Dividing the Bones (One-Shot)

[Praxiteles]

To say that this moved me in the greatest sense one can find..

... Would be a serious understatement.

Of course, there was the usual: *looks it up*

I did not kill the No-Face when I saw it, like I was supposed to. Instead, I let it go. It was not out of kindness, nor was it out of mercy: it was out of understanding. I knew why it chose such a terrible path, even if I would never follow its example. However, the Bone-Keepers were not quite so accepting as I that day. They killed it as it as it fled across the sea of bones. Its screeching wails and cries for forgiveness as its mask-less face and body was savagely battered and broken fell on deaf ears. The Bone-Keepers would not allow a tainted being such as itself to desecrate the Boneyard. To do so meant death.

Blood ran freely on the stone altar when night came, and the No-Face was made an example of. Its skin and flesh were hung up on the Boneyard’s north wall for all to see. Its own bloody bones were what held up its body, tied together with ligaments that had been torn out of its cold, debilitated corpse.

But then, the subject you picked up here - the faintest trace of innocence and purity in a macabre world, full of violence and a serious want of empathy - it conveyed something no literary work has yet done - in fact something I can't even explain. You rerally moved me today, and for that I salute you.

*salutes and doesn't manage a concussion to the head*

The monotonous, emotionless inhuman (or, I should say here, nonliving, since none of the characters were actually human, in the literal sense) words of Jin and the sadistic, merciless mutilations of the Bonekeepers was bad (well, to tell you the truth, the mutilation part envoked a rather sadistic little feeling in me), but what impacted me the most was this, the very basis of Cubone society:

I couldn’t help but think then, as I slowly draped the finished skull over my head, about all the times my mother had helped me throughout my life.

When I was young and naïve, she would play with me and put up with my annoying wails for hours at a time.

When I was sick, she would care for me, making sure that I’d gain back my strength and recover.

When I was hungry, she would make sure I only got the best of berries and meat to eat, and sometimes she would bring me that rare berry that I really liked – the kind that was hard to get to, and only grew in the deep, dark crevices of the our home.

When I grew older, she taught me how to fight, to use my strength to overwhelm opponents, and use the earth power that was mine to complete my tasks. She taught me to respect the bones, and to use them skillfully, for they, she had said, were our greatest weapons.

She also taught me what I must do to become an adult, and told me, as best she could, the terrible, but sacred ritual of my people. If I could not accomplish it, I would die, or worse, become a No-Face and live in filth and disgrace (having erased my own existence) until the Bone-Keepers took me, and hung me like game on a hunter’s gibbet.

I realized then, that not once during those three long years, did I thank her for any of it. Never once did I stop and tell her I loved her, that I appreciated everything she did for me, and that I would be saddened at her inevitable passing.

It wasn’t because I didn’t want to, it was because I couldn’t. How could I, as her only son, look her in the eyes and tell her all those things, when I knew that one day – whether days, months, or years from that time – I would have to kill her?

But now I have finally completed my task and she is gone.

I walked away from the from the ash covered alter, looking back for the last time. Thank you, I said silently. I love you…

..and I miss you…

The ritual's finally over, and I now I’m alone – from now, until forever.

Of course, I'll just give the little hints as well. Just for kicks XD

He smiles like a Persian and shrugs, eyes sparkling with some secret truth. “So I lie. What of it? We’re all liars, anyway. It’s best that you learn how to do it properly, Al, ‘cause when you finally get up the courage to go and face the outside world, they’ll look, they’ll see, and they’ll ask. Count on it. And you will lie – you’ll have to in order to protect yourself from those who cannot understand the truth.”

Deep down, I know that he is right.

It seems to me that, following the laws of nature, they all still have a greater side to them.

Hey, you just sparked an idea in me. Thanks!

*starts thinking about the Equilibrium*

The fire surrounding her body, greedily licking at her skin. Lesser Pokémon would have been been reduced to ash within minutes, but not my mother -- she was strong in life, and she was still strong in death. It would take some time for her body to finally give in to the strong blaze.

This, too. It's stuff like this that keeps me close to tears throughout the fic..

Or maybe it's just that I've been seeing more of my emphatic, sympathic side nowadays. Who knows?

I think I'll just pen down now.

Vigoura evanus, ey aterna...
Pyroken Serafoculus

 

[deadlyrose]

lovely, just lovely, it is so sad, so real, so helpful. you truley have dived into the mind of a cubone. i think you have done a truley wonderful job and also i think you truley have writing talent. lovely. just lovely. and it was so easy to understand

 

[Saffire Persian]

pyroken: Thanks. ^^ I didn't think this one-shot would be as succssful as it was.

The monotonous, emotionless inhuman (or, I should say here, nonliving, since none of the characters were actually human, in the literal sense) words of Jin and the sadistic, merciless mutilations of the Bonekeepers was bad (well, to tell you the truth, the mutilation part envoked a rather sadistic little feeling in me), but what impacted me the most was this, the very basis of Cubone societ

Yeah. ^^ The Cubone society has always fascinated me.

Deadly Rose: Thanks ^^ I'm glad I captured the essence of cubone society here.

 

[Hahahabvc87]

Woah... Looks like I missed out on another great fic even though I comb the fanfic forums regularly!

I feel that I should be crying. My eyes are red and raw, and I haven’t slept. But, I tell myself, what right have I to cry? I gave up that right a long time ago, as soon as I was born and learned of my fate – we all did.

Eh... Take a look at Pokemon Sapphire's pokedex entry on Cubone and you'll find quite a contradiction there!

Blood ran freely on the stone altar when night came, and the No-Face was made an example of. Its skin and flesh were hung up on the Boneyard’s north wall for all to see. Its own bloody bones were what held up its body, tied together with ligaments that had been torn out of its cold, debilitated corpse.

Probably the only horror scene in the story, it does serve its purpose!

He smiles like a Persian and shrugs, eyes sparkling with some secret truth. “So I lie. What of it? We’re all liars, anyway. It’s best that you learn how to do it properly, Al, ‘cause when you finally get up the courage to go and face the outside world, they’ll look, they’ll see, and they’ll ask. Count on it. And you will lie – you’ll have to in order to protect yourself from those who cannot understand the truth.”

Faced with such a brutal fate, who wouldn't? Unless of course, they want to be branded as a savage tribe...

But now I have finally completed my task and she is gone.

I walked away from the from the ash covered alter, looking back for the last time. Thank you, I said silently. I love you…

..and I miss you…

The ritual's finally over, and I now I’m alone – from now, until forever.

;_; All the more reason to treasure those precious memories of companionship...

Well, I can sorta understand the cubone's culture since it's sorta similar to the one practiced in the deep regions of Papua New Guinea (If you must know, it's cannibalism). When an elder passes away, the flesh is roasted and divided among the village folk, and the descendants of that elder are compelled to partake in the feast. Too bad that the Kuru disease was also passed on by that ritual!

And last, but not least...

Typos will be killed upon sight. :3

Lock and load!

He just likes to hide it over a strange façade – a child-like one, almost. It has no doubt saved him much pain over the years.

They carried her toward the alter, laying her body gently down upon it, and I watched as the Marowak Bone-Master took her place at its head.

*Fires sniper rifle and watches bullets fly in slow motion*

 

[SnoringFrog]

First off, how are you supposed to pronounce Al'xious? I've been saying it al-ux-ee-us but with the 'uh' sound of the 'u' kinda removed.

Blood ran freely on the stone altar when night came, and the No-Face was made an example of. Its skin and flesh were hung up on the Boneyard’s north wall for all to see. Its own bloody bones were what held up its body, tied together with ligaments that had been torn out of its cold, debilitated corpse.

Revoltingly beautiful, Saff, revoltingly beautiful.

Interesting take on that entry. I liked what you did with it. The concept of the No-Faces was well done, reasons, punishment and all.

I’m alone – from now, until forever.

Amazing ending line. I very much liked the feel it gave in closing. Overall another great job, Saff.

 

[Saffire Persian]

Haha: Your username is always a pain to spell. XD

Faced with such a brutal fate, who wouldn't? Unless of course, they want to be branded as a savage tribe...

exactly .

Eh... Take a look at Pokemon Sapphire's pokedex entry on Cubone and you'll find quite a contradiction there!

*nods* I recall that entry. And I have no doubt they cry loads as the Pokédex dictates, but Al has a different belief in most - what right have they to cry? And I think all the Cubone's have that mentality, too. But they do cry anyway.. where no one can see them, I think.

Well, I can sorta understand the cubone's culture since it's sorta similar to the one practiced in the deep regions of Papua New Guinea (If you must know, it's cannibalism). When an elder passes away, the flesh is roasted and divided among the village folk, and the descendants of that elder are compelled to partake in the feast. Too bad that the Kuru disease was also passed on by that ritual!

X.x Eww. XDXD To each their own.

Snoringfrog: Thank you. ^^ I liked the closing line quite a bit, too. It has that bite of finality on it that I like to have at the ending of stories and chapters. Or else I get bugged by it. Thanks for your review!

Oh, as for the pronunciation, check out my reply to Sike Saner.