A Rose Made of Shadows

Chapter Fifteen

(Note: Everything that occurs from this point onward and until otherwise stated is told from the perspective of a non-existent narrator, as Shadow Queen Rosa has no memory of anything while in her new form)

Standing right before everyone was their friend, now a completely different being altogether. Still a Gardevoir, of course, but Rosa looked radically different. Her red was now a dull purple, the spikes at the sides of her head were longer, and strange circular designs have now appeared on her dress, which has retained the black color. Her once oceanic-blue eyes switched into an icy-cold light blue, which matched the color of a lightning bolt scar directly below her right eye. And what appeared to be some sort of upside-down cape appeared on her back behind her head, bearing a similar design to the designs on her dress. And a white crown, seemingly out of nowhere, with two light-blue gems and a single red gem in the center, was already on her head.

"What do you think?" Xeous said at last to the group. "I present to you, Shadow Queen Gardevoir!"

Rosa's eyes suddenly opened with a blue flash. She slowly started to take in her surroundings, and looked everywhere. "... where... am I?" Her voice was a bit deeper than normal, and she had something similar to a British accent, which no one came close to expecting.

"Welcome, my queen," Xeous said, bowing before the transformed Gardevoir. "You have been brought here for a very special purpose."

"Hmm... I see," Rosa said, looking at the boss. "To make a new world out of the old one, correct?"

"Correct," Xeous said. "But a being such as yourself needs to wield something to signify your power, and I have just the solution." He then turned back towards the door. "Bring in the staff!" But nothing happened. "I said, bring in the staff!!"

Two grunts suddenly appeared from the doorway, holding a red velvet pillow in-between them. "O-On it, s-sir!" they both responded. And on the pillow lay a staff, a black color with white designs on it. At the top of the staff was a blue orb surrounded by four white spikes that curved inward.

The grunts kneeled before Rosa and offered her the staff, which she slowly took from the pillow. She inspected it for a while, then held it to the ground. "Most commendable."

Xeous had a content look on his face at the realization that his dream would finally come true, a stark contrast to the looks the group had; shock, fear, disbelief. Their friend had not only been kidnapped, but had now been turned into something quite frightening, and they were only feet away from their friend.

"Yes," the boss said. "And now that everything is set up, it's time to make this world history and bring forth the world of my own desires!"

"Your world?" Rosa said.

"Of course, and you're going to help me achieve that ideal world," Xeous replied.

"Excuse me?" Rosa wasn't liking what she was hearing.

"What do you mean "excuse me"? That was the plan, wasn't it? You'll make my world become a reality! That's the whole reason you were created in the first case!"

"Why should I listen to whatever you tell me to do? You have no authority over me."

"No authority?! I created you, for Sneasel's sake! You're supposed to obey my orders, and I order you to go through with my plan!!"

"I suggest you stop it right there before things really start going against you," Rosa threatened him.

But Xeous was insistent, desperate even. "Who are you to talk to me like that?! As the leader of Team Blade, I order you to obey me and to carry out my plan under my name, whether you oblige to it or n-"