunny stared at the night sky, leaving Jacob to gaze at her and wonder if she would answer that question. The only way she could answer that would be if she experienced it. History was something intangible, not an artifact you can dust off and see if for yourself. Then again, not everything had to be seen to be broken, like a human's spirit.
If history breaks into a million pieces…
History was what happened in the past. If she looked back, Bunny could compare the events and analyze if in the end if certain situations could be prevented and if there was an alternative. After some time, she turned around and grinned.
"I know the answer to that."
Before she gave him her answer, Jacob chuckled, knowing that she would figure it soon enough.
***
The next day Brenda went inside Bunny's room and saw her sleeping. She gazed at her while smirking.
She looks so peaceful when she sleeps.
At first, she walked slowly towards Bunny, but then halted and shook her head. Brenda hated it whenever she woke up someone and they became angry. She turned back and almost walked out of the room until she heard a yawn.
"Brenda, why are you here?"
Brenda turned around and saw Bunny looking at her with raised eyebrows. The last time they met, the two were not on good terms. Bunny assumed the reason the old woman was here was to talk about how she lied, but she was not prepared for what Brenda brought up instead.
" I want to let you know that Jacob told me everything that happened."
Bunny's eyes went wide and she gripped her blanket tightly. Brenda and Jacob met? If so, why was Brenda still alive?
"Did you report to the Jubilife City Police?" she asked in a whisper.
The old lady shook her head. That made Bunny grip her blanket even tighter.
"He seems very sorry about this and he also plans to apologize to you soon."
Bunny put her head down and her index finger touched her lips. It was hard to believe Jacob would actually come and apologize, even after what he had done. She still had not decided if she wanted to forgive Jacob or not.
"The only problem is should I forgive him? He lied to us."
Brenda had one of her eyes widen and she sighed. She had never been in a situation like Bunny's, so she was not sure if she could give the correct answer, despite meeting Jacob. However, she grinned.
"Don't worry, I think you'll be able to figure that out when the right time comes."
Bunny sighed but smiled. She wished Brenda would have said yes or no, but she understood it was best that she figure this out on her own.
"Thanks."
"Well, I do hope you feel better soon. My husband's going to kill me if he finds out I came here with one of his brother's Pokémon!"
Brenda waved Bunny goodbye and walked towards the door. Bunny waved back but then her eyes widened.
"Wait, Brenda! I want to apologize for the way I treated you a couple weeks ago. I hope you can forgive me."
Brenda halted and chuckled. She soon turned her head and grinned.
"I accept your apology. Again, recover soon!"
The old woman left the room, leaving Bunny to sigh to herself as she looked down.
"Don't worry, I think you'll be able to figure that out when the right time comes."
Bunny jumped up out of shock when she heard a knocking on the wall. She turned around and gasped when she saw two familiar people walk in.
"Ms. Davis? Violet? How did you two get here?"
"My neighbor's Abra," Ms. Davis said with a small smile.
"Anyways, we came in to check in on you. Are you fine?"
Bunny smiled. "Yes, I am. The injury was only minor."
Violet's smile faded. She knew what she was about to say next would not be easy. She whispered, 'Was it from Jacob?"
Immediately Bunny turned around and held onto her legs tightly. Violet and Ms. Davis stared at each other at first, not sure who should speak to her first. The young woman then sighed and touched Bunny's shoulder.
"Bunny, I'm sorry. It's just that I heard the news."
The little woman gave a shuddered breath. She remembered how a couple days ago she cried the whole night, confused about how she should feel towards Jacob and whether she should forgive him or not.
"Not sure what to think anymore."
Bunny turned around and hugged Violet, which she returned back. The friend felt tears drip on her clothes. The two then let go of each other and Bunny wiped the tears off from her face. The archeologist smiled, though.
"Again, glad you two are here."
Ms. Davis grinned. "You'll figure it out sooner or later. If you want, we can come back later and you can tell us more about this little adventure of yours."
Bunny chuckled. 'Well, Jenny is going to pick me up tonight, so I might tell it to you two later."
Both women nodded.
"That's good to hear," Violet said. "Okay, we'll see you later and don't get upset too much!"
Ms. Davis and Violet waved goodbye to her and Bunny waved back. However, before they left, Bunny's eyes lit up in fright.
The book! I must give it back to her while I have the chance!
Bunny grabbed her backpack and took out Carved in Silence, waving it back and forth.
"Ms. Davis, I almost forgot! Here is your book!"
The two ladies halted and turned around. Ms. Davis chuckled when she saw the book and went to grab it.
"I almost forgot all about it. Thanks for giving it back to me. All right, see you tomorrow, Bunny."
Everyone waved goodbyes again and Violet and Ms. Davis left Bunny alone. The archeologist's smile curled to a frown and she had her hands on her forehead. She was indeed glad to see her two best friends, but deep inside she was still depressed over Jacob.
Hope both Brenda and Ms. Davis are right.
***
It was very dark at Snowpoint City early in the evening. There was no snow falling, but a breeze was picking up and the leaves were falling down. Many Pokémon like Sneasel and Snover enjoyed the cold while others like Medicham tried to find a warm place to stay.
Matt's room was cloaked in darkness and the only light source was the brightness of the moon. There was complete silence until pink light and a whirling sound came. As soon as the light faded, Jacob and his Xatu were taking deep breaths.
Teleport can be overwhelming from time to time.
After Jacob returned Xatu, he turned around and saw Matt sleeping. Jacob walked closer and shook him for a few seconds. When Matt woke up, he blinked and yawned.
"Hello there, Matt."
Matt squinted his eyes, at first not recognizing that voice. When he finally realized it was Jacob, he gasped and immediately went backwards towards the wall. His right finger shook violently while he was pointing at Jacob.
"What are you doing here?" he stuttered. He was about to scream to the nurses, but Jacob went and covered his mouth.
"If you think I'm going to shoot you, I'm not." Matt gave a muffled nervous sound. "Look, I came here to talk to both you and Bunny. Now, will you please let me have a moment to speak to you?"
Matt was silent for a moment. Should he take his chances once more? The last time he took a risk, it almost cost his life. On the other hand, why would he go through this trouble to murder him? Maybe he does just want to talk. Having made a decision, Matt nodded.
"Good." Jacob let go of his hand out of Matt's mouth, the poor young man catching his breath. "Now, I want to say that I'm sorry for what I've done to you."
After a couple coughs, Matt stared at him. "Seriously, Jacob? You don't know how much you hurt me. I admired your work and…and, all of a sudden, I find out you're actually a runaway criminal!" Matt paused to take deep hard breaths. "What's worse, another person took the blame!"
Jacob felt as if Matt shot him a thousand times, everything he said was the truth but it still wounded him badly. For a second he wanted to just get out of Matt's room, thinking the young man would go call the nurses now. After a deep sigh, Jacob spoke, his mouth twitching slightly.
"I know, and it's not only you I had hurt. The person that took the blame I hurt more badly than anything." Jacob let out a sad chuckle. "Seriously, you don't know how much she admired me. I cared about her ever since she was very young, and she has a full life ahead of her. To think, I almost ruined it."
Matt glared at Jacob for some time, the old man now looking at the window with eyes closed. For a second the dual scientist and archeologist thought Jacob was about to scream or cry. Instead he was silent. Still, Matt was not able to see a heartbroken man who wanted to fix his mistakes.
"You're acting," Matt suddenly said.
"Excuse me?" Jacob asked after turning around.
"You're acting," Matt repeated, this time in a more sharp tone. "I know in your spare time you do theater shows. I can see right through that you're not serious about forgiving me."
Jacob gritted his teeth and felt his blood pressure rising. "Then why you think I'm here anyways?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe to kill me again?" Matt screamed. "If you care about Bunny so much, you would have turned yourself into the authorities in the first place!"
The old man clenched his fist. He wanted to punch Matt for him saying that. He frowned, however. If he did, there could be a chance he might get caught by the nurses before he would be able to go see Bunny. Instead, he sighed and loosened his fist.
"I understand that you won't forgive me. However, I'm being honest when I say that I'm sorry what everything I did after I murdered Ernest. I'm sorry that I hurt you. "
While Jacob was walking slowly out of Matt's room, the young man glared at him until he was out of sight.
"Now if you excuse me, I got one other piece of business to attend."
I know what business he needs to attend to. I'm not going to make the same mistake again.
Without second thoughts, he pushed the emergency button.
***
While it was already dark at Snowpoint City, the sunset was on the horizon at Jubilife City, the orange sun fading away and the purple-pink sky having stars popping up. To the early birds, time to go home and relax. For the Noctowl people, the night life would begin soon. Two separate crowds went their own ways.
Timmy was inside the police station. He stared at his laptop, but was not paying attention, his concentration on work at an all time low. This had been going on for four days.
The events of the Bunny case kept coming back to his mind. His idea of trying to catch her suddenly made Jenny do something drastic, which eventually led to the wanted person being hurt. The real suspect was now Jacob Alexsion.
He then thought about Jenny. At first for the last couple of years with that woman, he loved her but was not brave enough to tell her his true feelings. When he found out she was saving Bunny, anger took over his mind. Each second of her helping Bunny caused him to want to catch both of them more. Not only that, each second he kept thinking back and forth if what he did was reasonable. However, doubts came after that phone call and also when he found out Ernest Norrison was Jenny's uncle.
Time flew and almost a week passed by, which the officer thought Jenny wanted to toy with his emotions during that time. For some reason he kept looking at Jenny. Each time she saw him, she smiled. He just chuckled back. It was as if everything was forgotten, at least his mishap. Then again, she told them that she forgave them. Now though, he realized why. He chuckled. It was fine for him. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Jenny was being Jenny— doing the right thing and trying to catch the criminal.
I'm in love with her again.
He gasped. Love, rekindled? Timmy shook his head; that was not the right way to say it. The two were not even seeing each other. He wanted to say those three words—I love you—to her. It had to be perfect though, like in the movies. The officer got distracted when he saw Jenny walk out of Lucas' office holding a pokeball. When Jenny approached him, his heart began beating faster and faster.
"Hey, Timmy," Jenny greeted with a grin.
"Hi," he stuttered, trying to mask his nervousness. After Timmy coughed, he asked, "So, what's going on now?"
"I'm going to pick up Bunny now. I asked Lucas if I can borrow Sandi, and he said that's fine."
"That's good. Again, I'm sorry for putting Bunny through that mess and also sorry for the loss of your uncle."
Jenny grinned. "Thanks. Glad you admitted your mistakes. Okay, I'll be going to get Bunny now. See you later."
The female officer waved goodbye and walked away. Timmy's heart suddenly started hurting and his hands were shaking. That was his chance to tell her his true feelings and once again he failed.
Why did I became a scaredy Delcatty again? I gotta let her know that—
"I love you, Jenny!" he suddenly screamed.
Luckily everyone was so busy that they did not pay attention, but that made Jenny halt and turn around with a confused look on her face.
"Excuse me?"
This time Timmy's heart beat in anxiety.
"Look, I know this is awkward, especially with what happened to Bunny and the death of your uncle, but I love you. I began having feelings not long after you entered here, and I know why. You'll do anything to catch the right criminal and not have the wrong one go to jail. That's what I love about you."
Jenny felt her cheeks burning. She never heard anyone sa anything nice to her like that in a long time. Timmy could be really nice when he wanted to be. Despite being flattered, she knew what she was about to say next would not be good news for Timmy.
"Timmy...that's so sweet of you to say those things about me, but I'm sorry. Look, you're a great guy and all, but here's the thing. One, we're in the same workplace. I don't want rumors and gossip to spread. Two, if you love me, you would have believed me when I said that Bunny's innocent."
The man felt like he was broken into a thousand pieces. He now wanted to slap himself for not thinking those things.
"I don't care what other people think, that's all I got to say about that. However, on not believing you over Bunny, I already told you how the clues seem to pinpoint to her."
"True. Still though, you're unwilling to be open-minded. I was impatient with my uncle because he wouldn't listen to me and I'm afraid we will run into that conflict. I hope you understand."
Timmy just gazed at Jenny for a while. He could tell by looking at her eyes that she was serious about what she said, but she meant no harm. Maybe she was right; in the end their relationship might not last.
"I understand," he finally said with a faint smile. "I hope though, we're still friends."
Jenny grinned. "Don't worry, we're still are." She went and hugged Timmy. The male officer gasped in surprise at first, but smiled after, glad everything had worked out well. After Jenny let go, she giggled. "All right, I have to go get—
She was interrupted when Lucas came at both of them, his eyes wide in fright.
"Chief Lucas, what's going on?" Timmy asked, catching the sight of the chief as well.
"Jenny, give back Sandi."
"Why?"
"I just got a call from the Snowpoint Pokémon Center. Jacob's there and he's probably going to get Bunny."
"What?" both Timmy and Jenny said together.
***
Bunny began packing her stuff and putting them in her backpack. Jenny would be here to come pick her up in a few minutes so she needed to get everything ready. Both Balin and Sky were looking outside to see any sight of Jenny anywhere.
"You two see Jenny yet?" Bunny asked while folding her clothes.
Sky and Balin turned around and they shook their heads. Bunny smiled.
"More time to get ready, then."
Bunny hummed and began looking through her bag to make sure she had everything. She stopped when she found a wrinkled photo, so she picked it up and unfolded it.
"Let me ask you something: you like finding artifacts?"
Bunny nodded and grinned. "Oh yes!"
After sitting down, the young woman gasped when she finished unfolding it and remembered that photo. There was her, Jacob, and her grandmother, but that time she was nine years old.
"Good. You know, when you're older, you can always come to my university which has a good archeology program. Maybe I'll be your teacher in a few years. Probably we'll even go on an archeological trip together." Jacob winked.
The little girl's grin grew bigger. "I would like that very much."
Instead of the little girl smiling and anticipating that event to come, the young lady frowned, as she had already experienced it. That man in the picture looked and acted differently from the cat smiling at her at the Snowpoint Temple. Bunny was still not sure what to think of Jacob, but the more she thought about it, the more she wanted Jacob to be caught and go to jail.
Balin and Sky sat down next to her and they glanced at the photo. Both had worried looks plastered on their faces. They knew Bunny could get emotional any time now and they were not sure how to comfort her.
"Tales, nine nine?" Balin asked in a soft tone.
"I will be fine," Bunny said while putting the photo back in her bag. "Balin, Sky, for now watch out for Jenn—"
Bunny was interrupted when she heard someone closing the door. She first smiled, believing Jenny was here to pick her up, but when she turned around, she felt as if her heart was pulled out of her body. Sky and Balin reacted by screaming in anger.
"Professor Alexison?"
"We need to talk."
Bunny felt her mouth shaking. She was surprised to even see the professor so soon after the incident back at the temple. Not long ago she was confused as to how she should react. She still was now. However, there was something she could do. Since Jacob was here, this could be a chance to talk. Maybe then she would decide.
Bunny gulped and said, "A little too soon, right?"
"Look Bunny, I know everything got messy back at the Snowpoint Temple and for that I want to apologize. To make this up, I'm giving you the plates."
One look at the backpack made Bunny's veins boil. Those plates, the ones Jacob, Jenny, and she were looking for in the first place, caused nothing but turmoil throughout history.
All of a sudden, Bunny snapped. She went and slapped Jacob, hard. There was a red mark on his right cheek. Balin and Sky were speechless.
"The plates caused all this!" Second slap. She ignored Balin and Sky's cries of protest. "You caused this!" Third slap. Bunny's eyes began flowing with tears. "Because of you, I had to run away halfway around Sinnoh!"
She was about to slap Jacob the fourth time, but he held her hand tight. Instead of struggling, Bunny immediately punched him and he crashed onto her bed, but it did not take long for him to get back up. Already a bruise mark was visible, in the same spot Bunny slapped him at earlier. Despite seeing the rage in her former professor's eyes, Bunny just glared at him.
Does he even have the plates with him?
Her eyes then caught the backpack on the ground. Curious, she opened it and gasped. All she could do was stare in great interest as if they were evolutionary stones. She could still feel that the plates were very warm.
Indeed, Arceus' powers.
Bunny's eyes went wide when she saw a yellow notebook, which she grabbed and read the first page.
When the universe was created, its shards became this Plate.
The power of defeated giants infuses this Plate.
Two beings of time and space set free from the Original One.
Three beings were born to bind time and space.
Two make matter, and three make spirit, shaping the world.
The Original One breathed alone before the universe came.
The powers of Plates are shared among Pokémon.
The rightful bearer of a Plate draws from the Plate it holds
"If you think I'm giving you the plates to cause you more trouble, you're wrong." Bunny turned around and saw Jacob approaching her. He took a quick glance at the notebook and sighed. "I understand you're hurt over what happened at the temple and what happened at Solaceon Town. This is why I'm here, to fix this."
For a second Bunny thought she saw a small tear stream down on Jacob's bruised cheek. No doubt he was serious about this. She wondered, though why she would be given the plates.
"Why are you giving the plates to me, then? Is this not what you were seeking for in the first place? For fame?"
Jacob sighed, knowing this would happen, the scars still fresh to her. However, he would be patient and try to reason with her.
"To tell you the truth, yes and no. I originally wanted to just find out the translations of the plates and if the myth that they possess powers was true. However, when I found those plates I thought that I could get recognized, something Ernest was not able to accomplish."
Bunny's eyes widened. If Ernest found those plates, would he not want some fame too?
"Unusual. I assume Ernest would have gladly told everyone about the tablets, unless…"
"He didn't want anyone else to find out about the powers and wanted that to be a secret," Jacob interrupted. "Remember the stories I told you of how those plates got stolen from time to time? He probably thought the plates would be stolen after I saw him using one of them on his Venomoth."
"Well, you stooped to the same level as those guys that stole the plates," Bunny said while putting the plates down on the floor.
There were suddenly screams and banging noises coming from outside. Sky and Balin screamed to warn Jacob and Bunny, but the two did not pay attention. They were in their own world now.
"And indeed you're right. I became obsessed trying to find him, which led to his death. Look, Bunny, I'm not saying I'm a perfect person, no, no, far from it. I guess, like you, I think I'm too mature in taking my own responsibilities."
"Indeed," Bunny responded coldly. One look at the backpack made her realize Jacob still had not answered one of her other questions. "And again, why are you giving me the plates?"
Jacob was about to answer that until both heard an explosion. The two turned around and saw Nurse Joy with an angry Chansey, no egg on her pouch. Behind them were Jenny, Timmy, Lucas, and Arnold. The old man thought he felt a bullet pierce through his heart when he saw the female officer glaring at her.
"Wow, I never knew a Chansey can use Egg Bomb!" Arnold mused while chuckling.
Lucas ignored that comment. "Jacob Alexison, you're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent."
Lucas went and put Jacob on handcuffs, the old man not struggling. Both Bunny and Jenny gazed at him, sadness shown in his eyes. After he was taken away, Arnold went to grab the plates.
"Sorry, but we have to take them. Okay, we better go."
Both Timmy and Arnold left the room. Jenny was about to also, but caught Bunny's depressed eyes.
"What's wrong, Bunny?" Jenny asked while the Pokémon made worried noises.
"It is just that Jacob was about to answer my question as to why he was bringing me the plates."
Jenny too looked down at the ground. At first, she was not so sure about talking to him because she still held a grudge against him. Curiosity got the best of her, though. She too wondered why Jacob was giving Bunny the plates.
"We're going to talk to him when he get to the police station."
Both Pokémon smiled. They were glad there would be some explanation from Jacob after all. However, Bunny just nodded. She was afraid the reason why Jacob would give her the plates would not be a good one.
***
Back at the Jubilife City Police Station, Jacob was sitting in the jail cell alone with handcuffs on his hands. He would sigh sadly when he kept hearing the other officers saying his name.
Can't believe I created a media circus.
His thought then went towards Bunny. He was so close in explaining to her why he was giving her the plates, but the police were able to catch him. Jacob did not mind being caught anymore, but he wished he had more time to talk to Bunny.
Just a little bit more…
He got distracted when he heard footsteps. The old man jumped up a bit and gave a shocked expression when he saw Bunny, Jenny, and Lucas.
"Thanks, Chief for letting us talk to Jacob for a few minutes."
Lucas nodded. "No problem. Be careful you two, though. Who knows what he'll do next, especially since I confiscated his Pokémon from him. Okay, be right back, I need to take care of some paperwork." He walked away after saying that, leaving the girls alone with Jacob.
"What are you two doing here? I thought you guys didn't want to speak to me anymore after the arrest."
"I have to know, Professor. "Why were you about to leave the plates to me?"
Jacob gazed at Bunny for some time. He was confident of his answer back at the Pokémon Center, but he was not sure now. She wanted to know, however, so it would not hurt to answer that question here.
"There's a good reason why I'm leaving the plates to you, Bunny. Actually, to you too, Jenny." Jacob caught Jenny's eyes in deep confusion, but he smiled. "You see, I realized that the plates did indeed change people's personalities. I think it's more of how throughout history people wanted the plates, whether it be the powers it held, what was written on it, or to just shove Sinnoh's history down on other people's throats."
Bunny nodded, clearly more fascinated by this. After the many stories Jacob told them and from reading that book she had been carrying, she knew what Jacob said was true. Despite that, she still felt uneasy about him. Bunny was actually still afraid Jacob was up to something. Jenny sighed though; she was not really interested in this.
"Okay, I understand that the plates make people go crazy. However, I still can't believe you were thinking about killing the police officers, Matt, Bunny, and me! Also, let's cut to the chase. Why again are you leaving us the plates?"
"I admit that what I did was too extreme. For that, I'm sorry." He paused to cough and continued. "All right, I guess you all now are wondering what I want you guys to do with the plates. Well, I want you two to destroy them."
Both girls gasped and their eyes went wide. That was one other thing they did not expect to hear. Even Bunny's Pokémon gave surprised gasps.
"Why? The plates are considered the first written works ever! Are you telling us to erase history?" Bunny asked with a gulp.
Jacob chuckled. "You haven't learned anything from my lectures, Bunny. I thought you knew better."
Bunny gasped and complained, "What do you mean by that?"
"I thought you realized those plates are actually bad news. The only way that history won't repeat itself is if the plates are destroyed!" He paused to catch his breath and gazed at Bunny with pleading eyes. "Bunny, remember one time you talked to me a few days before you graduated? You said if you could change history, you would. Now is the time."
The young woman gulped and she shivered. Destroying the plates? Bunny would never have thought of destroying an artifact. Looking at Jacob made her feel she was pressured to say yes. She knew that would be a good idea to do, but at the same time she wanted to think about it first.
"Jacob…I am not sure if I should do this."
Jenny had the same vibes. Granted, she was not obsessed with artifacts like Bunny, but she would not destroy them.
"I'm in the same boat as Bunny. I'm not so sure destroying the plates is a good idea, especially since the plates are now in the evidence room."
Jacob frowned. He thought the two would agree to it, but he thought wrong.
Being too hopeful, I guess.
All of a sudden, everyone saw Lucas. He frowned while looking at both Jenny and Bunny.
"Sorry you two, but I have to take Jacob to interrogation now. Depending how this goes, he might be transferred to a different facility very soon."
Lucas opened the jail cell and took Jacob's right arm. The two got out of the cell and were about to walk towards the interrogation room, but Jacob turned around and grinned at both of the girls.
"Okay, maybe it's best for you guys to think about it. I do hope you gals will make the right decision, though."
The two continued walking. When Bunny saw that, she felt tears warming her cheeks. She knew after the interrogation, this could be the last time she would see him. All of a sudden she did not want to see him go.
"Wait, Jacob! I want to say I forgive you!"
When Jenny heard that, she sensed a glow in her heart. Even though she still held a grudge against Jacob, she felt her impatience being drained away. She was thinking of forgiving him too. The officer chuckled when she saw Bunny still in disbelief that she said that.
I've a feeling she forgives him.
Lucas could not help himself but chuckle. He could tell the two indeed had a history together. Like Jenny, the chief too thought Bunny forgave him.
Jacob felt a tear on his eye. This could be the last time he would see those two. In deep appreciation, he waved at them.
"Goodbye, girls! I do hope this is one history lesson you two will never forget!"
Lucas glanced at the girls. For a second, he wanted to release him so that he could be with the girls longer. The chief frowned though. He hated to do this to them but it was his job.
He and Jacob walked slowly towards the interrogation room. The two girls stared at them until they were out of sight.
Both of Bunny's eyes and mouth were wide. Now Jacob was gone, probably forever. She felt shattered. Her hatred towards him for what he had done to them seemed to wash away. All she wanted right now was the professor to come back.
"He's gone."
"Well, there's always the trial," Jenny said with a weak smile, trying to cheer her up. She knew, though that would not work.
Bunny lowered her head and felt the tears warmer. "Just not the same."
Jenny too hung her head down. Even if they were able to see him during the trial, they would go against him, despite them forgiving him. She wanted to say something to make her feel better, but she had nothing.
"I'm sorry," was all Jenny could say while both Pokémon whimpered, also regretting not able to do anything to make their trainer happy.
A smile crept onto Bunny's mouth. "That is all right. At least I forgive him."
She felt free finally making a decision on whether to forgive him or not and she would not change it for the world.
That made Jacob happy. What would finally make him happy is if the plates vanished from history.
Shock was shown in Bunny's eyes. She was reminded of the plates, how Jacob wanted them to destroy the plates. Still, the plates were now part of evidence against Jacob, not to mention the artifacts would be destroyed. She was still unsure what to do.
"When the universe was created, its shards became this Plate. The power of defeated giants infuses this Plate. Two beings of time and space set free from the Original One. Three beings were born to bind time and space. Two make matter, and three make spirit, shaping the world. The Original One breathed alone before the universe came. The powers of Plates are shared among Pokémon. The rightful bearer of a Plate draws from the Plate it holds."
Jenny looked at Bunny weirdly. "Excuse me?"
"The description from the plates," Bunny answered without embarrassment. "Jacob showed them to me before he was caught. He was about to answer why he was giving me the plates. Now I know that he wanted us to destroy it, but I am not sure if I…"
The woman's eyes went wide again, but this time in realization. Bunny's heart began beating furiously and she grinned. Of course, there was only one thing to do with the plates. The thought of possibly changing history overwhelm but excited her.
"You said if you could change history, you would. Now is the time."
History shall not be repeated.
"Bunny, are you all right?"
Bunny turned around and smirked. "We are going to destroy the plates!"
Jenny's eyes went huge and blinked. She thought a cold breeze went and froze her body.
"Are you serious? What about the artifacts? Like you said before, destroying them would erase history!"
"Not erase history, preventing history from repeating itself," Bunny corrected with a grin. "The faster we learn from our mistakes, the better off we would be."
Jenny's eyes first squinted but then twinkled with delight. The officer chuckled. That she could agree on.
"You know what, you're right."
Bunny nodded, but frowned when she realized there was one problem. "However, the plates are going to be used as evidence."
"Yeah," the female officer said with a frown. "I could go and get them, but I would get in trouble."
"I see," Bunny whispered before giving out a soft moan. She understood that Jenny did not want to get in trouble again, but it saddened her Jenny would not destroy the plates.
Jenny had her hand on her forehead. Once again, she hated making Bunny sad. Wanting to think more clearly without always looking at the archeologist, she walked slowly to the window and gazed at the moon from the window. Her mind thought back about what Bunny said, preventing history from repeating itself. If the plates were indeed broken, no one would be in the same state like Jacob or Ernest.
Uncle Ernest…
A tear flowed down on Jenny's smiling face. The officer took a quick glance at her necklace and instantly turned around and grinned at Bunny.
"Hey Buncan, we are going to destroy the plates! Wait outside until I get them and then we'll leave."
Bunny gasped and was speechless at first but grinned back. Again the sooner they got this over with, the better. Both Sky and Balin cheered, expecting something big to happen.
***
The evidence room was total darkness until the door opened and the lights were turned on. Nothing extraordinary except piles and piles of boxes. When Jenny went inside, she quickly looked through them.
"Ernest, Ernest, Ernest…"
It did not take long for Jenny to find what she needed. She smiled after finding the box labeled Ernest.
"Bingo."
She grabbed it and opened the box to make sure the artifacts were in there. Indeed, there were the plates and the yellow book. The officer did a quick reading of it and chuckled.
Bunny's right about the translations.
Jenny was about to dash off, but sounds of footsteps made Jenny turn around. She gasped and almost dropped the box when she saw Diana.
"Ella, what are you doing with that box? Even if they're your uncle's, you're not authorized to keep them."
Jenny knew she had to get out of there fast without anyone else noticing. Thinking of an idea, she went grabbed Vesiquen's pokeball and released her.
"Power Gem!"
The bee queen's ruby on her head glowed and immediately gems hit Diana's forehead. The two soon made a run of it while the blond haired woman rubbed the spot where the attack hit. She gritted her teeth.
"What the hell? I gotta let the chief know this!"
Diana went out of the room and went off to the interrogation room.
***
When everyone saw Jenny dashing away with one of the evidence boxes, they stared at her as if she did not learn from her mistake in saving Bunny. After hearing the commotion, Timmy got out of his desk and his eyes went wide.
"Jenny, what's going on?"
"I'm fixing the mistake my uncle made! Just trust me on this!" she yelled while running away. Not long after, she was out of the police station.
Timmy's eyes blinked a few times. It was weird how after being off the hook, she went and actually broke the rules for no reason whatsoever. He knew, though Jenny would never do anything reckless. The reasons she saved Bunny in the first place was because she was innocent. That caused him to chuckle.
Perhaps she knows what's she doing once again.
This time, he would trust her the first time around.
***
When Diana burst into the room, both Lucas and Jacob stared at her in confusion.
"Chief, Jenny is running away with Ernest's evidence!"
Lucas banged on the table. "She WHAT?"
"I saw her. She even used Power Gem on my forehead! Look!"
"Not this again," Lucas muttered and sighed, losing his patience already. "We caught Jacob here, what more does she want?"
Jacob could not help but laugh. Both Diana and Lucas glared at him.
"What's so funny?" Diana asked.
"She, along with Bunny, are not going to make history repeat itself again."
One of Lucas' eyes blinked. "Excuse me? Jacob, are you aware that both girls will be in so much trouble if anything happens to the plates?"
Jacob smirked. "If you stop her, you'll regret it."
At first, Lucas clenched his first, not sure what Jacob meant. He for sure now thought the old man did not care about the law nor anyone's else well being. It did not took him long to finally get it, so he grinned.
"Diana, tell everyone to not follow Jenny."
Diana's jaws dropped. "What? You're just going to let her get away like that?"
Lucas grinned. "I already screwed up Ernest's case when accusing Bunny of murderer, so it wouldn't make any difference."
For the first time in his life, Lucas thought he did something right for a change.
***
The roaring wind picked up at Lake Verity The trees kept swaying back and forth and the waves kept getting bigger and bigger. Despite the weather, one woman and three Pokémon up high at the sky did not mind. The other woman did, however.
"Ella! Tell Tropius to slow down!" Bunny screamed. She held Jenny's back tighter and closed her eyes when the Pokemon went faster.
Balin, in the middle between the two ladies, was squished, much to his annoyance. Sky, flying next to the Tropius, could not help but chuckle.
"Nine, nine!" the Pokémon yelled. Bunny was not able to listen, though.
"Don't tell me you're scared of a little speed!" Jenny yelled.
Bunny just snorted; she was not going to let that comment get to her. However, one thought suddenly hit her mind.
"I guess you forgave both Jacob and Ernest, right?"
Jenny quickly turned around and grinned.
"Yeah, I have. Seriously, I think I should've been more open-minded. True, they did make a few mistakes, but no one's perfect."
Bunny nodded and giggled. She was glad that Jenny forgave them, so the officer could sleep easier tonight.
After Jenny quickly glanced at the ground, she yelled, "Hey, we're here! Okay Tropius, take us to the tall grass area, and fast!"
Tropius nodded, gave out a roar, and bulleted down towards where Jenny said. The speed was too much for Bunny, making her hold Jenny's back for dear life and Balin wanting more oxygen.
We are going to crash, we are going to crash, we are going to crash, we are going to crash!
THUMP
When Bunny opened her eyes she saw Jenny already out of her Pokémon and laughing while Balin was on the ground taking deep breaths. Sky began laughing louder.
"Look what you did to poor Balin!"
Bunny laughed nervously and felt her cheeks on fire. "Sorry, boy. Hope you can forgive me!"
After taking his last few breaths, the Pokémon growled but then smiled at her. Jenny giggled; she thought their interaction was cute. She sighed however, knowing they have business to attend to.
"Okay guys, let's do this."
Bunny nodded and got the backpack off of her back. She opened it and let all sixteen plates and the book fall on the ground. When both girls and the Pokémon saw those things, everyone felt their spines tingling and coldness inside their hearts.
"It is time!" Bunny proclaimed with her finger pointing at the sky.
Jenny nodded and turned to Tropius. "Stomp those plates, now!"
The Tropius gave a triumph roar and stomped on the plates. It did not took long until all turned to dust. Bunny grinned and grabbed the book. She then turned to Balin and nodded at him.
"Balin, Flamethrower!"
As soon as she threw the book up in the air, Balin let out a huge flame that engulfed it. The book was soon turned to ash.
"Yes, we did it!" Jenny cheered and pumped her arms up on the air. Bunny and the Pokémon just giggled.
When Jenny glanced at her necklace, her grin became larger and turned to look at her Tropius. Bunny gasped when she saw Jenny take out the necklace from her neck and threw it on the ground.
"What are you doing? I thought you forgave your uncle!"
"I am! This is the only piece that hasn't been destroyed. It could be stolen one day. See, I learned something!" Jenny responded with a wink.
Bunny was about to protest, but after realizing what she meant, she grinned and nodded. Jenny smiled back and snapped her fingers. The Tropius roared once more and stomped on the necklace until it too turned to dust.
As the wind's roar became louder, the dust and ash were lifted up and taken away. For a few seconds the sky sprinkled with all kinds of colors. Everyone's mouths were opened when they saw that.
"Wow, didn't know history can leave a beautiful finish," Jenny praised.
Bunny grinned and said, "It can, once learned."
Everyone stared at the night sky until those dust and ash were seen no more. Jenny and Bunny were thinking the same thing, how that one mistake Ernest made suddenly affected them both and the new things they experienced.
All of a sudden, a howling wind picked up and everyone thought they heard a huge ominous war. Everyone closed their eyes as both the scream and the wind became fiercer.
DODOGYUUUUUUN
"What just happened?" Jenny asked
DODOGYUUUUUUN
All of the Pokémon were making complaining noises too, but the roar and the wind was too loud.
DODOGYUUUUUUN
It felt like forever, but this strange occurrence only lasted for a few seconds. The roaring stop and the winds died down to a whine. While Jenny and the Pokémon had terror shown on their faces, Bunny grinned.
"Arceus is happy we destroyed the plates."
Jenny raised an eyebrow. "What? That roar from Arceus, the god Pokémon himself? Aren't we supposed to, you know, see that alpha Pokémon?"
"He doesn't need to be seen. Intangible things can be broken, too."
Already getting what she said, Jenny laughed out loud. "I guess so. Still, despite that, something's missing…"
Bunny hated to admit it, but she thought so too. She felt there was one other thing to end this play before the encore.
There was a warm spotlight from the moon's light that struck inspiration on Bunny's heart. Yes, that was what was missing. The quick and dramatic journey would not end without a proper…finish. She turned around and smirked at Jenny and the Pokémon. Before she spoke, she touched the left side of her chest. She felt her heart race faster and harder.
"History. Faded and remembered. Can be looked at differently. Always repeated. Can affect both present and future. If broken, how much will it be worth?"
After Bunny finished, she bowed. Jenny grinned and clapped while all the Pokémon roared in approval.
"That's really good, Bunny. Did you make that poetry yourself?"
Bunny smiled but shook her head. "Actually, I learned that from Professor Alexison. In his class there were a few poems we had to study."
Jenny gasped. It was hard for her to believe the same professor that betrayed them and killed her uncle was the one that taught Bunny that. She smiled though. Despite that, she knew that Jacob was not really a bad person but that maybe there were some things he became too passionate about. She was willing to forgive him, and so too her uncle.
"Well, despite what happened, I admit he taught you well. Take another bow!"
Bunny was at first confused but chuckled. She bowed again, only to be returned with claps and roars also. In her mind, Bunny was glad that history did indeed take center stage and left with a happy finish.
***
WAIT, WAIT WAIT! The story is not over yet! You guys want to know what happen to the characters after this? :D
There's still the epilogue, which I'll be posting hopefully this Saturday. So yes, NE will offically ends this Saturday. :( It's going to be sad since I really enjoyed writing and posting this story, not to mention reading your guys' reviews. Seriously, can't believe a couple of you are scared of Jacob! XD;
Would do a farewell speech, give special thanks, and all that jazz, but that'll have to wait till the epilogue. :)
Once again, thank you all who had read and review thus far and hopefully the epilogue will be good!
