Chapter 2: The Resistance "Aaron! Sir! There's been alliance movement sighted by our guards in the forest, two people were reported missing, and the only one who came back is dead," the young man stood proudly in the small hut at the desk of his beloved leader. The older man who sat in the chair, fingered his short, red beard thoughtfully and turned to face his disciple. He sighed sadly as he gazed upon him, the shoddily crafted armor hardly looking as if it could stand against an alliance soldier, yet the man looked proud to be wearing it. His whole town, ever since the elder had been brutally murdered by a huge vine Dragon, had become obsessed with resisting Vinetra and all she stood for. She had decided to squelch them, taking no chances that they may try to oppose her. They had been a peaceful, neutral town, not deserving of trouble, and now they had been thrown into utter turmoil. "Tell the troops at the edge of the city to be ready, and tell everyone that travel is strictly prohibited until further notice," Aaron said tenderly massaging his temples to ward off the throbbing headache brewing in his skull. "Yes sir," the other man bowed and left. Aaron slammed a fist down on his desk and gently laid his head down on his hands. "Damn you Vinetra," he muttered before feeling a tender touch on his shoulder. He looked up into the soft brown imploring eyes of his wife, Rhianna. "Aaron dear, why do you do this?" she asked tenderly. Aaron smiled at his wife as he felt a tug on his leg. He looked downward and a small boy leapt into his lap. "I brought Jasper to see you," Rhianna said quietly. "Hi daddy! Why do lock yourself in here all day? You never play with me anymore!" the little boy whined. Aaron ran his hand through his ebony, shoulder length hair and hugged him. "I have important business here, you can play with your friends in town. Why don't you run along, I need to talk to your mother," he said lovingly and gently ushered him out of his office. Jasper sighed, resigned to his fate and walked briskly out into the mid-afternoon sun. Rhianna looked at her husband sharply. "Why can't you ever make time for him? He is your son," she said. Aaron dipped a long blue feather he'd found in the woods into a shallow ink well and commenced to writing. Rhianna waited, the silence penetrated only by the rough scratching of the sharp quill. "Damn it Aaron!" she finally snapped slamming her hands down on his desk. He jumped and the ink spilled across the document. "Rhianna!" he cried. He took the edge of his shirt, trying to salvage what remained of his writing, but the paper became soft with the moisture, tearing in several places. He sighed and crumpled it, tossing it aside into a corner. Rhianna scowled at her husband. "I...I'm sorry, it's not easy trying to lead this and still have a family," he muttered. The woman sat next to him, and wrapped her arms around him lovingly. "I know, I just wish you'd spend some time with him, he needs you," she whispered kissing his neck. "I wish I really did know him," Aaron thought to himself. Jasper strolled along the main street of his village, kicking a rock solemnly. He didn't have the heart to tell his mother or father he really didn't have any friends. He was an outcast, often being called a freak for his ability to communicate with birds. He also kept his raven hair cropped shoulder length, and his green eyes stood out from pale skin like emeralds on silk. He kept to himself for the most part avoiding in particular, one boy. "Well if it isn't little Jasper. Why aren't you playing with your little bird friends?" he looked up from the ground to see the person he dreaded most in the world, Jake and his band of cohorts. He felt a moment of terror, but ignored them and continued walking. "Hey! When I'm talkin' to ya, I need a answer!" Jake cried indignantly and shoved the smaller boy to the ground. Jasper cried out in pain as his elbow split on a sharp cobblestone. "Oh did I hurt you? So sowwy!" Jake wailed in a mocking sing-song voice. Jasper narrowed his eyes at him and slowly pulled himself from the ground. "Why do you hate me so much?" he asked meekly, tending to the blood dripping from his broken skin. "Why? Heh, 'cause you're a freak! That's why! Good enough for you?" Jake asked harshly shoving him back down with his foot. "Now stay there, and I don't wanna see you get up!" he mused and he and his group walked slowly away laughing spitefully. Jasper closed his eyes against the dust swirling into his face and blinked the tears welling in his eyes back so they would be unseen. He waited for what seemed like hours before finally dragging himself from the dirt. He looked timidly to where he'd seen Jake disappear and took a hesitant step backward. He shrieked as a blur of red streaked in front of him and lighted on the ground, falling backwards. The red thing in front of him shrieked as well, and Jasper rolled his eyes as he realized who it was. "Tierry, I thought I told you not to sneak up on me like that!" he said addressing the little red bird in front of him with his name. He gripped at his chest with a crimson wing, panting. "Look kid, I like ya and all, but yer gonna give me a heart attack if this keeps up!" he gasped. Jasper smiled, scooping him up and placing him lightly on his shoulder. "Let's go get some dinner, it'll be dark soon," he said. "Best idea you've had yet kid," Tierry mused adjusting his feathers and Jasper strolled back to his home. @->->- Light was most unwelcome in James' eyes as he slowly, and quite painfully regained his grip on the world of the living. He squeezed them shut harder in an attempt to ward off the pain, but it did little, so he gave it up. "Look who's finally up," he winced as he heard a spiteful comment from his companion. He groaned loudly at it and covered his eyes with his hands. "Oh god," he breathed rolling over onto his back. "I know, hurts like a bitch huh? My head's still throbbing, and I've been awake for hours. That was some powerful stuff he used," Jessie grumbled wrapping her tail around her waist for comfort. James commenced to whimpering and Jessie softened her harsh stare at him. She slipped off the hard wooden bunk and brushed his hair away from his face. "Shhh," she soothed cradling him gently in her arms, 'just keep your eyes shut and try not to move." James was comforted by her now soft, maternal sounding tone and relaxed, opening his eyes just slightly to look at her. Even through the layers of dirt caked on her face and her tangled, dirty hair, she was still stunning. He cursed himself for what seemed like the millionth time for loving her, and closed his dulled green eyes. Jessie swallowed hard, this being an all too familiar situation. She remembered the last time James had been in her lap in pain. She looked down to his hand, and for a brief instant, could have sworn she saw exactly what had disturbed her so much in the Team Rocket cell. She could still see James' shredded hand, bound in strips of cloth from her own uniform, tied tightly over the slit wrist. His bedraggled form, sprawled grotesquely across the bunk and her lap, her own uniform stained more so with his blood than hers. To the innocent observer, one would have though James already dead. She gasped and looked away sharply. "Something wrong Jessie?" James asked, concerned. She wiped the side of her face and swallowed hard. "No, nothing," she replied. James knew what she'd remembered, and decided it was best to leave it at that. He reached up and tenderly laid a hand on her cheek, stroking it lightly. She smiled and held it there with her own hand, grateful to be feeling it. "You know James, you're my best friend, you know that right?" she said in a quavering voice. James managed to open his eyes with minimal pain and nodded. "So are you, we've been through everything together," he mused. She nodded. "Sometimes I wonder how we made it through, in all respects you should be dead," she said slipping her hand into his and resting them both against his chest. James sighed and looked up at her. "If it hadn't been for you," he added to her sentence. Jessie had saved his life in more ways than one. "We can make it through this, I know we can, as soon as we both snap out of it, we'll find a way out," Jessie said decisively. James nodded. "And we'll do it together." @->->- Jasper chased the bits of meat on his plate nonchalantly with his fork, leaning dejectedly on the table. "Jasper sweetie, why don't you eat?" Rhianna asked motioning to the otherwise untouched food. "I dunno, something just feels weird," he whispered quietly. Rhianna leaned over and put a hand to his forehead. "You don't feel hot, is your stomach bothering you?" she asked. Jasper rolled his eyes and flicked a morsel to the floor, where Tierry sat in waiting. "Hey kid, you might not wanna eat but I'm starvin'!" he chirped. The boy ignored the prating of his friend and turned back to his mother. "No, something in the air, nothing's wrong with me," Jasper insisted. "Uh huh, nothing I haven't heard before young man, off to bed with you," Rhianna said sharply pointing to Jasper's room. "But mom I don't-" "Do as your mother says son," Aaron finally broke his evening long silence to direct his son. Rhianna glared at her husband, and got up to force the boy out of the room. "Come along Jasper," were her only words. She merely shoved the boy into his room before shutting the door behind her. Jasper heard his mother's voice raise in anger, and her husband's raise back. There was the sharp sound of flesh against flesh, and then sobbing, and more fighting, and the sobbing wasn't his mother's. He scowled at the bitter feud that had been sparked between his parents and crawled into bed. He buried his head beneath his pillow to drown out the sounds of his life. The one that had turned sour with the murder of his grandfather. "Whoa nelly! Kid, your mother just decked yer dad a good un!" he heard the excited cry of Tierry from his windowsill. "I know. I hate my life, Tierry, why can't I be a bird like you?" he asked, never shedding a tear over the situation. The muffled voices intensified and he finally sat up, deciding rather than avoid them, to distract himself. "I dunno, geez! Yer folks is gonna give ya a complex or sumthin!" Tierry squawked reeling back at a particularly spiteful shriek. "I don't care, they don't love me, I don't think I'm even their kid," Jasper muttered. Tierry's beady black eyes widened at this comment. "Aw man, they already have!" he wailed hopping down to Jasper's shoulder and patting it with a glossy red wing. Jasper smiled at his friend. "Naw, just an idea I had, they just never pay attention to me, that's all," he explained. "Birds dun live that long kid, don't take months off my life!" Tierry said exasperatedly. "I'm sleepy, you should be too, don't birds sing at dawn?" Jasper asked yawning and lying down. Tierry tugged the coarse brown covers over his slim figure lovingly and smiled as best he could with a beak. "Yeah, but ya know me kid, I'm a bit different,' he explained. Jasper yawned and closed his eyes. "Night Tierry," he whispered. "Night kid," the bird replied and flew off into the night. He enjoyed the cool night air rushing over his wings as he gazed at the scenery below. It was a serene world, one would never have guessed it was torn apart and divided by such a bitter conflict, and he frowned as he saw the collection of greenish tents in a forest clearing. "Alliance, bah!" he spat and continued on his way @->->- Ash paced nervously in front of the window of James' room. It was the highest one in the castle, and he had figured he could get the best view from there. "You're sure they're not in the castle?" he asked turning to Meowth who sat solemnly on his friend's bed. "Dey wouldn't just go off like dat neitha. But dey ain't here," he replied. Ash scowled and pounded a fist angrily on the windowsill. "Where could they be? I'm gonna get an ulcer just worrying about them!" he said rubbing his temples lightly. "I'm really worried about 'em too, dey woulda showed up by now. Something's happened! I know it!" Meowth protested. "But how? How could anyone get in here without us knowing?" Ash asked. "Maybe dey were da ones who left," the cat offered jumping in one swift motion from the bed to the window. "Jessie, James, where are ya?" he moaned quietly under his breath. Ash fought back tears and petted the feline affectionately. "We'll find them Meowth, we'll find them," he promised. Meowth seemed temporarily satisfied with the response and gently fell, purposely from his perch. "I'm gonna go see if da scrolls say anyting," he announced and padded out of the room. Ash, his interest perked, followed close at his heels. They ventured down into the dark, musty smelling, old room. Obviously the oldest one there. Ash speculated as to why the castle was built, thinking perhaps it had been constructed to suit the needs of the original messengers, or to worship them. He couldn't understand why anyone would want to worship him or his friends, thinking the stones would be a much more sacred object. "That's it," he thought to himself, remembering the wooden podium Icthsique's crystal now rested on, "it's for the powers, not the messengers." The boy's interest in the world had not been quelled or abated in any fashion, perhaps even risen substantially by the room, but his confidence in himself had faded. He had been so hopeful when he believed he and his friends would rid the world of its oppression, something he thought was his destiny to achieve. Now he viewed this as yet another thing to lose credit over. He'd failed at Pokemon training, and now he'd be second best at this. He'd accepted it, and moved on, but it still surfaced now and again. He was forced to beat it down as he entered the room with Meowth. The cat motioned to him with his tail, rolling his eyes at the inky blackness Cerise insisted keeping it in. Ash got the hint and raised a finger to the torches lining the walls. He blew gently and the flame spouted from it, igniting them in a neat line. Ash smiled, he was getting good at that. "Thanks Ash!" Meowth said and hopped onto the altar holding the blue crystal. He picked up a scroll with a white, and oddly curled shaped, wax seal and looked at it. "Wind," he deducted to himself. "All the wax seals have a symbol representing each one of us, dis one is James," Meowth said and picked up the one with a purple eye seal. "And dis one is Jessie. Maybe one a dem will open soon," he deducted. Ash raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?" he asked flicking his tail gently with curiosity. "Well, dat one scroll said each one had their time to open. Misty's did right before she had ta fight Icthsique, and it gave us some clues," Meowth said looking to Ash for consent. He'd somewhat accepted him as his leader, though he'd never admit it, he needed someone to follow, and Ash seemed like he wanted it. Ash shrugged and took the scrolls from Meowth. "Oh, like, their disappearing is a signal that something's up?" he asked. "Way to go Sherlock, ya figured it out again," the cat answered sarcastically. Ash looked Momentarily hurt in the small flash from both the wax seals of the scrolls. Jessie and James both cried out in pain as they were roughly thrown to the ground at the feet of a large, gruff man seated in an elaborate throne of sorts in the back of his tent. It was set several yards away from the rest of the military camp, their leader obviously disliking the rest of his minions. He adjusted the haphazardly crafted eye patch and slid from the chair, crouching with a loud ruminating of old bones before the duo. He smiled at Jessie and lifted her chin. "Well well, the messengers sure are pretty," he mused. Jessie scowled at him as the end of her tail twitched in contempt. James gritted his teeth and finally raised his head to look at his captors. Only two official looking men stood in the room, the others were merely guards. The larger man kneeling in front of Jessie, and the scrawny one both wore the formerly starched and orderly, yet now shabby, ivy-green jackets of the alliance. "Alliance, I should've known," James grumbled. The man who had stood silent in back of the captain now stepped forward and smiled wickedly. "Well boy, resistance fighters aren't welcome in this neck of the woods. Even if you are two of the messengers," the abrasive voice of Rill grated against both friend's minds, sounding like metal being crushed against itself. "What do you want from us?" Jessie asked spitefully standing swiftly. She narrowed her eyes bitterly at Captain Eratus as they began to glow a dull purple. Rill stooped to help his elderly captain back into his chair and held a hand up to the guards who had raised their spears to defend themselves should anything happen. "Simple young lady, we want the scrolls, and then we want you to die!" Rill answered for the wheezing captain. "Rill! I...Can...Handle this! Please turn in for the night," Eratus breathed. Rill looked at him distastefully and opened his mouth to speak. "Now Lieutenant!" Eratus bellowed and the slight man ducked out the folds of the tent swiftly. Eratus, finally satisfied that the wiry man was gone, turned to his company. "Now, I won't be as threatening as Rill was, but if you hope to see morning, you'll tell me where the scrolls are!" he said raising his voice slightly. "And if we don't?" James asked bitterly. "Then I'm afraid we'll just have to ravage that innocent little town right there over the ridge," Eratus whispered slyly. James winced, he had often seen the city he spoke of during his annual mid-day flight to stretch his wings. It had seemed like a pleasant peaceful town, not worthy of such carnage, nor deserving. There would be no way they would ever be able to defend themselves against the Alliance army, not even the shoddy, rag- tag bunch he and Jessie had been captured by. "That's just slaughter! You'll barely have to lift a finger! They don't deserve that!" James shouted. He was answered by the blunt end of a staff in the small of his back. "No boy, they're very deserving, they betrayed Vinetra's trust by becoming a resistance town, and now they must pay," Eratus answered. James put a hand to his back and sat up slowly, groaning with pain. Jessie put a hand on his shoulder, but he roughly slid it off, looking away. When Jessie was sure her friend was alright, she turned back to the captain. "You'll destroy it if we do tell you, you will if we don't! What's the difference!?" she spat. Eratus stood to his full height and barred down at the girl. "The difference is insolent little freak, that if you tell me you escape with your lives, if not, I will think nothing of shooting you with my best crossbow on the spot tomorrow at dawn!" he shouted. Both Jessie and James snarled at him and stood one last time in vengeance. James lowered his emerald green eyes to an abhorrent level and slowly drew on his words. "We'll never tell you," he hissed and they both buckled as the burly guards behind them struck them both in the backs with the staffs. The captain's eyes bulged as he pointed harshly to the flap opening. Throw them in the cell! And have two execution arrows ready first thing in the morning!" he screeched and fell back onto his seat. Jessie and James couldn't help but smile at each other as they were roughly dragged across the makeshift dirt path that led back to the tiny cell they had both occupied. Rill folded back the flap of his tent cautiously, hiding the dull purple glow coming from inside. "Well, so far all goes according to plan, but master, what if they escape?" he asked closing it abruptly and lacing it. He double knotted the thick cord just in case anyone should see inside of his living quarters. Rill turned around and smiled warmly at the purple ball glowing furiously on a pedestal at the very center of his tent. It rested on the highest point on the back of a sinewy black cat, claws ferociously bared and digging into the soft earth. The orb pulsated, as if annoyed, and a soft, suave voice answered his questions. "Not to worry, all will go according to my plan, and do make sure you follow through with your end of the deal," it said. Rill held up a jagged dagger he had been cradling in his lap. "I can't wait to do so," he mused, pricking the end of his finger on the blade to ensure it was sharp. "I shall speak to you tomorrow," the orb said abruptly and went dead, a milky white crystal replacing the formerly purple one. "Yes master," Rill droned and wrapped the sheet he had prepared over the pedestal. He stepped mechanically towards the opening in his tent and undid the lacing, concealing the dagger in his cloak as he did so. "The reign of the new empire starts now," he mumbled as he quietly crept into his captain's tent. He still sat in his throne, asleep with his head resting on the highest portion of it, saliva glistening at the corner of his gaping mouth in the dull candlelight of the area. Rill slowly removed his weapon from the green folds of fabric raising it above his head dramatically. He rolled on the balls of his feet, making no sound in the soft earth as he crept ever closer to Eratus. He grunted in his sleep and rolled over, mumbling something indecipherable. "Welcome my captain, to the age of Shadow," he said loudly and Eratus's eyes snapped open as the sinewy lieutenant dove toward him, the fire of hate lacing his eyes. "Rill?! What the hell are-" his throat was slit before he could complete his reprimanding. Rill stood before the body, blood spouting from the cut and the dagger. He wiped it swiftly on a clean patch of Eratus's cloak and put it back into its sheath around his ankle. "My captain, oh my captain, did you not see this coming? You were a fool old man, now I control all, but we mustn't have the troops realizing you were murdered now can we?" he said his eyes searching the room for the source of the candlelight. The cold stare finally fell upon the high wires containing the thick, yellowed candles. He grinned sadistically and sauntered casually up to it. "Dear dear, such a draft in here," he mused putting a hand around the cold metal of the stand. He stifled a laugh and toppled it, the flames falling upon the body in the chair. The thick cloak ignited instantly, the hungry crimson flames licking higher to the slit throat. "Terrible accident really. Captain Eratus shouldn't have been sleeping with his candles burning should he?" Rill mused and stepped out of the tent. No one witnessed him coming out, it was deemed after the tent and their captain had burned to the ground, an accident. James peered through the bars of the cell anxiously at the blaze just yards away. The whole camp had been thrown into an uproar and they were valiantly trying to put the flames out. "Looks pretty bad Jess, now's when we make our escape," James said grinning. Jessie nodded as he sat down, his chains rattling loudly as he did so. "Now, I'm not real good at this, I don't know if I can break these," she said studying the manacles carefully. "Sure you can Jessie, I know you can!" James encouraged. She shook her head remorsefully and concentrated. Her eyes began glowing a faint purple with the power of her mind, and James was forced to rub the goose bumps on his arms. Jessie looked powerful, and maybe even a bit evil when she worked on her psychic powers and it actually frightened him slightly. She clenched her teeth and her brow furrowed as the cold metal around her wrists refused to buckle. "Come on," James whispered under his breath. It was then he noticed the purple aura that began to emanate from around her body. He smiled as he realized that she was just about to achieve her goal. The purple that accompanied her eyes had gotten deeper as her powers had increased, and now it had spread to the faint glow that encircled her. She exhaled forcefully as the locks embedded deep in the metal bands exploded with a small burst of metal parts. She looked at her now bare yet still red marked wrists and rubbed them gratefully. "I did it! Now let me see yours James, It'll be easier this time," she said taking James' hands. He blushed slightly, but turned the cuffs so Jessie could see the locks. She smiled vaguely and concentrated again. James' locks clicked open less dramatically, but they still fell easily to the ground. Jessie released his hands and stood up. "Shall we be going then James?" she asked, "I do believe we have a village to save in the morning." James spread his wings and looked to the thatched roof above them. "Indeed we do. Hang on tight Jess," he said deviously and she took his signal to wrap her arms around his neck. He bent to lift her legs from the ground, and cradled her gently. She tightened her grip and adjusted her position to a more comfortable one as James rocketed through the old rotted roof and took off into the night sky. Jessie kept her eyes shut until James exuberated cry rang out clearly in the air. "Open your eyes! This is the best feeling ever!" he shouted. The red head slowly opened one eye to see acres of forest rushing past beneath her. Now she knew what Meowth felt like when James had taken him on a little 'joyride'. Upon closer inspection, she opened both eyes to look up at her friend. He did not even sense her eyes upon him, the thrill of flight the only thing present in his mind. She smiled and looked up at the double moons of Aradain. They were deeply engrossed in their celestial ballet of the night, and looked so peaceful in the silent serenity of the world. James slowed his speed, enjoying the slow return to Vertigo. He wondered how much emotion they would be showered with upon their return and grinned at the thought. Meowth was probably an emotional wreck. "Heh, Meowth probably is freaking about now," Jessie said suddenly. James gasped. "Can you-" "Read your mind? Yes I can, but don't worry, I'll give you your privacy," Jessie cut him off with a sly grin. He breathed and immense sigh of relief, hoping that she hadn't found out about his affection for her. They flew the rest of the way in silence, until the spires of the castle were just visible. James quickened briefly until the courtyard was just below him. He back-flapped his wings stopping himself and gently lowered himself down. He lighted gently and slowly let Jessie slip from his grip. "Feels good to be home," she said quietly. "Yeah, but we've gotta find Ash and everybody else! And fast!" James reminded her tugging at her elbow. "You're right, let's go see if he's in his room," she answered and they dashed quickly into the palace. They found their way to Ash's room and rapped on the door loudly. "Ash? Ash are you there?" Jessie called. No answer came to her pleas, and she decided to take matters into her own claws, turning the knob and flinging the door open. "Ash?" she called and rolled her eyes at the sight that welcomed her. Ash lay sprawled comically across his bed, sheets and blankets piled at the end of it. He was snoring lightly with his mouth wide open, and Pikachu lay curled on his stomach, ears and feet twitching in some kind of dream. "Well, I'd say he looks funnier than I do when I sleep," James mused. "Yeah well lets hope he's easier to wake up," Jessie spat and bent over Ash's sleeping form. She gripped his arm and shook him violently. The only reaction this got was a hard slap in the face as he pointed his finger out towards the door. "Go...Pikachu," he mumbled, "thundershock now." Jessie snarled and quickly decked him back and he sat bolt upright in bed. "Huh? Who? What? What happened!?" he cried. "Ah! Ash get off of me! You're squishing my tail! My tail!" Pikachu's shrill cry rang out above all confusion. Ash cried out in surprise and fell from the bed crashing to the floor along with his Pokemon. James leaned over him and smiled warmly. "Need a hand?" he asked and helped the dumbfounded Ash to his feet. He blinked rapidly in confusion and rubbed his sleep-blurred eyes to clear his vision. "I...Is it really you? Jessie? James?" he asked quietly. "Jessie! James!" Pikachu answered his question by leaping into Jessie's arms. "I can't believe it! We thought you two were like, dead in a ditch on the side of a road somewhere!" he cried leaping from Jessie to a startled James. Ash, overjoyed to see his friends, embraced both of them as best he could. "You're back! What happened? Are you okay? Do you need anything? Where were you guys?" Jessie and James could barely decipher any speech in the din. "Whoa! Whoa! Hold the phone!" Jessie cried shoving everyone away from her. James looked at her in confusion until he realized exactly why they had needed to find Ash so quickly. "What's up?" Ash asked. James looked to Jessie and they both smiled smugly. James spread his wings to their full length, forgetting that both he and Jessie were still in their nightclothes and regarded his friend jokingly as he opened his mouth to speak. "Well Ash, ready to play hero?"