Chapter 4: The Plan

[Dobs]

[Dobs, Alex]
{SSS HQ}

Dobs looked at his new ally skating around on hair grease and couldn't help but laugh at its pleasant randmoness. "EFF!? And the randomness continues to wow me. I like you, stick with me and you'll probably remain not-dead throughout this entire battle."

Nhalini thought to herself The boy is reverting back to his normal eccentric self. He is moving on. This is good...

[Stifmeister is Diego Armando]

"Well thanks, I'll do that. Just call me 'Greased Lightning!' but in all seriousness, when will we enter the battle with these Death Brothers, I'm not sure if I could really be a big help, but I'm willing to fight for my count- err, I mean universe! Hey, who's the girl, giving the speech?"

[Dobs]

[Dobs, Alex]

Dobs adressed Alex's quetions, "Every person will be a help. As for when we go to battle, we'll be leaving for subspace as soon as everyone regroups at HQ." He paused to think, "As for her... I'm not entirely sure. She says that she is... my wife's mother, but i have never seen her before. She seems to know me as well. For some reason i trust her though...its very strange."

Dobs looked over towards Nhalini and felt as if he really did know her from somewhere...but couldn't put his finger on it.... "Hey Alex! Wanna have a fight jsut for the heck of it? You know, like training while everyone shows up?"

[Stifmeister is Diego Armando]

"Sure, as long as I don't get a sword through my chest."

[bobsnicket]

[Fountain of Dreams: Snicket, no one else...alive...]

www.imeem.com/perfect-blue/music/HuaZcYdM/midna_in_distress_the_legend_of_zelda_twilight_princess/

Bob Snicket watched as everyone left: Fawful and Smashbro into Subspace, and the rest for SSS HQ. He found it impossible to engage his mind in productive conversation with LGN, barely catching the helmet-wearing forumer's meaning. His knees were soaked from kneeling in the dream water, but he didn't care. All he could think about was his Sandshrew cradled in his arms, the Pokemon still smoking but otherwise looking as if it were merely resting peacefully.

But then, Sandshrew's essence inexplicably began turning into a silvery mist, and the mist flowed away from him into the heart of the Fountain of Dreams. Now he was utterly alone, with nothing to cling on to but memories and sorrows.

And finally, the prudent side of his mind penetrated the center of his train of thought, and he began to ponder all that had happened to him, and all that he had been doing. One thing that had come out of these events at least was a thorough understanding of why things had happened the way they had.

He now understood why his thoughts had begun to change, why he had influenced himself to form the Creators' Alliance, why this radical reasoning had eventually led to direct confrontation, and why he had felt such a strong connection with the Minister. He understood why he had been compelled to buy Sandshrew at that Poke'mart so long ago, why his conscience had been able to overlook Yoshi's despair, and, above all, where that second conscience, that secondary voice and guide in his head which had encouraged the controling of others, had come from in the first place. It was all very clear. Snicket knew that after all of this was over, he would have a motherload of explaining to do. And more besides that, he thought.

But then he remembered what Sandshrew had admonished him. ...and don't ever forget what your TRUE purpose is...and remember, Master, just because you are meant to record a world's history...that doesn't mean you aren't meant to play a significant role in it...

What WAS his true purpose, if not to oversee the balance of the world and record it? And what role was he meant to play? And where had he found his purpose in the first place?

Bob thought and strained, fiddling with the single Pokeball inside the folds of his cloak. But, remembering who had once belonged inside that ball, Snicket tucked it away, determined to keep it forever as a memory of Sandshrew. And as he tucked it away, his gloved hand brushed upon a very old, worn, folded piece of paper. Slowly, Bob drew it out, unfolded it, and reread the letter from his deceased parents inside for the thousandth time, but for the first time in years: (if you've read the sub-plot, you've already read this)

To our dearest son Bob,

We have always been aware that this world is not always fair, and the things which it may deal to any of us may oftentimes seem to be unfortunate, or terrible. If you are reading this, then something unfortunate has happened to us to make us unable to look after you in the way we would like.

So in the event that such a thing has happened to us, we leave you the most valuable of the Snicket possessions, more valuable than any book or any house. It is the Cloak of Invisibility, a cloak that has been passed down your father's line for many generations. We are confident that with this cloak, you will be able to protect yourself, even in our absence. Take good care of it, and it will take good care of you.

On the subject of the less pleasant things of this world, we feel obligated to tell you, however old you may be, that there are many forces out there which will not want to help you; some may even seek to cause you harm. But know, as we know this for a fact from our experiences in this life, that there is much more good in this world than bad, and that you can find safety in even the most unlikely of places.

We also pass on to you the noble tradition of the Snicket family line, which has been and always will be to observe the world around you, learn all you can, and, most importantly, write it down so that the world can know all there is to know about itself, and so its history can be documented and remembered for many years, ideally forever.

We love you with all our hearts, and hope that you will grow safe and healthy and will make many good decisions that will have a great positive influence over your life and the lives of many others. Remember that it is important to have a balance of talents, a balance of mind, and a balance of heart. Never justify an act of evil for anything.

With our great and indescribable love,

Your loving parents, Nicholas and Vivian Snicket (Reed)

Snicket put the letter away. He had done everything his parents had told him to do, but had it been done for this? To be stranded on a sinking island amidst a sea of lethal clouds with even his only companion's dead body gone from him? He had a balance of talents: many skills he had taught himself out of books. And he most certainly had a balance of mind...he always took care to consider all sides of a story, and never to show bias. But what about balance of heart?

Never justify an act of evil for anything...

Had he done this? By forming the Creators' Alliance and enforcing his own corrupt picture of balance, had he justified an act of evil?

Bob did not feel as if he was worthy to live any longer with what he had done, everything he had wrongly messed with. And by taking away the forumers' powers, who knew what other grief he had caused...

As the tilted Fountain of Dreams began to sink into the sea of purple clouds, the land actually disintegrating from the pure evil of the clouds' essence, Snicket climbed to the very top and gazed across at the veiled black space garnished with glittering stars and the seas and walls of purple clouds now closing in as the eye of the storm became smaller and smaller, ready to swallow up any and all who were left.

Well, if Death will not allow me to make amends for my offenses, Bob Snicket thought, then I can at least meet it in the face...

With that, the cloaked figure, hood drawn back, tears in his cerulean eyes, leapt off the disappearing island and prepared to be engulfed by the destructive atmosphere below...

[Mariomasher]

OOC:that was a beautiful post snicket

[ness11]

OOC: That was beatiful, but I'm locking this to move to the next part.