Title: Sapphire Light
Author: Lareine
Part: Part Three
E-mail: drugged.panda@badgirl.co.jp
Category: OT (Other Trainers)
Notes: For my readers- I apologize for the delay in the completion of Sapphire Light. There has been so much going on for me that I'm amazed I even came back to finish this. I also apologize for the way that this ending was written, and for its length (or lack thereof, rather). Thank you for reading, and for motivating me to continue, and again: thank you for your patience.

Tobias looked outside Midori's window, eyes gazing icily at the rain outside. As long as it kept raining like this, it would be impossible to leave without catching death. He flinched as he felt Midori sit beside him, trying to comfort him. It was a stupid idea.

"It's kind of strange... it always rains when you're sad, Tobias." Midori sighed, putting an arm around his slender shoulders. "We're trapped here, forever, in this disgusting winter world. It's kind of like wonderland."

"This isn't a dream, Midori." Tobias shook his head.

"Are you so sure of that?"

"I'm positive."

Midori sighed and got up. "There's no more waiting, Tobias. We have to try." In uncertainty, she hugged herself. She wanted to tell him more, wanted to talk to Tobias about trust and faith and purity, yet something inside of her screamed to let it go. Just let the suffering die.

Midori knew as well as Tobias that there would be no happy ending. She knew in her heart that trying to get Raichu back was futile, and might even bring Tobias more pain. But another part of her was gently insisting that it would make them stronger; that this would serve as some kind of lesson for all of them. And for once, Midori found herself completely uncertain in a situation where she had once seemed so sure that she knew she was doing the right thing.

"Aiden is going to meet us at your father's office in one hour." She said softly.

"I know." Tobias shook his head and stood up. The house had fallen quiet, a victim of the rain. To Tobias, this situation was both ridiculous and traumatizing. A simple confrontation with his father, something that all teenagers go through. But the thought of Raichu's death and his father's twisted ways left him hopeless. It was all as if in a bad dream, or perhaps a bad movie.

Maybe we are in wonderland.

* * *

The three youths met at the appointed place and time.

Jade City is the dingiest, most disgusting city since NYC. No one can trust anyone else, and it is a place full of the heartless and the broken-hearted. It is a city where right and wrong are non-existent, where purity is a fable, and hope and faith are the stuff of fairytales.

Yet just beyond that, on the horizon across the fields and over a brief stretch of sea lies Kanto, and beyond that is Johto. That is the stuff of fairytales. So: if there is a Heaven within sight of Hell, is it really Hell at all? You could look at it a lot of ways...



I think in the end it's all about dreaming.

Tobias proceeded alone.

* * *

"I'm surprised you actually made it here, Tobias."

Tobias didn't shrink at the matter-of-fact voice of the man who claimed to be his father. He was too tired of shrinking, and he wouldn't run now, even though he felt helpless. This single moment felt so much like both the beginning and the end of his story.

"If you thought I was afraid, you were mistaken." Tobias said calmly, voice devoid of emotion, looking up from the floor of the pristine office to his father's eyes.

His father did only the slightest double take and cleared his throat, cold eyes locking onto Tobias's. For Tobias, it was the end. For Tobias's father, it was the moment of truth- and the moment of victory. "Take your rat, Tobias, and go." He gave a nod of indication of direction.

Tobias turned to look, the tears filling his eyes, knowing the sight before he even took it in. The image his eyes reflected was too surreal... Raichu's body, stiff; open eyes, lifeless. The single bullet hole in the creature's head, a marking that should not have been there.

Raichu was innocent.

That was Tobias's bullet.

The teenager stumbled and fell back onto the floor, dazed and crying- silently- coming to an understanding of what death was and, more importantly, what life was. There were no words to explain the truth... the truth about innocence and dreams and hope and trust and all of those other things Midori always talked about.

Tobias opened his eyes, opened them for the first time, and gently lifted Raichu's body from the floor. Raichu, the only being he ever trusted. He ran outside, not walked but ran, and was overwhelmed, blinded.

"TOBIAS! TOBIAS THE SUN IS SHINING!"

His heart stopped.