EJ Contest Revival- Official Entries

A bright light surrounds the undead charizard and takes him back to where his family was slaughtered before his eyes. “Why am I here?” Said the Fire type as he looks upon a familiar scene. Suddenly the corpses left behind by the undead rise, but as they rise they have no memory of their deaths. They was returned to their normal state before they was killed. Forrik approaches them speechless and another bright light flashes before his eyes. He too was revived from undeath. The wound on his eye no longer existed. The Charizard had no explanation for this occurrence as he looked around. His children were playing with each other and his mate tending to them. This was the life he once remembered. With everything that has happened to him he finally got his family back from the cold touch of death. “You and the kids are all I have left in this world now.” The Charizard said to his mate. He thought about his trainer day in and day out whether she was alive still, but Forrik couldn’t leave them behind again not after what happened the two years he had endured for so long.
 
Through each day Forrik had suffered the hands of fate. His memories of the attack, the ambush, all of them still flashed before the Charizard in his sleep. It was as if Arceus himself had granted Forrik a chance to live amongst the living once more. The Charizard couldn’t be happier either way He got his mate and children back, his life returned to him. A tear of joy fell from his face down to the ground. The Charizard was freed from the grip of undeath. He was reunited with his family after 2 years of fighting against the undead. As he looked outward, he realized after all the pain he had endured for so long he could finally rest. He was in the heavens reunited with his family for all eternity.

Walking along the waterside, the dark figure was only illuminated by the glowing markings that shone like stars. The town was doused in darkness, the lights had long since broken. Undead had been cleared out of the area, leaving only the Umbreon, alone and with his thoughts. Turning and walking back over his own tracks, the Moonlight Pokemon kept his glowing blue eyes on the ground, watching as the sand shifted around his paws, getting between his paws and toes. Shaking out one paw, the Umbreon growled lowly, trying to get the uncomfortable grains out of his paws. Flicking one ear, Cosmic snapped his head up, looking around suddenly.

The fur along his spine stood up, and the large vulpine's eyes narrowed. He didn't smell any undead. Dimming the glow of his markings, Cosmic turned and looked around, before finally letting his eyes falling on a single flashlight. Stiffly walking over to it, Cosmic sniffed at the handheld device. His eyes widened and suddenly he sprung backwards, hissing lowly. "No..." He growled, eyes narrowing again to their usual glare. "I don't know what shit you're trying to pull here, but I'm not falling for it! Come out you gutless coward!" His voice raised to a snarl, lips pulling back and showing off his sharp teeth. The Umbreon's starry fur spiked up, dotting the ground like a disco ball because of how vividly his markings were glowing.

"C-Cosmic..?"
"You're not him! Stop fucking with me!"

A small figure emerged from their hiding place behind the bushes, moving forwards towards the Umbreon, their hand outstretched. Cosmic growled and stood his ground, eyes blazing with a fury that he didn't know he had. "Hold it right there you fuck. You are not coming any closer until you get rid of that fucking illusion, or whatever the fuck that is, you are not my boy!" He snarled, but this time tears began to prick at the side of his eyes.

"Shh, shh, Cosmic come here, I know you don't like to cry. It's fine, it's me Cos', I'm fine!"

Cosmic let out a wordless bark, trying to strive off the tears. "No! You... You died, you can't be here!" He hissed, spitting at the human. "I don't know what shit you're pulling here, but you are not here! I'm... I'm sleeping or something, there is no way you can be here!" He growled, backing away and shaking his head. The sound of feet on the sand made the Umbreon freeze, and he looked up at the doppelgänger, his eyes pleading.

"No, you're not him..." He whispered, his ears falling back against his head. Smelling the air, the scent was still that familiar smell of his human, but that was impossible...

The boy knelt down, reaching Cosmic's height. Even though the Umbreon was screaming at himself to move, his paws would not obey, instead making him freeze under the touch of the human, who wrapped their arms around him in a hug.

"It's me, Cozzy. I swear."

Cozzy... Only his human would call him that. No one else knew about that nickname... Shutting his eyes tight, Cosmic buried his head in the boy's shoulder, breathing in deeply, trying to tell himself that no, he wasn't dreaming and yes, this was real. He was greeted with the smell of his human, just as he remembered it. Opening his eyes, the hostility faded, and all that was left was tears that spilled over and ran down his muzzle, coating his human's shirt in tears.

"I missed you, so much."
"I missed you too, Cozzy."

The warm sun was starting to dip, sending orange light glittering across all surfaces in the remains of the Battle Frontier. Many of the buildings still stood tall, their defiance against the elements clear as they soared for the heavens and reflected the evening light off their man-made surfaces. Below them, a Quilava sprawled peacefully in the unkempt grass outside the Battle Tower, enjoying her rest after the days patrolling. I love quiet days. She muses to herself, squishing herself a bit flatter into the long grass. While the humans had long since maintained it to a 'neat and tidy' length the long sprigs and clumps still made for a soft place to rest her paws.

Wind rustled gently in the nearby trees, the hushed sound harmonizing with the soft crackle of her flames as Cinder's mind started to wander. How long had it been since the group set up camp here? For that matter, how much time had passed since they took out all the major undead here and made new friends with those hiding in the dark? The Quilava lets out a small sigh along with a tiny puff of fire that dissipates quickly into the cool breeze. Long enough. She concludes. Long enough. The fights had been hard, risky, and not without causalities. Fortifying their  defenses, snuffing out the lingering undead, rescuing and inviting other survivors into their sanctuary... the work never ended. A soft chuckle sneaks out from her maw as Cinder's golden-green eyes reaches for the clouds above. I'm starting to sound like Faux, that old bat. But the thought was welcome, and the work definitely rewarding as they now had a sanctuary in a dangerous world.

All too soon the Volcano Pokemon knew she would have to return to the shelter. Downtime was little and she had overstayed her welcome on the plush stretch of grass. "Just a few more minutes~" Humming softly to herself, the fire type rolls onto her side and stretches, her noodle-like form appearing even longer as she works her muscles. It had been quiet today and the short respite was only a bonus for the lack of commo-
The Quilava's muscles instantly tense up as a cold wash comes over her body. She was being watched. She could feel the sickening eyes burrowing into her body before she even heard the footsteps. An undead? She mentally readies herself to attack but anything that preceded the most terrifying of sounds is lost in that very moment. "Cinder, girl is that you?" That was no undead. Unable to move or even draw in a breath, Cinder is utterly frozen as her thoughts race in panic. That voice.. Impossible.. Is the only word to roar in her mind. It was just impossible, that voice couldn't exist anymore.

"Its me.. remember?" She remembered. She fucking remembered that voice as her internal flame flared with fury. The sound of stones shifting underfoot as the boy moved closer sparked her muscles alive once more, allowing the Quilava to quickly flip onto her paws and take a defensive stance. With her blazing eyes locked on the human Cinder feels the horrid nausea of her stomach dropping upon the sight of him. Her ears did not lie; it was her trainer.. completely unchanged from that faithful day aside from looking a bit older, sadder, and roughed up. It was the same asshole. A growl rumbles deep in her throat as she spits, "Oh, I remember."

Why was she responding? Why was she humoring this delusion? This had to be a dream, a  nightmare; there was no fucking way this was real. She had to have fallen asleep in the grass after her shift and this was her retribution for shirking work, to stare at a literal ghost from her past. He was dead, dead, and humans did not come back from the virus. Hell, he didn't even look like he had it or any illness for that matter. It's just not fucking possible.. Yet as she looks his scrawny figure up and down there was no doubt it was her ex-trainer before her. A sickening shudder runs down her body. He couldn't have survived. There was no way, no fucking way he could have survived this hell like that. He was weak, foolish, spineless, and meek. He was a fool, a lowlife, a coward with no balls who lost any respect or ability to survive long ago when he got fucking whipped by some bitch. After years, years of this hell, he should have been no more then a pile of striped clean bones. She knew the exact spot where they would be....

This couldn't be real. No. No it had to be a dream, a nightmare, a delusion, a lie-

"Hey, you evolved." The boy mutters in a less then congratulatory way, snapping her back to reality with a hard flinch. You bitch.. The Quilava's flames roared even hotter; even after all these years, these years alone in an apocalyptic world he had the balls, the nerve, the insolence to want her to still be a Cyndaquil because of her goddamn name? To hinder her evolution, her strength, her size, her ability to fucking survive in the place he abandoned her to!? Her wide paws curl into balls, ripping up tufts of grass in their wake. "No thanks to you." Cinder spits venomously, new and improved fangs clearly gleaming at the edges of her mouth. He flinches at her hostility, grumbling, "Good to know you didn't lose that damn attitude after all this time."

That fucking prick. Letting her jaws fall further open, the fire type displays a ball of fire burning in the back of her throat and takes one dangerous step forward. Upon seeing her threat, the boy scurries backward a couple of steps, his arms grabbing the strap of his backpack defensively. "Whoa, whoa, easy now." The human sputters, shifting his backpack slightly more in front of his breast. "You wouldn't attack me-" "Like HELL I would." Jumping closer, the Quilava spits the flames at the stone pathway mere inches in front of his shoes. With a girly yelp, the human jumped back, his shoes flailing wildly to snuff out any embers that may be on them. "H-hey! What did you do that for? I'm only trying-" "Why are you here?" Cinder cuts off his sniveling whine, "Or hell, how in the fuck are you alive!? You died, I know you died!" She huffs, her fiery crest blazing white hot. "I don't know what your talking about but-"

The Quilava charges with no warning and throws herself straight into the boys chest. He had just moved his backpack there to diminish the impact but the tackle is still enough to knock him over. "Argh!" He squeals, but the Volcano Pokemon is deaf to his cries as her claws dig into the fabric of his shirt and pack. "What the hell Cinder, why are you attacking me!" The boy writhes beneath her, fear clear in his hazel eyes, but makes no effort to throw the starter off. "You left me for dead you fucking bitch! You ditched me for some blonde ass bimbo and gave up my dream, our dream of a glory!" Digging her claws deeper into his skin she can feel the warmth of his body, and the life blood pulsing through it as blood begins to well around her paws. "You forgot about me, the plans you made for us, and fucking abandoned me in the middle of nowhere for some bitch who turned you into no more then a yellow-bellied snake!" Breathing heavy, she keeps her maw close to his throat, sizzling hot smoky breath puffing against the vulnerable flesh. "You didn't even let me get goddamn fresh air or stretch my fucking legs unless to absolutely had to."

The human remained petrified into silence through the feeling of his body shaking was noticeable. "And for what!?" Cinder's voice was starting to shake but she could not stop the rant that was to ensue "Where the fuck did that get you, huh? You don't look like an fucking master trainer, or any fucking trainer with your girl on you arm. Hell, I don't fucking see her here. She wasn't there when you left me for dead either! Is she dead, did she leave you?? Did you get rid of me because you were trying to get her back!?" A glossy coating comes to both their eyes, but when the boy tries to speak the Pokemon just cuts him off once more. "What did I ever do? What did I do that was so horrendous that you would release your starter?" It was her body now that was shaking. Hot embers fell from her flames like snow and seared the cloth below, making the Quilava's perch twinge with pain. "I fought your battles, I pushed myself to the damn brink for you, I did everything you told me to without protest and you still just threw me out like useless garbage! Like everything meant nothing! I was just doing what you raised me to do and you punished me for it!" With her breath growing ragged and paws shaking heavily Cinder backed off of the human, letting him move away as she found herself huddling into a ball. "I did everything you asked.. took every lesson to heart.. and you cast me aside for a fling.."
Tears start to blot the stone pathway with dark circles.

The boy had gotten himself into a defensive squat, but he no longer looked terrified of her. "Was I really that meaningless to you? Did I, your starter Pokemon, mean so little that you would release me for a girl that made you make flower crowns instead of train for your gym battles? Was I that replaceable..?" Jerking her head to knock the tears away the Quilava finally notices droplets falling down his cheeks as well. "You were the closest thing I had to family and you just forgot about me like I was nothing..." Blinded by her own salty production Cinder is forced to look away and wipe her eyes clear with one paw. She mutters into her paws, sniffling, "Its like you never cared.. I was just a tool to you." That's all she was. A tool, a puppet, an object to do someone else's bidding. Even now she had been doing work on Faux's command without so much as a second thought. It had been four goddamn years and she was still no more then a following sack of shit.

"Cinder.." His voice spooks her, unexpected amidst her rant as she flicks her golden-green gaze judgingly in his direction. "I.. I've been searching for you for so long.." "That's not true..." "You, you don't know how fucking much I regret that. ALL of that." His voice is soft, spineless, and flaccid. There is no strength to it, no remnants of the boy she had once known in it. The human rose to feet but remained hunched and submissive. Though not usually one to be intimidated and his display wasn't threatening in the slightest Cinder flinched at the now taller-than-her figure and took a step back. "Stay back!" She whimpers, flames crackling defiantly. "Y-you, you're lying!" "I'm not!" His voice cracks with a high squeak. "I fucked up, I fucked up bad and I know it. I went right back to look for you but you were gone. I.. I searched all over but I just.." Wiping his face along his dirty sleeve the human pauses, taking in a deep breath and unzipping his backpack. "What are you doing!?" She snaps, fire pouring defensively from the sides of her maw. From the pack he grabbed a small purple pouch. Pulling the drawstrings he poured its contents out into his free hand.

Her jaws fall open with a loud gasp, all fire within them dissipating instantly.

The trainer held his hand out for her to see and she recognized the fragments in a heartbeat. The heat stained silver color, the jagged claws marks, the fact it was broken into pieces.. there was no way in hell she could forget the damage she had done to her own Pokeball. "H-h-how did you get th-hat?" Cinder manages to whisper but any further words she tries to utter fail to come. "I went back for you. Really, I did, but this was all I could find and I just.. oh god I knew I fucked up so bad Cinder."

"Clair said she wouldn't talk to me until I got rid of you and I.. I don't know why the fuck I listened. She was happy after but I felt so fucking guilty I went back the next day and every day after. I looked all over.." The human made a guttural sound as he chocked on his own saliva. "She kept making these hints about getting rid of my other Pokemon that weren't 'cuddly' enough and when she found out I was looking for you.." His voice trails off, the memories too strong to finish. "We got in a fight and I realized what a dumb fuck I was." His tears overwhelm his voice.

The Quilava couldn't breathe. Each breath was its own battle and shook her long body to its core. Was this all a bunch of bullshit or was it the truth..? The Pokeball fragments stare blaringly at her, unable to be ignored. Such strong evidence.. Forcing her gaze to tilt upward and look at his face she can see that he still wishes to speak but has stopped for a moment to catch his breath. What else could he possibly want to say.. "So why after four long, long years were you still trying to find me?" She asks before probing. "And you never told me how in the hell you are even ALIVE. I saw your goddamn corpse Nate, your dead fucking body but here you are condemning me like the apocalypse never fucking happened!" Daring to utter his name the humans eyes open wide as though she had said the worst thing in existence. "You remember my name.." He gasps as no more then a whisper. Cinder does not reply, staring boldly at her ex-trainer as she awaited his answer. "I don't know what you mean Cinder. If I was dead how could I be here? How could I being talking to you right now?" His voice is distressed but he swiftly dismisses the topic again, moving on to her previous question, "But I had to find you because.. because.."

"I needed to tell you I'm sorry."

....What?

The Quilava's flames puff out in disbelief. For the first time in weeks she had no fire burning along her body. He was.. apologizing? "You.. you what?" Was that even possible? The hatred she had for this man kept her alive all these years. The anger had fueled her for so long along with the image of him being nothing but pure evil and he was apologizing to her? "Cinder I've searched for you for years cause I needed to say how fucking sorry I am. For everything. I shouldn't of left you, I should of neglected you or expected you to change when I was the one who taught you to be that way. I sure as hell shouldn't of released you for some bitch when you were always by my side. I.. I..." The human falls to his knees, one hand a fist in his face as he sobs like a baby, "When the epidemic started and I still couldn't find you, I was so scared that you had died.. that I would never find you again.. I shouldn't have left you, my starter, my starter! That's no fucking way to treat your starter. How could I be such a fucking MORON to pick some girl over my goddamn partner!?"

The Quilava could not believe what she was witnessing. "I don't know if you could ever forgive me... but I need you to know how fucking sorry I am Cinder, for everything." He looked straight into her gold eyes with his hazel ones- she saw nothing but honesty in them. The fire types body was shaking uncontrollably. This had to be some dream.. it had to.. "I'm sorry.. I'm sorry.. I'm so fucking sorry.." He repeated again, rubbing his face along his sleeve once more. He's.. sorry.. Was this the same person? Was this really the same battle driven, impulsive, whipped moron that was her ex-trainer? If this was a delusion it sure as hell didn't match her memories of him. Even the blood on her paws felt real as fuck.. "Nate-"

The Human lunges forward, scooping the flameless Quilava up in his arms and holding her close to his body in an unexpected or welcomed hug. Panic pulses through the Volcano Pokemons body and squirms for a few moments before falling completely limp. "N-n-n.."  "I'm sorry.. I'm sorry.. I'm just so sorry Cinder please..." He continued to sob, his tars falling into her blue-green flameproof fur.  "I've missed you so much you have no idea.... Tears continue to pour down her own cheeks as Cinder's short arms shift upward and she embraces the hug.

"...I forgive you.."

Even though Isolde has grown to enjoy the group of Pokemon she has found, she sometimes needs to get away for a few seconds. Currently she is going to retrieve berries from a tree not too far away from the town where they have a temporary base. Though always keeping a wary eye open for undead or infected, she is enjoying flying through the woods and even weaves through the trees at a fast pace just to experience a quick thrill. She soon finds the berry tree in a clearing, and flutters up so she can inspect the fruits and pick the ripe ones. Deciding to prolong her time alone, she grabs a ripe Pecha berry and stands at the base of the tree. Sitting would be getting too comfortable, and though the area has been mostly safe, she knows better than to leave herself vulnerable when ambush predators could be involved. As she finishes eating the berry, she notices something in a tree near the far edge of the clearing. Preparing for a fight, her white wings flare in preparation for take off or an attack.

However, even her alert stance could not prepare her for what is there. "I found you," a voice rings out, and Isolde's body freezes as she recognizes it. She tries to control her shaking as a male Vivillon flies out of the tree, and her suspicions are confirmed when she sees white wings so much like her own. He floats down into the clearing, and asks, "Didn't you miss me? I missed you, dear." He slowly approaches her, "It took quite a while to find you after you rejected my offer." He smiles at the shaking female, and this makes her wince. They both know that there was so much more behind that. There was the obvious fact that she killed him, because he refused to take no for an answer.

"L-Lorcan... I-I th-thought y-you w-were..." Isolde stammers out. She remembers looking into his cold, dead eyes after using Draining Kiss in a panic.

This only seemed to make his smile grow wider, "Dead? Oh yes. I was, but apparently the fates decided I-we deserved another chance." Since the female Vivillon is frozen in place with her back almost against the tree, Lorcan takes the opportunity to close the distance between them.

Realizing what he is doing, Isolde's heart begins to race in terror. She tries to hide it by spitting out, "What chance? I never even liked you." Even though the male Vivillon used to be one of the better fighters of the swarm, something about him had always rubbed her the wrong way, and that was before he became interested in her.

"Oh you wound me." he feigns injury at the blunt statement, and his smile fades for a second. This doesn't last long as it returns with a vengeance, "But you've always been like that, so I won't take offense to it." As if savoring her terror, he takes the last few steps oh so slowly. He then reaches out to pat her on the head, and his touch lingers. She is so frozen in terror, she can't even move.

An unexpected voice enters the clearing, " I-Isolde...?  What's going..." Oliver, the Chimchar, is standing near the edge of the clearing, and he is staring in confusion at the pair. Isolde's eyes widen in fear for the child. When Lorcan's head snaps around, the monkey's look changes to fear.

"What's this?  A child? Oh, I thought you didn't want children, Isolde," Lorcan practically snarls. Then a sinister grin appears on his face, "Why don't we make this even? A life for a life."

Understanding what he means, her heart drops to her stomach.Fighting her paralysis, she screams "OLIVER! RUN!"

Lorcan tries to make her quiet by rapidly beating his wings and releasing a Sleep Powder, but he has to catch the monkey before he runs away and ruins his revenge plan. He darts over to Oliver, and the monkey releases a jet of fire. Not expecting that, Lorcan has to change his direction of flight before he gets burned. This angers the male Vivillon, and he mutters, "Stupid whelp."  The fact that the kid is a fire type complicates matters. Though Lorcan has experience, getting through this fight unphased would be difficult.

The Chimchar releases another ranged fire attack, and once again, Lorcan dodges it. He begins to formulate a plan to try putting the child to sleep, and then using Draining Kiss. That would be traumatic enough to tell Isolde. Kill the child she has apparently come to care for in the same way she killed him.

What he doesn't expect is to almost get knocked out of the sky by wild vibrations. He manages to catch himself before hitting the ground, and he looks up at the sky.  Isolde is wearing those dumb goggles she picked up off a dead body, but even with them on, he can see the look of sheer anger.

When Lorcan began to use his Sleep Powder, Isolde had quickly grabbed the Safety Goggles around her neck and pulled them over her eyes. The male didn't see her do this when he tried to catch Oliver.

"Leave him alone, you bastard!" She screeches and dives straight down. He tries to roll out the way, but he doesn't have the room to maneuver before she crashes straight into him. They both land on the ground hard, but Isolde is on top, and she quickly takes off again and releases another Bug Buzz. She calls to Oliver, "Do it now!"  

The Chimchar lets out yet another Flamethrower at Lorcan, but it lands this time. Type effectiveness made the attack hurt even though there was a large gap in experience. Truly angry now, the male Vivillon takes off again, and tries to dive bomb Oliver.  His flight is violently interrupted by Isolde crashing into him again and straight into a tree. There is a loud SNAP, and both Vivillon fall to the ground.

The one without goggles has his head in an awkward angle, and Isolde is able to stand up slightly dazed. Her first instinct is to make sure her opponent is dead, and she stares intently at the broken body of her enemy. This is the Vivillon that made her leave home.  His life and death had done nothing but cause her pain. And now he's dead again, hopefully for good. Last time... she had felt guilty, but now she knows that what he had done had deserved it.  She didn't feel even a twinge of guilt now, for he had forfeited any possibility of it when he had tried to kill Oliver. Speaking of which... she better go check on the Chimchar, and take him... home.


*I received permission from Starbits to use Oliver in this.

The woman slumped, her shoulders forward in a pitiful display of physical weakness caused by her overpowering emotions. Short brown hair was a flurry behind her, thrown over her shoulder in a simple effort of keeping it out of her face, but the woman's elbows dug into her knees. Her hands were raised, overing her eyes and most of her face with small, feminine hands. At one time she loved being the little pretty lady, it had gotten her recognition before, and while not conceited, she had liked how she appeared. But as her shoulders shook with the silent sobs of a broken soldier, Jasmine no longer had the blessing to enjoy anything. Especially not herself. All over again, the scenes of her failures ran through her head in the safety of her own room, her 'home' that will never be home. The room was plain, untouched even after four years, but beside her was a white owl, the large creature's eyes soft with concern.

Togekiss was the only one Jasmine trusted to see her so broken anymore. The others would judge her, the steel types deeming her unworthy of their respect. Even Steelix, if she could be out, would surely grow disgusted. But the fairy was only heart broken. Togekiss knew from experience that she can not even attempt to console their trainer, the touch always made everything worse. The owl knew not what she could do, so she watched, a silent guardian as her trainer broke down. The episodes were becoming so frequent, even Jasmine's own Pokemon did not know what was causing them anymore. They were safe, they had not lost anyone in a long time, since Skarmory and Magnemite, but surely those deaths not being so new would not warrant this? Let me help you, Togekiss wishes she could say. Tell me, let me help you shoulder this burden. But it was not to come, and so she sat, silent.

Unaware of the turmoil she caused by remaining so adamantly closed off, Jasmine fights; she fights so hard to keep the tears from falling, but in the process of keeping them in check, she is unable to hold back the sounds of dry sobbing. I can't do this anymore. The former gym leader dipped her head even lower, pressing her forehead against her knees while Togekiss did not move from her spot beside her. They all leave, THEY ALL LEAVE US. Magnemite, Skarmory, Grandpa. Morty, Eusine, they all LEAVE ME. Her body shook in tremors. They all just fucking die. All of them are dead. How is it NOT my fault? How is it NOT MY FAULT that they all FUCKING DIE? Her chaotic thoughts screamed in the silence. The only way she was able to keep from actually shedding tears was long as she did not think his name. If she did not think of him then the episode would not last all night and she would not go sleepless, though the roars of that Tyranitar still echo through her mind every time she laid down to attempt rest.

They were suddenly interrupted, though, by a knock. Togekiss tensed, her eyes fearful as they snapped to the door. Jasmine was well known for being territorial, she had opened the door with the barrel of a gun staring down anyone who dared interrupt her. The fairy knew not every time was a violent one, and while Jasmine had never killed anyone coming to her door, there were holes out in the hallway from when she threatened to.
But the trainer did not have the energy to be angry, instead pulling herself up as a voice echoed through, "Ma'am? We have a visitor who demands to see you."
Jasmine gritted her teeth, a spark of emotion coming to her eyes in the form of impatience. "What the actual fuck. WHO?!" She barked the last word, surely causing the poor guy at the other side of the door to flinch.
"It, uh, he is a Pokemon." Togekiss bounced to the floor in surprise, watching her trainer's expression, but Jasmine's anger gave way to pure irritation.
"I don't have the fucking time for this," she spat, but the steel type trainer approached the door anyway.
The poor man stood there like a Deerling in headlights when his boss swung the door open violently. Her eyes like fire as they burned into him, snapping to the Pokeball in his hand. "He- h- he insisted, ma'am. Ju- just let him go after you talk to him." The plea was clear on his face: please do not shoot the poor bastard.
Jasmine rolled her eyes. "Fine. Dismissed," she snapped, ripping the ball from the man's hand and slamming the door in his face.
"Who is it?" Togekiss prompted, hopping forward a step while Jasmine held the Pokeball in one hand. Her eyes narrowed to slits, staring at the ball. The Pokemon inside must of been one hell of an insistent fuck to make her own men risk getting shot while passing it to her.
Refraining from giving a nasty response to her own fairy's dumb question, Jasmine just muttered, "Guess we'll fucking find out."

Jasmine held her hand out, enlarging the Pokeball before the capsule opened with a very audible pop! The red light that emerged seemed to move too slowly, the woman's eyes sharp and her Togekiss standing at her heels while they encountered the newcomer. The shape started out tall, narrow, and her eyes remained sharply trained on the form as it materialized. Togekiss registered what it was first, her breath sucking in in horror loudly. A moment later Jasmine's own eyes widened to rare, round circles as the creature finally became clear as the one species that she could not handle.

A fucking Ampharos.

Fury overtook any sense of fear or sorrow, the woman stomping forward with a roar. How DARE they bring her AN AMPHAROS! How DARE they think this SICK JOKE would ever go UNPUNISHED. How DARE they-
"Jasmine."
She stopped dead. The woman had her hands raised in a feral way, almost as if she were about to beat the electric type for being in the wrong place, and of the wrong species. Solemn black eyes looked up at her, not a shred of fear, but Jasmine immediately lowered her arms. The anger had evaporated, giving way to horror. Was she really about to hit this Pokemon?
"Jasmine--" Togekiss could tell something was wrong. She could tell what her trainer had been about to do. She must hate her now, Jasmine realised as a chill ran up her spine.
Without any warning, the trainer snapped up the owl's Pokeball. "RETURN."
Togekiss tried to speak- "Jaz- that's him!" but was cut off as her body vanished in the light.
There was silence for several, long seconds. Just the sound of her ragged breathing was audible until the soft voice repeated, "...Jasmine."
"Shut up!" she snapped. Jasmine's hands slapped over her ears, the woman's back to the Ampharos, but her entire core shook. No, not now, not now please. The tears were clawing their way up her throat, making it impossible to speak. Is every Ampharos him? Am I so delusional that EVERY SINGLE ONE. IS. HIM? A single sob ripped through her, Jasmine immediately digging her teeth into her lip to silence it. "Go the fuck away. I'll kill you if you tell a single soul about this," she finally choked out.
"..Jasmine... I'll never leave you again." She froze. The voice was too calm. WAY too calm.
"Stop... messing with my head," she whispered. This was bad, all of her walls had come down. This Ampharos would have all the dirt on her in the world just by existing near her.

"God dammit, Jaz. Look at me!"
Finally she turns, the former gym leader's eyes haunted as she looks at the electric type. He stood up tall, eyes on fire. As she finally allowed herself to look at him... the Ampharos was covered with scars. There was a collar around the top of his neck, a little tag on it. But as they stared at one another, studying the other, his eyes slowly fell; the anger gave way to pure emotion, tears building around the bottom of them. "J... Jasmine..." His tail slid over the floor, coming to plain sight. Her eyes snapped to it, looking at the horrendous scars along the end. His Orb was misshapen. "J... I'm here, now."
She slowly pulled her eyes up from the tail, looking the electric type in the face for the first time. Her normally cold, soulless eyes took on a painful vulnerability. "A... Am..phy..?" With that one word, the tears could not be held back anymore. They overflowed from her tan eyes, nearly blinding her so she could not see his slow nod. Jasmine fell to her knees, landing with the sharp sound of her legs hitting the floor, but she did not care. Amphy walked forward without hesitation. His long neck wrapped around her, resting his head on her back as his small arms reached in for an embrace.
"I'm here, Jazzy. I swear, I won't leave you again."
Slowly, but without hesitation, Jasmine curled her own arms around her Pokemon. Her best friend. Her face finally shed the years of hardship, all of the pain vanishing if only for a few moments, and she smiled.
"I know you won't," she whispered.
"I'm... I'm so sorry... for all I put you through, I'm so sorry..."
But it didn't matter, none of it mattered. Instead, her heart seemed to beat without the crushing weight for the first time in what felt like lifetimes.
"I kept your Pokeball," she murmured into his neck, followed by the gentle feeling of his body shaking with a soft chuckle.

"It's good to be home."

"Ro.  Ro c'mon.  We gotta keep moving."  The dinosaur nudges his human, hot waves of panic rising to a boil in his belly as Roark remains unresponsive, eyes staring out across the spread of forest below the rocky folds and ledges of the mountain.  "Please.  We need to keep going.  We still have a couple days' worth of travel before we get home."

"Wh-what home...?"  His voice is husky and barely a whisper, and Pach's terror rises further.  Not a good sign, not a good sign at all.  "D-don't have one anym-more..."

"That's bullshit and you know it."  Calm, keep calm.  Roark is miles from his right mind; Pach will have to do the thinking for both of them.  "Steven's waiting.  Wally's waiting.  We... we have to tell them..."  For all his practice in being the stoic calm one, he can't finish that sentence.  No.  It's just not happening.

Roark's clenched fists tighten further on the cap they clutch to his chest.  The blood on it is mostly dry, but it's stained both the white cloth of the hat and Roark's hands, and try as he might, Pach can't avoid staring at it, the same way one might stare at a car crash.  It's just too awful to look away from, but even so, he forces himself to tear his gaze from it and nudge Roark again.  They can't linger; the coppery smell will attract undead.  Roark is positively soaked in it, the blood still damp in spots where it struggles to dry on such heavy material as his overalls.

"You know you're gonna attract something ugly and hungry.  We can't stay."

"Just y-yesterday, we were st-standing here." Bloodshot, russet eyes sweep the scenery again, glancing up at the sky.  "He th-thought i-it was beautiful.  I t-told him it w-wasn't a-as beautiful as he was, and I a-asked h-him if he wanted our w-wedding here.  I w-was j-joking.  But I'd h-have f-found a w-way to give th-that to him if h-he'd wanted i-it."

"I know you would have..."  As if the heartbreak didn't hurt enough, he remembers that conversation.  Two lovers with their fingers laced, camping on this fairly large ledge for the night, staring out at the forest and the stars and flirting.  Sometimes intentionally badly.  Wallace kept trying to fix Roark's hair as the wind messed it up, and the miner laughed and let him try.

Never mind that being married here would have been a ridiculous notion even if it weren't the apocalypse.  They both new that, and besides, it was sweet.  Wallace had giggled and humored him, a hand rising to cover his mouth, the engagement ring flashing in the light of the fire with the movement.

Pach could not have asked for a better mate for his human.  

"Roark please... say something.  Anything."  He hated begging, god did he hate it, but it might be the only thing to get through to him right now.

"Wh-why a-are you still h-here?"  This time his voice is at normal speaking volume and the shock almost startles the dinosaur into jerking back.

"Why am I-- why the hell do you think!?  I love you!"  Had the redhead gone completely mad?  The fuck kind of question was that!?  "I want to see you live and heal!  That's why I stay!  Because you're my best friend!"

"I'm a c-curse,"  He mumbles.  "Everyone I l-loves dies.  E-everyone.  First it w-was Igu.  Then H-Hardhat.  D-Dad.  Th-then Easter, Pt-tero, T-Tectur, Castlith.  N-now W-Wallace and St-Sterling."  His head lowers.  "E-everyone..."

"Ro, no.  We tried.  We did the best we could.  And Sterling tried.  He tried so hard.  Ro, I'm sorry.  I'm sorry Sterling couldn't save Wallace.  I'm sorry we couldn't save Sterling.  I'm sorry we couldn't save the others.  But Ro, please, you can't... you can't give up.  Please Ro, please, I need you..."

"N-no, you d-don't..."  Pach's eyes widen and his heart stops.  When had Roark gotten that close to the ledge, oh god, when.  "B-better off i-if I... j-just..."

He's inching closer.

"RO STOP!"  The Rampardos's tail sweeps out, pushing the human away as he sets his bulk between Roark and the ledge.  "You can't, you won't, I won't let you!

"Y-Yes I c-can!  A-and you'd b-be bet-ter off letting m-me!"  The miner jabs a pointer finger into the rock type's chest, which does nothing because Pach can barely feel it.  "D-don't you s-see!?  Don't you g-get i-it!?  I'M A W-WALKING TALKING D-DEATH BRINGER A-AND I--"

"... Roark?"

The reaction would be comical if the situation were not so serious.  Roark and Pach freeze in place, turning their heads towards the voice.

What they see is nothing they can believe.

Standing a few feet away is a tall, well muscled man.  His clothes are different but his wild red hair is nothing that either could ever forget, and his faithful shovel is slung over one shoulder.

Pach moves to stand in front of his human, tail lashing the air, growling a warning.  Roark does not move, a statue in the wind, eyes large.

"By Dialga.  I can't believe..."  The man drops his shovel and shrugs off his bag, holding his hands up, palms out.  "Now... now Roark... I know this... this is an awful lot to take in.  I'm not gonna hurt you.  See?  I put my weapon down.  Put my bag down.  No shovel.  No weapons.  Not a threat.  I'm really here, Ro."  As tears build in the older man's eyes, Pach is about ready to call bullshit, because never ever has Byron allowed his son to see that amount of emotion on his face.  "Oh Son... you're alive..."

Roark says nothing.  He's so white the freckles that dust his cheeks look like garnish little dots.

"Roark?"

"D... D-Dad...?"  It's little more than a gasp, and as soon as it's out he begins to laugh.  It's not long before the laughter become sobs, torn from the very depths of his being as his frame shakes from the force with which they leave his body.  

"Roark what the hell...?"  Byron watches, disturbed, as his son continues to weep.  He has half a mind to walk over and shake the young man, and is about to try doing so when Roark finally finds his voice, gasping out words through his tears.

"Th-this... th-this can't be r-real.  Nope.  N-not r-real."  He throws back his head with a high pitched giggle, Pach wincing as his human directs his next breathless words at the cloudy sky above.  "S-sending my d-dead father to haunt me a-after l-losing the love of m-my l-life and Sterling--y'hear me, Arceus!  Not funny!  N-NOT FUNNY!"

"Wait... Sterling?"  Byron paled faster than Pach had ever seen him before, and in a few quick strides he had his son by his arms, shaking him.  "Sterling!?  What about losing Sterling!?  What do you mean!?  What happened to Sterli- SHUT UP AND ANSWER ME!"  Incapable of proper thought, the miner had dissolved into hysterical giggles, broken far past the point of rationalization.  Pach leans forward to bite the man, Get off my boy, when his boy speaks up.

"D-died... died pro-protecting my fiance... who d-died a-afterwards an-anyway," Roark croaks, and Byron's gaze flickers down, registering for the first time the bloody hat Roark clutches to his chest.  For a moment that seems to hang in time for longer than it does, Pach thinks Byron might actually embrace his son--though the man wasn't much for hugs, how could any father not, when their child was suffering so much heartbreak?  They'd both loved Sterling, surely he'd unite them in their pain and grieve with Roark...

Sheer horror crashes in when Byron's face twists into disgust, and he pushes his son away from him.  The dinosaur steps forward, separating the two.  "You let Sterling protect an outsider!  In these times!?  What have I warned you about women, Roark, you idiot!  Your mother should have taught you well enough about what they're like!  Friends are fine, but getting close enough to marry one!?  Risking my lifelong partner for your silly crush that would collapsed anyway!  I swear if it was that Gardenia bitch--"

"She's n-not a bitch."  Pach is taken aback by the hardness in Roark's voice, but relieved.  Anger.  Anger is good.  "A-and it w-wasn't h-her.  H-his name is W-Wallace."

"Are you ser- so it wasn't even a woman and you're a homosexual!?  When did that happen!?"

"Bis-sexual, D-Dad.  N-not that you c-care."

The bitterness seems to go right over his head.  "What the fuck is a bisexual and when did you become one!?  What, did you just latch onto the first person who said they loved you so you wouldn't be alone!?"

"H-he loved m-me.  I l-loved him.  Th-that s-simple."

"And how many others have you lost to protect him or some other tail you were chasing?"  The words are snarled, dangerous.  Roark doesn't even flinch, his hysteria episode over and the deadness back in his eyes.

"N-none."

Oh thank god he didn't say--

"B-but I have lost o-others."

Fuck.

"I'm h-hurting t-too.  Th-the least you c-can do is ack-knowledge i-it and actually care for o-onc--"

"You got my partner murdered!  And apparently you were unfit to be a trainer even before that!"  Pach watches as the man walks over and kicks Roark's pack, ranting.  "What is wrong with you!?  You stammer like you don't have a coherent thought in your head, you killed my goddamn partner because you're a selfish slut, and you expect sympathy from me!?  Riley wouldn't have pulled this shit; he was sensible.  But I thought you were above it too; I guess I was wrong!"  There aren't words to describe how badly he'd like to smash this man into the wall, but he can't.  He can't take his eyes off him; if he does for a second, Byron could attack-- who knows if he has a gun or not, and barring that, what Pokemon could he have?  "You incompetent, stupid-- how are you even related to me!?  Did the nurse hand us the wrong child or something!?  Did your mother drop you when I wasn't looking or-- ROARK!"

The face that was twisted with fury changes to sheer shock and Pach whips around, a cry tearing from his throat as he launches forward... but too late.  Roark disappears over the edge as if he were never there, the Rampardos only catching sight of a flash of his red hair and orange miner's helmet before he fell out of sight.

An echoing thud sounds from below.  For a moment there is silence above, Bryon not even moving from his spot to join Pach in staring down where Roark fell.

He's gone.

Roark's gone.

All that work towards recovery, all the anguish he survived.

The friends he'd made.  The steps towards enjoying being alive again.

For nothing.

Ro...  Sorrow floods his throat and eyes, and he chokes out a sob.  I wish I could follow you.

"... Didn't have to do that," Byron mumbles.  "Was his own choice..."

Rage.

Pach straightens, turning around, face stoic.  "... You got a gun to deal with any undead?"

"No."  He keeps staring over where Roark was last standing.  "I have Pokemon, but no gun."

"Where are they?"

Byron runs a hand through his hair as if he needed a minute to remember the answer.  "In... in my bag..."

"All right.  Good."  He blows steam from his nose.  "Then sending you back to the grave will be no problem."

He lowers his hand, eyes widening.  "Wait wha-"

The Stone Edge launches from the floor.

CRUNCH