Chapter Eight: A Sword's Resolve (Part 2)
“Huhuhuhu, I had high expectations for you boy and not only did you not disappoint those expectations, you’ve exceeded them.”
A chill ran through the spines of all within the main chamber as Big Boss entered with his goons, reloading his flintlock pistol as he did. His eyes gleamed at the crowd of freed slaves and their improvised weapons and grinned.
"Look at you all; so full of hope, so full of determination, so full of that will to live," he spoke with high praise before shaking his head in disappointment, "Yet still so innocent. You all chose to arm yourselves with picks and shovels, all while ignoring the many weapons I scattered around the tunnels. I must say, I’m both disappointed and impressed."
The crowd withered at that, some were shaking uncontrollably from sheer terror.
"As for you boy," he pointed to Gallus, "you've done well leading this ragtag resistance to my command centre with no casualties on your side. You've also not only managed to call the rest of your team with you and coordinate your attempted escape with my hostage, of which I'm still trying to figure out how you did that by the way, but you also managed to draw first blood by killing one of my boys." His grin grew maniacally wider as he continued, "As I suspected; you're a natural born leader. …Just like your grandfather."
Gallus narrowed his eyes as he pointed his acquired shortsword at Big Boss, "What the hay are you on about? You don't know anything about me, otherwise you wouldn't miss the little detail of me being an orphan! I didn’t lead anyone." He pointed a claw to his friends, "We worked together, and together we will stand against you. And on another note, you broke your word that you wouldn't harm them!"
Big Boss facepalms, "Oh, right. Sorry, I forgot about that; news travels slow here. In fact, I was actually on my way to tell him to spare your friend when I found out you were a team of six." He offered a shrug, "But to be fair, you did chop his head off before I had the chance to, sooooo we're even."
"That wasn't any of us, you maniac!" Sandbar snarled.
Big Boss arched an eyebrow, "It wasn’t? Well, that's disappointing." He gave a shrug before continuing, “Considering there’s only the five of you here means that by process of elimination it was the Changeling who did the deed?” He let out a sigh, “Of course it would be one of those insects who wouldn’t hesitate to get their hooves dirty. I just think it’s anticlimactic. Which is a bigger shame she isn’t among you.”
“Wait, Ocellus killed someone?” gasped Silverstream.
Before any of them could correct that presumption, Flash Magnus (despite his injury) coughed out a defiant retort, “K-keep talking, mutt. (Gasp)... Doesn’t m-matter if you beat us here… we only need to- (Pant) buy time for the rest of the guard to capture your sorry f-flanks.”
Big Boss' head slowly craned towards the pegasus captain, his subdued grin barely containing his elated excitement. “Of course, where are my manners?” he sneered in delight, “Captain Flash Magnus, Hero of Ancient Equestria! Pillar of Courage, Dragons’ Bane, Shield of the Righteous, and many more titles! I would have thought to be facing the likes of the Rainbow of Terror, but you? I am not but humbled to be privileged to slay a Legend such as yourself.” He offered the injured captain a mock bow.
“You sick son of a-”
“Ah Ah Ah, Captain,” Big Boss stopped him with a mocking wag of his fingers, likened to a parent scolding a child, “there are children present. What would they think if their hero of legend suddenly cussed before them? A hero ought to be a symbol for the masses.” He gave a chuckle as he continued, “Besides, that line of cussing is hardly an insult to me and my boys, considering who and what we are.”
His Dogs joined in his mirth, laughing and chuckling menacingly at the joke. Several of the freed slaves shrank further as the mob of murderers slowly encircled them, several of them cursing themselves for not taking proper weapons to defend themselves. While they outnumbered the mercenaries four-to-one, most of them stood no taller than their torsos, had no experience fighting to save their own lives and held improvised weapons with forehooves whilst their foe stood tall on two legs and were clearly experienced at killing, for sport no less.
Flash Magnus and the students quickly noticed their lightly armed militia rapidly losing morale as they slowly crept back towards the entrance, forming a large gap between them. Some brave few grouped closer to the students and the injured captain, mustering what bravery they could but no less faltering from the escalating disaster. The larger group suddenly halted their withdrawal as one of them screamed when they noticed their only exit was blocked by more of Big Boss’ goons. They were now completely surrounded.
“Now then,” Big Boss declared, holstering his pistol into his inner coat pocket and drawing his sword, “before the slaughter begins, who will I have the honour of challenging me to a duel?”
“A duel?!” the guard Coppellion who was treating the downed captain’s injury shrieked with fury, “Why in bloody Tartarus would you want a duel?! Isn’t it enough that you bully us into submission? Why not just kill us now and be done with it?!”
The dog shook his head, “Tut tut tut, you’re missing the big picture, my little guardspony. The Hero must face the Villain before the opposing sides clash. It is the way the story must progress. My Story. I have invested far too much to let my endeavour fall before my moment of glory. I have planned for every contingency that not even the Princess herself can out plan my pet project. Any attempt to disrupt my tale will ensure Equestria bleeds for it.”
“W-What do you mean?” Silverstream asked.
His grin grew wider, almost resembling a crocodile, “Just picture it; the shock, panic and outrage of Canterlot when they realise my little illegal mining operation, implemented with slave labour. The entirety of the Royal Guard will come rushing in to the rescue and would dispense justice against me and my boys for our villainy. It would be a shame if say the caverns cave-in on itself, burying Equestria’s finest along with all those poor innocent souls who slaved away, never to see the light of day again.”
A chorus of gasps echoed across the main chamber as the crowd gawked in disbelief at this dog’s insane plan.
“Y-you wouldn’t dare!” Sandbar sputtered, “That’s crazy! Even for you that’s crazy! You’d be killing yourself and your dogs with you!”
“On the contrary, my mediocre friend,” Big Boss sneered, “If one must make an exit, make it as spectacular as possible. If I can’t have the epic tale I’ve spent months planning for, I will just go for the next best thing; going down with the ship and taking as many innocents with us.” He circled the group as he continued, “As for my boys, I think you will find how many of us would gladly die for the Great Game. In fact, I had a harder time trying to find a volunteer to live to tell the tale.”
Smolder took a sniff of the air before her eyes widened in horror, “Oh crap, he’s serious.”
“Of course I am,“ he pointed his blade at the students, “You have only two choices; you can all struggle here to buy time for the Royal Guard, which will result in burying all of us here, or you can play along with my game.”
He raised his arms almost welcomingly, “Take the chance, be a hero! If you strike me down, my boys will surrender. Peacefully, quietly. No tricks. But if I win the duel, I will let the hero live with their chosen few while my boys slaughter the rest of you. A better alternative, don’t you agree? The Hero will live to fight another day and I will finally accomplish my story. Win-win.”
A heavy silence hung above them. To Gallus however, it was deafening. The adrenaline coursing through his blood pumped so loudly in his ears he could hardly hear himself think.
This guy pulled our legs before, but there’s no way he’s sane enough to bluff burying us with him. What do we do?
Sweat beads from his crown as he weighed their options. If they attempt to escape, they will die. If they delay for rescue, they will die. If they fight… He looks to his right at the downed Captain Flash Magnus and the two guards continuing to treat him. Behind them were the volunteers putting on a brave face for the rest of the freed captives. He turned to his left at his friends who were present. Fear and anger with hints of resentment were clear on their faces. But Gallus paused in thought to notice everyone’s look in their eyes, and never did he think he would see it for the second time this day; finality. A certainty that none of them will come out of this unscathed. Only this time he saw shattered hope into the mix and he saw it among his friends who were present.
It killed him inside. By Galahad, it killed him inside. And the worst part about it all is that he knew they only have one choice for the best chance of survival. They have to fight. They have to win. The question is who will do it? None of the ponies have a chance against him if his method of fighting with two free limbs not touching the ground is anything to go by.
Flash Magnus is down for the count and those two guards won’t leave him helpless. Ocellus would’ve been our best bet but she’s not here. Silver is terrified of him so she’s out. I’ve already seen what he could do to Sandbar. Yona might be able to overpower him with brute strength but that might not be a given if he could outmanoeuvre her. As for Smolder, knowing how temperamental she is she could easily lose her cool in the middle of a fight… but she is the better fighter out of all of us.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a cocked flintlock pistol.
“Tick Tock lad,” Big Boss gave a low growl, “I haven’t got all day so what will it be; all for one or one for all?”
Sneers and chuckles echoed from his boys at the implication of the phrase.
Gallus’ heart stopped at the realisation. “He still wants me. That freak still wants me. The sick puke still wants me!” His eyes widened at further realisation. “It doesn’t matter who duels him, he’ll kill them unless it’s any of the five of us, preferably me. Even if Smolder’s got the best chance to beat him out of any of us he won’t go easy on her. But if it’s me…”
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Gallus slowly stepped forward, gripping the acquired shortsword tightly with his talons. “I accept your duel.”
His friends and several others gasped.
“Gallus, are you crazy?!” Smolder spoke out for the rest of them, “You don’t have a snowball’s chance in the Dragon Lands against him!”
Ignoring Smolder’s comment he pointed his blade towards the dog. Gritting his teeth and beak he spoke with what mustered bravery he could manage, “We all know what you are after, so let’s get this over with. I’d ask that you keep your word but we all know that’s just a load of horseapples.”
Grinning excitedly, Big Boss uncocked his pistol, holstered it and readied his blade before Gallus, “How very noble of you, not like any griffon I’ve ever met. But fear not boy, after everything revealed to me today it has become clear that the story demands that you, and by extension your friends must survive. If my earlier suspicion about you is correct then you and your friends are worthy of a greater story in development, more than I could have possibly imagined. It’s not everyday one gets to be involved with a leader in the making, or perhaps even… a king.”
“W-what are you on about?!” Gallus demanded, clearly confused by Big Boss’ antics.
“Oh, right. Spoilers,” the dog chimed. He suddenly lunged at Gallus who tried to block his blade with his own. Sparks ignited between their swords as the two sparred.
Gallus barely held his own as he desperately blocked Big Boss’ strikes with the shortsword. He was by no means an expert, in fact he never held a weapon in his life before, but for a kid who never fought with a blade before he was doing surprisingly well parrying every blow this villain was throwing at him. Or at least that’s what it seems. Gallus may not be a fighter but he’s seen enough scraps and brawls in Griffonstone to know when an opponent is holding back on a fight, or for this case…
He’s toying with me! He deduced. Every time he found himself open to an attack Big Boss seems to intentionally miss or dismiss it flippantly.
“What’s the matter boy? Surely you can put up more of a fight than this,” Big Boss goaded, his voice hinting an impatient disappointment, “Show me aggression! Show me ferocity! Show me your inner predator! Strike at me!!”
Gallus winced from each strike he blocked, the vibrations from the struck blades rattled him to the bones. Suddenly, in a moment of either dumb luck or pure instinct as he anticipated another strike, Gallus swung his shortsword upwards which missed his intended target that was his opponent’s sword and instead slashed his right arm.
Big Boss flinched backwards, more surprised than in pain. He looked at his injury likened to checking the time from a watch. The cut sliced a small portion of his sleeve and narrowly grazed his arm, leaving a papercut sized line of sliced skin, barely dripping with blood.
“Well, well, well,” he mused, tracing the cut with one of his paw fingers drawing up the blood, studying it, “So it seems our hero draws first blood. Better write that down for the history books.”
Gallus looked appalled, almost sick as he studied the tip of his blade where he cut him. “I-I… I didn’t mean to,” he stammered.
“Tut-tut-tut, how disappointing,” Big Boss tutted, shaking his head, “You’re going to have to mean it boy, otherwise you are going to lose your head.” He brandished his sword once more, pointing it towards Gallus, “You revealed that the cat has claws, you might as well use it to its fullest extent! I can only last so long holding back against you.”
Gallus felt a twinge of anger from his unintended insult that, without thinking he returned his quip with a scoff. “Oh please. If anyone is acting like a cat here, it's you. I never thought a Diamond Dog would toy with their prey.”
The room went silent other than a few gasps heard from his goons. Big Boss stood there silently, his ears and eyes twitched visibly. A chill ran through the young griffon’s bones as his last sentence finally caught up to him. Oh crap.
The large dog drew a long breath from his nostrils and breathed out. “That was such a cheap shot of an insult,” he muttered boredly before baring his fangs and lunging at Gallus, “BUT DAMN, DOES IT WORK!”
“GALLUS!” his friends cried out.
Gallus flinched as he curled defensively, shutting his eyes close as he braced for his end.
Fighting Type: Sacred Sword
The sound of clashing metal and the lack of an incoming injury prompted Gallus to open his eyes and look up. Before him stood that large unicorn looking creature from earlier, his horn ignited to a large sword that glowed a brilliant blue, blocking the blow meant for him.
Feeling his legs give out, Gallus fell on his haunches as he gawked awestruck at the sight. He saw the beheading of the guard in the holding cells, but to see such power this close left him wordless. A sentiment every creature within the cavern shared if the silence was anything to go by.
“Hey,” the creature said with a smirk, breaking the silence, “sorry for the delay. I hope we weren't too late.”
For a Pokemon with amnesia Keldeo had to admit that he’s been getting a lot of Deja Vu lately. Flashing memories are one thing, but noticing a similar sight when he rescued that earth pony from certain death to this griffon with the same predicament makes him wonder if this will become a pattern, along with many things he’s been experiencing since he awoke from the hospital.
His pondering was interrupted when Ocellus entered the scene. “Guys, are you alright?! We came as soon as we heard an explosio-”
As soon as the teal changeling appeared behind Keldeo, Ocellus was tackled into a hug from Smolder, then Gallus, and promptly the rest of her friends.
Not a word was spoken between them. Ocellus was too overwhelmed by an influx of fear and relief from her friends that she was barely holding back her own emotions. Silverstream was sobbing profusely, Gallus was trembling violently from hyperventilating, Smolder clutched to Ocellus tightly, trying to hold back her own tears, and Sandbar and Yona encircled the group in a combined hug.
“Oi, oi, oi. Where from Tartarus did you crawl out of?”
All eyes left the happy reunion to the villain of the scene.
Big Boss snarled menacingly at Keldeo, his mouth drooling from fury and his eyes flared in hatred. “Answer me, you last minute insert! Who do you think you are, ruining my story?!”
The Pokemon narrowed his eyes and smirked. “Me? I guess you can call me your editor,” he quipped before his face shifted to a scowl, “and I’m here to tell you that your story’s been cancelled.”
Big Boss went livid. “No. No! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NOOOOO!!!” he bellowed like a spoiled brat throwing a tantrum, swinging his sword wildly at nothing as he kicked rocks, crates and unlucky bystanders who were in his way. “THIS ISN’T HOW THE STORY SHOULD BE! It was supposed to be the rising of Helpless Heroes! Not some Nobody appearing out of Nowhere! That’s the kind that losers would pull out from their rear ends for their half-baked, amateur fanfiction!”
“Pot, meet kettle,” muttered Smolder.
“You’re ruining everything I was building up to!” he all but screamed at Keldeo, who for the most part remained unfazed from his rant, “It was supposed to be an epic battle between Good and Evil, the Flea and the Titan, the Prodigy and the Experienced! Who do you think you are, you wannabe guard of a unicorn?! My masterpiece is ruined! RUINED! I will have you skewed for this crime against art!”
“Not my problem you uninspired third-rate hack,” retorted Keldeo, “Seriously, after getting to know your synopsis I can't think of anything more cringe than your Edgeboy fantasy. I've seen more originality from an amateur Smeargle's counterfeit art for Arceus’ sake.” Not that I could remember any.
“Cr-cringe?! H-how… HOW DARE YOU!” Big Boss roared, his limbs trembling in wrathful fury, “What would an oversized unicorn foal such as yourself know about the art of mythical masterpieces?!”
Keldeo scoffed with a one note laugh, “First off, I am no unicorn. Second, I am probably older than your mother. (At least I think I am.) And thirdly, I am what you call a Legendary creature where I’m from, so don’t insult me by insinuating that I can’t tell the difference between a good story and a crappy one. And believe me, yours is full of crap. So much so that I don’t think even a Muk would touch it.”
The cavern went silent other than the collective gasps from the murderous mercenaries. While it lasted a few seconds, it felt longer and heavier than it should have. A low growling chuckle followed, contorting into a hideous laughter, and ended with a maniacal cackle.
“I can’t decide which slanderous insult I should be more offended by,” he sighed from his malicious mirth. “Wait, I stand corrected,” he perks up as he points his blade towards Keldeo, “Scorn my person if you wish but no creature blasphemes my Great Game!”
Keldeo readies his horn with a smirk, “Then why don’t you have at me and defend your stupid story from my slander?”
Big Boss was astonished to silence, surprising himself and even the crowd. He could not recall the last time anyone spoke out against him without hiding behind fortresses and ragtag militia, much less matching his literary tongue. He could not remember the last time anyone stood firm before him in defiance, confidence without arrogance, fatalism or false courage. He could not remember the last time he felt a chill in his bones as he stared into the pseudo-unicorn’s eyes. Eyes that scream bloodlust. Tempered bloodlust perhaps, but bloodlust nonetheless.
Big Boss’ face split with his murderous, ecstatic grin. “Oh my, what great eyes you have there,” he spoke softly, barely containing his elation, “They scream a killer’s instinct. All the better to see your enemies crushed before you, aren’t they?” Then a thought occurred to him, “Tell me stranger, you wouldn’t happen to be the artist who beheaded one of my boys, would you?”
Keldeo flinched for a moment before steeling himself. “Yeah, that was me. And your fine fellow tried to kill one of the ponies, so I cut him short before he could finish the job.”
Big Boss’ impossibly wide grin grew even wider as he bellowed another maddened laughter. “This tale is going to be better than I planned for! Warrior! Poet! Legend! I could ask for nothing less from a kindred killer! May I be so curious as to ask who you are?”
Keldeo scowled, but before he could say anything another flashback came to him. A figure. The figure. The tallest among the three he had glimpsed before in his visions. This time he saw it more clearly. He (Keldeo assumed it was male due to the voice he heard before) had a stag-like form, an aqua blue coat and jagged yellow horns similar in shape to thunderbolts. He stood steadfast before Keldeo, his gaze cold like steel. No. His presence was steel. Immovable, tempered, resolute.
“Keldeo,” the Pokemon spoke with a cold but firm tone, no different from his imposing presence, “To master your sword, you must be resolute. You have learned to be decisive. You have given hope to the innocent. Now you must learn to be unwavering in your convictions. Justice is Truth. Truth is Absolute. And so when Absolute you must become incorruptible, less you become a force of destruction. That is the way of our Order. That is what it means to be A Sword of Justice.”
As a vision faded Keldeo almost fell from the new sensation he felt within him. A roaring fire, one that felt exhilarating and very familiar. The sensation ached from his horn to his very core, and he felt untouchable. He felt resolute.
He steadied himself and hardened his gaze towards the villain before him. “I’m going to have to disappoint you there because we are nothing alike. You kill for pleasure, I fight to defend. You speak with malice, I talk for understanding. You desire to become a symbol of terror?”
A burst of blue light emanated from Keldeo as his form shifted. His dark blue protrusions from the sides of his mane shortened as most of it shifted to his horn, encasing and lengthening it. Above his mane appeared three feathers coloured blue, green and orange. As the light surrounding his body faded, his horn glowed ever brighter, resembling a burning blade.
Fighting Type: Secret Sword
“I am the Legendary Pokemon, Keldeo! My actions are swift and decisive! My strength is a shield of hope for the innocent! My form is resolute as is my conviction! FOR I AM A SWORD OF JUSTICE!”
While the rest of the crowds were awed by the sight and presence of this self-proclaimed legend, Big Boss smiled gleefully like a foal at Hearthswarming.
Brandishing his blade once more, he answered his challenge, “Very well, Sword of Justice. Let us test that resolve!”
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You crazy psychopath 😡
Oh my God so not only he's a murderer hes suicidal too
I will say that's a win lose situation
And then Big Boss just dies instantly because Secret Sword can cut through literally anything (it's true, check Keldeo Resolute form's Shield Pokedex entry).
No you're just in time buddy
Yeah it feels really empty without the rest of them together and the emotion and everything 😭
Lol I see what you did there that's funny and So Meta
You're going down you crazy psychopath
Okay nice to see the story again so it looks like big boss is basically forcing Gallus to make a choice to either fight against him or the others will pay and flash knows how to fight but he's out of the question due to his injury and he really don't want to see any of his friends to get hurt or killed so he chose to do this to fight despite he doesn't know how but he wanted to defend his friends and the ponies and creatures and he did everything he could but big boss is just too dang strong and thinking this is all a lost hope but luckily Keldeo and Ocellus finally arrived which that was cutting it close but thank goodness they were here and Keldeo challenging Big Boss despite Big Boss idea was gone off the window but it looks like he has another Target and it looks like he's challenging him he has no idea what he's up again well let's hope Keldeo give him a taste of his own medicine I guess we'll find out next time
This story is awesome, but I have a few questions.
The story says it has the Mane 6 but the only ponies we got was only Pinkie Pie.
(Not a question).
1. I have this feeling that Big Boss is not the final fight. I feel like there is someone else pulling the strings, am I right?
2. Where is Twilight, and the rest of her friends?
And 3. I really hope Big Boss dies. He is despicable!
11776100
1. Yes, Big Boss is just another goon hired, but that doesn't mean he can't have his fun with his job. He is best described as a lieutenant for a bigger problem. Also, we are just at the Introduction arc (think of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon's first obligatory dungeon boss, hence the pun of his name).
2. The rest of the Mane 6 will show up as soon as the Introduction arc is finished.
3. [REDACTED]
Keldeo can be pretty terrifying, when he wants to be, damn!
11776148
2. Can't wait for Keldeo to see the rest of the gang. Though why do I have a suspicion that a certain rainbow pegasus wants to challenge him to a race?
This takes place after Season 9 doesn’t? I kinda hope Keldeo remembers Ash and Pikachu. He sees them in his mind and asks himself, ‘Who are those two?’
11776100
Gets cut down to size going like! No! I can’t be defeated by this mangy Pokémon!! I’ll craw back from the depths of the underworld if I have to claim my revenge!!
I don’t think so you psycho take this!! YEEAAAAHHH!!
11785590
I'm gonna have to put my foot down here and say that unfortunately Ash and and his Pikachu do not exist in his version of the world. His version is a mix of the games, manga (Pokemon Adventures) and anime. Hilda is one of the only trainers he is intimately familiar with.
11785602
Oh ok.
Hey Joe Toon! If you're struggling with editing or decision-making for your story, or if you need help with storytelling techniques such as descriptive writing or casual tone, feel free to let me know. I'd love to help you complete your Fanfiction story. By the way, thanks to you, Keldeo has become my favorite Pokemon in the Pokemon world.
11791266
Thanks for the offer. I'll consider it for a future chapter/project.
11791272
Copy that. Happy New Year. (2024!!!)
I'm not gonna be satisfied unless big boss gets out of this severely and permanently maimed
Looking forward to the next one!
11811694
You'll see. You'll see.
11811732
How it going?
11886231
Being written as we speak. Should be done within the next two weeks.