The Collector is Coming

Jodie · #46

Emerald gulped then said to Guardian "what do you mean by that!?" then sighed to Jade "yeah we better go..."

Jade said scardly "I'm still very confused, Big sister what is going on?"

Emerald sighed "seriusley, I have No Idea what is going on..." she then looked at the Blob of what apperd to be Darkness on the ground "uh... Ook, Jade we better get going now"

Jade mumbled "can I poke it?", Emerald sighed "if you possibly want to lose your arm, yes..."

Jade gulped and said "um... no I don't want to poke it now..." and said Confusidly "It looks very strange through, and kinda funny"

Emerald pulled Jades tail and attemped to drag her away and grumbled "I'm telling you Jade, there is somthing called 'too much curiosity...'"

Jade then asked CP "Um... just where to go through, because I am lost..."

Emerald stopped pulling Jades tail and said confusidly "Yeah... being a spicies that lives underground when young, we don't know much about being above ground, I sure hope this stuff dosn't happen all the time above the ground"

Emerald then watched as the Blob seemed to follow Guardian and then saw the boulder flying in her Direction ans squeaked "RUN!, GET OUT OF THE WAY!" and grabbed Jade and quickley pushed her away and Ran to CP to psh him out of the way.

Jade squeaked as she was Pushed out of the Way and squeaked "EMERALD!" then saw the boulder and gulped

#47

((Jodie, that boulder was aimed at Emerald, Jade and CP

Also, I'm waiting for Tav to post but I don't think that I've put enough for him to react to... So I'll do that now

))
(The mountain crevice)

Inside here, the door to the realm that should not be here remained open, reaching up into the sky as far as the eye could see. It was devoid of life now not twisted by the taint it exerted-except for one lifeform slumped against the wall to the left. Alive, as she was still breathing, but most definitely still unconscious. Her bright red bag lay on the ground near her, her hand rested atop it, and the blood that welled from the blow to her head still flowing down her face. She certainly wasn't going to react if anyone approached her, nor was she going anywhere anytime soon.

Tav · #48

Guardian knelt down over the injured girl, and took a look at her. "Not dead." He mumbled to himself. That was good. Then he opened the bag, careful to check the outer pockets before the inner ones; As heavy as it was, he had a feeling that there was something inside that he didn't want to find.

#49

Guardian would find very little in the outside pockets of Swix's red bag-save for many warning signs stuck to the backs of each pobket saying things like 'Stop looking in my bag', 'Seriously', 'I mean it', 'I'm warning you', and several primed mousetraps-minus the cheese-in random places.
If Guardian withstood all of these he'd also find a piece of black A4 size paper that was entirely blank.
And upon opening the inside would be confronted with... nothing. A lot of nothing in fact, so much so that the inside was dark and he could put his entire arm inside it without ever hitting the bottom. This bag was one of those 'larger on the inside' objects that some characters were so fond of.

#50

"Little ones! You've got to try to get to safety, I'll be fine!" Coolpikaaa called, deftly rolling out of the way of the rock. He couldn' help but feel something was off. The rock attack? Too easy. If The Collector had wanted them hurt.... She would have ensured it.

Arcing a bolt of electricity in front of the dark, shifting mass, CP planned to stop the shadow in it's tracks. A foolish move, but if it was what was needed for both the Pwee and the Guardian to escape...

"You know, even though you promised to make it up, I don't think throwing a rock really counts as a greeting at all, Miss Collector." Coolpikaaa said, glancing to see if the Pwee were getting away. He regarded the transit mass, eyeing it for whichever form it was to take now. "Hmm... Actually I have to say you look different from when we last met. New hairstyle, perhaps?"

Jodie · #51

Emerald gulped then squeaked "ok" and grabbed Jade and said "we better get home, Before anything else more Crazy happens!"

Jade nodded then said "yes sis!" then said scardly "But, What did that thing mean abo-"

Emerald shouted "Stop chatting and get running now!"

Jade squeaked and started running towards the Burrow, Emerald followed Jade

#52

The shifting oily mass did indeed stop, giving the impression it was looking with some interest at the lightning bolt that had struck the ground ahead of it. As indeed it was, judging from the red pools of eyes that had opened in the still forming head. "Well, well" it said, using a half formed mouth "why, my dear Coolpikaaa, I didn't think you'd be so eager to see me again you'd try and stop me from leaving" The entity twisted around to face him, the liquid darkness beginning to gather ever faster in the centre. First the head took a far more solid shape, looking quite humanoid bar the eyes, even including slick, straight hair-or at least it looked like hair. Then the shoulders which were also fairly humanoid, and a pair of skinless wings along with some humanoid arms. The hands though, they were much different to a humans hands, in fact they weren't hands at all. No, where hands should be were two closed snake heads that would serve the same purpose-they even had the red eye pools where their eyes were. Next a long, whip like tail formed that she seemed to have taken straight from the wyvern shape before. The legs were last and strange, they were double jointed so the ankles were quite high, whilst the feet consisted of four clawed toes-three pointing forwards and one pointing back.

"Hmm? New hairstyle? Oh yes, I've been planning what to be when I come through for a while now. The form I met you in was certainly fun but apparently hardly original here. Do you like it?" she asked, vainly patting her imitation hair before she quite obviously saw the two Pwee running off, and her eyes narrowed "Aww, your little friends are running away from me. They're not afraid of me are they? Cause you know.... they should be"

She smiled quite disturbingly at this statement, very pleased at the effect her appearance was having before she spread her arms in an apparently placating gesture. "Dear interesting Coolpikaaa, why don't you want me to go? That fellow is almost as intriguing as you, so I must insist I go, but you seem so wanting of a proper greeting I may as well give you one whilst we're here"

Still smiling, the Collector coiled her wyverns tail and brought it in front of her with great speed, exactly as a whip would, meaning to catch the rodent around the middle with the sharp stinging end of it. But she didn't stop there, oh no, because following closely behind the whiptail came the two snake hands on the ends of her arms that she'd shot out from her newly formed body towards the rodent, mouths open. She definitely wanted to make a mark on him.

#53

"Aww, shucks C, you didn't have to get all dressed up just for little old me..." Coolpikaaa said, watching The Collector take form. Her new body was an odd sight, some sort of strange mashup of the earlier wyvern and a human. "I do miss the ears though... They really brought out your lovely eyes..."

Coolpikaaa glanced backward once more at The Collector's address of the fleeing Pwee. "So modest, eh? I don't know about being scary, C. But then again, that could just be us being such interesting acquaintances."

This comment wasn't going to make her happy, and surely would knock that evil smile off her face. It was all done in the name of stalling... And indeed, The Collector attacked then.

Coolpikaaa rolled backward, a quick attempt to dodge the whipping tail and it's attached spike. "But yeah, how have you been doing lately?" He started, showered with earth that had been kicked up. The pieces stung, but they were surely better than getting stabbed. He couldn't help but wonder if that point had been poison. "Oh, and personally, I have to mention your understanding of a "greeting" could use some work..."

The Shadow creature didn't let up though, firing off a snake faced punch. It was such a bizarre attack, CP had no time to anticipate. Planting his feet, Coolpikaaa took the blow, pushing apart both halves of the jaw to avoid being instantly munched. Even with his centre of gravity firm, the blow pushed the electric mouse back several feet. She was too strong.... He doubted he could hold the jaws for much longer... And he would soon be meet with gnashing teeth. With a furious gruntof strain, coolpikaaa pushed with all his might while sending a direct electrical current into the snake-hand's face.

"It really sounds like you're trying to kill me everytime you say hello."

#54

The Collectors smile dropped, replaced by a relatively ugly look on her face as she glared at the rodent. The arm that missed found nothing but bark as it smashed into a tree and sank tiny little recurved fangs into it.
The one that hit though, that one would not close with CP pushing back against it so, and The Collector slowly exerting extra pressure.
"Modesty?" she said, sneering "I've heard of that-that's where people lie without realising-ARGH!" The entity was cut short by a yelp of pain that escaped newly formed lips as the pikachus electric current ran through her arm via the opened serpents head and straight through the entirety of her dark body
It caused enough of a delay to allow the rodents efforts at pushing the toothy hand away from him to succeed as the head flopped onto the floor, and a pause in any other possible attacks by the being of evil as she shook herself after the effects had worn off.
"Pain..." she said softly "I had forgotten how exhilirating that was... Dear 'CP', don't you get it?" the Collector continued to speak as she pulled her arms back into a more humanoid length "I am trying to kill you, since I cannot collect you at this point"
The emtity's eyes darkened slightly, as the tail that was still close tried to stab the electric mouse a second time-and C started laughing once more.
<hr />
(Meanwhile in the mountain crevice)
The unconscious humanoids eyelids fluttered as she began to wake up, the hand on the floor near the opened bag twitching. When they did, Evil Swix's hazel eyes stared accusingly at Guardian kneeling down in front of her.
"What the hell do you think you're doing going through my stuff?" she spoke to him quite nastily "I oughtta get up and knock you out just for that-soon as the mother of all headaches leaves... and the world stays still for two seconds... "

Tav · #55

"The hell I am thinking," Guardian said, waving a mousetrap off of his finger, "Is that you called that being here somehow, and I'm looking for a way to get her to leave. You are officially in my custody." He handed her the odd black paper, under the assumption that she could read it. "Tell me what's on this paper, under threat of death."

As if to go through on his threat, he wrapped his fingers around her neck. Not tightly, but solidly, so that she wasn't apt to get out quickly, or at all. He looked at her seriously, eyes inscrutable. Again, Guardian was glad that humans couldn't tell his emotions from facial features, because this was a large bluff he was making. He could no more kill a downed warrior than he could kill himself.

#56

CP let go a sigh of relief as the head withered; he seriously doubted how much longer he would have been able to hold off. The Collector on the other hand, seemed to get some kind of pleasure out of the blast. If she had been out in her own realm long enough that pain was exhilarating, Coolpikaaa kinda had to feel bad for the shadow. Maybe, she really should get out more.... it might just help with that "Kill everything" mood.

The Collector starting laughing again, just in time for a sharp pain to erupt through Coolpikaaa's side. He couldn't place it at first, thinking a stinging insect had interrupted his thoughts. Only after the electric rodent staggered back, he realized he was bleeding.

"Not...eh...collecting, huh?" Coolpikaaa said, gasping a bit as he tried to check the wound. "You might need... a change of name then, C. Heh...heheh. Probably a good thing too... if you were, this nice...*cough* hole you put in me definitely brings my value down."

#57

(In the forest outside)

The Collector stared at the pikachu, red pools that served for eyes glittering darkly as they drank in the sight of the wounded, bleeding rodent ahead of her as she took one step, then another, forwards. C shook her head disappointedly "No, no, you 've got this all wrong" she stated, arms open in that same placating gesture once more "I can't collect you, even though I would dearly love to, because you passed my test, remember? Had you failed, I would've had you then, but a deal is a deal, even only temporary ones. However" the entity took another couple of steps forward, slowly and definitely "your mere living presence feeds my enemy, so, you see, now whenever I see you I must try to kill you"
The shadow entity was now standing beside the wounded hero, and raised the tail slowly in front of and above him so he could see it coming, still talking "but I can always keep your pelt. Besides, I can still collect your two little reptilian friends and that strong warrior"
With that she brought the tail down, for the final blow.

<hr />

(In the mountain crevice)

ES stared at Guardian, almost uncomprehending, she'd almost giggled at his waving the mousetrap off his hand. But then he'd told her she was in his custody- which pretty much meant that she was his prisoner, no matter how nicely he tried to dress it up in verbal lingo. Well, she'd just have to show hin just how difficult of a captive she could be-just as soon as she recovered enough to be a nuisance, of course
Then he handed her the black paper which she took with a somewhat puzzled look, the puzzlement increased with the added threat to read... a blank piece of paper.
"There's nothing-" she started, then abruptly stopped as she felt Guardians strong fingers firmly encircle her throat. That was definitely not something she was expecting from him. ES stared into Guardians unreadable yet serious eyes for a few seconds, wondering what the chances would be of her testing his commitment to this course of action, but seeing nothing she recognised deliberately swallowed and looked away. "You people have no idea how to threaten someone properly, if you kill me you'll never discover the information you're after" she lamented, though she had decided already to take him at his word "but for the sake of not being throttled or having my neck snapped pointlessly, I'll tell you"
ES held up the paper as best she could so that he could see and she could gesture with her other hand-and not do it very well, since she was still disoriented.
"This paper is blank" she told him, gesticulating wildly at it "can't you tell? You're not threatening me to read something with no writing on it because you're blind, are y-wait"
Her possibly dangerous insult was cut short this time by her own observation of spidery red writing appearing on the side of the sheet facing her, and she pulled the paper closer so she could read it.
"It says 'Well done for following the plan through, but tell your friend he can threaten you all he likes, I'll not go back when I'm having such fun'" ES read aloud, and frowned at the end of it "Is that it? Or are you planning on dragging me around with you by my neck?"

Tav · #58

Guardian kept up his serious look, glad that his 'prisoner' had listened to him; He didn't know what he would have done if she'd called his bluff. "So it was blank, and ceased being blank? Very good. In lieu of any sort of law on this world, if you continue to obey, I will release you without harming you, and, in fact, make reparations for the harm I've already done. If you do not, then I will snap your neck, in a manner in which to be painless. I'm not a complete monster." He said, in a bored tone of voice that he hoped would make him sound like he'd done this before, as he took the paper from her hand and tossed it away.

"Now to business. I know only what I could see with my own eyes, and have deduced. So, explain the situation in which this . . . being came to enter this world, and if there's any possibility of undoing it."

Jodie · #59

Emerald and jade both Dived into the burrow.

Emerald sighed "I sure hope that Pikachu will be ok..."

Jade mumbled sadly "That thing sure looked weird...", Jade then looked at the sky and mumbled scardly "maybie we should help?"

Emerald sighed then said "Jade, that thing realy seems too powerful for us, I bet as soon as we go there to help we will die aswell", she then closed her eyes and said to Jade "The best thing to do now is to stay in the burrow and stay out of trouble-"

Jade sneaked out the burrow whilst Emerald was talking

Emerald continued "-I mean, That thing is WAY too powerful for us, right Jade?" she then asked "Jade hello?" she opend her eyes and saw Jade wasn't there and shouted scardly "JAAADE!"

Jade ran as fast as she could in CP's and the collector's Direction.

#60

(In the mountain crevice)

ES had the paper ripped from her and tossed away, the woman barely restrained herself from jumping after it even in this state. Instead, her hazel eyes intently watched the once again blank sheet flutter to the ground whilst she listened to Guardian talk, asking the question she'd known would come but had hoped not so quickly. Her eyes widened as two letters appeared on the page she'd been watching large enough for her to read even from this angle and distance- 'NO'.
The humanoid swallowed before slowly turning back to face the being with his hand around her neck, just a hint of fear beginning to lurk in her expression. The first question was easy, this one, not so much.
"I..." she started, found her mouth had dried up and so swallowed again "I can't... I don't know... she never told me if it was possible to send her back, or how, she never trusted me with that information"
Swix mixed a lie with the truth, hoping that it might throw him off a bit from further questioning her along those lines.

The next answer however was going to be even less helpful to Guardian "It took me a very long time to prepare that spell... you don't want to know about that part, surely? Had to be some of the darkest things I've ever done" she asKed, slightly hopefully. If it came to it, she'd rather face death than the Collectors wrath. At least the former would be quick.