Clash Of St. Anne Part 7 : A Roar Of Hope

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

Andrew Robinson was a man on a mission.

He was given the most important job on this mission which was going to officially announce Team Rocket's return to the United Nations. The mission in itself was rather simple.

Sneak into the 3rd level of the ship. Kill the security guards. Take their passes. Crack the lock to the Captain's Cabin. Hijack the ship. Easy enough right?

BANG!

He opened the door suddenly with a bang and fired. 3 times. 3 dull thuds echoed throughout the room a moment later as the bullets embedded themselves in the sailor's heads who were unfortunate enough to come in their way.

"Mightyena! Crunch attack!" The black haired rocket grunt commanded his loyal pokemon. A black blur shot forward and crunched onto the dead sailor's necks, effectively ending them.

Andrew proceeded to search their bodies and found what he was looking for. The security pass.

He smirked and took out his pocket video caller. He dialed the number titled 'Athena' and hit the call button. Soon a familiar woman with brown hair was visible on the screen. Seeing Andrew she smiled and spoke up via the phone, "Heya! What's up? You see what I got here?"

Athena turned her video caller to the side to show the face of a familiar beauty who was tied up with a gag around her mouth and a knife held at her throat. She was Angelica. The captain's daughter.

Andrew let out a smirk seeing that his partner had achieved her mission, "Good job Athena. I'm near the cabin. I'm sure that the captain would love to see his daughter with a knife at her throat. Welp, keep the caller on."

And with that he proceeded to open the Captain's cabin.

There, near the steering wheel sat a man on a chair with a telescope in his hands. Seeing Andrew the man quickly put down his telescope and looked at him warily, "...Who are you? Why – No, How are you here?"

"...Well you can call me your doom. Mightyena! Crunch!"

And with that, the wolf pokemon near Andrew proceeded to lunge at the captain with fangs charged with dark type energy...However, within a second, a rather sizable Feraligator was in front of the wolf pokemon, holding its jaws in its claws, ready to end its life.

"...I didn't become the captain of this ship by just getting a league registered license...Brat. I have fought with pirates of the Hoenn seas. You, compared to those brutes with their brutish pokemon are just a stupid brat who doesn't know his place." The captain, a rather intimidating man with a scar beneath his right eye spat out angrily.

"Ah ah ah, I know who you are Colonel Rem. Former Captain of the ship Aurora that shelled the Winter Palace of Unova in the war years ago...I know I cannot defeat you sir. However...I think you'd like to have a look at...This." The rocket grunt smirked as he took out his video caller which he'd kept in his pocket.

Colonel Rem's eyes widened as he looked at the screen.

...There was his daughter with her eyes bloodshot and tears streaming out of them, tied and gagged with a knife at her throat and a gun at her head.

"...I-I...I...I give up...Just don't hurt her..."

"The keys captain. The keys. And my colleague won't hurt her." Andrew extended his hand at the scarred man with a smile on his face.

The captain put his hand in his hand in his coat and quickly took out a bunch of keys. He handed them to Andrew as fast as he could, "N-Now, p-please don't hurt her..."

"Thank you for being so cooperative Captain Rem. As I said, I'll keep my promise...Athena...End her."

SHLIEK!

"...Oops...Looks like I lied...MIGHTYENA! CRUNCH ON HIS KNEES! But don't kill him. He has to see his precious St. Anne sink to the depths after all...KAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ash Ketchum was not someone who got frightened easily.

But the current situation could be considered an exception to that. Why you might ask?

There was a man on the broadcasting screen of St. Anne in the stadium that was visible from all over the ship. The man on the screen was laughing maniacally and there was the downed captain of the ship on his knees behind him...With a pool of blood leaking down his legs.

The rocket grunt on the screen started to speak, "All passengers of St. Anne are hereby informed that this ship is no longer under the captainship of Colonel Rem. I, Andrew Robinson hereby declare that Team Rocket has taken over this ship! But worry not my dear passengers! Not a hair on your head will be touched...If you hand over all your valuables and pokemon to my colleagues that is. Oh and in a few moments a few more guests will be landing onto this ship. I hope you won't mind their presence and treat them like you should treat your guests...Anyone to defy our rules will face some...consequences."

The silver haired trainer released a deep breath he had been holding in as he frowned deeply.

'FUCK! Fuck! Fuck!...I-I kinda expected a rocket attack but...But not of this magnitude...I thought it was just a dozen or so grunts trying to take over this ship...But...But this is a full scale attack. A full scale declaration of war against Kanto and the United Nations by Team Rocket...DAMMIT ALL! I-I...I am not prepared to deal with such a mass attack...' Cursing his luck, Ash Ketchum realized something important. He wasn't ready. He wasn't strong enough for such a mass attack. But most of all...He wasn't sure if he would survive this...

The silver haired boy took a deep breath in to calm himself and push away an emotion he hasn't felt in a long time now...Fear. He was afraid. But he wouldn't let that affect his chances of survival. He needed to keep cool.

Ash decided to analyze the situation first.

'...So the captain was defeated huh? Judging by the captain's condition...He was not defeated in a straight fight...No grunt or even executive of team rocket is capable enough to handle the captain of the ship that has fought in the Siege Of Winter Palace...And also how come that lady...Angelica and that man, Mr. Smith didn't tell us trainers? Oh...That must mean the rockets already knew about Angelica doing her bidding among the trainers and captured her...Ah, they must have captured her to threaten her father with...' The last descendant of the Deserters thought with his eyes wide in realization.

Basically...Their last hope of saving the ship was now gone.

In all that chaos and desperation, Ash realized something...His original motive of coming to this ship was to monitor if there was any rocket activity going on in it and win the tournament...But...But...

What now?

The ship is hijacked. The captain captured. Team Rocket goons will be landing on this ship soon. The tournament's is now as valid as a room heater in summer. So the question is...

What now?

What is he to do? Should he run away like the others? Or should he try to...Dunno...Save it? But how? He can't just get away killing all the rocket grunts and not get noticed...

In the end...Ash let out a sigh. As he had earlier concluded. He wasn't ready. With his eyes burning with newfound determination...The blue eyed aura user decided something.

Perhaps...Perhaps it was selfish of him. But...He wasn't a hero. He was just like any other trainer on his journey with a few rare pokemon on his team. Nothing more, nothing less. He didn't have to take the responsibility for others on the ship. He didn't have to protect the others. He didn't have to kill any rocket grunts now...

...He just needed to survive.

Survival...One of the most basic and fundamental human instincts. Humans...Heh. Even in that moment of absolute desperation, Ash Ketchum learnt something. Humans were a species specifically good at survival. There was no other species on this planet that could rival humans in that one field. Survival.

With a clear goal made up in his mind, Ash Ketchum turned away from the large stadium display board in which the rocket grunt was grinning.

He'd get through this. No matter what happened. He'd survi –

"ASH! I FINALLY FOUND YOU!!"

...Didn't he tell a certain bitchy blonde to get the fuck out of here?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...Cynthia...There was a reason I told you to get the hell outta here you know?"

"I know, I know." The blonde waved at him dismissively, "...But how could I run away from here when my dearest loving rival –" Insert Ash Ketchum choking sounds, " – Was going to fight them alone?"

"...Do you have any idea exactly what is at stakes here? Do you know what team rocket is? Do you know what danger you put yourself into when you decided to come running here?! Do you have any idea?! Huh?!" The silver haired trainer growled angrily.

Cynthia was quite taken aback by the hostile temperament. Sure she'd seen him kill a rocket grunt last day. Sure their lives were threatened yesterday but...Why would today be any different? Can't they just defeat the rockets and –

Wait...Why was there the captain of this ship on his bleeding knees while a rocket grunt was toying with his cap on the large screen?

Slowly all colors drained from her face as she turned her head to look into Ash's blue eyes.

She'd seen many things in them in all these years she'd known him. Anger, cold ruthless determination to win, a triumphant arrogance and even sometimes the humorous sarcastic drawls...

...But she'd never seen those eyes as scared before as now.

And that was the moment that Cynthia Shirona realized that she shouldn't have come here.

"Well, well, well, lookie what we got here...I've been looking for you Ketchum...SKARMORY! RIP HIM APART!!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cole Reiner was delighted.

Just a moment ago he'd received the signal he'd been waiting for, in the form of 3 blue lights flickering in his room. Soon enough, a Dusclops had Shadow Sneaked into his room and handed him a letter saying,

Hey Cole!

Remember me? Of course you do! Anyway, if you got this letter then I would advise you to get your Skarmory out and complete your vengeance. And after you're done I would appreciate if you come to meet me in the Stadium. I feel like I have an offer you'd like.

Sincerely,
Brianna <3

He grinned as he folded up the letter and took out his pokeball. It was time! He'd finally have his revenge!

He'd been giving Skarmory the injections the pretty girl, Brianna had given him. And Skarmory was getting strong! Stronger than ever he'd seen him...

...Although sometimes Skarmory would have temper tantrums and refused to listen to him. Oh and Skarmory's steely grey eyes had turned an eerie red...But that's nothing manageable. A single Thunder-Shock from his Mareep and Skarmory was back to his original submissive state.

Taking the pokeball in his hands he swiftly ran out of his room while pocketing the pokeballs for Mareep and Noibat in his bag.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...Cole...What are you doing here?"

Ash Ketchum asked as calmly as he could. Although inwardly there were a sea of doubts and emotions flickering inside his head seeing the bird he'd defeated in the preliminaries.

Why were its eyes red? Why was it shivering in something akin to...excitement? And why were its legs stomping on the ground as if ready to run at him in a moment?

And just at that moment when Ash was analyzing Skarmory, Cole had to open his mouth to order, "Didn't you hear me you damn bird?! STEEL WING! RIP HIM APART!"

Ash could only avoid the deadly sharp-as-swords wings by years of battle instincts that Machamp had honed. The silver eyes trainer jumped aside while taking Cynthia with him to avoid the huge sharp wings that smashed into a nearby wall.

Quickly releasing Charmeleon from his pokeball Ash ordered, 'Charmeleon! No time to explain! Flamethrower!'

Ash knew what he was doing and what were the risks involved. But he had to do it. The ship's interior would perhaps catch fire...But it was going to sink anyway.

Thankfully the red fire pokemon didn't question and then a stream of magma-hot flames went straight at the hole Skarmory had crashed into. The bird pokemon screamed in pain but Charmeleon didn't let up. Instead a dark glint lit up in Charmeleon's eyes as the size of flames coming out of his maw increased.

...Whose bright idea was it to put together a pyromaniac with an inner murderous personality to make the devil incarnate that was this Charmeleon anyway?

After almost 3 minutes of incessant screeching from the Skarmory and red hot flames scorching it to the core, Charmeleon stopped his assault on the bird.

Although what happened next even made Ash want to puke in disgust.

The Skarmory rose from the hole in the wall with its entire body burning with flames. It's wings were literally melting. Molten steel was falling on the floor of the ship from its wings but it was Skarmory's face had horrified him the most.

...It was expressionless. As if it hadn't been screaming in pain for 3 minutes. As if it was feeling no pain.

Cawing in defiance, Skarmory slashed with its melting wings...

...Although that was exactly what made it most dangerous. Molten lava splashed at Ash from Skarmory's decaying wings and he leapt to the side to dodge. Fortunately for him he was able to successfully avoid the molten steel.

Charmeleon who was rather stunned seeing the melting Skarmory rise up from the wall, suddenly took a step back to avoid the rampaging bird. The steel bird pokemon frantically lashed out with its beak, claws and wings as it tried to hit something, anything!

Charmeleon dodged a few of those slashes but he had to take a sharp molten wing to his gut to save the blonde girl who was trying to comprehend what was happening in front of her.

The red fire pokemon snarled in pain as Skarmory proceeded to use Peck on his head with its beak.

Meanwhile, Ash was completely dumbstruck seeing the sudden change in Skarmory, the frail pokemon he'd seen in the prelims.

Skarmory...It was just attacking for the hell of it. Without any care to its own being or sustenance...Just attacking. He didn't know what to think of that. What could make Skarmory act like this –

"W-what is happening? Brianna never said something about Skarmory being like...T-This...SKARMORY! I ORDER YOU TO STOP!" Cole screamed out with a stutter when he saw the condition of his pokemon.

Molten wings, body on fire, red eyes...It looked like as if it was killed and then reincarnated by some fire demon. Unfortunately Skarmory looked at Cole with an expression of utter apathy on its face.

...And then lashed out with its molten wings.

Scorching hot motel steel grazed across Cole's legs. He tried to avoid those sharp melting wings...But he was only partially successful in doing so...And his legs paid the price.

The man screamed out in pain but Skarmory didn't give up. It proceeded to make frantic slashes with its claws and Skarmory's trainer could only bellow agonizingly as his own pokemon ripped him apart in shreds.

When the screams died down, only a bloody half-dead man laid on the ground and Skarmory looked back at Charmeleon who was quite stupefied to see that.

The steel bird slashed with its claws at the unprepared red draconic fire pokemon who was unable to dodge.

...That was a night that Charmeleon never forgot...The night he got the jagged scar beneath his eyes that terrifies any pokemon within vicinity to this day...

There was a moment of stillness afterwards.

A chilling 'SHLIEK' sound echoed throughout the halls of St. Anne as Skarmory's half molten wing grazed Charmeleon beneath his eye.

Drip...Drip...Drip...

3 drops. 3 drops of red liquid fell onto the floor from the fire pokemon's left eye.

Ash gasped seeing the scene in front of him...Before something else flooded his mind...It was the most basic instincts...The most simplest of desires...And also the darkest one...

...A desire to kill.

Nervous blue eyes turned an eerie murderous purple as the stones on his gauntlet began to glow. A single long sword materialized in his hands seemingly made out of pure aura...Pure Dark Aura that is...

'...Kill...'

A chant. A single chant echoed through the silver haired trainer's mind as he saw the Skarmory. It...It...That insignificant filthy crow DARED to harm his pokemon. The most loyal and one of his strongest pokemon.

'...Kill...'

Perhaps for the first time in his life, Ash's Ketchum's logical brain and his sentimental heart agreed upon the same thing...

...The last thing Skarmory saw that night was a purple blade going through its metallic body before its consciousness decayed away into nothingness.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ash Ketchum collapsed to the floor while clutching his head. The purple sword that had pierced the Skarmory's – now completely molten and cleanly cut in half corpse – had vanished however; the purple flames of dark aura were still burning on his gauntlets.

He...He didn't know what happened. He just...Snapped seeing Charmeleon's left eye get scarred like that by the Skarmory.

The next moment he knew was he was holding a long purple sword which was impaled inside Skarmory's chest.

And then...The metallic bird's body which was already melting thanks to Charmeleon's earlier onslaught of flames completely disintegrated into smoky dust as soon as the sword had impaled it.

But now...It just hurt. His hands...His head...Everything was blurry. And...And Charmeleon...

The red fire pokemon ran his claw down his eye slowly. He tried to open his eyelids and slowly ran his claw down his cheek. The droplets of blood had tried and by some divine miracle his eye wasn't damaged...Just slightly scarred.

Charmeleon forced himself to smile just a bit as he looked at Ash who was looking at him concernedly,

'...Well...Ladies dig scars...Right?'

Seeing the smile on his pokemon's face whose eye's hadn't stopped, Ash couldn't help but smile himself as well...

"...Eh...If there was this stupid, beautiful, cute, charming and cheery girl who fell for this cold hearted sarcastic cynical asshole then yeah...I'm sure you can find love in this world too, with or without a scar." Unknowing that he had spoken those words out loud, Ash mused to himself with a nostalgic smile...

...Damn. Why do all the badass quoting moments happen in times where lives are threatened?

Just beside him was Cynthia Shirona who couldn't comprehend just what was happening. Firstly she has to wake up in the middle of the night to see that the ship

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net