Whee! Finally, a series bunny!
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit,
non-copyright infringing fanfic belongs to me under international copyright
laws; so don’t take it, as it’s plagiarism.
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks
ALTERNATE UNIVERSE
Title: Freedom’s Price
Prologue/Chapter 1
“Lugia-san!”
The pillars were falling. Gracefully wrought crystal proved no match for the destructive forces of the earthquake, beauty to ashes in a magnificent display, a warning of pride before failure...
“Lugia-san!”
There was no answer.
Gritting his teeth, the Chosen ran into the shrine, the Dragon shrine, the heart of the interlocking maze, folds of white silk falling around his ankles, as the silver doors slammed shut behind him.
Lugia-san was dead, wasn’t he? Groudon had won.
Outside, the caverns continued to fall, to sink down into the earth.
He couldn’t die _yet_ though. The shrine was protected, everything else might fall to pieces, but no one would violate this sanctuary.
Silver glittered at his throat and wrists as white began to bleed, staining to crimson, such a lovely shade of red.
Gold replaced silver, behind a fringe of scarlet, still trailing drops of molten gold, and he smiled.
“Father may be dead, and Rayquaza-sama also, for you have temporarily tipped the balance in your favor, Groudon, but…”
Rocks piled up outside the shrine, burying it in earth, locking and sealing and ensuring no entrance.
“Dragons aren’t immortal for nothing, Groudon…”
500 years later…
“This is incredible!” Matthew Ketchum exclaimed. “Do you think we have actually found the ancient treasures of Pokemontropolis?”
“I’m not sure, Matthew.” Professor Oak laughed, “But it is possible.
“I’d wager Atlantis, actually.” Elm commented. “After all, if you look carefully at the sedimentary rocks this is buried in, there are Kabuto fossils, as well as other water-dwellers. This area was once under the ocean.”
“Atlantis…”
The excavation crew went at their dig with a will. After four months of exhausting labor, they had discovered plenty of pokemon fossils, much to the delight of Joshua Pillars, their paleontology expert, but no actual evidence of human civilization. Still, it was not completely hopeless; they could possibly resurrect some of the pokemon…
Matthew returned home early, though. The desert heat was taking a toll on his health, and he missed his family.
“Daddy!”
“Have you been good?” Matthew asked, as he scooped Ash into his arms. The eight year old grinned.
“Yes!”
“Oh? I wonder what your mother has to say.”
Delia chuckled. “Oh, same old, same old. I do wish he would spend more time playing with the other kids around here, but…”
Ash scowled. “Gary’s mean. And Cindy always wants to play house. Ted’s always too busy reading.”
That was true, though. Pallet was a small town where many old couples chose to retire.
There weren’t many children in any case.
While Ash ran off to play, Delia motioned Matthew inside.
“Matthew, how long will you be home?”
“At least a month, don’t worry. I know my work is hard on you…”
Delia sighed as he held her. “I know. I know that you are working hard to support us, but I do wish you were home more often.”
“Why? Is Ash sick?”
“No, I don’t think that’s it… he just spends most of his free time with his pokemon.”
“Well, that’s not a bad thing in any case.”
“I know. Do you remember that bracelet you got for him?”
“You mean the one I brought home and shined up, his birthday present?”
“Yes.”
“Well, it’s pretty. Why? Did something happen?”
Delia nodded. “You could say that. It was about, what, a foot long. Well, when he put it on, it shrank down to fit on his right arm. And you won’t believe this, but it holds poke balls.”
Matthew’s eyes widened. “So my hypothesis was correct! It’s an ancient form of a poke belt.”
“Yes, it is.”
“But does it come with an special powers or anything? I’ve heard that the metal they used was called, oh, I don’t know, silversteel or something like that.”
“Besides shape-changing, it doesn’t do anything. I tried it on myself.”
“Interesting!”
“But Matthew, I want you to promise me _not_ to study it until later. You need rest. And I’ve missed you.”
Matthew smiled as Delia kissed him. “I missed you too. Your home-cooked meals will be like manna after all that dehydrated food we had…”
Delia giggled as Matthew followed her to the bedroom.
Outside, Ash was climbing trees with his Bulbasaur. Down below, his Chikorita was snoozing.
Bulbasaur and Chikorita were partners.
Butterfree flew next to him, ready to catch him if he fell.
Ash didn’t like people.
Well, no, that wasn’t wholly correct. He didn’t like most kids his age, since they were just… different.
Sure, everyone wanted to become a pokemon master, but… it could be argued that this child was closer than the others.
The shiny silver on his right arm glinted. It was flexible enough to allow him movement…
It was very convenient.
Silversteel…
Lance stirred, his eyes opening. For a little while now, he had felt the rocks moving away, the land retreating.
It was time.
He stood up, sanguine sliding over his body as he smiled viciously.
Silver still glittered on his body, as he smiled and with a casual motion, flung open the doors of the shrine.
Sunlight and barren land greeted him.
Ah…
So Groudon _had_ razed the area thoroughly. No matter. First, he would find an informant…
End Chapter
Completed 8/15/04
Started 8/14/04
I can’t believe I didn’t post this earlier! *Phantomness slaps her forehead* Oh well…
I’m posting it now!