Note: Time to resolve the cliffhanger...who or what was behind the door? Let's find out...
Mitch's POV
The door opens loudly, and we pause when we see the waiting figure.
"Oh hello. Fancy seeing you here" the bacca says with a cocky grin. He was dressed in clothes that didn't seem to suit him. He had the same style of attire that Mexxy wore, only the colour was not a royal blue, it was a deep rich purple satin. It draped along the floor as he walked towards us, and had golden edges where the golden buttons were. He had a black jacket on, black jeans and black riding boots. He looked like a magician, or a powerful mage.
"Jerome, what the hell are you doing here?" I snap, shivering away from the bacca's gaze. "Oh, this is my kingdom now. I rule this place" he smiles, stopping on front of us, tilting his gaze curiously. Liam was shaking beside me, rage in his eyes. Jerome glanced at Liam and his smirk grew. Liam darted forward to attack him but I held him back. Now was not the time for violence-it was the time for answers.
"What do you mean you rule this place?" Tia asks curiously. "Oh, Mexxy promised it to me if I helped him" he smiles, glancing at me. "That doesn't make any sense" Tia disagrees and Jerome frowns over at her. "Oh yeah?" he challenges. "Mexxy doesn't need your help at all, he could of done all that without you" Tia protests, looking at him uncertainly. "What's the real reason?"
"Ah Tia, clever as always" a voice chuckles. Appearing round the door is a man, this time in blood red coat (were they trying to make a rainbow?) with silver buttons. He was quite handsome, with short brown hair and turquoise eyes that lazily moved around the room. The spurs on his brown boots clink as he walks, and the golden belt buckle catches my eye as it gleams. It was in the shape of a V, which I guessed stood for Voxeltopia.
"Who are you?" Tia asks fiercely. "How rude of me, I apologise" the man chuckles, not stopping until he stood in front of Tia who looked like she wanted to step back. "Cisco is my name, Mexxy's deputy and best friend" he smirks, grabbing her hand and kissing it gently. Tia pulls a face and tries to take her hand away but he clings onto it, staring at her. "So this is the dog's girlfriend, hm? So glad to finally meet you in person" he continues, letting her hand drop as he turns round. Tia quickly wipes her hand on her jacket, pulling another face which makes me want to laugh.
"So, princess" he says, his back to us. Tia bristles at the word. "How far are you willing to go to rescue your precious Ridgedog?" he smiles as he turns round, waiting patiently for her answer. "Far enough" she replies. "Are you sure he's worth it?" he smirks. "He's worth everything and more!" she snarls, stepping forward. The man is a head taller than her so he smirks down at her into her angry eyes.
I didn't notice when Jerome snuck up towards me and hugged me suddenly. I push him away violently and he grins at me. "Aw Mitch, don't be like that!" he laughs. Cisco stops his smirking to glare at the bacca. "Do not forget your position here and what you have been told to do" he snaps. Jerome scowls and backs away, nudging the floor with his feet.
Tia and Cisco go back to their staring contest, both of them trying to read each other's minds, but of course, failing.
Tia's POV
"Tell me why I am here" I say, not liking how close I was to this dangerous demigod. "Oh? Surely you've figured it out?" he smiled back. "I'm not in the mood for riddles." I snap. He tilts his head, his smile getting bigger. "You should be. But it doesn't matter anymore. The hard part is over..." he sighs, "unfortunately..." I narrow my eyes at him and he straightens up.
"I must talk with you alone" he announces loudly. Turning round, I motion for them to leave.
When the door has slammed shut, I turn back to Cisco.
"I don't have time for games" I tell him, scowling. "You shouldn't scowl, dear, it ruins your pretty face" he purrs, grabbing my face by the jaw. I shudder as he uses the nickname Ridge gives me and I try and jerk free from his grip. "Get the hell off me" I snarl. "Why would I want to do that?" he murmurs.
I didn't notice that Jerome was still here, sitting on a golden throne, playing with his cloak. Turning to him as best as I could, I yell across the room to him. "Why did you betray us? What is it that you gave Mexxy?"
"Oh Tia" Cisco chuckles, jerking my head round sharply and I groan with pain. His fingers were pressing painfully into my skin and the more I writhed and wriggled, the more it hurt. "He is also Mexxy's son. But he is a science experiment gone wrong, and that's why he is a bacca. He was fascinated with his bacca powers and so went to his father, Mexxy, to find out more. Why wouldn't he let him into the ranks? He is his son after all..." he chuckles, staring at me directly in the eye. So he knew about the deal. Of course he would. If he was indeed Mexxy's best friend he would know more about me than I do.
"Do you want to know what my special power is, Tia?" he says softly. "Not particularly" I choke, his iron grip beginning to hurt. He smirks. "Mexxy was right, you are incredibly cheeky. We are going to need to knock that out of you once you join us" he purrs. "I didn't make up my mind about it" I protest weakly. "Oh, but you did. Unless you want Ridgedog kidnapped and tortured on a daily basis" he grins.
I shake my head and he laughs quietly.
"So, I ask you again, would you like to know what my special power is?" he grins. I hesitate before nodding.
He grips my hands tightly before everything goes black, yet I was still conscious. "Don't let go of me" he whispers. Fearing for my life, clinging onto him was the only thing that would probably save me, so I grab him tightly. Then the blackness fades.
I begin to tremble when I see it.
It was the hunger games arena. It was like a sick sense of de ja vu, only I was viewing myself. Standing next to the glass dome. And there was Ridgedog, flying high above it, watching the mortals fight. He floated down to the old me and Cisco floated closer so I could get a good view.
I looked so different, and so did he. I looked a lot younger, more innocent, blank faced, with black clothes. My face was pale and emotionless and when Ridge landed, I looked scared. Seeing the demigod again made me want to jump away from Cisco and into his arms, but this was not the real Ridge, this was the old, cold, unforgiving insane Ridge.
Sure enough, I can see the insanity in his eyes that put me off straight away.
"There's a storm coming. A big one" the old me says. My voice is formal, but flat, like I was a zombie. "Good. It will set the scene for the final fight" the old Ridge says, and I hold back a gasp at the sound of his voice. It was so much deeper. Cold. Merciless. It cut through the air like a razor blade, and I flinched at the sound of it instantly. It was dragging painful memories back up to the surface that I had buried long ago.
"Your trap worked well. Caught them all by surprise. Well done" the old Ridge says, and for a moment, the hint of a twitching smile rose onto his cheeks as he squeezed my shoulder. I could see that the old me remained quiet, but proudness was in her eyes. Why did I feel proud? Was I proud that my trap had killed so many innocent lives?
"Ridgedog was more powerful then. Insane, but powerful" Cisco says, his voice low, but I could still hear him from the roar of thunder. Ridgedog and the old me didn't seem to hear him, and Ridge then escorted the old me closer to the arena. I wanted so badly to reach out and pull the demigod into my arms. But I couldn't.
"We cannot change the past" Cisco says quietly, answering my question in my head. Everything went black again and soon we were back in the palace as if nothing had happened. Jerome jumped at our arrival but didn't say anything.
"Why did you show me this?" I ask. "Because I want you to think about this, and the sacrifices you are making." he replies, staring deep into my eyes. I felt uncomfortable being searched like this, as his eyes seemed to bore into your soul.
"I've already made up my mind" I tell him. "Are you completely sure? He did terrible things to you. He killed your mother, he tortured you as a child and left you for dead, he nearly drove you to insanity for three years, beat you in the chess game, turned you into a quart god against your will and just recently let you be led into a flaming torture chamber. Are you sure you want to risk your life for the one who would choose to let yours go so easily?" he whispered.
"Even you said we cannot change the past" I say quietly, still staring at him. "The things he did were horrible, and I agree punishment should have been in order, but not like this. He changed dramatically. He's different now" I say before he interrupts me. "Softer. He's not the man he used to be. He used to be strong, courageous, now he's a wreck" he sneers. I bristle in anger. "And who's fault was that?" I snap.
"Yours" he smirks. I narrow my eyes. "It was all your fault and Mexxy's and the entire of Voxeltopia's. I'm the one who fixed him. You are breaking him again and I need him, and he needs me. I don't care what he has done or why, I love him for who he is, and I demand that you take me to him." I say angrily.
He opens his mouth to protest.
"Now."
Note: *snaps fingers* OOOOOOOH SNAP :D
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