Blackjack Gabbiani
Merely a collector
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"No matter how many years, how many decades, how many centuries it takes me!"
Akari flinched at Volo's vow. She was still reeling from his betrayal, from learning that he had used her to gain access to the sacred plates. Tearing open the rift in order to demand the answers of creation from Arceus, no matter what the cost to the world or anyone in it--none of it made sense! He had helped her so much. He had saved her life! She would have died in exile if it hadn't been for Volo's aid. Why would he suddenly tell her that he despised her?
He wasn't making sense. Even in the past few minutes, since she had successfully routed Giratina, driving it from the Temple of Sinnoh, Volo had contradicted himself several times. When he had said that his story was over when he lost to her, she had suddenly become aware of just how close he was standing to the end of the platform. It had almost, almost, been a relief that the transformation of the Celestica Flute into the divine Azure Flute had switched him back to his manic ranting about conquering Arceus.
He wasn't thinking clearly, and she'd be damned if she was just going to let him leave like that.
"Wait!" she called as she darted out in front of him.
He only sneered at her. "There is nothing you could possibly say to me that will divert me from my destiny."
She frowned. "Don't say that. Look. It's obvious you're not in your right mind. You're not like this."
"You know nothing of me." He had humored her for a few seconds but that was enough, and he continued to push past her.
"Volo! Listen!" She jumped back and held out an arm in a stop gesture. "I don't have to tell anybody. We'll go see Cogita, we'll talk about everything." Her outstretched arm shifted to holding out a hand in alliance, as if she was expecting him to take it. "There's something wrong with you, and I can help y--"
But Volo was done waiting. He grabbed Akari's arm by the wrist and shoulder, pinning her in place. "I am done with you!" he snarled, his fair features curling into abject hatred, an expression bearing no trace of the friendly merchant who had been her strongest ally. "I'll show Arceus what happens to anyone it could send to stop me!"
Before Akari could react, Volo had shoved her to the ground, carelessly knocking her head against the stone of the temple and pushing the breath from her for a moment. "V-"
"Shut up!" It was a harsh command. Any sign of her friend was utterly gone as he brought his foot to her throat. "You'll never interfere with my plans again. You'll be snuffed out of history and there will be no one who can stop--"
Akari was having enough trouble fighting through the haze of what she was already certain was a concussion, so at first she wasn't certain why he had stopped talking, or why his foot had suddenly slid away from her. Looking up through the midmorning light, the shaky image of him standing over her, ablaze in white and gold, was cut through with black and red.
And more red. And more.
Behind him, Giratina had manifested, and as more of the image cleared, Akari gasped. The renegade, who just minutes ago had obeyed Volo's every order, had impaled him on one of its sharp tendrils.
For a moment, the only sound was Volo's ragged breathing. Giratina withdrew and disappeared once again, and the man fell to the ground, glassy grey eyes staring unfixedly at the sky.
Akari staggered to a crawl, forcing herself to approach, and knelt beside him. "This...no, this wasn't supposed to happen...this isn't what I wanted...!"
He didn't pay her mind at first, knowing the inevitability of his fate. "...Arceus...I..." With a view of the morning sky as his last image, he let his eyes fall close.
Akari slid a hand to the side of his face, trying to comfort him, whispering "I'm so sorry..."
But he jerked his head to the side, the single motion all he could muster to get further from her. "Don't pretend you care..." he murmured, even the faint sound of it carrying his utter contempt for her compassion. A sigh was all he had left in him, and the great wielder fell still.
There was nothing she could do. Nothing she could have done. Her hand, still on his face, was shaking. Her whole body was shaking. It wasn't supposed to end like this. Until just a few hours ago he had been her closest friend...
She worked her way to her feet, struggling with the weight of everything, the memory of it all, the mocking sensation of the sacred plates in her satchel feeling as though they were drilling through her, a sick reflection of how Giratina had felled her companion.
Even as the headache from the impact was dimming, her emotions still clouded everything, and in her dazed state she knew there was no way she could make it back to the Summit Camp on her own. She instinctively drew out the flute to summon Wyrdeer, but it was no longer the familiar plain white Celestica Flute. Somehow she understood how to play the Azure Flute, as if the instrument itself was guiding her hands and breath, but it hung heavy in her hands. This was given to her by Arceus itself, and in a way it had been to spite Volo, she was sure of it. The one acknowledgment it would give him. Even now, she doubted he would face judgement before it. It would never give such a blasphemer the satisfaction of being in its presence.
Hesitatingly, heavily, she played the notes to summon Lord Wyrdeer, and the revered heir ran to her aid. Before it could question the horrid scene before it, Akari shook her head. There was no way she could explain anything.
Even when she arrived at the Summit Camp, Laventon's immediate concern could only be met with reckless and overwhelming sobs. She had lost her best friend twice over, and the rest of the world would have to wait. In some way, she felt like she could understand what had motivated Volo, and she wanted more than anything to tell him. But the wretched need for answers that would never come was already tearing away at her, and the one person it would matter to was the one person that would never know.
Akari flinched at Volo's vow. She was still reeling from his betrayal, from learning that he had used her to gain access to the sacred plates. Tearing open the rift in order to demand the answers of creation from Arceus, no matter what the cost to the world or anyone in it--none of it made sense! He had helped her so much. He had saved her life! She would have died in exile if it hadn't been for Volo's aid. Why would he suddenly tell her that he despised her?
He wasn't making sense. Even in the past few minutes, since she had successfully routed Giratina, driving it from the Temple of Sinnoh, Volo had contradicted himself several times. When he had said that his story was over when he lost to her, she had suddenly become aware of just how close he was standing to the end of the platform. It had almost, almost, been a relief that the transformation of the Celestica Flute into the divine Azure Flute had switched him back to his manic ranting about conquering Arceus.
He wasn't thinking clearly, and she'd be damned if she was just going to let him leave like that.
"Wait!" she called as she darted out in front of him.
He only sneered at her. "There is nothing you could possibly say to me that will divert me from my destiny."
She frowned. "Don't say that. Look. It's obvious you're not in your right mind. You're not like this."
"You know nothing of me." He had humored her for a few seconds but that was enough, and he continued to push past her.
"Volo! Listen!" She jumped back and held out an arm in a stop gesture. "I don't have to tell anybody. We'll go see Cogita, we'll talk about everything." Her outstretched arm shifted to holding out a hand in alliance, as if she was expecting him to take it. "There's something wrong with you, and I can help y--"
But Volo was done waiting. He grabbed Akari's arm by the wrist and shoulder, pinning her in place. "I am done with you!" he snarled, his fair features curling into abject hatred, an expression bearing no trace of the friendly merchant who had been her strongest ally. "I'll show Arceus what happens to anyone it could send to stop me!"
Before Akari could react, Volo had shoved her to the ground, carelessly knocking her head against the stone of the temple and pushing the breath from her for a moment. "V-"
"Shut up!" It was a harsh command. Any sign of her friend was utterly gone as he brought his foot to her throat. "You'll never interfere with my plans again. You'll be snuffed out of history and there will be no one who can stop--"
Akari was having enough trouble fighting through the haze of what she was already certain was a concussion, so at first she wasn't certain why he had stopped talking, or why his foot had suddenly slid away from her. Looking up through the midmorning light, the shaky image of him standing over her, ablaze in white and gold, was cut through with black and red.
And more red. And more.
Behind him, Giratina had manifested, and as more of the image cleared, Akari gasped. The renegade, who just minutes ago had obeyed Volo's every order, had impaled him on one of its sharp tendrils.
For a moment, the only sound was Volo's ragged breathing. Giratina withdrew and disappeared once again, and the man fell to the ground, glassy grey eyes staring unfixedly at the sky.
Akari staggered to a crawl, forcing herself to approach, and knelt beside him. "This...no, this wasn't supposed to happen...this isn't what I wanted...!"
He didn't pay her mind at first, knowing the inevitability of his fate. "...Arceus...I..." With a view of the morning sky as his last image, he let his eyes fall close.
Akari slid a hand to the side of his face, trying to comfort him, whispering "I'm so sorry..."
But he jerked his head to the side, the single motion all he could muster to get further from her. "Don't pretend you care..." he murmured, even the faint sound of it carrying his utter contempt for her compassion. A sigh was all he had left in him, and the great wielder fell still.
There was nothing she could do. Nothing she could have done. Her hand, still on his face, was shaking. Her whole body was shaking. It wasn't supposed to end like this. Until just a few hours ago he had been her closest friend...
She worked her way to her feet, struggling with the weight of everything, the memory of it all, the mocking sensation of the sacred plates in her satchel feeling as though they were drilling through her, a sick reflection of how Giratina had felled her companion.
Even as the headache from the impact was dimming, her emotions still clouded everything, and in her dazed state she knew there was no way she could make it back to the Summit Camp on her own. She instinctively drew out the flute to summon Wyrdeer, but it was no longer the familiar plain white Celestica Flute. Somehow she understood how to play the Azure Flute, as if the instrument itself was guiding her hands and breath, but it hung heavy in her hands. This was given to her by Arceus itself, and in a way it had been to spite Volo, she was sure of it. The one acknowledgment it would give him. Even now, she doubted he would face judgement before it. It would never give such a blasphemer the satisfaction of being in its presence.
Hesitatingly, heavily, she played the notes to summon Lord Wyrdeer, and the revered heir ran to her aid. Before it could question the horrid scene before it, Akari shook her head. There was no way she could explain anything.
Even when she arrived at the Summit Camp, Laventon's immediate concern could only be met with reckless and overwhelming sobs. She had lost her best friend twice over, and the rest of the world would have to wait. In some way, she felt like she could understand what had motivated Volo, and she wanted more than anything to tell him. But the wretched need for answers that would never come was already tearing away at her, and the one person it would matter to was the one person that would never know.
