The Collector is Coming

[Tav]

Guardian stood there, hand around the neck of an injured combatant, after the fight had been done and over with. Threatening the life of an obviously disturbed and dazed woman. For a moment, Guardian was reviled. Was he really doing this?

"Next question. Two, actually, and then you can go. First; Did you get paid or otherwise reimbursed for casting this . . spell?" He asked, forcing himself to stay calm. Dark, beady eyes gave no evidence of emotion.

"And finally, may I borrow your bag?"

[Coolpikaaa]

"A final blow to finish off a wounded CP?" The electric rodent coughed. "I thought you were one for the dramatic, C? Where's my torture? What happened to the dark, horrifying consequences of meeting you? I suppose keeping my pelt after I pass is a step in the right direction, but..."

The spiked tail came down, set to end a life.

"Frankly, I'm disappointed."

Coolpikaaa once again caught the shadow's limb, a shock of pain tearing through all his muscles from the earlier strain. This time however, he needn't worry- he wasn't going to be hanging on long.

"Ah, Miss Collector. You aren't slipping are you? 'Cause really, everyone knows not to hold a lightning rod in a Storm."

"Oh, and one more thing." Coolpikaaa said, spitting blood onto the ground.

"I'm rather attached to my skin."

There was a flash, and a low rumble. The treetops were on fire, lightning from the sky overhead had hit the rodent.

More power than he could have ever produced on his own....

[Swix]

(In the forest outside)

The Collectors ugly look turned into an ugly frown. Of course, she'd rather take her time with this, but as of the moment there was no lair or safehaven for her to go and fulfil her dark pleasures. On the other hand, the apparent final blow hadn't seemed to have hit anything too vital, as the rodent was still talking. Well, she'd see how well he liked her horrifying consequences once she started pulling bones from his body... from the inside out.
But then, just as she was about to split her tail into a thousand tiny needles of internal pain, he started talking about her slipping, the storm, and... a lightning rod?
"What-" the entity began, puzzled. But it was at that moment that the lightning from the sky struck them, bringing with it all the power of the forces of nature that the being was entirely unfamiliar with, causing a scream of true agony from the shadow that would cause even the darkest soul in this world (bar her ) to tremble in fear.

Now, finally experiencing something that truly hurt, searing through her shadowy body like ten thousand tiny white hot needles the Collector lost the ability to hold her form together and seemed to once again melt into the oily black liquid, if a bit thinner this time, and gave the rather disturbing impression that it was twitching in pain.

Just in time for Jade the Pwee to come running over...
<hr />
(In the mountain crevice)
The obviously disturbed woman stared at Guardian for a long time, so much so in fact even she was wondering if she dare make a sound for this one. Then, quite suddenly, she burst out laughing. She laughed so hard and so humourlessly that a tear began to roll down her cheek before she could stop herself.
"Ah... You think that I was getting paid for this in some way?" she asked, wiping the tear away, her body still shaking from suppresed laughter-although her mirth was abruptly cut short by the scream that echoed in the crevice "no, no, this and more I agreed to do a long time ago... for my freedom for a time"

The last part was far more subdued and the mirthless shaking stopped before she answered the apparently last question with a question of her own. "Why do you want to borrow my bag? That's private you know"

[Tav]

Guardian said nothing, letting go of the girl's neck. He couldn't bear it. "I apologize." He said gruffly. "I've . . changed, since I left my home. Were I in my right mind, I would not have threatened your life." He bowed to her, and out of his pack, drew out an enameled, lovingly crafted trinket made of folded and rounded steel, almost abstract in shape. "This is yours." He said. "It is called an avalé. Other than being beautiful, it is a. . debt, of sorts. If I do not survive, any other of my kind will fulfill said debt." He hooked the trinket to her bag, and walked away.

His debt repaid, he trudged back to where he had left the dark entity and the small yellow rat that he thought of as his friend.

(Avale (ah-va-lay) are marks of honor, when someone does something heroic or legendary. Giving one away is tantamount to a knight giving someone his armor and blade. Dude's feeling pretty guilty right now. Yes I pulled this out of the top of my head. I'm planning to retcon the 'dracon' soon.)

[Swix]

(In the crevice)

Evil Swix stared after Guardian as he walked away, not quite understanding what had just happened. If the roles had been reversed, she would've snapped his neck anyway, why hadn't he... Then it hit her. "I've been tricked by a goody goody&#33;" she almost yelled, glaring at the trinket on her bag with some hatred, the humanoid made a valiant effort to get up-only to fall back down, holding her head as a wave of debilitating dizziness passed through her. Evil Swix held the uninjured side of her head, waiting for the headwounds side effect to go away.

Then she slowly, deliberately got up and moved forwards, careful not to set off the dizziness again, in order to grab the black paper that Guardian had so carelessly thrown away. She knew she needed a doctor, a healer or quite possibly just a place to rest-but it was equally important that she didn't leave that or her bag just lying around in this area.
____________

Coolpikaaa, Jade and indeed Guardian would find the now thin, oily mass of little threat for the time being. The entity was too busy bubbling and twitbhing fluidly to even notice that there was a little draconic creature running through it

This would last for a good ten minutes before she gathered enough sense to begin trickling away from the small hero band in a long thin stream over the ground

[Jodie]

Jade watched in amazement and Thaught 'so this is why Emerald says to never anger an electric type...'

She then shook her head and saw as it trickled off and mumbled nerviusley "I think it is safe to come out now-" she squeaked as she felt something grab her tail and turned around and saw Emerald and sighed with releaf "Sis, you scared me.."

Emerald growled angrily "You scared me more, Jade, never run off like that again&#33;"

Jade sighed "Sorry sis..." then said "But you really missed something cool&#33;" she then said happily pulling her tail from Emerald grip "That Pikachu used thunder, and it was a direct hit&#33;"

Emerald grumbled "AND what if that weird blob, monster whatever that thing is got you?"

Jade gulped as she thaught about what might have happened and squeaked "I... I don't think I would last for a second..."

Emerald sighed "Sis, there are times where you can't fight, because that thing is WAY over our level..."

Jade sighed "I can't help it, I was worried about the Pikachu... and I thaught I might have been able to help..." She then said cheerfully "But the Pikaichu really taught that Creature a lesson&#33;"

Emerald sighed "Jade, your Crazy..." then smiled and said "But you are my crazy little sister"

Jade giggled

[Coolpikaaa]

Coolpikaaa took another ragged gasp, staring up at the stormy sky. He wasn't dead- not yet. With a painful turn, the electric rodent rolled onto his side, and managed to push himself, wobbly, to his feet.

He was worn out.

One short, though promising battle with the Collector had spent most of his energy, and left him with a nice neat hole in his side. One more scuffle like that would probably leave him dead, and surely, the shadowy woman wise to his tricks. Speaking of wounds...

Coolpikaaa glanced briskly at where the spike had got him. Yep, still there... Along with some very disturbing black splatter from the now liquified humanoid. He needed to clean it, and slow the bleeding... Somehow.

Using a palm to place pressure, Coolpikaaa took more of a limp than a step towards where they had left Swix. He needed to question her, and get away from here in case little Miss Sunshine reformed.

He only hoped the Pwee, who he could hear chattering somewhere in the distance, would stay clear of the mess.

[Swix]

(In the crevice)

After a brief fight with nausea and disorientation the humanoid finall got everything in her bag back where it was supposed to be, mousetraps and all, then stared at the black piece of paper for several minutes. Getting nothing back the black clad woman once again stuffed it into her impossibly heavy bag and began cautiously moving away from the scene she'd caused to happen. Her puzzlement could wait until she reached a less obvious place for people to seek her.

<hr />

(In the forest outside)

The disturbing oily mass started pulling itself together-quite literally, as the thin stream slowly began getting thicker and moving away faster. It wasn't long before the ground around the three was entirely clear of black fluid of any kind. Even the droplets that had split off moved on their own, sliding off the electric rodent to reconnect to the main body. Including some that had remained in CPs wounds, puskhng past any slack in the paw he was using to apply pressure to it to ooze out through his fingers. He might feel an even weaker push on his palm that quickly disappeared as well as the goop that was going back to rejoin the rest, but then again, it might just be his mind playing tricks on him.

Once the Collector was well and truly out of sight into the vegetation, the entity had an idea...

[Coolpikaaa]

The injured rodent continued on, slowly making his way through the woods. It took far less time to get through these trees when they were running.

Am I even going the right way?

Coolpikaaa took a breath, leaning against a tree. It seemed hopeless right now. He didn't know anything... not even a motive&#33; Sure general chaos was all fine and dandy, but was that really what was going on here today? Surely The Collector must have... something up her oily sleeve.

He should keep moving though, in any direction. The forest was dark with the storm overhead, and The Collector could come calling at any moment. With a sigh, Cp took another step in the same direction, and landed flat on his face.

The electric rodent growled, staring at the root that had impeded his direction.

"Stupid fre-"

But something seemed off. Weird... black veins... seemed to be visible through the root structure. Was this something particular to the planets flora, or...

Cp glanced up at the storm, and decided it was time to keep going.

[Swix]

Not just behind but around CP the forest seemed to gain more black veins, becoming more twisted the closer he got to the portal that had allowed the evil being entrance to this world. Tainted by the Collectors very realm itself, it was quite likely that the root had tripped the electric rodent up on purpose.

As he got further inwards of course ES got further outwards, purposely taking a slightly different direction when she saw Guardian up ahead, managing to veer away so that Guardian would've glimpsed her through the trees, but they wouldn't have met directly. Whereas Coolpikaaa wasn't so lucky, the evil woman nearly kicked him in her disorientated journey away from the door into the Collectors realm.

She stared at what looked to be a large yellow blob before she blinked, temporarily dispelling the effects of the concussion and narrowed her eyes at an obviously wounded CP.

"What happened to you?&#33;" she asked, with a mild smirk before she shook her head and made to step away "actually on second thought, I don't care. I'm leaving" she began to walk away.

[Coolpikaaa]

The further that Coolpikaaa walked into the woods, the more the plants themselves seemed to take a sinister appearance. At first it was just the sparse few veins of darkness in the odd tree, but now it seemed the plants had become completely blackened, resembling leafy versions of the Collector's tendrils swaying to some unheard pulse.

Cp stopped to study one, picking off the pointed leaf of a tainted sapling to hold against the light. He didn't wait around long however, deciding to keep trekking onward with his sample after it felt as though the plants were staring him down.

Just as he was thinking how fortunate it was he had yet to meet any corrupted fauna, a crunch in the bushes ahead caught his attention. Swix was standing there, partially hidden in the trees and staring at him as if not sure exactly what the electric mouse was.

She must have been hit pretty hard...

"What happened to you?&#33;" The woman called, after apparently recognizing the Guardian. His injury seemed to please her a bit. "... actually on second thought, I don't care. I'm leaving."

"Hey&#33;" Coolpikaaa called, dumbfounded and caught off guard by their very brief meeting. "Hey&#33; I had a run in with your friend if you must ask. Turns out she isn't as well behaved a guest as she is a hostess..."

She was just walking away... This was beyond frustrating.

"Swix, dammit, where are you going&#33;?" Coolpikaaa yelled, his voice losing all of it's earlier friendliness. "Don't you see what's happening here&#33;? What could you possibly be gaining from this&#33;? And don't give me any of that "Oh but I'm evil, I must&#33;" garbage, we are talking about the fate of an entire realm here&#33; And when it's all done and gone, can you honestly expect to be anything more than one of her pets?&#33;"

[Swix]

ES stopped in her tracks, Coolpikaaa was yelling at her and it was making her head hurt more. Both her fists clenched together tightly 'til the knuckles went white, she wanted to turn around and slap the horrible rodent for what he'd just said. But no, she decided, she'd do something worse. She&#33;d tell him the truth.
"I failed the Test, Cookpikaaa" she said, quietly "you remember the Test, don't you? The one where the chance of failing is significantly higher than that of winning? When I was younger and more foolish, I found an ancient ritual that promised power, but neglected to say what the consequences would be"
She stopped here, gathering breath and her thoughts with her head slightly turned to look at him "so I begged and I pleaded with her to let me go, and she eventually agreed to it. But only for a certain amount of time, if I swallowed a piece of her realm, of her, and did what she asked when she asked. So you see, I can never expect to be more than her 'pet' But that's not entirely why I'm doing this. The only thing of mine she has no claim on right now is my soul. If I give you heroes any help, she'll punish me. I've already broken that part with your friend Guardian. If I betray her after our deal and turn on her physically, that part of the deal is rescinded... So... " she said, turning around and glaring at him "you're a 'hero', you probably make tough decisions like this all the time. Are peoples eternal souls, even evil ones like mine, worth sacrificing for a reality?"

[Coolpikaaa]

Coolpikaaa watched, ready to fight as Swix clenched her fists. If she wanted a battle, he was fed up enough to give her one. Then she surprised him, lowering her voice and beginning to speak.

Coolpikaaa listened in silence and surprise as the evil woman opened up to him.

Cp did, in fact, remember the test. Upon entering the collector's realm, he was approached by a darkened, distinctly female, version of himself- The Collector in his form. She had faced him with several near impossible puzzles, testing both physical and mental prowess.
With a shake of his head, Cp wondered how young Swix was when she faced the realm– and lost. Knowing what he did about The Collector, he couldn't believe she had let Swix go, possessing her body or not.

"I..." Coolpikaaa wanted to say something heroic, inspire the woman to switch sides. Say if they could beat The Collector together, she wouldn't have to worry about anything. But, she had already been through so much...

”I'm... sorry.” he said slowly, taking on step back into the woods, just watching the woman for whatever come next. His face could do the talking for how bad he felt.

[Swix]

ES's face took on an ugly look at CP's sorry look "I don't want your pity" she snarled at him, hastily opening her bag and pulling out a small, ceremonial looking knife-with the piece of black paper apparently attached to it. "oh, and by the way, I lied to your friend about there not being a way to send her back." she said, throwing the dagger with the attached black paper into the ground in apparent anger.
"I'm done here"

The woman spun around to leave-and promptly fell to her knees as the world kept on going when she stopped, blurring in front of her eyes and making her feel sick.

Irrationally shaking her head like there was an insect inside that she couldn't get rid of, Swix leant against one of the tainted trees in a sitting position-and closed her eyes. Drifting off suddenly seemed so promising...

[Coolpikaaa]

CP frowned, staring at the woman who had only become even more angered by his act of empathy. Maybe he should have just tried to sway her over to his side...

Suddenly, A flash of metal, and there was a knife stuck in the ground, not too far from where CP was sheltered. Throwing things? Really?&#33; That seemed quite out of character for a grown woman like Swix, especially if they had to rummage through their bag just to find a projectile.

"I'm done here&#33;" the woman said, turning to storm off. As she did, CP drew closer, coming out of his forest hiding to glance at the improvised weapon.

"Uhm..." he hummed, rather more to himself than the retreating woman. Carefully picking up the bladed object, CP noticed the attached paper and hastily un rumpled it. Could the whole argument have been a clever ploy to pas this on to the rodent? Was it a note of some importance?

She had hinted there was a way to vanquish the collector just before, hadn't she...?

However, he didn't get to look long, as Swix only took a couple of steps before sliding down a tree, eyes closed.

"Uhh... Swix?" he said, alarmed but keeping his distance, in case she decided to throw something at his concern again.