Another chapter

Disclaimer: Phantomness does not own pokemon. Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me. Don’t take my work!

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

Kairo: *laughing* can you imagine Giovanni as a bishop?

Chapter 2

The door to the great hall opened. Seated around the round table were the knights. Several goblets of wine glittered.

“Please welcome, his eminence, Bishop Giovanni.”

The knights all stood up, including Ashura.

“Well met, noble knights.” Giovanni said. “We have heard great tales of your valor. Your days of service to Kanto-.”

“Day, not days.” Lance interrupted, followed by cheers from the other knights.

Giovanni coughed. “We are greatly indebted to you as the last outpost of freedom for the glory of Kanto.”

Orange Islands might be a good place to retire, Brock was thinking. I could meet a nice girl there…

“However, due to budget constraints, we must leave Johto.”

“What?”

“Excuse me?” Falkner stood up. “You’re pulling out?”

“Yes. We’ve decided that Johto’s not worth saving.”

Bugsy growled. “Then – then all that fighting we did was for nothing! We’re just going to leave this land to those blue-painted barbarians?”

“No.”

“Then what?” Morty whispered silkily.

“This country is not worth the effort to maintain it. Besides, who cares about those blue barbarians – the Ceruleans? Houen is invading from the north.”

Ash stared.

“WHAT?!” Bruno cried.

“I can’t believe this.” Lance intoned.

“Anyways, I have something important to say to your commander, so if you’d all leave…”

“We don’t have any secrets.” Ash protested.

Giovanni glared at him.

Bugsy got up and left the room in a huff. The others followed slowly.

“What is it?” Ash asked, disconcerted.

“Kanto has sent you one last mission.” Giovanni said.

“One last mission?!”

“Yes. You must travel into the Olivine region and rescue a family. Their son, Marcel, is destined to be a great bishop, even Pope.”

“WHAT?!” Ash asked. “On this day? On this day! This was supposed to be the day my men were granted their freedom. Twelve years fighting for Kanto, Giovanni. Twelve years for a cause not their own, for a world that cares not for them! Instead, you ask me to lead them into certain death?”

Giovanni shrugged. “If the legends are true, they should have no problem.”

“And if I refuse?”

Giovanni snapped the box of discharge papers he had brought with him closed. “Then they will be hunted down like dogs. It is your choice.”

Without a word, he left.

Down in the tavern, the men were drinking… and drinking… and a few of them were off whoring, but that wasn’t the point.

Lance tossed a pair of dice, smirking when a seven landed. His opponent cursed and dropped a handful of coins.

Morty threw three daggers at the dartboard on the wall. Two hit dead center. The third missed completely and hit the wall.

Brock laughed.

“I’d like to see you do better.” Morty taunted, taking another gulp from his tankard of ale.

Brock pulled a dagger out of his belt and tossed…

“Hey! Watch it!”

Nearly missing Lorelei. Bruno glared at Brock, who gulped.

Brock ran…

And crashed…

Ash got up shakily, brushing dirt off his legs and torso.

“Ashura!”

“Ashura!” Falkner smiled. “Well met!”

“Freedom!” A random voice said.

Ash sighed inwardly. * What a dilemma… what do I do? It’s death either way, but cut and run has no honor… *

“Knights,” Ash sighed, “We have one last mission.”

Lance looked up, pocketing his dice.

“Yes? What is it? Drinking?” Bruno hefted two tankards of ale. “I’ll go for that!”

Falkner quietly stroked his Pidgeot’s feathers, waiting.

“We have to rescue a family that lives in the Olivine region.”

“What?” Bugsy asked. “I thought our service was over! This is drafting without representation! This is extended service with no benefits! This is… a back door draft! This is tyranny!”

“Let them take care of it… we’re not Kanto’s lapdogs anymore, so why should we obey this order?” Brock growled.

“We have no choice.” Ash sighed.

“I can’t do this, Lorelei’ll kill me!” Bruno slammed a fist into the table. “To hell with Kanto!”

Morty watched impassively. “Refusing is death. If it’s death in battle you fear…”

“I’m not afraid! I’ll go so the rest of you don’t get killed!” Bruno stormed off.

Brock sighed. “I guess I’m in…”

“This is our last mission?” Lance broke in.

Ash nodded, not looking him in the eyes. How could he? Guilt… fear… depression… a deadly mix swirled in his heart.

“Do you swear?”

“You have my word. When we return, your papers to freedom await you.”

“At least your word’s worth more than those stupid Kanto…” Bugsy sighed. “Well, I’m in too then.”

“Morty?”

The man nodded without a word.

“Falkner?”

A faint nod acquiesced.

“Then we leave tomorrow by first light.”

End Chapter

Completed 12/27/04

Shoyko: How depressing… more work for me is coming, I know it!