icomeanon6
That's "I come anon 6"
- Location
- northern Virginia
- Pronouns
- masculine
EDIT: I goofed and forgot that the intended Thousand Roads Exquisite Corpse experience is to debut the corpse with a live group reading on Discord. That live reading will still be happening if you'd rather listen to/participate in that first rather than reading it here.
Abandon all hope. Check your optimism at the door. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. For what lies below is the First Grimdark Corpse of 2024.
The hapless participants of this macabre exercise were kept shrouded in ignorance for the proceedings. But there was no bliss in this ignorance. Each author (save the first) was afforded a scant glimpse (the last two sentences) of the horrors theretofore recorded, and was forced under pain of periodic nagging to extend the gruesome tale by whatever feats of demented imagination necessary.
Read on, if you dare, but do it not for the benefit of these authors. They are beyond all help, now.
The town’s first line of defense, a barbed and electric fence, looked like it had been ripped open as neatly as if it were a net of twine cut with a pair of scissors. Beyond, the grace was lost. Thick stone walls lay toppled like stacks of boxes knocked over by a clumsy and careless child. Some sections remained intact, survivors, but their spotlights and machines guns sat unmanned and cold except by splashed blankets of dry dark red.
I had made the trip to this gravesite that was once a town in a train of armored vehicles, accompanied by soldiers bulky with body armor and wielding weapons always at the ready. Now, however, I walked through the broken streets alone.
I paused in front of a child's lost toy, a little doll with a torn and dirty dress. A passing thought to pick up the lonely thing, but I disregarded it.
Not long after, I found who might have been doll's owner behind a collapsed chimney. A little girl, torn in almost the same place the doll had been, though far deeper. Through the gash in her mangled stomach stinking red pulp oozed and then trailed into threads of intestines, crawling with flies. I regarded the sight and moved away.
Movement—I spun. Or I thought I had caught movement at the corner of the vision. Nothing now; maybe it had only been a phantasm produced from my old paranoia, the familiar weariness I've carried since the destruction of my own hometown. My hand twitched at my waist, near the weapons none of those grim-faced soldiers would dare carry. No one sane would, except someone had to.
There was only one thing that could have left behind this gore-streaked ruin through which I strode—a Pokemon. And, unfortunately, few things could combat a monster except another monster.
II.
I knew then that I would have to slay the pocket monster responsible for all this death.
But what kind of monster was I to face? I knelt, and let my fingers brush the broken soil. It smelled of char and smoke. I pushed aside a corpse's jacket to inspect a wound that travelled from ear to sternum, and saw reddened welts around the gash. Now I could be sure. A Fire-type had done this. My hand went to the capsules at my neck, running over them like prayer beads.
Inside those cool metal spheres were monsters of my own – my fingertips brushed against capsules that constrained mighty beasts, soul-draining phantoms, and other terrors. Still, all were children of nature... and they'd fight for me. Of these creatures, Kabutops – a skeletal predator with bladed arms, armored with rock-like plates and able to fire water from its mouth – would be the best weapon I had for this battle. Albeit, one I could barely control... one that could slice my limbs free of my body if crossed.
My team had fought Fire-types before. We had not always won. Some of us – Absol, Zangoose, myself – still bore burn scars from those battles. My left shoulder flared up with the memory of second-degree pain. Pocket monster tamers risked wounds like this all the time, but my heart thumped against my ribs to think of my arm swallowed by searing flames again, my skin blackening and peeling like so much roast meat.
I stood, and looked along the continuing path of violence towards its destination, not wanting to see it, but knowing I had to. There it was: the forest at the edge of town into which the monster had disappeared, leaving a trail of ash and dust and blood. Silhouetted tree trunks parted like bent prison bars. This was the maw into which I would have to go – it was either this, or run from my responsibility.
It suddenly didn't seem like such a bad idea. Almost stupid not to. Who would judge me? The dead?
But no, some were still left alive for me to betray. I had no choice but to press on. I muttered a voiceless prayer to the phoenix, Ho-oh, as if thinking of his flames of life would make it any easier to face the flames of death that waited for me.
I forced my feet to step forward, walking towards the forest, and plucked a capsule from my neck.
"Time to hunt, Absol," I whispered, releasing the sphinx-like monster from her ball.
Black and white fur, a sickle-shaped horn and tail, claws as big as my thumb... and an uncanny, human-like face that stared at me with blood-red eyes. She let out a querulous growl, like a soft, high howl.
"We have a target," I told her. I nudged the nearest corpse with a steel-toed boot. "Get the scent."
My monster – the disaster monster, I reminded myself – lowered her head to sniff the body and the dirt on which it rested. Her gleaming pupils dilated. The light of evening seemed to dim. She called again, and prowled forward – and I after her.
"You think we'll get paid for this one?" I asked, more to myself than the menacing white demon at my side. Absol just growled softly in response.
I knew, of course, that in all likelihood the only pay we'd get for this job would be in valuables looted from the bodies back here, or extorted out of the survivors in the lower village if we got desperate. It was a bitter thought, but a tamer had to eat, no matter how unpopular they and their tamed monsters were with the locals. And my companions and I were rarely loved.
It was ever so – folktales often spoke of pocket monster tamers in the same tones as they did the monsters they tamed. As necessary guests and allies, but dangerous. Pay them well, do not offend them, and send them on their way – to the next town in need of someone who could tame or slay their wayward monsters.
More and more often of late, I would hear tell of tamers deciding not to move on. I supposed that they fancied themselves the petty lords and ladies of their chosen towns, protecting them in return for fealty. Supposedly, they trained apprentices in monster-taming dojos to secure their control. When I first heard of these 'gym leaders' over saké in a village inn, I'd joked to Zangoose at my side that we'd never do the same, that we didn't even know how to keep the same bed for more than a week. He'd just smirked back, arms crossed, lethal claws glinting in the tavern firelight.
My boots left deep prints in the ash that blanketed the dirt path out of the village. Those gym leaders must have it easy...
"Maybe one day we'll find somewhere nice and quit while we're ahead," I muttered.
Absol made no reply, but fixed her hunter's gaze ahead. I kept pace. I walked on through a dense prison of dead trees.
I noticed the air growing warm first, then the smell of burnt meat in my nostrils, and then – forcing myself to creep forward, one hand on Absol's flank – I saw the monster I came for ahead of me. Armored like a soldier, its pitiless eyes burning like coals, this was the vengeful spirit I had come to tame, or to kill: the fire-blades pocket monster, Ceruledge, butcher of the province.
III.
As awful as it sounded, the slightest hesitation could cost you dearly. I couldn’t be distracted by the piles of burning corpses or strewn limbs, sliced clean from their torsos, lest Absol and I join them.
They were warnings in more ways than one. Though body parts were everywhere, it was far less bloody than it should be. Every cut made by Ceruledge had been almost instantly cauterized.
I fixed my eyes on its wickedly sharp, gleaming blades that it had for arms. “It can light them on fire,” I whispered to Absol, drawing my own sword.
Not a moment too soon. Ceruledge rushed us, purple fire coating its blades. It fought like a warrior, but its face was full of anger. Of rage.
Of bitterness. I fought furiously against my body instincts, to do the natural thing and bring my sword up to block to blow, knowing that my steel weapon, like so many others in this village, would be melted like butter.
So, I let Absol do it instead. My partner’s horn extended with darkness, matching Ceruledge blow for blow, sparks flying in the night with each slash and clash.
The enemy monster feared the dark, that was for certain. It had immediately gone on the defensive, despite starting out as the aggressor. So much so, that it had either dismissed me as a threat, or forgotten I was there entirely.
Both options worked in my favor. Absol feinted, swiping low at Ceruledges’s legs. It brought its blades down to block, leaving it wide open for me to slash at its neck.
Had I been a touch faster, it would have been a direct hit. As it was, its shoulder had been struck. And it’s right arm was hanging uselessly from its side.
Absol and I advanced, but we're suddenly the ones who are surrounded, as a dozen one armed illusions surround us.
We cut through these effortlessly, as the real Ceruledge takes the opportunity to retreat into the nearest house, this one a total inferno.
I narrowed my eyes. To flee was out of character for this creature. Moments later, it emerged. Though the wound Inhad inflicted had completely healed.
It fueled itself with fire as well as producing it. How interesting. I gave Absol a nod, as Ceruledge began a frenetic dance, one only a master swordsman would dare try.
Stones materialized in front of Absol, edges sharpened to daggers by the force of his will. Ceruledge charged forwards, holding blades behind it, providing us with an easy target.
“Go!” I shouted, thrusting my free hand out. Absol’s eyes glowed, and my partner sent the knifelike stones screaming at Ceruledge.
A hint of a smirk appeared on the wraithlike creature's face, before it vanished into thin air.
This was a death sentence for the inexperienced, but not for us. Several seconds later, I felt the heat of the fire at my back, and the sounds of weapons hitting armor, along with cries of pain in my ears.
But they weren't my own. I turned, seeing stones piercing every part of Ceruledge. Other than its face. Absol had redirected the attack in the precious seconds that the enemy could not see us, anticipating the backstab.
I study its face as it topples to the ground. There was surprise there, at being felled, but something else. Regret? Sadness? A sense of loss?
It had not come here solely to kill, I realized, as its eyes closed for the final time. It had been looking for something.
I sheathe my sword and pat Absol on the flank for a battle well fought, before setting off through the remains of this once thriving village.
Had Absol and I had weaker stomachs, or had not become desensitized to this cruel, unforgiving world, we certainly would have emptied them. No house had been spared.
All the inhabitants had been slaughtered, down to the pets, despite them fighting back valiantly.
As gruesome as the carnage was, a pattern was emerging. The further we went, the more controlled the kills were. Decapitations and clean thrusts to the heart. As opposed to the dismembering and disembowelment Ceruledge favored later on.
We followed this lead to some sort of religious shrine, its stone walls saving it from being set alight like every other building. I spot a man lying on his back. Somehow still breathing.
When I rushed to his side, and put his head on my knee, his condition showed. A grievous slash was on his back. He was as good as dead, though this body has not yet accepted it.
“Is it dead? he rasped, eyes flickering fearfully from side-to-side.
The least I could do was to ease his pain. I pressed my canteen to his lips. “Yes,” I answered soothingly. “It won’t hurt anyone ever again.”
His eyes grew frantic, and he shoved my canteen away, scrabbling weakly at the front of my armor.
“It’s legacy remains!” he hissed furiously. “You must… finish… the task.” His final words uttered, the man expired, slumping in my arms.
I inhaled and exhaled deeply, laying him to rest with his arms folded under his chest. Ceruledge’s legacy? What did that mean?
Absol understood before I did. My partner tapped on the floor with a claw repeatedly until I noticed what he did. That one section of the stone floor was cut differently from the rest. We strained and pulled until it opened, and we could see what was inside. A small humanoid creature, with a big head, and the same flames that had burned down this village.
A Charcadet. The Ceruledge that Absol and I had slain earlier must have been its parent, annihilating town after town, butchering everyone it came across, in search of its babe. Charcadet, the monster-in-waiting, glared at us with bright and angry eyes, as if trying to ask us what we were going to do next.
IV.
"...Absol. Kill it."
Absol lunged at the Charcadet, hate and anger in his eyes, but the Charcadet dodged with ease. It continued to glare furiously at us.
"You killed my father. Now it is I, Charcadark of the Edge, who must avenge him!"
"Your father slayed hundreds, nearly a thousand!" I yelled. "We did what had to be done!"
"Insolence! Disgrace! I spit on you!" Charcadark spat flames. Absol snarled and sliced again, only to be met with another dodge.
"You truly wish to bring the Great Flame upon us all and kill even more humans and Pokemon?"
"I must!" spoke Charcadark. "It's the only way! The blood of the world's inhabitants will bring about a new era!"
"Your new era is nothing but one of darkness! And Ruin!" cried Absol. "I've seen it all... In visions... Blood... Death... Miurder... It's too gruesome to behold... It cannot come to pass!"
"bUT IT MUST! THESE DEATHS WILL BRING ABOUT A NEW ERA OF PROSPERITY! MY FATHER TOLD ME SO!" screamed Charcadark.
Charcadark held up a gem. A fizzling, powerful gem with a fiery heart.
"No!" I shouted! Don't do it!"
"I must! I must I must, I must!" shouted the Charcadet/
The gem glowed with a brilliant light. A vortex opened in the dark, dank skies above.
A massive Shadow Reshiram, black as night and decorated with brilliant red runes, descended from the heavens. It roared and started burning every nearby village it could. There were screams of people gruesomely being burned alive.
I stared in horror, but then my resolve steeled as I knew I must defeat Shadow Reshiram at any cost.
V.
Realizing there was nothing left to do for those caught in the path of Shadow Reshiram’s flame, I set my sights on the troves of innocents trying to stampede their ways out of the burning city. I caught flashes of singed flesh and limping, b̴͙̈́l̷̦̒ọ̸͑o̸͉̊d̵͖̔y̴͔̋ ̵̫̀forms, and I somehow found a way to grit my teeth even tighter. But, if they were up and moving, they were still s̶a̵l̵v̴a̶g̷e̵a̶b̴l̴e̷…̵
I turned to my last standing partner, Ceruledge. I didn’t know where the rest of my team had gone in the chaos of the carnage around me, but as I heard another round of sickening screams and felt another gust of fire-heated wind beat against my cheeks, I feared the worst. And yet, I couldn’t let it cloud my head.
All I knew now was that I needed to face Shadow Reshiram alone. In the face of everything, I was still somehow certain I could put a stop to this once and for all.
I had h̵͙̪̑̔ọ̸̼̋p̸̧̈́̃ḙ̸̽. I had f̶a̵i̶t̵h̴.
“Keep assisting with the evacuation. Take special care of the most wounded you find,” I instructed Ceruledge. “I’m going to find Reshiram.”
Ceruledge pinned me with an incredulous look as a sound of protest fell from her lips. I managed to silence her with a look of my own.
“I’m our last hope. I have to do this myself.”
I didn’t give her a chance to respond before I raced off, fighting against the grain of those still trying to escape. As I ran through what was left of my city, past the smoldering remains of my favorite park, and the hellish facade of the shopping district I once called my stomping grounds, I blinked back the threatening sting of tears. I zipped̵ ̸a̸r̶o̵u̴n̷d̴ ̷t̴h̸e̵ ̶c̸h̴a̴r̵r̸e̷d̵ ̸r̵e̴m̴a̸i̶n̵s̴ ̴o̷f̸ ̶m̴y neighbors, the ones I used to call friends, the ones I passed every day on my walks to the gym…
I couldn’t falter. Not yet. I ̶͔̇h̵̨̩̔ą̸̹̋d̶͙̪͌ to be the one to ̴s̶t̶o̸p̵ ̸t̷h̵i̶s̴.
I wasn’t sure how long I ran. All I knew in those moments was the trail of death and destruction, and soon, the ‘thump’ of the beast themselves finally landing from their malevolent flight to present themselves to me.
“Ah. Helene,” Reshiram greeted. “It still seems you don’t know when to quit.”
I filled my lungs with a breath. It was laced with smoke ̶̼͝a̷͍͋̓n̸̨̉d̵̹̹̀ ̷̡͑ẗ̶̺h̶̢̾ȇ̴̺͒ ̵͙͕̌s̸͚̘̈̑m̸̬̍̽e̷̬͎̅l̶̰͒͑l̶͓̰͊ ̵̡̰̒̾ö̶̟͚́f̵̢̯̀́ ̸͎̒͊d̸̳͑̋e̸̥̭̓a̴̢̗̎t̵̡͕͂̕h̸̜̭͛. I held it, as a reminder of why I needed to face off against this monster.
“Reshiram,” I said. Surprisingly, there was no shake in my voice, despite me feeling one vibrating within my soul. “You are—“
I could barely get my words out before a shrill r̷i̵n̴g̴i̵n̴g̸ ̷b̴e̵g̴a̷n̷ ̶t̵o̶ ̵f̸i̷l̵l̵ ̵m̵y̵ ̸e̶a̴r̴s̵. What started a distant tingling soon ̴e̸n̴g̵u̵l̵f̵e̸d̵ ̸m̷y̷ ̸e̶a̵r̸d̶r̶u̴m̷s̸ ̸w̷i̶t̸h̴ ̴a̷ ̸s̶o̵u̶n̴d̸ ̶s̶o̸ ̷u̶n̸b̶e̶a̴r̵a̵b̵l̴e̶ I was covering my ears before I r̴e̵a̴l̸i̶z̴e̴d̴ ̵w̵h̸a̷t̶ ̸I̵ ̵w̶a̴s̸ ̴d̶o̵i̷n̴g̷.̸
“Ah, ah,” Reshiram hummed. “No heroics. I’d like to just get this over with quickly, since you went out of your way to come find me yourself. How kind of you.”
“What—?” I tried to ask, b̵u̷t̷ ̸I̶ ̵c̷o̶u̴l̸d̴ ̵b̸a̷r̶e̴l̵y̴ ̷g̷e̷t̷ ̵m̵y̸ ̷v̶o̷i̵c̷e̷ ̸t̴o̵ ̷w̸o̴r̶k̸ ̵o̸v̵e̸r̶ ̸t̴h̸e̷ ̸p̴a̵i̸n̷ ̴I̴ ̵f̴e̶l̵t̴ ̵s̸e̸a̷r̵i̷n̵g̸ ̸a̷l̵o̵n̵g̶ ̷m̷y̴ ̴s̸k̴u̵l̸l̴.̷ ̷I fell to my knees, tryi̵n̵g̵ ̴t̸o̶ ̴e̷s̶c̵a̸p̷e̵ ̶i̶t̵.̶
“It’s quite amazing, actually. In the face of utter despair—the loss of your home, your loved ones, your team…you perservered on the mere intangible spark of hope, deep within you.”
I was grasping my head now, digging my fingernails into my s̷c̵a̸l̵p̶ ̵w̷i̷t̴h̸ ̶s̷u̷c̴h̶ ̸f̸e̵r̴o̸c̵i̴t̴y̴,̵ ̵I̷ ̶c̵o̶u̷l̸d̴ ̴f̸e̷e̷l̵ ̷t̶h̴e̴ ̵w̷a̶r̴m̴t̵h̶ ̵o̸f̸ ̴b̷l̷o̴o̷d̷ ̵c̸l̷o̶t̸t̷i̸n̶g̴ ̵a̵g̴a̷i̶n̷s̴t̴ ̴m̵y̸ ̴f̶i̵n̵g̷e̶r̸t̴i̶p̵s̷. The ringing was u̴̜̎͝ṉ̷̐͝b̴̨̤̋e̵̪̺͝a̴͍̺̚r̷̦̭͂̑a̸̜̳͆b̸̙̝̍̒l̵̹̞̎̓e̶̥̒̾,̴͕̈ ̶̲̏̓ẏ̶̙é̴̹͜t̷͈͍́͝ ̶̛̰̉I̸̪̾ ̵͍̚c̸̱̳͊ó̷̝̥͝u̷͈͂͂l̷͌͜d̵̳̜̾́ feel Reshiram nearing me.
“And therein lies the beauty of shadow, my very essence. It cannot exist without light.”
I wanted to protest, but I could feel all sense of opposition d̷̥̔r̴͉̰̔a̶͖̳̓ḯ̶̪̰̋ņ̵̦̆͠ỉ̸̛̯̦n̷̼̓g̴͎̙̈́ ̶̺̎f̵͖̱̑̓r̴̰̚̕ǫ̴̽m̵̲̈́ ̵̲̄m̷̡͊y̶̠̌͘ ̵̦́̎s̵͙̟̈́o̸̡̬͌̃ü̸̼ḽ̸̇̒, like ̸̡̛͖̩͚̈́̄̀̕ͅb̷̙̍̑͊̅̈́̎̕l̸̡͖̥͋̇̾̚̕͘o̵̪̗̤̅̄̂̅͋͝͠ǫ̴̣͖̯̮̈́͌͊̀͘ḑ̶̰̟́͘ ̴̥̻͈̠̯̖̽p̷̢̧̪̜̀̓́̈͘ȯ̵͍̥͍͗̾͜ữ̴̡̰͕̬̮͖̐̕͝r̸͓͑̄̐́̐͠i̷̡̹̦̬̇͌̄͂͋n̴̡͙͙̻̳̩͕͐g̸̱̟̻͎̮͔̃ ̸̨͈͚͎̘̜̈́͜f̴̱͈̯̬̮͓̣̂r̶̲̰͎̬̜͆̕ǒ̴̪̟̣̼̫́̇̅͌̎m̵̛͕̓̒͝ ̴̞̈́̊͜a̷̫͖̝̮̭̅́́̽̒̕͜ ̸̪̎͗̓͑̃d̴͉̣̺̜̜̏̿͛̀́͋̚ë̴̤͚͍̼́̕e̶̝̟̘̮̿͊͒̔͌̅̚p̴̧̤͎̦͉̌̉̇̀-̶̪̥̖̹̯͑͒̚̚c̵̨̯̬̲̜̋̃̐́͠ư̸͍̩̬̗̈ͅț̴̌ ̵̨̗̖͙͙̟͎̌́̊̈́w̶̹̋o̸͔̬̰̭͠ͅȗ̴̞̔̈́n̸̳̺͍͛͒̅̚d̶̛̛͈̼͌̽̈́̌̇.
“That was all I needed. The last spark of hope in the last standing hero who thought they could turn the tides of fate. Your peers had let it all slip away like nothing, but you? You held on, my dear.”
I̴ ̷f̸e̴l̴t̴…̵e̶m̵p̶t̵y̴…̴
Ỹ̵͈̹̭̱̳̳e̵̮͓͌͗͆͑ͅt̷̮͎͉̠͗̕,̸̢̳͉̇̎ ̵̱̓̈́͠s̸̭͖͚̏̌̈́̐̈́̆ͅȉ̵͉̞̠̘̳̮̈̀m̸̡̛͇̫͇̣̾͂̇̑̍͒͝u̴̫̥͒̎̒͐l̶̼̯̑͒͑̍͋̀̿̕͜t̸̛̮̫̯̀ḁ̷̺͚̙̮̼̺̙̇̇͆̽ñ̶͇̤̠̪̐͗́̋͝ę̶̜̦̳̰̏̉̌͋͗͜͝ͅo̴͖̻̼͈͉͈̮̒u̷̜̦̳̥̖͈̐́͗͝s̶̮̰͘̕͝ļ̴̟͔̰̍̚y̴̭͉̜̝͕̩̲͒̉̃̔͐͆ ̴͓̼̐̿̀̽͌̅f̸̳͉̽ų̵̠͙̫̱̣͗̎̅̃l̷̨̘̯͊͗͝͠f̴̜̹̗̼̘͚̃̚i̴̧͍̤̮͈̟̬͂ḷ̵̛͉̉̅͒́̌͜l̸̹̼̪͍̔͜e̵̖͛̀͝d̴̗̭͈͔͗.̶̜͈͘ ̶̪̪̹͔̗̼̼̼̐̀̀̾̽̕͠͝
“And being able to consume your last spark of hope was all I needed to make all of this possible. And for that, I thank you.”
R̴e̸s̷h̶i̸r̷a̴m̴ ̵w̸a̴s̸ ̷i̷n̴ ̴f̵r̵o̷n̶t̴ ̶o̷f̵ ̸m̷e̸ ̷n̶o̵w̷.̸ ̷
R̶͕̽͗̊e̶̖͓͐s̸̥̗̆ͅh̵̝͕͔͐̈́͌į̷̰̿͝͝ͅr̵̦̙̲̽ã̵͉̲̝͌̚m̸̼̄͆ ̵̞͖̖̈́̿̈́ẉ̶̲̱̑̓ą̵̂s̶̙̺͍͌̚ ̸̨́ḁ̵͗l̵̫͍̊l̴̮͑͝͠ ̸͇̍Ì̶̖̤̥̄͊ ̴̨̛̯̱͆͒k̷̛̲̀̃ṋ̷̮͆ě̸̯͆w̷͚̤̍̊̏ͅ ̷̲͙̊̆͠ň̸̼o̸͚͌́w̸̪̫̒̍̕.̸͓͋̂̈
As thei̵͉͐͝ř̸̟̋ ̴̥̜̄̚w̸̹̿i̷̭̾ǹ̷͔g̶̹̫̈ ̸̨͉͆̎w̸͔̲͂͐ą̸̉̈́s̴̙͛̈́ ̷̼̪̆̚l̶̗͝a̵̧͗ì̶̪̒d̷̪̑͘ ̶̤̹̒ù̶͙͊p̶̥̪̚̚o̴̹̎͘n̶̡̒ ̷̨̾m̸͇͗y̸͚̼̽̚ ̷̨̥͑͐h̶͕͛̑ead, I knew that f̸̱̻̐̀ó̷̱ŗ̵͕̓̀ ̵̞̭̔c̷͇̟̀̈́e̵͍͒̀r̵͕̞̈́t̶̻͋a̷̢̱̓i̷̥̼̋n̸̳̈͝.̶͓̙̐
There was no hope. Only shadow. O̷͚̬̾n̴̜̹̳͊̓͛̊͠l̶͍͉̣̊̽y̴̱͉͇̺̠͐͐̈́͛̇ ̷̠̘͓̈̎̑̐Ŗ̴̲̦̣͖̊ḛ̷̢̫͛̂s̸̡̘̦͑́h̷̨̟̹̯͖͒̾̐i̶͓̱͍͍͗r̷̜̺͛́̑̇ả̷̡͕̝̪̍m̵̭̮̳̭͂͜.̸͎̬̑͊̔͆ ̴̩̫̖̭̘͊͆
A̴̦̞̲̤̫͌l̸̪͇̲̀l̴̞͔̠̪͑́͒ ̴͈̲̟͌̉̄͌̒͜t̵̡̧͙̜͚̝̾̽h̸̢̞͛̈́̒͝ĕ̵̹̰͑̆̏̂̾̄͂r̸͉̜̻̰̦̗͑͒͐̈́̿ȩ̶͓̫̫̙̱̲͈̣̺̿̒̓ ̶̫̯̺̱͈̜̻͒̏̍̋̑̀͆̂̉͜w̴̢̼̻̬̓̂͑̚ͅa̴̫̮̩͈̲̰̙̓͑̓ś̵̞̣́̇̀́̔́̀̕͝ ̴̜̞͇͖͂̓̒̀̊̚͠l̸̛͙̬͔͚͚͇̲̀̓͆̂̄̓̋̅͘e̴̤͔̟͉̐̑̃̾̈́̇͑͛̂ḟ̸̡͕̭͑̓̔t̶̮̭̾͆̈̌͂ ̶̧͍̯͙̭͖͚̼̃̀̋̈́̀͘t̶̨̡̠͕͚͉̞̎̔͌͌̕o̵̝͊͐͐̀̈́̚ ̶̩̯̪͌͆̓̎̓̚͝d̵̼͈̙̝͖̐͒̓o̴͚͎̜͈͓͕̻̙̝̒͜ ̵͖͋̈̓̾͝n̶̗̼̥̄̊̑ͅở̷̰̃͆̍͊̀̀w̸̲͎̠̠̪̳̄́̐̃͘ ̷̖̼̲̰̭͙̈́w̷̛̬̋̎̏̆͘͝͠ạ̴̭̬͙̦̗͉͐̐̍̊͠s̷̢̰̣̤̹̦̻̭̪̏͒̍͒̃̒̓ ̴̯̙͚̺̺̖͙̹̿͌̀̀͌͆̄̇̕d̵̨̬͎̯͑̿ͅę̵̢̢̟̯̙͖̬̫̇̒̐̇̍̓ṡ̵̢̜͈̤̑͗̀̕t̸̹̋̂̔r̵̨̢̰̰͕͍̰̦̐͝o̸̧̟̪̩͓̖̮̎̐̐̕y̸̨̥̼̬͙͙͒̀̓̈̍̄̓͝͝͝.̶̩̖͚̩̏̇̐́̀͒̎͂̕͜͝
VI.
The pokemon world's information age allowed word to spread rather quickly. This would not save the world. Time could be bought to forestall Reshiram's Truth, but eventually all would know it in their hearts before they experienced it for themselves.
The entralink was a keystone few paid attention to, and with its collapse cam too the fall of the unovan people's will. The bridge with the dream world and that which lied within the hearts of both man and pokemon was subject to destruction in a single blow. Every stone vaporized through the Blue Flare of Reshiram's Truth. Vaporized and leaving behind barren land was the fate of all those within the entralink forest, so to the dream network came alight and those connected were embraced with the same fate. From every site the edges of the pokemon world continued to burn slowly as though eaten away by Truth. In a great spiral path Reshiram's destructive path was charted.
From Opeculid, the home of the dragons of Unova, much of whom had already embraced Truth and either awaited Reshiram or fled to lay waste to a world that would know Truth as well as they did. To Lacunosa who's walls would not shelter its citizens from Truth. To where the city embraced the forest, and the white forest's roots lay dry to strike as a match to a world of Truth. The smoke cloud that preceeded Reshiram from then on swallowed Nimbasa City which only remained lit up thanks to the famous lights of the city. Rolling blackouts seemed to pass, and that was Truth's charted course that Reshiram blazed down. Bridges melted into boiling water, and Driftveil's marvels melted like ice sculptures in the sun.
Many locales thought themselves lucky when the course turned as though sparing them from Truth. They found themselves on that spiral path, and just a little later to join those who knew Reshiram's Truth, and the only one that would be known by this world.
The information that made it out was the ships and flights that had set forth with refugees, and footage of the best and brightest remaining at the pokemon world tournament. In the wake of Reshiram's truth none could fabircate the resolve to survive. What made it out was reports from the launched ships as the sea boiled to the white and black clouds enveloping Unova, rendered slag, and so too did some of those ships find themselves on Reshiram's path.
Holocasters broke word of a hero putting an end to Lysandre's madness - and were not given the time to broadcast the Truth that followed.
The Ultimate Weapon could broadcast Truth much faster, and could do so such that the countless regions neighboring Kalos would know it as well.
Reshiram, The Truth of Unova, had delivered a final truth to each and every region of the pokemon world. This final region's time was up, and there would be nothing but the destructive power of the Hero's Truth: entropy swallows all things - sooner or later - thus all worlds must end.
There was no group able to escape Truth, and never would be.
When Mossdeep had been wiped clear, and when so many other points to launch off from the pokemon world met the same fate.. that entropy closed in more decisively.
No man, no trainer, gym leader, champion, no mon, wild or trained, shiny or in a fantastical form, and certainly legend could deny truth.
All let Reshiram's Truth into their hearts, and faded from this world.
As the world lay a barren slate of white stone Reshiram too burnt out.
Trurth did not need a messenger, it did not need a prophet, once it stood self-evident.
Entropy reached all things, and this was but the world's swan song.
Abandon all hope. Check your optimism at the door. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. For what lies below is the First Grimdark Corpse of 2024.
The hapless participants of this macabre exercise were kept shrouded in ignorance for the proceedings. But there was no bliss in this ignorance. Each author (save the first) was afforded a scant glimpse (the last two sentences) of the horrors theretofore recorded, and was forced under pain of periodic nagging to extend the gruesome tale by whatever feats of demented imagination necessary.
Read on, if you dare, but do it not for the benefit of these authors. They are beyond all help, now.
Equitial
Meridian
Sinderella
Umbramatic
unrepentantAuthor
WndsweptCity
Meridian
Sinderella
Umbramatic
unrepentantAuthor
WndsweptCity
Thousand Roads Exquisite Corpse 2024
Grimdark I
I.Grimdark I
The town’s first line of defense, a barbed and electric fence, looked like it had been ripped open as neatly as if it were a net of twine cut with a pair of scissors. Beyond, the grace was lost. Thick stone walls lay toppled like stacks of boxes knocked over by a clumsy and careless child. Some sections remained intact, survivors, but their spotlights and machines guns sat unmanned and cold except by splashed blankets of dry dark red.
I had made the trip to this gravesite that was once a town in a train of armored vehicles, accompanied by soldiers bulky with body armor and wielding weapons always at the ready. Now, however, I walked through the broken streets alone.
I paused in front of a child's lost toy, a little doll with a torn and dirty dress. A passing thought to pick up the lonely thing, but I disregarded it.
Not long after, I found who might have been doll's owner behind a collapsed chimney. A little girl, torn in almost the same place the doll had been, though far deeper. Through the gash in her mangled stomach stinking red pulp oozed and then trailed into threads of intestines, crawling with flies. I regarded the sight and moved away.
Movement—I spun. Or I thought I had caught movement at the corner of the vision. Nothing now; maybe it had only been a phantasm produced from my old paranoia, the familiar weariness I've carried since the destruction of my own hometown. My hand twitched at my waist, near the weapons none of those grim-faced soldiers would dare carry. No one sane would, except someone had to.
There was only one thing that could have left behind this gore-streaked ruin through which I strode—a Pokemon. And, unfortunately, few things could combat a monster except another monster.
Equitial
II.
I knew then that I would have to slay the pocket monster responsible for all this death.
But what kind of monster was I to face? I knelt, and let my fingers brush the broken soil. It smelled of char and smoke. I pushed aside a corpse's jacket to inspect a wound that travelled from ear to sternum, and saw reddened welts around the gash. Now I could be sure. A Fire-type had done this. My hand went to the capsules at my neck, running over them like prayer beads.
Inside those cool metal spheres were monsters of my own – my fingertips brushed against capsules that constrained mighty beasts, soul-draining phantoms, and other terrors. Still, all were children of nature... and they'd fight for me. Of these creatures, Kabutops – a skeletal predator with bladed arms, armored with rock-like plates and able to fire water from its mouth – would be the best weapon I had for this battle. Albeit, one I could barely control... one that could slice my limbs free of my body if crossed.
My team had fought Fire-types before. We had not always won. Some of us – Absol, Zangoose, myself – still bore burn scars from those battles. My left shoulder flared up with the memory of second-degree pain. Pocket monster tamers risked wounds like this all the time, but my heart thumped against my ribs to think of my arm swallowed by searing flames again, my skin blackening and peeling like so much roast meat.
I stood, and looked along the continuing path of violence towards its destination, not wanting to see it, but knowing I had to. There it was: the forest at the edge of town into which the monster had disappeared, leaving a trail of ash and dust and blood. Silhouetted tree trunks parted like bent prison bars. This was the maw into which I would have to go – it was either this, or run from my responsibility.
It suddenly didn't seem like such a bad idea. Almost stupid not to. Who would judge me? The dead?
But no, some were still left alive for me to betray. I had no choice but to press on. I muttered a voiceless prayer to the phoenix, Ho-oh, as if thinking of his flames of life would make it any easier to face the flames of death that waited for me.
I forced my feet to step forward, walking towards the forest, and plucked a capsule from my neck.
"Time to hunt, Absol," I whispered, releasing the sphinx-like monster from her ball.
Black and white fur, a sickle-shaped horn and tail, claws as big as my thumb... and an uncanny, human-like face that stared at me with blood-red eyes. She let out a querulous growl, like a soft, high howl.
"We have a target," I told her. I nudged the nearest corpse with a steel-toed boot. "Get the scent."
My monster – the disaster monster, I reminded myself – lowered her head to sniff the body and the dirt on which it rested. Her gleaming pupils dilated. The light of evening seemed to dim. She called again, and prowled forward – and I after her.
"You think we'll get paid for this one?" I asked, more to myself than the menacing white demon at my side. Absol just growled softly in response.
I knew, of course, that in all likelihood the only pay we'd get for this job would be in valuables looted from the bodies back here, or extorted out of the survivors in the lower village if we got desperate. It was a bitter thought, but a tamer had to eat, no matter how unpopular they and their tamed monsters were with the locals. And my companions and I were rarely loved.
It was ever so – folktales often spoke of pocket monster tamers in the same tones as they did the monsters they tamed. As necessary guests and allies, but dangerous. Pay them well, do not offend them, and send them on their way – to the next town in need of someone who could tame or slay their wayward monsters.
More and more often of late, I would hear tell of tamers deciding not to move on. I supposed that they fancied themselves the petty lords and ladies of their chosen towns, protecting them in return for fealty. Supposedly, they trained apprentices in monster-taming dojos to secure their control. When I first heard of these 'gym leaders' over saké in a village inn, I'd joked to Zangoose at my side that we'd never do the same, that we didn't even know how to keep the same bed for more than a week. He'd just smirked back, arms crossed, lethal claws glinting in the tavern firelight.
My boots left deep prints in the ash that blanketed the dirt path out of the village. Those gym leaders must have it easy...
"Maybe one day we'll find somewhere nice and quit while we're ahead," I muttered.
Absol made no reply, but fixed her hunter's gaze ahead. I kept pace. I walked on through a dense prison of dead trees.
I noticed the air growing warm first, then the smell of burnt meat in my nostrils, and then – forcing myself to creep forward, one hand on Absol's flank – I saw the monster I came for ahead of me. Armored like a soldier, its pitiless eyes burning like coals, this was the vengeful spirit I had come to tame, or to kill: the fire-blades pocket monster, Ceruledge, butcher of the province.
unrepentantAuthor
III.
As awful as it sounded, the slightest hesitation could cost you dearly. I couldn’t be distracted by the piles of burning corpses or strewn limbs, sliced clean from their torsos, lest Absol and I join them.
They were warnings in more ways than one. Though body parts were everywhere, it was far less bloody than it should be. Every cut made by Ceruledge had been almost instantly cauterized.
I fixed my eyes on its wickedly sharp, gleaming blades that it had for arms. “It can light them on fire,” I whispered to Absol, drawing my own sword.
Not a moment too soon. Ceruledge rushed us, purple fire coating its blades. It fought like a warrior, but its face was full of anger. Of rage.
Of bitterness. I fought furiously against my body instincts, to do the natural thing and bring my sword up to block to blow, knowing that my steel weapon, like so many others in this village, would be melted like butter.
So, I let Absol do it instead. My partner’s horn extended with darkness, matching Ceruledge blow for blow, sparks flying in the night with each slash and clash.
The enemy monster feared the dark, that was for certain. It had immediately gone on the defensive, despite starting out as the aggressor. So much so, that it had either dismissed me as a threat, or forgotten I was there entirely.
Both options worked in my favor. Absol feinted, swiping low at Ceruledges’s legs. It brought its blades down to block, leaving it wide open for me to slash at its neck.
Had I been a touch faster, it would have been a direct hit. As it was, its shoulder had been struck. And it’s right arm was hanging uselessly from its side.
Absol and I advanced, but we're suddenly the ones who are surrounded, as a dozen one armed illusions surround us.
We cut through these effortlessly, as the real Ceruledge takes the opportunity to retreat into the nearest house, this one a total inferno.
I narrowed my eyes. To flee was out of character for this creature. Moments later, it emerged. Though the wound Inhad inflicted had completely healed.
It fueled itself with fire as well as producing it. How interesting. I gave Absol a nod, as Ceruledge began a frenetic dance, one only a master swordsman would dare try.
Stones materialized in front of Absol, edges sharpened to daggers by the force of his will. Ceruledge charged forwards, holding blades behind it, providing us with an easy target.
“Go!” I shouted, thrusting my free hand out. Absol’s eyes glowed, and my partner sent the knifelike stones screaming at Ceruledge.
A hint of a smirk appeared on the wraithlike creature's face, before it vanished into thin air.
This was a death sentence for the inexperienced, but not for us. Several seconds later, I felt the heat of the fire at my back, and the sounds of weapons hitting armor, along with cries of pain in my ears.
But they weren't my own. I turned, seeing stones piercing every part of Ceruledge. Other than its face. Absol had redirected the attack in the precious seconds that the enemy could not see us, anticipating the backstab.
I study its face as it topples to the ground. There was surprise there, at being felled, but something else. Regret? Sadness? A sense of loss?
It had not come here solely to kill, I realized, as its eyes closed for the final time. It had been looking for something.
I sheathe my sword and pat Absol on the flank for a battle well fought, before setting off through the remains of this once thriving village.
Had Absol and I had weaker stomachs, or had not become desensitized to this cruel, unforgiving world, we certainly would have emptied them. No house had been spared.
All the inhabitants had been slaughtered, down to the pets, despite them fighting back valiantly.
As gruesome as the carnage was, a pattern was emerging. The further we went, the more controlled the kills were. Decapitations and clean thrusts to the heart. As opposed to the dismembering and disembowelment Ceruledge favored later on.
We followed this lead to some sort of religious shrine, its stone walls saving it from being set alight like every other building. I spot a man lying on his back. Somehow still breathing.
When I rushed to his side, and put his head on my knee, his condition showed. A grievous slash was on his back. He was as good as dead, though this body has not yet accepted it.
“Is it dead? he rasped, eyes flickering fearfully from side-to-side.
The least I could do was to ease his pain. I pressed my canteen to his lips. “Yes,” I answered soothingly. “It won’t hurt anyone ever again.”
His eyes grew frantic, and he shoved my canteen away, scrabbling weakly at the front of my armor.
“It’s legacy remains!” he hissed furiously. “You must… finish… the task.” His final words uttered, the man expired, slumping in my arms.
I inhaled and exhaled deeply, laying him to rest with his arms folded under his chest. Ceruledge’s legacy? What did that mean?
Absol understood before I did. My partner tapped on the floor with a claw repeatedly until I noticed what he did. That one section of the stone floor was cut differently from the rest. We strained and pulled until it opened, and we could see what was inside. A small humanoid creature, with a big head, and the same flames that had burned down this village.
A Charcadet. The Ceruledge that Absol and I had slain earlier must have been its parent, annihilating town after town, butchering everyone it came across, in search of its babe. Charcadet, the monster-in-waiting, glared at us with bright and angry eyes, as if trying to ask us what we were going to do next.
WndsweptCity
IV.
"...Absol. Kill it."
Absol lunged at the Charcadet, hate and anger in his eyes, but the Charcadet dodged with ease. It continued to glare furiously at us.
"You killed my father. Now it is I, Charcadark of the Edge, who must avenge him!"
"Your father slayed hundreds, nearly a thousand!" I yelled. "We did what had to be done!"
"Insolence! Disgrace! I spit on you!" Charcadark spat flames. Absol snarled and sliced again, only to be met with another dodge.
"You truly wish to bring the Great Flame upon us all and kill even more humans and Pokemon?"
"I must!" spoke Charcadark. "It's the only way! The blood of the world's inhabitants will bring about a new era!"
"Your new era is nothing but one of darkness! And Ruin!" cried Absol. "I've seen it all... In visions... Blood... Death... Miurder... It's too gruesome to behold... It cannot come to pass!"
"bUT IT MUST! THESE DEATHS WILL BRING ABOUT A NEW ERA OF PROSPERITY! MY FATHER TOLD ME SO!" screamed Charcadark.
Charcadark held up a gem. A fizzling, powerful gem with a fiery heart.
"No!" I shouted! Don't do it!"
"I must! I must I must, I must!" shouted the Charcadet/
The gem glowed with a brilliant light. A vortex opened in the dark, dank skies above.
A massive Shadow Reshiram, black as night and decorated with brilliant red runes, descended from the heavens. It roared and started burning every nearby village it could. There were screams of people gruesomely being burned alive.
I stared in horror, but then my resolve steeled as I knew I must defeat Shadow Reshiram at any cost.
Umbramatic
V.
Realizing there was nothing left to do for those caught in the path of Shadow Reshiram’s flame, I set my sights on the troves of innocents trying to stampede their ways out of the burning city. I caught flashes of singed flesh and limping, b̴͙̈́l̷̦̒ọ̸͑o̸͉̊d̵͖̔y̴͔̋ ̵̫̀forms, and I somehow found a way to grit my teeth even tighter. But, if they were up and moving, they were still s̶a̵l̵v̴a̶g̷e̵a̶b̴l̴e̷…̵
I turned to my last standing partner, Ceruledge. I didn’t know where the rest of my team had gone in the chaos of the carnage around me, but as I heard another round of sickening screams and felt another gust of fire-heated wind beat against my cheeks, I feared the worst. And yet, I couldn’t let it cloud my head.
All I knew now was that I needed to face Shadow Reshiram alone. In the face of everything, I was still somehow certain I could put a stop to this once and for all.
I had h̵͙̪̑̔ọ̸̼̋p̸̧̈́̃ḙ̸̽. I had f̶a̵i̶t̵h̴.
“Keep assisting with the evacuation. Take special care of the most wounded you find,” I instructed Ceruledge. “I’m going to find Reshiram.”
Ceruledge pinned me with an incredulous look as a sound of protest fell from her lips. I managed to silence her with a look of my own.
“I’m our last hope. I have to do this myself.”
I didn’t give her a chance to respond before I raced off, fighting against the grain of those still trying to escape. As I ran through what was left of my city, past the smoldering remains of my favorite park, and the hellish facade of the shopping district I once called my stomping grounds, I blinked back the threatening sting of tears. I zipped̵ ̸a̸r̶o̵u̴n̷d̴ ̷t̴h̸e̵ ̶c̸h̴a̴r̵r̸e̷d̵ ̸r̵e̴m̴a̸i̶n̵s̴ ̴o̷f̸ ̶m̴y neighbors, the ones I used to call friends, the ones I passed every day on my walks to the gym…
I couldn’t falter. Not yet. I ̶͔̇h̵̨̩̔ą̸̹̋d̶͙̪͌ to be the one to ̴s̶t̶o̸p̵ ̸t̷h̵i̶s̴.
I wasn’t sure how long I ran. All I knew in those moments was the trail of death and destruction, and soon, the ‘thump’ of the beast themselves finally landing from their malevolent flight to present themselves to me.
“Ah. Helene,” Reshiram greeted. “It still seems you don’t know when to quit.”
I filled my lungs with a breath. It was laced with smoke ̶̼͝a̷͍͋̓n̸̨̉d̵̹̹̀ ̷̡͑ẗ̶̺h̶̢̾ȇ̴̺͒ ̵͙͕̌s̸͚̘̈̑m̸̬̍̽e̷̬͎̅l̶̰͒͑l̶͓̰͊ ̵̡̰̒̾ö̶̟͚́f̵̢̯̀́ ̸͎̒͊d̸̳͑̋e̸̥̭̓a̴̢̗̎t̵̡͕͂̕h̸̜̭͛. I held it, as a reminder of why I needed to face off against this monster.
“Reshiram,” I said. Surprisingly, there was no shake in my voice, despite me feeling one vibrating within my soul. “You are—“
I could barely get my words out before a shrill r̷i̵n̴g̴i̵n̴g̸ ̷b̴e̵g̴a̷n̷ ̶t̵o̶ ̵f̸i̷l̵l̵ ̵m̵y̵ ̸e̶a̴r̴s̵. What started a distant tingling soon ̴e̸n̴g̵u̵l̵f̵e̸d̵ ̸m̷y̷ ̸e̶a̵r̸d̶r̶u̴m̷s̸ ̸w̷i̶t̸h̴ ̴a̷ ̸s̶o̵u̶n̴d̸ ̶s̶o̸ ̷u̶n̸b̶e̶a̴r̵a̵b̵l̴e̶ I was covering my ears before I r̴e̵a̴l̸i̶z̴e̴d̴ ̵w̵h̸a̷t̶ ̸I̵ ̵w̶a̴s̸ ̴d̶o̵i̷n̴g̷.̸
“Ah, ah,” Reshiram hummed. “No heroics. I’d like to just get this over with quickly, since you went out of your way to come find me yourself. How kind of you.”
“What—?” I tried to ask, b̵u̷t̷ ̸I̶ ̵c̷o̶u̴l̸d̴ ̵b̸a̷r̶e̴l̵y̴ ̷g̷e̷t̷ ̵m̵y̸ ̷v̶o̷i̵c̷e̷ ̸t̴o̵ ̷w̸o̴r̶k̸ ̵o̸v̵e̸r̶ ̸t̴h̸e̷ ̸p̴a̵i̸n̷ ̴I̴ ̵f̴e̶l̵t̴ ̵s̸e̸a̷r̵i̷n̵g̸ ̸a̷l̵o̵n̵g̶ ̷m̷y̴ ̴s̸k̴u̵l̸l̴.̷ ̷I fell to my knees, tryi̵n̵g̵ ̴t̸o̶ ̴e̷s̶c̵a̸p̷e̵ ̶i̶t̵.̶
“It’s quite amazing, actually. In the face of utter despair—the loss of your home, your loved ones, your team…you perservered on the mere intangible spark of hope, deep within you.”
I was grasping my head now, digging my fingernails into my s̷c̵a̸l̵p̶ ̵w̷i̷t̴h̸ ̶s̷u̷c̴h̶ ̸f̸e̵r̴o̸c̵i̴t̴y̴,̵ ̵I̷ ̶c̵o̶u̷l̸d̴ ̴f̸e̷e̷l̵ ̷t̶h̴e̴ ̵w̷a̶r̴m̴t̵h̶ ̵o̸f̸ ̴b̷l̷o̴o̷d̷ ̵c̸l̷o̶t̸t̷i̸n̶g̴ ̵a̵g̴a̷i̶n̷s̴t̴ ̴m̵y̸ ̴f̶i̵n̵g̷e̶r̸t̴i̶p̵s̷. The ringing was u̴̜̎͝ṉ̷̐͝b̴̨̤̋e̵̪̺͝a̴͍̺̚r̷̦̭͂̑a̸̜̳͆b̸̙̝̍̒l̵̹̞̎̓e̶̥̒̾,̴͕̈ ̶̲̏̓ẏ̶̙é̴̹͜t̷͈͍́͝ ̶̛̰̉I̸̪̾ ̵͍̚c̸̱̳͊ó̷̝̥͝u̷͈͂͂l̷͌͜d̵̳̜̾́ feel Reshiram nearing me.
“And therein lies the beauty of shadow, my very essence. It cannot exist without light.”
I wanted to protest, but I could feel all sense of opposition d̷̥̔r̴͉̰̔a̶͖̳̓ḯ̶̪̰̋ņ̵̦̆͠ỉ̸̛̯̦n̷̼̓g̴͎̙̈́ ̶̺̎f̵͖̱̑̓r̴̰̚̕ǫ̴̽m̵̲̈́ ̵̲̄m̷̡͊y̶̠̌͘ ̵̦́̎s̵͙̟̈́o̸̡̬͌̃ü̸̼ḽ̸̇̒, like ̸̡̛͖̩͚̈́̄̀̕ͅb̷̙̍̑͊̅̈́̎̕l̸̡͖̥͋̇̾̚̕͘o̵̪̗̤̅̄̂̅͋͝͠ǫ̴̣͖̯̮̈́͌͊̀͘ḑ̶̰̟́͘ ̴̥̻͈̠̯̖̽p̷̢̧̪̜̀̓́̈͘ȯ̵͍̥͍͗̾͜ữ̴̡̰͕̬̮͖̐̕͝r̸͓͑̄̐́̐͠i̷̡̹̦̬̇͌̄͂͋n̴̡͙͙̻̳̩͕͐g̸̱̟̻͎̮͔̃ ̸̨͈͚͎̘̜̈́͜f̴̱͈̯̬̮͓̣̂r̶̲̰͎̬̜͆̕ǒ̴̪̟̣̼̫́̇̅͌̎m̵̛͕̓̒͝ ̴̞̈́̊͜a̷̫͖̝̮̭̅́́̽̒̕͜ ̸̪̎͗̓͑̃d̴͉̣̺̜̜̏̿͛̀́͋̚ë̴̤͚͍̼́̕e̶̝̟̘̮̿͊͒̔͌̅̚p̴̧̤͎̦͉̌̉̇̀-̶̪̥̖̹̯͑͒̚̚c̵̨̯̬̲̜̋̃̐́͠ư̸͍̩̬̗̈ͅț̴̌ ̵̨̗̖͙͙̟͎̌́̊̈́w̶̹̋o̸͔̬̰̭͠ͅȗ̴̞̔̈́n̸̳̺͍͛͒̅̚d̶̛̛͈̼͌̽̈́̌̇.
“That was all I needed. The last spark of hope in the last standing hero who thought they could turn the tides of fate. Your peers had let it all slip away like nothing, but you? You held on, my dear.”
I̴ ̷f̸e̴l̴t̴…̵e̶m̵p̶t̵y̴…̴
Ỹ̵͈̹̭̱̳̳e̵̮͓͌͗͆͑ͅt̷̮͎͉̠͗̕,̸̢̳͉̇̎ ̵̱̓̈́͠s̸̭͖͚̏̌̈́̐̈́̆ͅȉ̵͉̞̠̘̳̮̈̀m̸̡̛͇̫͇̣̾͂̇̑̍͒͝u̴̫̥͒̎̒͐l̶̼̯̑͒͑̍͋̀̿̕͜t̸̛̮̫̯̀ḁ̷̺͚̙̮̼̺̙̇̇͆̽ñ̶͇̤̠̪̐͗́̋͝ę̶̜̦̳̰̏̉̌͋͗͜͝ͅo̴͖̻̼͈͉͈̮̒u̷̜̦̳̥̖͈̐́͗͝s̶̮̰͘̕͝ļ̴̟͔̰̍̚y̴̭͉̜̝͕̩̲͒̉̃̔͐͆ ̴͓̼̐̿̀̽͌̅f̸̳͉̽ų̵̠͙̫̱̣͗̎̅̃l̷̨̘̯͊͗͝͠f̴̜̹̗̼̘͚̃̚i̴̧͍̤̮͈̟̬͂ḷ̵̛͉̉̅͒́̌͜l̸̹̼̪͍̔͜e̵̖͛̀͝d̴̗̭͈͔͗.̶̜͈͘ ̶̪̪̹͔̗̼̼̼̐̀̀̾̽̕͠͝
“And being able to consume your last spark of hope was all I needed to make all of this possible. And for that, I thank you.”
R̴e̸s̷h̶i̸r̷a̴m̴ ̵w̸a̴s̸ ̷i̷n̴ ̴f̵r̵o̷n̶t̴ ̶o̷f̵ ̸m̷e̸ ̷n̶o̵w̷.̸ ̷
R̶͕̽͗̊e̶̖͓͐s̸̥̗̆ͅh̵̝͕͔͐̈́͌į̷̰̿͝͝ͅr̵̦̙̲̽ã̵͉̲̝͌̚m̸̼̄͆ ̵̞͖̖̈́̿̈́ẉ̶̲̱̑̓ą̵̂s̶̙̺͍͌̚ ̸̨́ḁ̵͗l̵̫͍̊l̴̮͑͝͠ ̸͇̍Ì̶̖̤̥̄͊ ̴̨̛̯̱͆͒k̷̛̲̀̃ṋ̷̮͆ě̸̯͆w̷͚̤̍̊̏ͅ ̷̲͙̊̆͠ň̸̼o̸͚͌́w̸̪̫̒̍̕.̸͓͋̂̈
As thei̵͉͐͝ř̸̟̋ ̴̥̜̄̚w̸̹̿i̷̭̾ǹ̷͔g̶̹̫̈ ̸̨͉͆̎w̸͔̲͂͐ą̸̉̈́s̴̙͛̈́ ̷̼̪̆̚l̶̗͝a̵̧͗ì̶̪̒d̷̪̑͘ ̶̤̹̒ù̶͙͊p̶̥̪̚̚o̴̹̎͘n̶̡̒ ̷̨̾m̸͇͗y̸͚̼̽̚ ̷̨̥͑͐h̶͕͛̑ead, I knew that f̸̱̻̐̀ó̷̱ŗ̵͕̓̀ ̵̞̭̔c̷͇̟̀̈́e̵͍͒̀r̵͕̞̈́t̶̻͋a̷̢̱̓i̷̥̼̋n̸̳̈͝.̶͓̙̐
There was no hope. Only shadow. O̷͚̬̾n̴̜̹̳͊̓͛̊͠l̶͍͉̣̊̽y̴̱͉͇̺̠͐͐̈́͛̇ ̷̠̘͓̈̎̑̐Ŗ̴̲̦̣͖̊ḛ̷̢̫͛̂s̸̡̘̦͑́h̷̨̟̹̯͖͒̾̐i̶͓̱͍͍͗r̷̜̺͛́̑̇ả̷̡͕̝̪̍m̵̭̮̳̭͂͜.̸͎̬̑͊̔͆ ̴̩̫̖̭̘͊͆
A̴̦̞̲̤̫͌l̸̪͇̲̀l̴̞͔̠̪͑́͒ ̴͈̲̟͌̉̄͌̒͜t̵̡̧͙̜͚̝̾̽h̸̢̞͛̈́̒͝ĕ̵̹̰͑̆̏̂̾̄͂r̸͉̜̻̰̦̗͑͒͐̈́̿ȩ̶͓̫̫̙̱̲͈̣̺̿̒̓ ̶̫̯̺̱͈̜̻͒̏̍̋̑̀͆̂̉͜w̴̢̼̻̬̓̂͑̚ͅa̴̫̮̩͈̲̰̙̓͑̓ś̵̞̣́̇̀́̔́̀̕͝ ̴̜̞͇͖͂̓̒̀̊̚͠l̸̛͙̬͔͚͚͇̲̀̓͆̂̄̓̋̅͘e̴̤͔̟͉̐̑̃̾̈́̇͑͛̂ḟ̸̡͕̭͑̓̔t̶̮̭̾͆̈̌͂ ̶̧͍̯͙̭͖͚̼̃̀̋̈́̀͘t̶̨̡̠͕͚͉̞̎̔͌͌̕o̵̝͊͐͐̀̈́̚ ̶̩̯̪͌͆̓̎̓̚͝d̵̼͈̙̝͖̐͒̓o̴͚͎̜͈͓͕̻̙̝̒͜ ̵͖͋̈̓̾͝n̶̗̼̥̄̊̑ͅở̷̰̃͆̍͊̀̀w̸̲͎̠̠̪̳̄́̐̃͘ ̷̖̼̲̰̭͙̈́w̷̛̬̋̎̏̆͘͝͠ạ̴̭̬͙̦̗͉͐̐̍̊͠s̷̢̰̣̤̹̦̻̭̪̏͒̍͒̃̒̓ ̴̯̙͚̺̺̖͙̹̿͌̀̀͌͆̄̇̕d̵̨̬͎̯͑̿ͅę̵̢̢̟̯̙͖̬̫̇̒̐̇̍̓ṡ̵̢̜͈̤̑͗̀̕t̸̹̋̂̔r̵̨̢̰̰͕͍̰̦̐͝o̸̧̟̪̩͓̖̮̎̐̐̕y̸̨̥̼̬͙͙͒̀̓̈̍̄̓͝͝͝.̶̩̖͚̩̏̇̐́̀͒̎͂̕͜͝
Sinderella
VI.
The pokemon world's information age allowed word to spread rather quickly. This would not save the world. Time could be bought to forestall Reshiram's Truth, but eventually all would know it in their hearts before they experienced it for themselves.
The entralink was a keystone few paid attention to, and with its collapse cam too the fall of the unovan people's will. The bridge with the dream world and that which lied within the hearts of both man and pokemon was subject to destruction in a single blow. Every stone vaporized through the Blue Flare of Reshiram's Truth. Vaporized and leaving behind barren land was the fate of all those within the entralink forest, so to the dream network came alight and those connected were embraced with the same fate. From every site the edges of the pokemon world continued to burn slowly as though eaten away by Truth. In a great spiral path Reshiram's destructive path was charted.
From Opeculid, the home of the dragons of Unova, much of whom had already embraced Truth and either awaited Reshiram or fled to lay waste to a world that would know Truth as well as they did. To Lacunosa who's walls would not shelter its citizens from Truth. To where the city embraced the forest, and the white forest's roots lay dry to strike as a match to a world of Truth. The smoke cloud that preceeded Reshiram from then on swallowed Nimbasa City which only remained lit up thanks to the famous lights of the city. Rolling blackouts seemed to pass, and that was Truth's charted course that Reshiram blazed down. Bridges melted into boiling water, and Driftveil's marvels melted like ice sculptures in the sun.
Many locales thought themselves lucky when the course turned as though sparing them from Truth. They found themselves on that spiral path, and just a little later to join those who knew Reshiram's Truth, and the only one that would be known by this world.
The information that made it out was the ships and flights that had set forth with refugees, and footage of the best and brightest remaining at the pokemon world tournament. In the wake of Reshiram's truth none could fabircate the resolve to survive. What made it out was reports from the launched ships as the sea boiled to the white and black clouds enveloping Unova, rendered slag, and so too did some of those ships find themselves on Reshiram's path.
Holocasters broke word of a hero putting an end to Lysandre's madness - and were not given the time to broadcast the Truth that followed.
The Ultimate Weapon could broadcast Truth much faster, and could do so such that the countless regions neighboring Kalos would know it as well.
Reshiram, The Truth of Unova, had delivered a final truth to each and every region of the pokemon world. This final region's time was up, and there would be nothing but the destructive power of the Hero's Truth: entropy swallows all things - sooner or later - thus all worlds must end.
There was no group able to escape Truth, and never would be.
When Mossdeep had been wiped clear, and when so many other points to launch off from the pokemon world met the same fate.. that entropy closed in more decisively.
No man, no trainer, gym leader, champion, no mon, wild or trained, shiny or in a fantastical form, and certainly legend could deny truth.
All let Reshiram's Truth into their hearts, and faded from this world.
As the world lay a barren slate of white stone Reshiram too burnt out.
Trurth did not need a messenger, it did not need a prophet, once it stood self-evident.
Entropy reached all things, and this was but the world's swan song.
Meridian
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