A reel of past events coursed through Terrence’s mind like an uncontrollable merry-go-round. Attacking the Servine. Getting caught in the device. The constant headbutting with Malcolm since tumbling into his life despite knowing nothing. Perhaps Malcolm was finally fed up with him and will tell him to find his own way home.
Terrence wouldn’t blame him. He was getting fed up with himself; a bad hero and a bad sidekick. Hindering Malcolm with all his mistakes and needing to be saved all the time.
“Okay…” Malcolm exhaled and picked up the flowers and the vial. He set them beside Terrence. “I want you to pay attention very closely.”
The fox nodded.
“Alright. So, here are the flowers and vial for the water.” He started, his tone professorial. Terrence fixed his attention on the items. “… I’m going to teach you how to grow a portal.”
The child tossed a confused glance his way. “Why? Aren’t you-?”
Malcolm raised a halting hand. “I’ll explain. Don’t interrupt because there’s not much time.”
Terrence fidgeted uncomfortably.
Malcolm held up one of the flowers just below Terrence’s eye level and peeled away some of the petals. “Here’re the seeds.” He gestured to a small mass at the center of the remaining petals. “See ‘em?”
Terrence nodded.
“First thing you have to do is dig a shallow hole in the dirt, then put in one of the seeds. Cover it back up with the dirt after.”
Another nod. Simple enough; this was no different from that one time his second-grade teacher had the class grow flowers in their compact flower bed.
“And then I water it.” Terrence added instinctively.
“Yes, but,” Malcolm cleared his throat. “make sure you wait ‘til you’re close to the cavern before collecting the water. The water in the baobab forest is cleaner since it’s further from civilization. That’ll help it work better. That’s why those trees and those fruits were so large; I’m sure you remember.”
Terrence nodded with a furrowed brow… That forest felt like ages ago.
“From there, you’ll see the flower start breaking through the ground after a minute. Yes, it’s supposed to be very fast. It’ll grow to about twice as tall as the flowers we saw just earlier. That’ll take another few minutes; just don’t disturb it in the mean time. You’ll know it’s done once the petals start glowing.”
“Huh...” Terrence started, distracted by a tangent thought.
“After that-”
Terrence’s ears perked. “The big room we landed in was glowing too.”
“Yes, that was because that was where the portal was. Anyways, once it starts glowing, it’ll blossom. An image will pop up from it like a hologram, about a foot square on all sides. Think of it as a screen or a picture. You’ll see a projection of earth because it’s the planet with the most portals. The flower’ll naturally be attracted to it. This’ll make it easier for you to find your home.”
Terrence tilted his head in bewilderment.
“Ever used a cell phone or touchscreen?” Malcolm asked.
“Yeah…” He nodded, dolefully remembering his phone and 3DS.
“Just think of it as a giant phone screen. You’ll see a picture of earth in the hologram. You can zoom in or out on it with your fingers and swipe in any direction by moving a finger across it. It’s just a big touchscreen map.”
Terrence’s predicament floated to the back of his brain for a moment. A portal that functioned according to his proclivities? Perfect. He’d become a portal-master in seconds. Brag to everyone about traveling across the universe at will; he’d just have to bring the seeds and a little soil from Shebaton cavern-
He gasped. “Hey, wait!”
“What?”
“I-if you just needed the dirt from that cave, why didn’t you just take some with you?” He frowned. “We coulda grown a portal when we got the flowers!”
Malcolm shook his head. “The soil’s only part of it. The surface layer draws particular nutrients from deep underground that grow the portal. You can’t just take a handful of it and grow it wherever you want.”
“But what about the thing I was trapped in?” Terrence countered. “How’d they make that portal? There was even dirt-”
“Hybrid flower-digital portal. That works differently, but please let me finish.” He spoke faster, seeing the waning light. The teacher side of him would’ve entertained his query, but this wasn’t the time. “Figure out where you’re trying to go by zooming in or out and swiping. When you do, press and hold your finger on that point for several seconds. The portal’ll start to form there and,” He hesitated, eyes shifting from Terrence. “make absolutely sure you pick a spot far away from anyone.”
Terrence nodded, but tilted his head again. “But why’re you telling me all this? This a test or something? Why can’t you do it?”
Malcolm exhaled and clasped his hands in resignation. He looked away with a grimace. Terrence was about to be crushed.
“Well?” Terrence narrowed an irritated gaze at the scientist.
Malcolm turned his head towards him, but only slightly. His voice trembled, failing to restrain saddening despair.
“… I’m not going to make it.”
The Weavile hunched over, head down and arms folded across his knees. Terrence stared; heart sunk and expression blank. He couldn’t have heard correctly. He waited for Malcolm to admit he was playing a cruel joke.
“Wh-why?!” The Fennekin barked. “We’re doing good!”
“My medication’s running out.” Malcolm muttered. “I don’t have enough to make it back.”
“What? Wh-what do you mean?” Terrence recalled the times Malcolm took his pills, but thought nothing of them.
“I take them because of my bad knee. The pills take away the pain for a while, which lets me run and walk without hurting. Once I’m out, I’ll have no way of helping my knee. I won’t even be able to crawl.” His gaze shifted to Terrence. “That’s why I had to tell you how to grow the portal… I won’t be able to help you.”
The remnant soup?on of daylight vanished into the onset of night. A stiff chill whispered into the ravine, sending a mild shiver through their spines. Nikki stirred from the bag, her internal clock telling her it was time to leave soon. Her ears perked and she scrambled out when her brother raised his voice.
“You gotta be kidding! We got this far and you’re giving up? What about your family?! Th-the whole picture and everything; you miss them a lot a-and, they miss you!”
“I’m being realistic.” Malcolm stood, his knee feeling healthy again. “Get back in the bag so we can get moving. Want to cover as much distance as possible...” He dryly instructed, noticing Nikki as he turned around. Her ears drooped; worry finding place in her demeanor.
“What happen?” She stepped forward.
“It’s nothing to worry about.” He calmly answered.
“But Tewwy was yelling.”
Malcolm kept his poise. “Just a little talk. Come on, back in you go.” He lightened his voice a degree, as though talking to one of his infant grandkids. He turned a sideways glance at Terrence, keeping his tone with Nikki.
“I want to get you home safe and sound.”
-
The three stole quietly through the night. Despite the medication, Malcolm’s legs were sore due to the past several nights. Numbing pain threatened to stop him in his tracks; it was only his motivation that kept him moving. His passengers didn’t deserve to be stuck here another day.
In the throes of the midnight hours, a distant, menacing whir of helicopter motors incited Malcolm’s fears. Surrounding him were miles of open terrain, lightly-rolling dales, and flower beds. The occasional orange tree dotted the landscape, but there was nowhere to hide. Shebaton Caverns was still miles away.
Run faster.
Ignore the protesting heart. Push it.
Legs stiffening into rubber. Fight it.
His mind devolved into a haze. The grass under his feet whizzed past in a dark, green blur. The mechanized, aerial monotony acquiesced to the percussive thunder of blood surging through his head. The still, sleeping air awakened into a contrary gale as he tore ahead.
Keep going.
No pain is too much.
The faraway lights in his periphery to the left briefly stole his attention. He subtly turned his head.
They were going his direction. The humming grew louder.
He veered sharply to the right. Terrence and Nikki gasped as they were thrust suddenly against the side of the bag. Breaths shot out in rapid and labored bursts; his lungs burned.
Get away from them.
Now.
A numbing ache tore through his left leg like a dull knife. He gritted his teeth as his kneecap was ground to a pulp.
Keep running.
They were getting closer.
His mind was paste. Blood swirled in torrents through his skull.
Had to go fas-
A blood-curdling yell pierced the air. Daggers sliced upward through Malcolm’s right leg as he kicked a weed-ensconced rock at full sprint. He broke his fall with extended arms and rolled to the side, hurling the Fennekins into the grass. He clutched the stricken leg, doing everything possible to stifle a second yell.
A dazed Nikki whimpered as she struggled to get up. Terrence sprang to his feet immediately, too pumped with adrenaline to be startled. He noticed the copters too.
“Get up! Come on!” Terrence tugged at the magenta frill around Malcolm’s head. “They’re coming!”
Malcolm couldn’t lift himself; he only answered with restrained groans.
“Come on!” Terrence pulled harder. Nikki scrambled onto her feet finally and tried to help.
“Don’t gib up!” She added.
Malcolm tried again. His languished form strained to lift himself even slightly, and the throbbing ache in his right foot incited worry over a broken bone.
“Y-you can’t just lie here! COME ON!” Terrence shouted at the top of his lungs, briefly looking up and narrowing his gaze as though Shebaton Caverns were just a couple miles away. Hope was on the horizon. He and Nikki would make it home.
So would Malcolm.
In the midst of their panic, they didn’t realize the cloud of choppers flying the opposite direction. It wasn’t until Malcolm realized the absence of the humming that momentary relief swept over him. Did the soldiers detect a red herring with their heat sensors? Perhaps.
The three needed all the time they could get.
Malcolm eventually sat up and swiveled his right foot around. He winced. His foot was only sprained, but now he wouldn’t be able to run.
“Aw you okay Mister Malcolm?” Nikki asked. “Do you have ouchie?”
“… I’m fine,” he said. “Are you hurt?”
Nikki rubbed the back of her head. “I haf ouchie here but I’m okie.”
Malcolm nodded; likely a bump from tumbling from the bag. She wasn’t crying or complaining about the pain, so it likely wasn’t serious. Still, he told her to turn so he could look. He was right.
“Are you hurt, Terrence?” Malcolm asked.
Terrence shook his head.
“Good…” He remained sitting, massaging the injury on his foot. “I… kicked a rock back there and hurt my foot badly… I’ll try to get us out of here soon.”
Terrence’s jaw dropped. Another setback in a long, domino-line of catastrophes. For every step they took forward, happenstance pulled them back two more.
Malcolm’s heart sank, seeing his reaction. Best he could do was get them as close as possible.
“Terrence, listen carefully…” He removed another two pills from the case and imbibed them, leaving him only two. The fall robbed him of these extra two he would’ve taken at the onset of the next night’s journey. “I… I could get caught any moment… they know my general location now, so this might be the last chance I get to tell you anything.”
Terrence’s hairs stood on end. Nikki tilted her head, confused.
Malcolm absent-mindedly took dirt in his hand and let the grains trickle to the ground. “… You’ll need to know how to get to Shebaton Caverns.”
Terrence’s limbs felt weak and his eyes welled up. There was no way Malcolm was saying this, but he listened anyways.
“I’m going to do my best to make it to a ghost town about twenty miles away.” Malcolm set his gaze westward. “From there… I’m going to have to surrender. My pills’ll be out then.”
“But Mal-” Terrence started, hoping an inkling of encouragement would solve everything.
Malcolm shook his head. “Stop. From there, go towards the mountains in the west. They’ll be easy to see since they’re the only mountains around. They’ll be nine miles from the town. When you reach the base, follow it south, or left. It’ll be another nine miles before you reach the baobab forest. If you remember, that was where we stayed after we left the cave.”
Terrence nodded, head down as tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Keep going and you’ll see a large, blue hill. That’s the cave. The entrance’ll be easy to spot and, thankfully, you won’t need to go in far to use the seeds. You shouldn’t run into any of those monsters, like that gryphon. If you remember those pillars and statues before leaving the cave, just plant the seed there. I’ll give you the bag of flowers and the vial before you leave. Shouldn’t be very heavy.”
Terrence had nothing to say. The dampening grass at his feet became a blur. His mind became fuzzier and breathing tighter. Malcolm continued.
“And…” Malcolm hesitated. “I-if I’m about to get caught before we make it to the town, you two will need to jump out immediately. I’ll leave my pack down. Take the bag and just run until you reach town. Remember, that’s where you’ll see the mountains.” He reiterated, hoping Terrence was absorbing the information. The medication was slowly kicking in; they’d be ready to leave soon.
However, he had to make sure Terrence knew one more thing.
“Do you-” Malcolm cleared his throat, a subtle tightening sensation forming in his chest. “Do you remember where you fell into the portal? I’d recommend returning there and not straight home.”
For a moment, Terrence snapped out of his cluttered train of aimless thought. He looked up and wiped his eyes… and thought…
and thought…
It was Lake…
… Dawson? Durman? Darmon? It was like straining at a distant memory. A happy, content moment tucked into a dusty section of his subconscious.
“Please… tell me you remember...” Malcolm silently clasped his hands, the choking feeling in his chest becoming tighter.
Terrence’s ears perked. “… Dorson! Y-yeah, it was that.”
Malcolm exhaled and nodded slightly. “Good, good… and you remember where that is? Remember, you have to zoom in on it when the image sprouts.”
“California. I-I remember…”
The drive up the mountain… whining in the back seat over Nikki’s music… the tents… the talk… fishing with Dad… teasing Nikki...
His mind wandered. It all felt like a pleasant dream from years ago… Like it did not really happen.
“Y-yeah, I-I know where to zoom in…” He hung his head again and sniffled. “I-it’s not fair… you’re the good guy...”
The Weavile didn’t respond, just letting the medication course through him until he was well enough to walk. When it was time, he corralled them into the bag.
To the ghost town they headed.
-
The remainder of the night passed in somber reticence. Once again, as Nikki tried to console her mute brother, he met her with only a dead stare. He eventually turned his back to her to steep in his thoughts.
Surely, a solution lay amidst the emptiness. Heroes never lost. Villains never won. Every movie, every game, every show… good always triumphed. Setbacks never defeated the strong; they powered through. Malcolm would receive the happy ending a hero deserved. Away from Revaria… Rutger… slander… Should a soldier try to impede the good doctor, Terrence wouldn’t flee... he’d fight. Knock out the fiend like he did the Servine. Despite the mistakes tallied against him, he’d right his wrongs.
Terrence McLean – the young sidekick who’d deliver the eleventh-hour victory.
The morning arrived with grim fanfare. Dehydrated, brown grass crunched under Malcolm’s sore feet as he staggered towards a river bank. The dried mud was riddled with cracks, not having tasted the stream in months. The water was a pathetic trickle, but would be enough to satiate their thirst. Taller grass stood nearby as a convenient resting spot.
“Drink up, there won’t be any more water until we reach town.” Malcolm set his bag down and urged the Fennekins to assuage their parched mouths. They lapped up what they could while Malcolm cupped his hands into the water and brought it to his mouth. Tepid and possibly unsafe, but Terrence and Nikki would be okay. Whether it hurt Malcolm was immaterial. “We’ll sleep in that tall grass for a bit and then set off again… We’ll reach town by tomorrow morning, hopefully.”
Terrence’s throat was constricted; each gulp of water stung. While he was ready to put up his fists, Malcolm was submitting himself to Rutger’s will. He stopped drinking and faced his ally, brow furrowed with stalwart determination. “When we get there, we’ll plan on winning. Those… those stupid bad guys’ll lose. They don’t know how strong we are.” He puffed out his chest. The Servine and gryphon came to mind.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“… They’re a whole army… There’s no hope.” Malcolm intoned with deadpan defeat. “Once we get there, you and Nikki’ll need to flee at once.”
Terrence growled. “But-”
“There’s no ‘but.’” Malcolm cut him off, then reiterated himself with punctuated words. “When we get there, you will flee. You will not take down an army-”
“OH CUT IT OUT!” Terrence snapped, limbs tense as he stood on his fours. Malcolm cocked an eyebrow. Nikki snapped her head his direction in worry. “Why’re you giving up?! We came all this way and you’re like, ‘oh, looks like I’m gonna die!’ just because of some pills? There’s a way! There’s ALWAYS a way! We just have to think! You’re a scientist!”
Malcolm frowned but did not raise his voice. He narrowed a stare on the impassioned fox. A stiff breeze rustled the grass and weeds, sending slight shivers down their spines. “Terrence… I… I ultimately can’t tell you what to do… I’ve done everything to help make your way home simple, considering all the obstacles. If you want to throw it away and risk yourself and your sister being stuck here...”
Terrence returned his stare. He wanted to answer, but had nothing.
“What’s done is done.” Malcolm stated impassively. “We’re not talking about this again. We’ll sleep, then resume when we’re up.”
He turned and walked towards the grass without another word, Terrence and Nikki left alone by the water. The younger fox turned to her brother in hopes he could explain what was happening.
Except he couldn’t.
-
Five hours drifted by before Malcolm opened his eyes again. The noonday sun blinded him, forcing him to raise an eclipsing hand over his eyes. He winced and gritted his teeth as he shifted his left leg to reach his bag. Disoriented fingers fumbled with the zipper before finding leverage and opening it. In the shaded space were the flowers, the vial, the extra bags, the pills.
The last two pills.
He twisted open the lid and let them tumble into his left hand. His eyes fell on the empty container in his other hand for several seconds before beholding the pills with moistening eyes. With a trembling hand, he ingested the pills.
In twenty minutes, they’d be ready to go. The sky was bright, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was making it to town. Get Terrence and Nikki as close to home as possible. Ideally, he would slowly pass from dehydration in an ensconced hovel. Don’t give Rutger the satisfaction of finding him alive.
“Terrence, Nikki…” He nudged them awake, though Terrence appeared like he was barely asleep to begin with. Squinted pupils peered up at Malcolm as Terrence rubbed the red from his eyes. “We’re leaving soon… five minutes.”
That gave them time to stretch and chomp on some vegetation before getting back into the bag. Provided no one spotted them between here and the town, they should get there past midnight. It would be sooner if Malcolm’s foot wasn’t sprained.
He shrugged off the thought; as long as Terrence and Nikki got there safely, they’d be okay.
The foxes climbed in; Terrence hung his head as he tried not to cry. As much as he wanted to ensure everyone made it home, his outlook on Malcolm’s situation was too bleak to ignore. Malcolm caught his crestfallen demeanor, but said nothing. He lifted the pack onto his back and walked.
The skies were pleasantly quiet.
-
The ride inside the bag was a slow burn. A slight, lop-sided jostle was the only indication they were moving. Terrence and Nikki poked their little heads out and watched the rear. Terrence called out a distant and blurry black haze a few times over the journey, but it never got too close. Malcolm expressed gratitude for the alerts, but silently predicted the soldiers would check the ghost town sooner or later. A location with so many hiding spots was sure to catch their attention.
The sky’s vibrant blue gave way to purple and orange as soft grass gave way to rocks, weeds, and dried mud. Fertile earth acquiesced to barren land; the kind of place one would expect to find abandoned civilization. Malcolm’s left knee continued to cooperate, though his feet dragged as they cried from exhaustion. At least he could rest in about six more miles.
Stars studded the crystal-clear firmament as the town’s silhouette rose over the horizon. Silver moonlight bathed the parched ground, illuminating millions of cracks and holes where tiny creatures slept. Lives blissfully ignorant of the world above.
“Almost there…” Malcolm panted. Dull, subtle pain began creeping into his knee. In two hours, his left leg would be wholly incapacitated. Should be enough time to find a structure suitable for hiding. “Awake back there?”
Terrence mumbled incomprehensibly.
“Yeah.” Nikki declared.
“Good. Terrence, you see the mountains to your left?” Malcolm asked.
Another grumble.
“That a yes?”
“... Yes.”
“Good, I just wanted to make sure you remembered. Before you go, I’ll ask you to repeat to me how to grow the portal. Remember everything?” Malcolm asked, as though in front of a classroom again.
“… Yeah.” He answered after several seconds.
“You sure?”
“Yes!” Terrence reiterated like a flustered student. “Go in the cave, plant the seed, cover it, water it-”
“Where should you get the water?”
“The forest.”
“Good, then what?”
“It grows, then sprouts into a flower. It’ll open up and there’s a screen with Earth on it. Then I have to zoom in to Lake… um, Dorson, and then I hold my finger there to make the portal appear.”
“Very good, and the portal will take about an hour to fully form after that. You’ll know it’s started to form when the humming sounds higher and screen goes completely blue. It’ll look exactly like the one you fell through. That’s when you and Nikki will be able to go through it.”
“Oh, and I have to plant it far away from people.”
“Yes.” Malcolm nodded, “and the reason that is is once a living being travels all the way through, it withers and vanishes. Long as you and Nikki are in it at the same time, it’ll stay open. Remember, it’s still a flower, and flowers wilt. It grows quickly and... dies quickly.” He added, the tightening sensation returning to his chest. He hoped they would flee once he was settled before Terrence connected the dots. If Terrence wasn’t so stubborn and inquisitive, Malcolm would be more optimistic.
Terrence widened his eyes. “Huh…” He recalled the portal he and his sister traveled through not being there after he woke up. Just a chamber illuminated with blue and brimming with horror.
The three made it to the edge of town and Terrence’s imagination was ignited. For now, Revaria was background noise. The destitute streets and dilapidated, decayed structures housed specters seeking solitude from the world of the living. A drab, wispy miasma clung to the local market to his right like a foul, unrelenting spirit. People from a past age imprisoned in its clutches. Once Terrence collected the seven Light Crystals, he’d have the power to fight the evil spirit and cast it to the underworld. The music store next to that? A Bayleef from the days of yore sold violins, metronomes, and song books there. Zealously dedicated to music, he refused to leave his place behind the counter he hadn’t dusted since giving up the ghost. It was his one solace-
“We’ll hide there.” Malcolm’s voice snapped Terrence to reality. The Weavile pointed at a ramshackle structure tucked into a side alley. Adjacent structures veiled the shed in icy shadows. Barely enough room for the three, which Malcolm intended. Splintered, jagged planks of wood framed its feeble front. They bent at odd angles as they struggled to hold the roof up. Jutting nails glinted weakly in atmospheric light where the window sill used to be attached. A cracked window caked in dust staved off outside inspection; one needed to step over the rotted wood at the door to see inside.
None of this caught Terrence’s attention. What if one of these other buildings had something that could help them? All the signage and banners may have vanished through the sands of time, but it didn’t mean potentially helpful items have.
“Malcolm?” Terrence asked.
“What?” He grunted, the pain worsening.
“What if there’s something helpful in one of these buildings? I was thinking, you know, that we should look?”
Malcolm maintained a limping gait towards the shed. “There might be, but I don’t have the strength to look very much… my knee’s about to give out.”
“Can I look though?” Terrence jostled the bag as he climbed up and jumped out. “There’s gotta be something!” His tail wagged.
Malcolm paused. “… Alright, but be quick. I’ll be in that shed. When you’re done, come back and I’ll give you the bag.”
Terrence looked back at him with a subtle smirk. “You won’t have to.”
He sprinted down the moonlit street.
-
Nikki stayed in the bag while Malcolm trudged towards the shed. A dozen or so mice scattered when he set foot inside.
“Mousies!” Nikki squealed happily, reaching her paws out as though wanting to pet them.
With a grunt, he sat in a back corner and laid the bag beside him. Nikki crawled out and stretched.
“Whew aw we? Aw thew more mousies?”
“Probably not.” Malcolm shrugged.
“I like mousies. They’w cute.”
Malcolm silently nodded and leaned against the wall. He winced and massaged his knee; the pain was getting stronger. Nikki stood next to him.
“Aw you okay Mr. Malcolm?”
He stared out the door, waiting for Terrence. “Yes… I’m fine, don’t worry.”
“Aw we sweeping here?”
“No.” He shook his head and looked down at her. He was ready to explain what to expect once her brother was back when he averted his gaze. He donned a wistful frown. “Excited to go home soon?”
“Yeah!” She beamed.
He wanted her to stay smiling. “What do you like to do there? I bet you have all sorts of fun.”
“I like Wiley the Waccoon.” Her tail wagged. “See’s funny and, and see has fwends and dey go do dese WEALLY fun pwaces. They’w scawy too, but, but, Wiley’s bwave.”
“Riley the Raccoon,” Malcolm nodded, “my kids used to watch that a long time ago. It’s old, but good.”
Nikki went agape. He knew about Riley?! To think they could’ve been talking about it the past several nights!
“You like your family too?” Malcolm went on.
“Yeah, I wuv my mommy and daddy and, and Tewwy and dey wuv me too.” Her expression became forlorn and she hunched slightly. “I miss mommy and daddy.”
Another nod. “They miss you too, but you’ll see them soon.” His eyes shifted to gaze outside. “I promise.”
-
Terrence scurried down the road, scattering clouds of dirt into the air. The line of vacant businesses flanked him, painting a scene of bleak homogeneity. An occasional washed-out sign showed where the coffee shop used to be. Another showed a gas station. Its pumps and pipes were lined with rust and digital display screens were clouded over. The fox whisked past a pharmacy as he rounded a corner. Faded lettering on its windows advertised hours as well as local doctors-
Terrence skidded to a halt.
Medicine!
“YES!” The Fennekin’s exclamation reverberated off surrounding structures. He bounded into the building.
Moonlight illuminated patches of floor and shelving. The fox pitter-pattered across wooden planks caked with dust and wind-strewn dirt. A moldy odor stung his nose as he navigated through musty air. He had to shield his eyes with one arm to ward off blinding granules. With the other, he swatted at the cloud before him.
Wisps cast to the right.
To the left.
Details blossomed into view as the grainy fog dispersed. Muted colors were endued with saturated hues. He waved more dust away. The odor kept a vice-grip on his nostrils, but at least he could make out his surroundings.
Especially the shelves behind the counter.
Dozens of containers dotted its spaces. Some stood, many were tipped over or fallen, but the contents should still be good. As long as medication was in pill-form, it would never expire. That was what the doctor in “Legend of the Dark Empire: Shadow Dawn” told him when the hero asked if his healing items could expire. The casing kept the contents fresh, only breaking apart when introduced to stomach acid. Terrence bounded forward with a knowing grin.
Malcolm saved Terrence several times… now the rescued would save the rescuer.
The fox ran along the counter and shelves. To his dismay, grime coated the labels and made them very difficult to read. If he were Malcolm, he could tell what these pills were.
Best option was to take them to him.
He scooped up as many containers as possible in his arms and darted out. One of these should work.
They had to.
-
Terrence dropped the cluster of eight cylindrical containers at Malcolm’s side. “Found these! One of ‘em’s gotta be right!”
Malcolm picked one up, scraped some of the grime off with a claw, and focused a stare on the exposed writing. “Expires… January 1995…” he mumbled and twisted open the cap, emptying a pill into his hand. “and… this isn’t pain medication… I believe this is for cholesterol.”
“Uh… check the other ones. There’s gotta be something...” Terrence insisted. Malcolm did, but each successor was shot down with the same verdict. Each proclamation of expiration forced Terrence into a sepulcher of guilt. None of them being intended to alleviate pain added insult to injury. He was not a good hero, sidekick, or minion. He wasn’t even a minor character. A nameless, valueless NPC whose greatest achievement was to take up space.
“I appreciate the effort, Terrence.” Malcolm tried to encourage him, seeing tears well up in the fox’s eyes. “You’re a good kid… This was all just very bad timing…”
Terrence adamantly shook his head. “I-I’ll get more.”
Malcolm shook his head. “It’s okay; I’d be surprised if there were still pain pills in there. Probably all taken-”
Terrence darted to the drug store again. Malcolm was wrong; it wasn’t like he lived here. There had to be pain pills; why wouldn’t there be? He seized another armful and scurried back. Nine containers this time; this meant better chance of success!
Malcolm twisted off each cap.
More cholesterol…
Cholesterol again…
Antibiotics…
Vitamin D...
Terrence hung his head and groaned. All duds.
“I’m sorry… M-maybe if I look again-”
“They’re probably all gone,” Malcolm stated with more force this time. “Pain medicine’s used a lot; they could’ve been looted or run out of stock when the town got abandoned.”
Terrence shook his head. Should he look a third time? What was the point? Tears welled up again. “It’s not fair… I’m sorry...”
Malcolm wanted to encourage him, but it was best not to drag this out. “I know, but you two really need to go-”
“But they’ll get you!”
“There’s nothing you can do-”
“I can’t let that happen!”
Nikki stood beside him with determined poise. “Yeah! We’w help you Mr. Malcolm!”
“You got us this far! W-we CAN’T let them win just because those stupid spiders made you lose your seeds!”
“There’s no way around it.” Malcolm frowned. “We-”
“And then for someone to just WASTE them to grow a portal WE fell into! That coulda been you-”
Terrence’s harangue ground to a halt, as if crashing into a brick wall. Venting refrain colliding with an unyielding front.
“Terrence?” The tightening sensation in Malcolm’s chest returned.
Gears churned in Terrence’s mind. A cog in the wheel of instructions Malcolm handed him was missing. He furrowed his brow in alarmed thought…
Slowly, his stream of consciousness descended into darkness.
“… Malcolm… Uh, didn’t you, uh… I mean…” He stammered, his voice reduced to a whisper as thoughts churned through him. “… W-why’d the portal form if you dropped the seeds? Doesn’t someone have to press the image?”
The vice grip amplified its hold. Malcolm’s eyes widened. “Someone else found them and grew them. Terrence, you gotta go-”
Terrence looked up in thought…
Who made the portal then?
He closed his eyes, straining to recall the details.
It was like trying to remember a dream, similar to when he tried to remember Lake Dorson…
Surging at light speed through a portal… stretching… Nikki’s cries for help… senses cast into muddled chaos…
… Did anyone soar past him? An Ariados? A soldier? Anyone? He could’ve missed them. But… how would someone miss an abnormally-elongated individual? Was there anyone else in that chamber besides Nikki? Terrence put paws to his head in frustration.
Who else was there?
There was that horrifying gryphon, but that was a monster well on the other side of that wall. No way it could’ve done this. He saw no soldiers. There were the ones they hid from when Malcolm first saved them, but none of them discussed a portal. Only other one was Malcolm himself. Good thing he happened to be there to rescue them-
His mind froze.
The color drained from his face. His limbs became liquid. He stared agape at Malcolm.
Malcolm winced in return; he couldn’t bear to look at Terrence’s mortified expression.
“… YOU grew that portal!” Terrence felt himself collapse into a pile of bones and skin. Reality dissolved into a choking haze. “And I-I WASTED it!”
An inconsolable Terrence melted into a pale, yellow heap. His dirt-encrusted form heaved as he sobbed into the ground. Nikki couldn’t grasp what was happening but started to cry too.
“Terrence!” Malcolm flicked away the little moisture that accumulated in his eyes. “It was an accident. You didn’t mean it… if the Ariados hadn’t-”
White noise against the barrage of asphyxiating guilt. He just had to play his stupid game in the forest instead of stay in his tent like Mom and Dad said. He and Nikki would’ve never fallen into the portal.
Malcolm would’ve been reunited with his loving family.
Instead, no wife or kids to greet him again. No vindication as Revaria’s hero. What was his reward? A final night wasting away in a dark alley, unable to walk. An evildoer sought by a malicious, slandering government... After all Malcolm did to ensure Terrence and his sister had a chance make it home…
Terrence repaid him by destroying his only escape.
Amidst the tears, another sound permeated the night.
A distant, motorized murmur.
Terrence bristled. Suffocating dread filled him.
“They’re coming!” Malcolm alerted. “Take the bag and go.”
Terrence pulled at Malcolm’s right leg, his puny arms doing little. “No! N-no, you have to get up! There’s still time! Help me, Nikki!”
She stood beside him and pulled. No use; Malcolm was dead weight.
The whirring drew nearer. Malcolm couldn’t stand to look outside.
“Come on!” Blood thundered through Terrence’s ears; his shaking limbs made an already impossible job harder.
“Don’t gib up Mr. Malcolm!” Nikki didn’t relent.
Malcolm shook them off. “Leave or they’ll capture you too. They’ll see you trying to help me and, if you interfere, they’ll see you as an enemy.” Malcolm explained forcefully, then rested against the wall again. His eyes drifted upward. “… You have to accept it’s over, Terrence.”
Terrence’s crippled morale atrophied completely under Malcolm’s proclamation. The helicopters were getting closer.
He had to accept defeat.
Malcolm held out the bag with the flowers and vial to Terrence. The Fennekin accepted them, arms numb. The tears continued.
“I-I… I just wanted to help…” He sniffled. “You helped me all this way a-and… all I did was ruin everything…” He looked down, unable to meet Malcolm’s gaze. “I’m sorry…”
The roar of the helicopters began overpowering his words. Spotlights hovered menacingly in Malcolm’s periphery. He put a consoling hand over Terrence’s hunched back. The fox peered pathetically at him from behind his paws.
Wistful solace washed over Malcolm’s face. No anger. No hatred. No regrets. Just a man accepting he’s lived his life to completion. His eyes met Terrence’s.
“… Go home.”
The screeching whirs and lights gained prominence. Incoherent shouts echoed through the clamor. They knew.
The hunt was over.
With one last, lingering look at the man he stabbed in the back, Terrence whipped about and fled. Flowers and vial in tow.
Crying, Nikki followed.
-
Malcolm leaned his head against the wall. He closed his eyes and tuned out the noise.
And traveled back thirty-five years.
He stood at the front of the sanctuary, suited in his tuxedo. Winifred, in her wedding gown, faced him. He faced her, holding her hands steady as she restrained her excitement. His smile was modest, concealing a degree of joy (and nerves) matching hers. Two souls in their early twenties, anticipating the life and love they’d soon share together. It was his turn to speak.
“In the name of God, I, Malcolm, take you, Winifred, to be my wife…”
A haze of shouts and curses in the distance. His memory continued, shutting them out.
“to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse…
The shouts intensified. The clopping of boots reverberated through the darkened streets.
“for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish…”
Voices alerted fellow soldiers to a shadowed alley. One pointed to a shed; his heat sensor narrowing down the life form inside. Four of them ran to inspect it, guns at their sides and trapping devices in hand. Anticipation coursed through them. This was the day Revaria waited for. This moment. Justice. Contentment coursed through Malcolm as he relived the day he waited for.
He gave Winifred’s hands a light squeeze, returning her gaze with utmost sincerity.
“… until death do we part.”
A frightened yell punctured the night. The siblings turned in time to witness the bright, white flash of the trapping device.
Cheers erupted.
Terrence and Nikki pressed on toward the mountains. All feeling in their nerves lost. Consciences devoid of thought. A vacation meant for fun, playing, and new sights…
Brought unintended misery.
