Chapter 5: Taking a Dip
"Doesn't look like a Tailow either. Or a Fearow, or a Wingull, or even a Noctowl for that matter." The bird was familiar but... not quite what I remembered.
The thought lingered for only a moment before a sharp, acrid scent suddenly stung my nostrils, cutting through my focus. I turned, gripping the weapon floating by my side.
Emerging from the underbrush was a skunk-like creature, far larger than any real-world skunk but closer in size to a Border Collie.
Its dark purple fur clung to its body in matted clumps, streaked with a grimy off-white stripe that ran down from its hair down its back and flared into a bushy, imposing tail covering it's head.
Its eyes, gleaming with a predatory glint, locked onto me as it crouched low, muscles coiled like springs, ready to strike.
The air around it carried a faintly acrid undertone, a prelude to the noxious cloud it could unleash at any moment.
The Pokémon sniffed the air, its gaze darting to the blood-soaked remains of the bird strapped to my belt. A low growl rumbled from its throat, and I instinctively took a step back.
"Great... this must be the evolved skunk I saw in the bog back then..." I muttered, the blade's cloth wrapping tighter around my tatau as if sensing the incoming fight. My mind raced as I coughed against the acrid smell filling the air.
Why hadn't I smelled it earlier? The thought struck me suddenly. I hadn't encountered any skunk Pokémon while climbing the hill, so this one must have followed me all the way from the swamp below.
Maybe the wind and the rushing water had masked its presence until now. Either way, it didn't matter. It was looking for food and I was the only one there.
The skunk lunged without warning, a blur of purple fur and powerful muscle streaking towards me.
I barely sidestepped, my feet sliding through damp leaves as its massive body brushed past, narrowly missing me.
Twisting around, I swung the blade in a desperate arc, feeling it slice through thick fur, the force sending jolts up my arm. The beast twisted sharply, shrieking, and unleashed a thick cloud of acrid, violet fumes in retaliation.
The cloud enveloped me instantly. I gasped and coughed violently, eyes streaming with tears as the poison clawed viciously at my throat and lungs.
My skin turned rapidly from pale to a ghastly shade of purple, veins bulging darkly beneath my skin like twisted vines.
Yet beneath the agony, I felt a bizarre surge of power pulse through my body, adrenaline mixing strangely with the poison, sharpening my senses to an almost overwhelming degree.
The skunk pivoted quickly, its claws tearing into the earth as it charged again. I stumbled backward, narrowly evading the razor-sharp claws that whistled through the air mere inches from my chest.
The creature was relentless, attacking in rapid bursts, each strike precise and calculated. I dodged frantically, ducking and weaving around each assault, my body moving purely on instinct and desperation.
Gathering my strength, I countered fiercely, my blade slicing cleanly into the beast's flank. Blood spattered vividly across the ground, staining the leaves crimson.
The skunk snarled viciously, baring its teeth in a grotesque display of fury. It circled me slowly now, more cautious but clearly still intent on finishing what it started.
My chest heaved painfully, each breath burning with exertion. Sweat and blood mixed, dripping into my eyes, blurring my vision further.
The blade trembled faintly in my grip, its crimson eye glowing fiercely, urging me forward.
With desperation and rage fueling my actions, I screamed defiantly, "COME ON, YOU UGLY BASTARD! THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?"
Reaching down, I snatched the dead bird from my belt and hurled it directly at the creature's snarling face. Startled, the skunk recoiled instinctively, its attention breaking for the briefest moment.
Seizing the opportunity, I lunged forward, channeling all my remaining strength into a single, decisive strike.
With a surge of adrenaline, I lunged forward, aiming for the skunk's face. The Pokémon reared back at the last moment, reacting just enough to avoid a fatal blow.
My blade pierced its eye, the strike landing with a sickening squelch. The beast shrieked in pain, claws swiping wildly, but it managed to twist away before I could drive the blade deeper, leaving the injury severe but not lethal.
The Pokémon shrieked loudly and staggered, its claws flailing wildly. Instead of retreating blindly, it paused, glaring at me with its remaining eye.
Blood dripped from its wound, yet its movements were deliberate, almost calculating.
It snatched the dead bird from the ground with a swift motion, keeping its injured side away from me. Then it disappeared into the underbrush with a purposeful stride. It wasn't fleeing in fear.
It was conserving its strength, fully aware the fight was no longer worth it. I watched it go, my body trembling with exhaustion and pain.
"Yeah... you better run," I rasped, my voice raw with defiance. "You think that's poison? I've survived stronger shit from the doctor's mushrooms and that bitch's drink."
Dragging myself toward the river, each step felt like a monumental effort. My vision swam, and my legs threatened to give out.
The blade floated slightly by my side, its cloth still tethered to my tatau but eerily still, not draining me.
I glanced at it, my brows furrowing as I wondered why it wasn't feeding on my dwindling strength.
Its crimson eye seemed to watch me, unreadable, but I didn't have the energy to question it further. As I neared the water's edge, an unwanted memory surfaced.
"RUN FORREST RUN!"
I was back on Rook Island, running for my life. Grant was dead, shot in front of me. Vaas' laughter echoed in my ears, taunting me with every step.
I sprinted through the jungle, branches clawing at my skin. My lungs burned, my legs ached, but I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.
Then came the river. I remembered the wooden bridge collapsing beneath me, shot down by Vaas' helicopters. The plunge into the cold water was jarring, the impact driving the air from my lungs.
The current carried me away, tumbling through the chaos, away from Vaas, away from the nightmare. I washed ashore, coughing and gasping, only to be greeted by another manipulative bastard, Dennis.
The memory faded, replaced by the present. I stood at the river's edge, the poison sapping what little strength I had left.
"Fuck it," I muttered, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. "It worked once… it'll work again. If it doesn't... well that's it..."
With that, I stepped forward and let myself fall into the water. The current pulled me under, the world turning dark as the cold seeped into my bones.
For a moment, I welcomed it. The idea of fading into the abyss seemed almost comforting after everything I had done.
I let the river take me, wash me away, and erase the stain of my existence. My vision blurred, and darkness closed in from every side.
Through blurry eyes, I noticed large shapes swimming lazily beneath me. A group of huge fish drifted past me, their scales faintly reflecting what little light pierced the murky river.
One fish stood out from the others. It was bigger, and its scales shone with strange flashes of gold, even in the dim water.
I couldn't tell exactly what I was looking at. My mind felt heavy, unable to piece together what was happening. All I knew was the calm beauty of these creatures as they pulled further ahead.
Just before darkness fully took hold, the largest fish turned back, its piercing red eyes glowing faintly in the shadows, staring right through me as I slipped away.
---
Grant was the first. My older brother's face was stern, his eyes filled with disappointment. Blood seeped through his shirt, pooling around the gunshot wound at his neck, the one I had been powerless to stop.
"You were supposed to protect them…" Grant whispered, his cold voice cutting through me like a knife. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE THEM HOME!"
Liza appeared next, her tear-streaked face a mask of betrayal. Blood streamed from the jagged wound across her neck, her hands weakly clutching at it as if trying to hold onto the life slipping away.
"Why, Jason? Why did you do it?"
I tried to speak, but no words came. I saw Oliver, Keith, Daisy and Riley, each one sporting the same bloody slit necks accusing me, their voices blending into a cacophony of pain and anger.
"I didn't want to…" I choked, my hands trembling. "I didn't mean to…"
"You didn't mean to?" Liza mocked, her voice laced with venom. "But you did," she added, her tone dropping to ice cold.
The memory shifted. Blood was on my hands, the Silver Dragon Knife steady as it cut through Liza's throat.
I saw her fall, saw the light leave her eyes. The others followed, their faces blurring as the knife did its work.
"You're a monster," Grant murmured. "I shouldn't have saved you."
I sank to my knees, the weight of their accusations crushing me. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry."
"Your sorry doesn't mean shit... We will never forgive you," Liza hissed, her voice dripping with venom.
The words echoed in the darkness, growing fainter but cutting deeper as they lingered in my mind.
---
I gasped, my eyes snapping open. I was lying on my back, the sky above me a dull orange. Every part of my body ached, and my head throbbed, but I was alive.
I turned my head and slowly moved my hands to inspect myself. My fingers brushed over my arms and chest, searching for the telltale purpling of the poison.
But there was none. The discoloration was completely gone, and relief flooded through me, though confusion quickly followed.
Suddenly, fragmented memories drifted back. The river pulling me under, shadows of large fish swimming silently around me.
I remembered the biggest one clearly now, its golden scales flashing oddly in the dark water, red eyes piercing through my fading consciousness. Was it a Magikarp?
The others were definitely Magikarps though, but not that huge. Their sizes were mostly the same, but the golden one?
That one was around two to three times the size of the others. Could Magikarp even get that big? And if it did, wouldn't I have been fish food by now?
Then I froze. Sitting beside me was a plant with a yellow face, its round eyes locked onto the blade hovering beside me still tethered to my arm covering my tatau.