I know, I’m taking a plot I thought up for my co-working web comic but at this point I’m desperate for plotbunnies! Besides, I never copy anything completely.

*Locks plotbunny in a platinum cage*

Disclaimer: Yes, I own pokemon. In fact, I drew Shogakukan Comics by hand and I’m the founder of Nintendo! Not… in any case, I only own this non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic…

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

Summary: AU fic. Pokemon were wiped out long ago, humans almost gone. So to ‘play god’, as such, the humans began creating creatures… later titled as ‘beasts’, to do their dirty work. But then they got too lazy… and the wars began…

Now, four organizations stand in the rubble of what was once a proud world…

Valhalla – This is where humans have banded together to survive. No beasts, as such. Unfortunately, these are mostly mundane, everyday people with no war experience… this is in the Orange Islands.

Leiliang – A small group of highly specialized, intelligent scientists and the loyal, mindless creatures they have created to fight for them. Their base is in the Houen landmass, where they are mostly left alone.

Team Aquarius – A team of cooperating warrior-type humans and creations who fight for high ideals such as mercy and peace. Their base is in Kanto. They are mostly terrorists though, with a small force as well.

Akutsuki – This is where all the strongest – as well as most vengeful – of the ‘beasts’ have gathered. However, many humans have been lured into joining a replica that promises protection and world peace.

Chapter 1

“What news?”

The messenger panted slightly, his brown-and-white wings still ruffled from the rapid flight through forest and pursuing mutants. “Valhalla is about to fall, Commander. Our siege is drawing to a close.”

“Is Leiliang interfering?”

“No, they rarely do.” The boy replied. “Leiliang is more of a harmless organization…”

“In some senses, yes. Dismissed.”

Falkner nodded as he exited.

There was no news of Team Aquarius to report either.

“So should we just leave them?”

“Red, I want you to take two with you to Valhalla. It should only take a week before it falls, but I do not like false security.”

“Hai.” The boy replied. His blood-red eyes were startlingly childlike, and he wore a simple t-shirt and jeans.

Lance stood, steel wings sliding behind him with a rasping sound. “I trust you will not fail.”

“Hai.”

He collected two others and they vanished in teleport’s blue glow.

Their leader stood silent, golden eyes angered.

You created me and then you threw me away when I wasn’t perfect… how does a nine-year old child win against sixteen armed men, after you have locked his talents?

How?

Death?

It does not matter anymore. Now _I_ have you where I want you, and it is time for revenge… no, that sounds too fake.

I am the master now, humans.

With a slight sigh, he undid the strings on the silver dragon mask he wore all the time – its image seared into human’s minds, creating fear.

Havoc.

I will bring death to you.

“Mommy, I’m scared…”

“Shh…” Misty warned, as her two-year-old baby girl clung to her. “I know, I know…”

“Where’s daddy?”

“He… he won’t be coming home.”

“Why?”

“Because…” Oh, how to explain war and death to a child? How? She did not have the words to say.

She simply held her daughter close and hoped for the best, even though it was useless. All in Valhalla knew that Akutsuki – first a whispered name in fear, than acknowledged as an organization hell bent on killing every human on earth – was running the show.

They would not stop until all lay dead.

Was it our fault then, for creating them first?

We shouldn’t have played God…

Should have noticed that the pokemon’s disappearance meant something! Instead, we created our own… humans with powers to use as pokemon, for the same purpose. Battling for others, to gain what?

Fame… glory… power… wealth…

Life…

We took their lives, a penny a dozen, they were cheap to make and no one cared what became of them.

It was not until later, when one was born with a flicker of intelligence… and care.

That was where the process went wrong.

Whitney was not a normal human being.

Not only was her pink hair a dead giveaway, the extra pair of eyes on the back of her head proclaimed her a freak to the world.

That was before she met him.

He was like her, and yet not really. He was different, but the same.

Green scales covered his legs, and he could spit fire.

But it did not matter.

“Brendan?”

“What is it?”

“Do you feel any regret?”

Brendan coughed, looked sideways at Red, who was staring at the burning city without any visible emotion.

“No.”

The fire was pretty.

He wasn’t scared, not at all. He would fight for Lance, because he owed him a life-debt.

Red sighed, remembering when he had been using his transformation powers to show off for Misty, a girl he had been crushing on for weeks, so long ago… was it really that long ago?

She had screamed and freaked out and her father was a police officer who had hit him and shot him and…

And… he hadn’t bothered to fight back.

He had thought she might love him in spite of his being a ‘freak’.

Oh, how wrong he had been…

In any case, being able to transform did not make him invulnerable… so he had waited for darkness to claim him.

It hadn’t.

Screams and the gurgle of blood sounded in his ears as he opened his eyes.

A boy who was not much older than he was with shiny steel wings stood there. Blades were embedded in both misty and her father’s bodies.

He screamed.

He screamed and screamed and tried to get away, but the other spotted him and held him fast.

And… then he fainted. Blood loss? Shock? An attack? It was up for grabs.

He came to when he woke up on a bed.

His wounds were gone, only a faint remembrance of pains any indication they had once been there.

“So, you’re awake.”

He met golden eyes and backed up, afraid. Was he going to die now?

No… he was another wasn’t he? You don’t kill those whom you just rescued, right? But why?

“Why did you save me?”

“I need your power.”

“… What?”

“I need your power to cleanse the world of humanity’s evil.” That statement was cool, clear, and simple.

Still…

He wanted to leave, to escape, after that, but he didn’t.

After all, he owed Lance a life-debt.

But then, he was glad he hadn’t, because… then he didn’t have to see.

Lance spared him all the gory details and simply told him clipped, concise facts.

It helped.

So he became colder and didn’t have to see. He fought with skill but without passion, and Lance didn’t mind.

Lance saved him in either case.

So now, he put his headphones on, and listened to the music of Mozart’s clarinet concerto wash over his body in a smooth, calm wave.

Before him, the city burned.

He liked pretty things. Lance understood, and often sent him the prettiest little flowers, so nice…

I like pretty things. Flowers and diamonds and butterflies are so pretty…

End Chapter

Completed 7/16/04