Sgt Shock
Goldsmith
- 385
- Posts
- 15
- Years
- Age 33
- Rokkenjima
- Seen May 19, 2014
Chapter 12: The Despotism in Duality
"I must admit, it's been quite some time since we have spoke, Gabriel."
"Largo...I must admit that it has. Six months was it."
"Six months you have been shutting me away in the confines of your heart. Or what's left of it anyway?"
"Why can't you just be a good boy, Largo, and stay down?"
"Stay down? Gabriel. There is no medicine, no mental cure and definitely no psychiatrist that can keep me locked away forever. I've been sleeping, waiting for my spot."
"You have no power, Largo. You're nothing more than a tool that I use. I can put you away if I want."
"Really now, I'm more than amused that you would say something like that in my presence. Do you forget that I'm your true self not that mask that you wear every day?"
"You are not my true self?"
"Then what am I? Am I perhaps your ruler and you are nothing more than vessel I dwell in? Do you not remember the night that I awoken? That night. That beautiful night. You didn't have the nerve. You had a soul. I have no useless attachments or fears such as these. Yet you call me the one the tool. Yet you call on my power every twist and turn you cannot control. Who reigns over whom, Gabriel?"
"I reign over you..."
"Even then, it felt foreign against your lips. Like crop being grown in an opposite environment only to have their roots frozen or dried. Amusing really, open your eyes to see what I have done to show you have no control over me."
Gabriel opened his eyes. There was the distinct smell of blood was in the air; polluted the air with its metallic, bitter, hollow, but fresh aroma. He panicked as looked to both sides of him to find that Jiro and Fleur were safely sleeping. But the stench did not dissipate, something was dead, a lot of something. He shot from his bed and progressed through the hallways of the inn that they had checked into. It was a log cabin style home, so the hallways appeared to be darker than normal. He almost was regretting it now. He looked down to see it. It was a trail of blood.
He could feel his feet follow the trail. The small smears of blood became larger like stream the more that he progressed down the hallways. The blood began to expand than just walls alone. Ceilings, walls, lights, and doors were now covered in the crimson liquid tissue. Gabriel wanted to stop walking, but his feet wouldn't stop moving. He knew what was going to happen next. It was a story of logic. Blood came from living things, these things only lost blood when they were hurt, and then they would die if this amount of blood was lost.
Gabriel descended the stairs to see the sight—fifty people, dead. They were piled upon each other like a pit grave. Twisted necks, stab wounds, burns, and various mixtures could be seen in the corpses. Gabriel fell to his knee. He wanted to vomit. The smell of the rank bodies filled the room, weakening Gabriel's knees.
"I thought you said killing was fun?"
"When did you do this?"
"Isn't it obvious?" "Tonight..."
"Stop it...get out my head."
"Oh, I thought you had power over me. Look at what you did. You were so proud what you did years back because you got what you wanted? Isn't that right?"
"I just..."
"There is no excuse for that. Now..." Gabriel's hand became absorbed in fire. "Burn this place to the ground..."
"Gabriel..."
Gabriel turned his attention to Jiro, stopping his flames at the moment. His eyes seemed to quake out of it sockets. Sweat poured down Gabriel's face and unconsciously tears. Jiro assessed the situation before taking in some rancid air. It almost clogged his throat instead of soothing his fear.
"To tell the truth Gabriel..." Jiro started. "I'm here to stop Largo."
"That's why you've been tagging along..." Gabriel's voice was heaving.
"The Ranger Union sent me to investigate your killings of Pokemon."
"How did you know it was me?"
"No one can forget those flames," Jiro stated.
"Are you going to take me in?" Gabriel stated. Even he was unsure if it was he that was saying that. It was definitely unsettling for the both of them.
"No. I'm not. I'm going to help you beat this."
"Beat me...that idea is ridiculous…" Gabriel shoved the thought away. "Can you...?"
"Consider it done."
Jiro extended his hand, sending a wave of aura to sway Gabriel asleep. It's been quite some time he had to use his aura to control Gabriel. It sent back memories that he didn't want to recreate in the already Jiro managed to catch him before he hit the ground and threw him over his shoulder. He headed back to the room where the three had slept, a small suite on the other side of the town.
"Fleur....?" Jiro's voice whispered.
"Yes..." Fleur was already awakened long before Jiro's whispered into her ear.
"Can you get up now? We have to leave?" he beckoned.
"Why?" Fleur panicked.
"I can't tell you..." Jiro was lost at words. "But, do not open your eyes until we are out of the building."
"Alright, I'll get our stuff."
Fleur stood up. Jiro knew she could feel it, that dankness in the air that death emits. It woke her up. Though hesitate, she did what she promised and collect all that she could. She then proceeded to close her eyes. Jiro grabbed her hand, guiding her through the wood corridors. He seemed to be relatively unaffected by the added weight of Gabriel on his shoulders. He just moved as quickly as he could with Fleur's hand clutched tightly to his. They progressed down the stairs.
"What is going on? I feel like...?" Fleur began to open her eyes.
"No, do not open them," Jiro roared.
"Okay," Fleur gave a gulp before closing her eyes tightly.
Jiro managed to pave a way through the bodies that now created the ground of the first floor. He guided Fleur through the corpses and managed to open the door. The devastation didn't stop at the inn. Feeling the fresh air of the night, Fleur opened her eyes to see that the horrid. She fell backwards back into the house to see the pain there too. It was impossible now. She screamed as loud as she could.
"My god...." Jiro's voice was whimpering now.
The entire village of Dragon's Wake right outside of Pewter City was burned to the ground. There were even more bodies on the street; children, mothers, fathers, grandparents, pokemon, everything. Jiro's eyes began to stream tears down his face. It brought back memories that he tried to push away. Those memories of that day at the school, his heart wrenched. He covered his mouth with his gigantic palm trying to stop himself from screaming now. They contorted in ways that bones couldn't possibly go. Bones broke the skin in many of the bodies while in others limbs were missing only to be found farther down the road. Splattered on the ground was not only blood but organs, ripped clean from the body. The sight couldn't be fathomed by anyone—man or beast. There were no survivors.
Jiro sent out a scream of anger. It echoed into the night sky. The nightmare had reoccurred.
They were met by the same devastation. None of them seemed to show any fear however though this was more than unexpected. The S.D.C progressed through the tarnished dirt road that was once treaded by the people of Dragon's Wake. The town's square that would have been covered with people due to the markets was now covered with the bodies of those same people. Fountains that were once flowing crystal clear water were now tainted with the blood of the innocent. Dismembered bodies were laid waste throughout the entire town; hanging out of windows, run through by the spear-like post, and crushed underneath the large statues were some of the more horrible deaths.
"Who would have done all of this?" Rex spoke between his teeth.
"Isn't it obvious," Josh expanded his pokeball. "Volt, you're needed."
Volt the Electivire slammed on the ground upon exiting his pokeball. Volt's red and silver eyes seemed to view the apocalyptic scene. He gave a low grunt from the side of his mouth before slamming his fist into the ground. A web of electricity weaved through the bodies as well as through the buildings. Romy, Katrine, and Rex seemingly watched as the Electivire seemingly heaved a large sigh. It brought its fist up upon giving Josh a telepathic report on the situation.
"Tell the rest of your group that there are three living creatures left. They are who you think they are…" Volt folded his arms.
"Volt says that their three living bodies in the area, and they are three that he recognizes. It's highly doubtful that they are survivors of this cataclysm."
"Then who are they?" Rex roared.
"Gabriel, Jiro, and Fleur," Josh seemed to have little to no astonishment on his face.
"I knew it," Romy crossed her arms.
"They are on the move," Josh commented.
"Then let's go."
The four as well as Volt continued through the waves of corpses. Out of all of them, Katrine seemed the most visibly discomfited. She had only truly seen this type of thing through picture and video alone, close up was a different experience. Her heart was racing beyond their normal limits as the continued throughout the town. After some moments, she found herself within one of the large arms of Rex.
"Only a little longer before we before we catch these damned murderers," Rex said that in a vigorous tone.
"You really know what to say," Romy said in sarcasm.
"I think it was sweet," Katrine said as she held onto Rex.
"ah ah ha..." he blushed but quickly shook it off realizing it wasn't the right time.
"The three of you," Josh barked. "Volt and I are going pursuit."
"Josh—wait!" Romy cried out.
It was too late. Volt and Josh had already moved ahead of the group, moving the speed beyond light itself. Rex as well as Romy crossed their arms in the anger. Katrine gave a faded, somewhat dull smile. No matter what they felt, they were powerless to stop him now. All they could do now was to follow his lead.
"Dammit. He's fast..." Rex murmured.
"They didn't call him the God of Lightning in Sinnoh because he was slow," Katrine mentioned.
"How does he do it?"
"He or Volt," Katrine asked.
"Both would be nice…" Rex proclaimed.
"They move at incredible speeds for two separate reason; Volt through Motor Drive while Josh himself transfers his electricity to his feet to move light speed. He has pretty interesting uses for lightning," Katrine shrugged.
"I thought Motor Drive can only activate when Volt is hit by an electricity attack," Romy asked.
"Did you forget Josh can create lightning?" Katrine flashed a smile.
"Smart ass kid," Rex nodded his head.
"We better follow him before we lose his trail..." Katrine began dashing in the general direction of Josh.
Rex and Romy nodded accordingly before dashing as well towards the direction in where Josh was headed. Hopefully they would get there in time.
"Another powerful presence is coming...who now?"
"K.R.P.D most likely. That more than unfortunate, we can't possibly fight them like this," Fleur panicked.
"That is more than correct, my dear..."
Jiro and an already shaken Fleur turned to the sound of the voice. Upon one of the larger buildings in the area, Josh and Volt stood; Josh with an unusually cruel smile on his face. Jiro and Fleur seemed to eye the exit, they were so close from escaping and now this man stood in their way. This wasn't something that they wanted, not now. All they had to make it through was the wooden gates and somehow lose this man in the forest. However even that seemed impossible now. This man's blue eyes stared down at them, aghast.
"Drop him...." Josh commanded.
"I cannot do that," Jiro himself was unsure if he could defeat Josh. Not like this.
"You don't have much of a choice on this matter. Remember that night, when you said that you would protect Gabriel and Fleur with your life," Josh looked for a response from Jiro, he nodded. "I'm going to make you ante up to those words. Now..."
"Hear me out..." Jiro started. "Please....please...let us escape..."
"Why would I do something like that?" Josh's face washed with a muse of violence. "After all he has caused me to go through; after all I have lost getting to this point. You are going to plead for me to let you escape. What's this foolishness?"
"This foolishness...is my friendship towards him. You do not all the underlying tribulations that he went through."
"What he went through," Josh roared in laughter. "I'm not interested in such folly. Just hand him over before I'll have to pry him out of your dead hands."
"I cannot…"
"You'll regret those words..." Josh murmured.
Josh suddenly catapulted himself with a stream of lightning towards Jiro. Until then he did not see that Josh was wielding a knife underneath the end of his cloak, he managed to dodge it at the last second. He soon found himself dodging several different from Josh's blade. With each passing moment, it became more and more difficult for him to dodge. The blade's swings were blinding now. He could only dodge them now by the sounds that they made when the cut through the air. At last, Josh stabbed Jiro in the upper chest causing him fall to his knees. Josh pulled the thin, spike like blade from Jiro's skin, causing him to fall unconscious from the blood lost.
Successful, Josh licked the blood from his blade before heading towards Fleur who was now quaking in fear at the lost of her own protection. She fell backwards trying to reach to her pokeball only for her wrist to be seized by Josh's. She could feel her carpel's in her wrist snap in his hand, crunching them like ice between his teeth. She yelped in pain.
"Thanks for the catch..." Josh mentioned as he threw her from where she was into the wall of a building--the after effect being the obvious unconsciousness.
Josh approached the still hypnosis-inflicted Gabriel. It was more like stalking, like a poacher. He raised his blade. Gabriel's eyes shot open, iris consumed by a burnt vermilion color. Gabriel grabbed the sword by the blade; Josh kept a low pressure though he subconsciously wanted to cut through his palm.
"We meet again...Josh..." Gabriel started to speak. His voice was torture to a person's soul. It could be only be explained a low growling tainted by the muse of death.
"So...you're the monster that lives inside of Gabriel. Largo was it?"
"How do know about that?" 'Largo' amused.
"Pokemon Eclipse Theory, what did you expect during my times at Sinnoh? I wasn't just training, Largo."
"Then you know what I'm capable of," Largo paused for a moment. "Why did you release me then? You must have known that Jiro was my cage."
"I wanted to take you in as the killer not the performer."
"Good answer. But isn't it a bit over zealous."
Gabriel or Largo rather pushed Josh's blade away from himself. The long gash on his palm from the edge of the blade began healing allowing only the blood to be the only attest to the fact that it was there in the first place. Largo licked the palm of his hand, allowing his tongue to curl up his now pale palm. Josh could now see the fang like teeth where jutting from the gum. This perked Josh's interest to what exactly 'Largo' was. However, he kept it to himself.
"You die here," Josh stated.
"Not going to happen. I should give you thanks. With those two around," Largo's eyes shot from the downed Jiro and Fleur, "I would never be able to escape."
"It matters not since you are going to be killed."
"Don't think you will have the chance on that one," Largo shook his head condescendingly. "I'm much more powerful than my other half."
Josh, enveloped in a white lightning, appeared behind Largo only for him to cut completely through Largo's shoulder. The white blade phase through him completely, almost like he was a ghost sort. This left Largo to heave a rather heavy sigh of boredom. With a snap of his finger, Largo had made his escape within a torrent of flames.
"Not now…little child, I don't have time for this. Enjoy your catch. It's the only meal that you are going to have tonight," Largo taunted as his voice faded.
Josh's anger fumed into a physical manifestation, causing him to let out an inhuman-like roar. Volt managed to stop Josh's from doing any more damage from the lightning that emitted from his body by absorbing it. After calming down slightly, Josh returned Volt to his pokeball. His face assumed that icy expression once more.
"Looks like we are too late..."
Rex, on his usual means of transportation, trotted up to Josh whom was still breathing heavily from his escaped target. Lightning crackled from the sides of Josh's mouth as flames would a dragon. Josh slammed his fist into the ground, but his eyes were focused on Rex as well as the now approaching Romy and Katrine.
"Where were all of you?"
"Hell if you going to blame us for you running off," Rex shouted.
"That's right," Romy spoke softly. "You ran off without us."
"Let's not blame each other. Gabriel got away, yet again. We can't be discouraged," Katrine said offering the sense of reason in this conversion.
"How many times are we going to let him get away?" Josh threw that statement towards Katrine. It smacked her innocent expression off her face. "Do know how many times a person can a person say next time? They can say it an infinite number of times from their mouths. Next time might never come," Josh's voice held despair even though it was hard to tell. "Next time might be a last time for someone else."
"What do we do now?" Katrine was checking the radar on the Pokevoyac. None of the targets were appearing. "Wherever Gabriel has gone, he's not here anymore."
"Take them into custody," Josh barked.
"If you going to bark orders like that--" Rex was stopped by Romy's hand.
"It's no need. He'd just keep at it," Romy stated.
Romy approached the unconscious Fleur. For some reason more than any other time, she pitied her. She scooped her off the ground to place her on the back of Sebastian. She squared her shoulders, trying to mask the feeling of guilt she felt before heading to the now life-threatened Jiro.
"Let him die," Josh turned his back. "It's nothing you can do. I sent electric waves coursing through his blood stream with my blade, Zeus the Cloud Gatherer."
"I'm not going to let him die, Josh..."
"For what reasons should he live," Josh inquired.
"Do you need logical ones or ethical?" Romy asked as she knelt to Jiro's side.
"Tell me both," Josh longed preferred logical yet he felt the need to here the other side as well. It was that nagging thought of Cyrus that pushed him to say "both".
"I'll give you the logical one first. Say if we let him die, any information that he knows about Gabriel will die as well. To say the least, our only lead about where he should be going will be lost to us. Not to say the fact that interrogating him might bring us closer to something larger," Romy extended her hands over Jiro's body. For a person who obviously didn't like pure logic, Romy was the master at it. "On top of that, he's a ranger from the Ranger Union in Almia. He's probably on a mission to observe the killings of Pokemon here by both Gabriel and Team Rocket. Interfering in his mission could cause bad relations between Almia and Kanto. Killing him would leave worst options in the end than taking him into custody."
After slamming Josh with his desired "logic", Romy continued to her initial mission of healing Jiro. Josh silenced himself to observe Romy's trainer's skills. To him, it only appeared to be a flurry of pink peony flower petals and mist. The mist however had that healing property. It had the ability to repair cell damage if she concentrated enough on it. She was focused immensely while keeping the eye contact with Josh at the same time.
"What about ethical," the word felt foreign in the roof of Josh's mouth.
"For one, he's a human being trying to protect someone who gave his dream a chance. Secondly, he's not the bad guy; he never once killed a person with Gabriel six months ago. Thirdly, he has a family that he is providing for...." Romy paused as Jiro stirred--a good sign. "Lastly, he is a friend of mine as well," Romy managed to catch a glimpse of Josh's facial expression.
"What?" Josh gave hollow voice to such a puzzling revelation.
"I met him in Ranger School. A rather quiet guy who never really talked to anyone else around, I decided during our time at the Ranger School. We were friends. I didn't want to mention this to you earlier."
"Hmph..." the grunt in Josh's voice at that showed that he was completely revolted.
Romy removed her hands from Jiro's chest, allowing the wound to settle for a moment. Jiro was now breathing even if they were brusque.
"Rex, can you take him on Sebastian too?" Romy asked.
"Alright, I have other pokemon I can travel on."
"That's great. Katrine, can you start on the report for the people here..."
"Already working on it," Katrine was typing on a small portable computer she kept with her.
"We will be moving out then."
"I must admit, it's been quite some time since we have spoke, Gabriel."
"Largo...I must admit that it has. Six months was it."
"Six months you have been shutting me away in the confines of your heart. Or what's left of it anyway?"
"Why can't you just be a good boy, Largo, and stay down?"
"Stay down? Gabriel. There is no medicine, no mental cure and definitely no psychiatrist that can keep me locked away forever. I've been sleeping, waiting for my spot."
"You have no power, Largo. You're nothing more than a tool that I use. I can put you away if I want."
"Really now, I'm more than amused that you would say something like that in my presence. Do you forget that I'm your true self not that mask that you wear every day?"
"You are not my true self?"
"Then what am I? Am I perhaps your ruler and you are nothing more than vessel I dwell in? Do you not remember the night that I awoken? That night. That beautiful night. You didn't have the nerve. You had a soul. I have no useless attachments or fears such as these. Yet you call me the one the tool. Yet you call on my power every twist and turn you cannot control. Who reigns over whom, Gabriel?"
"I reign over you..."
"Even then, it felt foreign against your lips. Like crop being grown in an opposite environment only to have their roots frozen or dried. Amusing really, open your eyes to see what I have done to show you have no control over me."
Gabriel opened his eyes. There was the distinct smell of blood was in the air; polluted the air with its metallic, bitter, hollow, but fresh aroma. He panicked as looked to both sides of him to find that Jiro and Fleur were safely sleeping. But the stench did not dissipate, something was dead, a lot of something. He shot from his bed and progressed through the hallways of the inn that they had checked into. It was a log cabin style home, so the hallways appeared to be darker than normal. He almost was regretting it now. He looked down to see it. It was a trail of blood.
He could feel his feet follow the trail. The small smears of blood became larger like stream the more that he progressed down the hallways. The blood began to expand than just walls alone. Ceilings, walls, lights, and doors were now covered in the crimson liquid tissue. Gabriel wanted to stop walking, but his feet wouldn't stop moving. He knew what was going to happen next. It was a story of logic. Blood came from living things, these things only lost blood when they were hurt, and then they would die if this amount of blood was lost.
Gabriel descended the stairs to see the sight—fifty people, dead. They were piled upon each other like a pit grave. Twisted necks, stab wounds, burns, and various mixtures could be seen in the corpses. Gabriel fell to his knee. He wanted to vomit. The smell of the rank bodies filled the room, weakening Gabriel's knees.
"I thought you said killing was fun?"
"When did you do this?"
"Isn't it obvious?" "Tonight..."
"Stop it...get out my head."
"Oh, I thought you had power over me. Look at what you did. You were so proud what you did years back because you got what you wanted? Isn't that right?"
"I just..."
"There is no excuse for that. Now..." Gabriel's hand became absorbed in fire. "Burn this place to the ground..."
"Gabriel..."
Gabriel turned his attention to Jiro, stopping his flames at the moment. His eyes seemed to quake out of it sockets. Sweat poured down Gabriel's face and unconsciously tears. Jiro assessed the situation before taking in some rancid air. It almost clogged his throat instead of soothing his fear.
"To tell the truth Gabriel..." Jiro started. "I'm here to stop Largo."
"That's why you've been tagging along..." Gabriel's voice was heaving.
"The Ranger Union sent me to investigate your killings of Pokemon."
"How did you know it was me?"
"No one can forget those flames," Jiro stated.
"Are you going to take me in?" Gabriel stated. Even he was unsure if it was he that was saying that. It was definitely unsettling for the both of them.
"No. I'm not. I'm going to help you beat this."
"Beat me...that idea is ridiculous…" Gabriel shoved the thought away. "Can you...?"
"Consider it done."
Jiro extended his hand, sending a wave of aura to sway Gabriel asleep. It's been quite some time he had to use his aura to control Gabriel. It sent back memories that he didn't want to recreate in the already Jiro managed to catch him before he hit the ground and threw him over his shoulder. He headed back to the room where the three had slept, a small suite on the other side of the town.
"Fleur....?" Jiro's voice whispered.
"Yes..." Fleur was already awakened long before Jiro's whispered into her ear.
"Can you get up now? We have to leave?" he beckoned.
"Why?" Fleur panicked.
"I can't tell you..." Jiro was lost at words. "But, do not open your eyes until we are out of the building."
"Alright, I'll get our stuff."
Fleur stood up. Jiro knew she could feel it, that dankness in the air that death emits. It woke her up. Though hesitate, she did what she promised and collect all that she could. She then proceeded to close her eyes. Jiro grabbed her hand, guiding her through the wood corridors. He seemed to be relatively unaffected by the added weight of Gabriel on his shoulders. He just moved as quickly as he could with Fleur's hand clutched tightly to his. They progressed down the stairs.
"What is going on? I feel like...?" Fleur began to open her eyes.
"No, do not open them," Jiro roared.
"Okay," Fleur gave a gulp before closing her eyes tightly.
Jiro managed to pave a way through the bodies that now created the ground of the first floor. He guided Fleur through the corpses and managed to open the door. The devastation didn't stop at the inn. Feeling the fresh air of the night, Fleur opened her eyes to see that the horrid. She fell backwards back into the house to see the pain there too. It was impossible now. She screamed as loud as she could.
"My god...." Jiro's voice was whimpering now.
The entire village of Dragon's Wake right outside of Pewter City was burned to the ground. There were even more bodies on the street; children, mothers, fathers, grandparents, pokemon, everything. Jiro's eyes began to stream tears down his face. It brought back memories that he tried to push away. Those memories of that day at the school, his heart wrenched. He covered his mouth with his gigantic palm trying to stop himself from screaming now. They contorted in ways that bones couldn't possibly go. Bones broke the skin in many of the bodies while in others limbs were missing only to be found farther down the road. Splattered on the ground was not only blood but organs, ripped clean from the body. The sight couldn't be fathomed by anyone—man or beast. There were no survivors.
Jiro sent out a scream of anger. It echoed into the night sky. The nightmare had reoccurred.
*
They were met by the same devastation. None of them seemed to show any fear however though this was more than unexpected. The S.D.C progressed through the tarnished dirt road that was once treaded by the people of Dragon's Wake. The town's square that would have been covered with people due to the markets was now covered with the bodies of those same people. Fountains that were once flowing crystal clear water were now tainted with the blood of the innocent. Dismembered bodies were laid waste throughout the entire town; hanging out of windows, run through by the spear-like post, and crushed underneath the large statues were some of the more horrible deaths.
"Who would have done all of this?" Rex spoke between his teeth.
"Isn't it obvious," Josh expanded his pokeball. "Volt, you're needed."
Volt the Electivire slammed on the ground upon exiting his pokeball. Volt's red and silver eyes seemed to view the apocalyptic scene. He gave a low grunt from the side of his mouth before slamming his fist into the ground. A web of electricity weaved through the bodies as well as through the buildings. Romy, Katrine, and Rex seemingly watched as the Electivire seemingly heaved a large sigh. It brought its fist up upon giving Josh a telepathic report on the situation.
"Tell the rest of your group that there are three living creatures left. They are who you think they are…" Volt folded his arms.
"Volt says that their three living bodies in the area, and they are three that he recognizes. It's highly doubtful that they are survivors of this cataclysm."
"Then who are they?" Rex roared.
"Gabriel, Jiro, and Fleur," Josh seemed to have little to no astonishment on his face.
"I knew it," Romy crossed her arms.
"They are on the move," Josh commented.
"Then let's go."
The four as well as Volt continued through the waves of corpses. Out of all of them, Katrine seemed the most visibly discomfited. She had only truly seen this type of thing through picture and video alone, close up was a different experience. Her heart was racing beyond their normal limits as the continued throughout the town. After some moments, she found herself within one of the large arms of Rex.
"Only a little longer before we before we catch these damned murderers," Rex said that in a vigorous tone.
"You really know what to say," Romy said in sarcasm.
"I think it was sweet," Katrine said as she held onto Rex.
"ah ah ha..." he blushed but quickly shook it off realizing it wasn't the right time.
"The three of you," Josh barked. "Volt and I are going pursuit."
"Josh—wait!" Romy cried out.
It was too late. Volt and Josh had already moved ahead of the group, moving the speed beyond light itself. Rex as well as Romy crossed their arms in the anger. Katrine gave a faded, somewhat dull smile. No matter what they felt, they were powerless to stop him now. All they could do now was to follow his lead.
"Dammit. He's fast..." Rex murmured.
"They didn't call him the God of Lightning in Sinnoh because he was slow," Katrine mentioned.
"How does he do it?"
"He or Volt," Katrine asked.
"Both would be nice…" Rex proclaimed.
"They move at incredible speeds for two separate reason; Volt through Motor Drive while Josh himself transfers his electricity to his feet to move light speed. He has pretty interesting uses for lightning," Katrine shrugged.
"I thought Motor Drive can only activate when Volt is hit by an electricity attack," Romy asked.
"Did you forget Josh can create lightning?" Katrine flashed a smile.
"Smart ass kid," Rex nodded his head.
"We better follow him before we lose his trail..." Katrine began dashing in the general direction of Josh.
Rex and Romy nodded accordingly before dashing as well towards the direction in where Josh was headed. Hopefully they would get there in time.
*
"Another powerful presence is coming...who now?"
"K.R.P.D most likely. That more than unfortunate, we can't possibly fight them like this," Fleur panicked.
"That is more than correct, my dear..."
Jiro and an already shaken Fleur turned to the sound of the voice. Upon one of the larger buildings in the area, Josh and Volt stood; Josh with an unusually cruel smile on his face. Jiro and Fleur seemed to eye the exit, they were so close from escaping and now this man stood in their way. This wasn't something that they wanted, not now. All they had to make it through was the wooden gates and somehow lose this man in the forest. However even that seemed impossible now. This man's blue eyes stared down at them, aghast.
"Drop him...." Josh commanded.
"I cannot do that," Jiro himself was unsure if he could defeat Josh. Not like this.
"You don't have much of a choice on this matter. Remember that night, when you said that you would protect Gabriel and Fleur with your life," Josh looked for a response from Jiro, he nodded. "I'm going to make you ante up to those words. Now..."
"Hear me out..." Jiro started. "Please....please...let us escape..."
"Why would I do something like that?" Josh's face washed with a muse of violence. "After all he has caused me to go through; after all I have lost getting to this point. You are going to plead for me to let you escape. What's this foolishness?"
"This foolishness...is my friendship towards him. You do not all the underlying tribulations that he went through."
"What he went through," Josh roared in laughter. "I'm not interested in such folly. Just hand him over before I'll have to pry him out of your dead hands."
"I cannot…"
"You'll regret those words..." Josh murmured.
Josh suddenly catapulted himself with a stream of lightning towards Jiro. Until then he did not see that Josh was wielding a knife underneath the end of his cloak, he managed to dodge it at the last second. He soon found himself dodging several different from Josh's blade. With each passing moment, it became more and more difficult for him to dodge. The blade's swings were blinding now. He could only dodge them now by the sounds that they made when the cut through the air. At last, Josh stabbed Jiro in the upper chest causing him fall to his knees. Josh pulled the thin, spike like blade from Jiro's skin, causing him to fall unconscious from the blood lost.
Successful, Josh licked the blood from his blade before heading towards Fleur who was now quaking in fear at the lost of her own protection. She fell backwards trying to reach to her pokeball only for her wrist to be seized by Josh's. She could feel her carpel's in her wrist snap in his hand, crunching them like ice between his teeth. She yelped in pain.
"Thanks for the catch..." Josh mentioned as he threw her from where she was into the wall of a building--the after effect being the obvious unconsciousness.
Josh approached the still hypnosis-inflicted Gabriel. It was more like stalking, like a poacher. He raised his blade. Gabriel's eyes shot open, iris consumed by a burnt vermilion color. Gabriel grabbed the sword by the blade; Josh kept a low pressure though he subconsciously wanted to cut through his palm.
"We meet again...Josh..." Gabriel started to speak. His voice was torture to a person's soul. It could be only be explained a low growling tainted by the muse of death.
"So...you're the monster that lives inside of Gabriel. Largo was it?"
"How do know about that?" 'Largo' amused.
"Pokemon Eclipse Theory, what did you expect during my times at Sinnoh? I wasn't just training, Largo."
"Then you know what I'm capable of," Largo paused for a moment. "Why did you release me then? You must have known that Jiro was my cage."
"I wanted to take you in as the killer not the performer."
"Good answer. But isn't it a bit over zealous."
Gabriel or Largo rather pushed Josh's blade away from himself. The long gash on his palm from the edge of the blade began healing allowing only the blood to be the only attest to the fact that it was there in the first place. Largo licked the palm of his hand, allowing his tongue to curl up his now pale palm. Josh could now see the fang like teeth where jutting from the gum. This perked Josh's interest to what exactly 'Largo' was. However, he kept it to himself.
"You die here," Josh stated.
"Not going to happen. I should give you thanks. With those two around," Largo's eyes shot from the downed Jiro and Fleur, "I would never be able to escape."
"It matters not since you are going to be killed."
"Don't think you will have the chance on that one," Largo shook his head condescendingly. "I'm much more powerful than my other half."
Josh, enveloped in a white lightning, appeared behind Largo only for him to cut completely through Largo's shoulder. The white blade phase through him completely, almost like he was a ghost sort. This left Largo to heave a rather heavy sigh of boredom. With a snap of his finger, Largo had made his escape within a torrent of flames.
"Not now…little child, I don't have time for this. Enjoy your catch. It's the only meal that you are going to have tonight," Largo taunted as his voice faded.
Josh's anger fumed into a physical manifestation, causing him to let out an inhuman-like roar. Volt managed to stop Josh's from doing any more damage from the lightning that emitted from his body by absorbing it. After calming down slightly, Josh returned Volt to his pokeball. His face assumed that icy expression once more.
"Looks like we are too late..."
Rex, on his usual means of transportation, trotted up to Josh whom was still breathing heavily from his escaped target. Lightning crackled from the sides of Josh's mouth as flames would a dragon. Josh slammed his fist into the ground, but his eyes were focused on Rex as well as the now approaching Romy and Katrine.
"Where were all of you?"
"Hell if you going to blame us for you running off," Rex shouted.
"That's right," Romy spoke softly. "You ran off without us."
"Let's not blame each other. Gabriel got away, yet again. We can't be discouraged," Katrine said offering the sense of reason in this conversion.
"How many times are we going to let him get away?" Josh threw that statement towards Katrine. It smacked her innocent expression off her face. "Do know how many times a person can a person say next time? They can say it an infinite number of times from their mouths. Next time might never come," Josh's voice held despair even though it was hard to tell. "Next time might be a last time for someone else."
"What do we do now?" Katrine was checking the radar on the Pokevoyac. None of the targets were appearing. "Wherever Gabriel has gone, he's not here anymore."
"Take them into custody," Josh barked.
"If you going to bark orders like that--" Rex was stopped by Romy's hand.
"It's no need. He'd just keep at it," Romy stated.
Romy approached the unconscious Fleur. For some reason more than any other time, she pitied her. She scooped her off the ground to place her on the back of Sebastian. She squared her shoulders, trying to mask the feeling of guilt she felt before heading to the now life-threatened Jiro.
"Let him die," Josh turned his back. "It's nothing you can do. I sent electric waves coursing through his blood stream with my blade, Zeus the Cloud Gatherer."
"I'm not going to let him die, Josh..."
"For what reasons should he live," Josh inquired.
"Do you need logical ones or ethical?" Romy asked as she knelt to Jiro's side.
"Tell me both," Josh longed preferred logical yet he felt the need to here the other side as well. It was that nagging thought of Cyrus that pushed him to say "both".
"I'll give you the logical one first. Say if we let him die, any information that he knows about Gabriel will die as well. To say the least, our only lead about where he should be going will be lost to us. Not to say the fact that interrogating him might bring us closer to something larger," Romy extended her hands over Jiro's body. For a person who obviously didn't like pure logic, Romy was the master at it. "On top of that, he's a ranger from the Ranger Union in Almia. He's probably on a mission to observe the killings of Pokemon here by both Gabriel and Team Rocket. Interfering in his mission could cause bad relations between Almia and Kanto. Killing him would leave worst options in the end than taking him into custody."
After slamming Josh with his desired "logic", Romy continued to her initial mission of healing Jiro. Josh silenced himself to observe Romy's trainer's skills. To him, it only appeared to be a flurry of pink peony flower petals and mist. The mist however had that healing property. It had the ability to repair cell damage if she concentrated enough on it. She was focused immensely while keeping the eye contact with Josh at the same time.
"What about ethical," the word felt foreign in the roof of Josh's mouth.
"For one, he's a human being trying to protect someone who gave his dream a chance. Secondly, he's not the bad guy; he never once killed a person with Gabriel six months ago. Thirdly, he has a family that he is providing for...." Romy paused as Jiro stirred--a good sign. "Lastly, he is a friend of mine as well," Romy managed to catch a glimpse of Josh's facial expression.
"What?" Josh gave hollow voice to such a puzzling revelation.
"I met him in Ranger School. A rather quiet guy who never really talked to anyone else around, I decided during our time at the Ranger School. We were friends. I didn't want to mention this to you earlier."
"Hmph..." the grunt in Josh's voice at that showed that he was completely revolted.
Romy removed her hands from Jiro's chest, allowing the wound to settle for a moment. Jiro was now breathing even if they were brusque.
"Rex, can you take him on Sebastian too?" Romy asked.
"Alright, I have other pokemon I can travel on."
"That's great. Katrine, can you start on the report for the people here..."
"Already working on it," Katrine was typing on a small portable computer she kept with her.
"We will be moving out then."
~
Author's note: WHAMBAM! This chapter makes you think doesn't it. ha ha. All you knew just changed planes. I'm feeling really awesome right now. So you might get another chapter soon. Hope that you like the chapter.