Look, tis chapter 12!

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

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

Chapter 12

Alas, even the most eloquent of them, Erika, could say nothing to sway the jury from their decision. She was quite sure that the entire council had already been bought, though who was paying for it she knew not. Ash Ketchum, or so he called himself, was scheduled to be executed the very next day.

Misty sobbed as Brock led her home, patting her awkwardly on the shoulder. His own heart was as heavy as stone.

What were they to do now? Break him out? If they did, they would be aiding a known traitor of the league. But Red couldn’t be a traitor!
Sabrina knew, as soon as she had met his eyes, that this ‘Ash Ketchum’ was not Red at all, simply another trainer that looked a lot like him. The only pokemon they had in common was Pikachu, after all.

But she could do nothing in public.

That night, a strange lethargy stole over all the guards in the Indigo prison. Two figures on the back of a flying pokemon dropped in. They found Ash Ketchum fast asleep, and took off with him. The only clue the security cameras could give was that one of the figures had red hair.

The suspicion immediately fell on Misty. Even her ardent protests that she had been at Brock’s all night were no help.

They denounced both of them as traitors. They were demanded to hand over their gym badges. Temporary trainers would take over their gyms until the ‘investigation’ finished. They were given twenty-four hours to report to Indigo Plateau or be hunted down. That was too much for them to take.

The next morning, every single pokemon gym was empty. All the gym leaders and their followers were gone. Vanished.

The league council was furious.

Meanwhile, on Cerise Island, introductions were taking place. Admittedly, it was a bit of a stretch to fit all the extra guests, but this was just the break they needed.

Without the gym leaders and gym trainers to protect the cities, only a few trainers remained. It was time.

Even without Giovanni’s Earth Badge, the scene had to complete.

That night, the Elite Four sent their armies.

“More tea?”

“Certainly.” Erika poured for Lorelei and Misty, listening to their discussion of ice and water pokémon and occasionally interjecting a helpful comment. Sabrina and Koga – accompanied by Green and Oak, who had decided that the restrictions were way too harsh now – what were they going to do next, ban pokémon training completely?

What a horrible thought.

Bill had rather jammed up the works, disabling the pokemon transfer devices all over Kanto and Johto. He and his pokémon had arrived laden with all the extras.

Blue and Silver had returned from Johto. It was no longer safe there. Kanto was playing Johto’s government like puppets… even in their desolate training grounds, danger lurked.

The Johto gym leaders had not yet fled their posts, but at the first sign of oppression, they would follow the examples of their acquaintances in Kanto. It was only a matter of time…

Time was running out.

Devastation painted bloody pictures across the land as the Governing Council wailed. The few trainers who yet remained stayed out of the cities. They did not know the why, but they guessed, and silently, they applauded.

For it was past time for the council to fall.

President Bruce Goodman shivered as he and the rest of the council watched the pokemon army milling around their building. They had men guarding every window and doorway, but how long could they hold out?

It was like a siege…

Lance smirked as he watched though the eyes of a thousand dragons. Agatha and Lorelei slept, their minds elsewhere, directing their armies. And Red, he was magnificent… leading the head of the army left, various pokemon, not just one type like the others were constrained to…

The cities had already fallen. Now, Red and the pokemon waited outside of Indigo Plateau.

“Should we perhaps send someone out to parley?” A frightened woman asked.

Bruce Goodman frowned. “Those vicious pokemon would probably slaughter us all.” He muttered.

Few of the Indigo Council kept pokemon with them. They found it below their status, which was completely odd, as the whole region was based on pokémon.

“There’s a messenger Hoothoot approaching from Johto.” One of the men guarding the windows said.

“Oh? Well, let it in, but do be careful!”

The Hoothoot flew in. None of the pokemon outside made a move to attack it.

Bruce Goodman unwrapped the note, and then dropped it in shock. He fell over, foaming in the mouth.

“President! Sir!”

The President continued to lie there, stricken, as it were. The man closest snatched up the note. A moment later, he gave a wounded howl and slumped to the floor.

Red inspected his nails as he watched the virus inside destroy the council. Admittedly, it was cruel, but Bruce Goodman would not die for a good while yet.

Only the power of Viridian could save him now, but the ones who held it were in no position to heal.

Viridian had stripped her gift from those not fighting.

Lance watched blue lights dance over his fingers as the injured dragons trailed in. He touched them, smiled… and their wounds closed up, leaving no mark…

“It is ending.” Sabrina calmly watched. “And when they are dead, we shall rebuild. It will be a much better place.”

“The cities will be smaller.”

“Of course! The population is much less. And we shall learn to live with pokemon. Those that cannot will be exterminated.”

The Elite Four and the gym leaders shared smiles. Even those who were softhearted were there no longer. War could be a harsh teacher.

Red waited outside of the Plateau. They would have to give out eventually. Already, spies were being sent through the smallest crevices. The Grimer and Muk, and Dittos that could shape shift into the unwary fool who ventured outside.

There was no compassion left for them.

Slowly, the numbers dwindled.

And what of Ash Ketchum? Well, no one saw him again, so it was assumed he was hiding or dead.

End Chapter

Completed 6/8/06

How quickly time passes when you’re having fun. How slowly it passes in school!