Hope Ch.9
Hope Ch.9
The group looked at their old friend, not sure what was more surprising, the fact that he was alive or the fact that he had no memory of them. Sky looked at Inferno, pleadingly, "Inferno!? It's me Sky."
He looked at her, uncomprehending, "Who?"
Sky looked as if her heart was torn from her body, "Inferno, it's me, your..."
Inferno spat, "Look I'm not sure how you all know me, and I don't care. Just do me a favor and die. I'd rather not waste my time in some battle, which your doomed to lose, so just show your necks."
They all looked at him, shocked, Rika stepped forward, "Inferno, we're your..."
Inferno didn't let her finish, "Like I said I don't care. And since your not gonna show necks, I guess it's battle time. Attack!" The surronding pokemon, and strange humans, moved forward. The group was quickly put on the defensive, dodging attack after attack. Sky was trying to get to Inferno, to make him listen, but it was proving difficult with three of the humans, two arbok, two seviper, and a hitmonchan. The snakes launched a poison sting, while the hitmonchan went into a flurry of punches. Sky was forced back, first by the poison sting, then ducking and weaving around the punches. She was so caught up with the hitmochan that she only noticed the three swords coming down at the last moment, managing to dodge, escaping with a cut to her rear left leg, while the hitmochan went to far forward, getting two swords imbedded into his skull. One of the humans glared at her, "Your fight is in vain. You can't match our might." He charged forward, his blade swinging with little accuracy.
Bane and Rika were together, fighting off five of the humans, four arbok, three seviper, and two tauros. The tauros were stopping about, and trying to gore the two with their horns. The snakes were standing by with the humans, watching the show. Rika easily slipped to the bulls rear, and delivered a powerful zap to him. The tauros cast a deadly gaze at her, and went at her with a passion, intent of putting a hole through her gut. Bane was blasting away at his attackers legs with shadow balls. The force of the stomp attack was weakening, and the bull was loseing his ability to stand. Bane unleashed the coup-de-gra with an iron tail to the knee cap, shattering it and sending the tauros down, bellowing in rage and pain. Rika was doing her best to avoid the barrage of attacks, and was doing well until a misstep got her a caught by a head butt, knocking her to the ground a short distance away. The tauros charged for her, aiming to impale her on his horns, and wave her about like a trophy. As he closed in Bane used a quick attack, picked Rika up with his jaws, leapt over the charging bull, landed and rolled ending on his back, then with a head snap back, launched a hyper beam. The tauros had turned just in time for the attack to tear through both of his right legs. The tauros fell to the ground bellowing in pain, as the blood flowed from the stumps that were his legs. The snakes and humans watching sighed, then jumped into the fray.
Blaze and Tia were stuck with a lunatone, solrock, as well as six humans, four arbok, and four seviper. The lunatone was pressing Tia, while the solrock put it's attention on Blaze. The lunatone began launching ice beams, Tia was just able to dodge them. She used rock throw in response, hitting the floating rock, and stopping the barrage, but only for a moment. Within a few seconds the lunatone was back to blasting the area with ice beams. The solrock was using using tackle, trying to knock Blaze down. The attacks were haveing limited success, but Blaze was low on options, his fire and psychic attacks wouldn't do much. Blaze had no choice but to use hyper beams, so he sent one out. It missed and left him open to a tackle, the solrock, pushed him to the ground then fell back and prepared a solarbeam. Blaze saw he was in trouble and tried a gamble, using confusion. The attack hit but didn't appear to do what he had hoped it would, but then the solrock lost target of Blaze. Tia was still trying to take down the lunatone, when an ice beam struck her leg, freezing it to the ground. As the lunatone prepared another attack it was hit by a solar beam, sending it to the ground where Tia used an iron to finish it off. She then turned to the solrock and launched a hyper beam, Blaze doing the same. The attacks his and sent the solrock hurtleing back, breaking apart as it went. It hit a rock and shattered. Tia and Blaze let out a cheer, but the victory was short lived, the snakes and humans came yelling forward.
It was obvious that these enemies either didn't think much of Burn and Mist, or they didn't know they were with the others. Only four humans, two arbok, and two seviper could be seen on them. Two humans and one of each snake focused on each one. Burn chuckled, "This won't be much fun. You want to take down the whole lot of them?"
Mist smiled, "I wouldn't want to rob you of all the fun." Burn chuckled then they both went into their opponets. Mist used an hydro pump, knocking one of the humans back, she was a bit surprised she had used it herself. The snakes charged her, one got an eyefull of bubble beam, the other sent back by another hydro pump. The remaining human managed to get close, and was preparing to strike down, but the blade met an iron tail, Mist's own, and was knocked from his grasp, twisted around in the air, then fell back down, straight through it's old wielder. The others were back up and went back for her. The one's on Blaze weren't faring much better, they were stuggling to get past his nine iron tails, and meeting no success what so ever. The humans were bashed back, along with the seviper, leaving the arbok alone to face the barrage. Slowly the snake was being beaten apart, and by the time his allies were back on Burn, was dead. The humans rushed in to cut the ninetales up, one meeting a flamethrower and buring to death, the other a quick attack to the gut. The seviper tried a poison tail, but another wave of iron tails knocked it aside along with the snake. Mist had knocked both of the snakes with a single iron tail, and the human was doing his best to strike at her, after being blinded by a bubble beam to the face. He swung widely, missing time and again, until she sent him flying into a tree with a hydro pump, and splatter of blood. The two snakes got up and charged forward, then prepared a iron and poison tail, sending them at her. The poison hit the ground, the iron grazed the top of her head, but missed. Mist used a hydro pump, sending the arbok into a rock, the crack of his spine audiable to everyone, and iron tailed the sevipers head into the ground, creating a spray of blood. The last human and seviper were wary of charging forward, but moved in from two sides. Mist charged for the human, Burn aimed for the seviper. With an iron tail the human lost his blade and fell to another iron tail to the skull. The snake tried to run but was hit by a flamethrower, causing him to scream and thrash as his body burned.
Blaze and Tia were surronded, and panting hard, the humans and snakes ready to charge in and finish this. Tia got an idea, "Blaze get on top of me." Blaze jumped onto her back, she brought her fist down to the ground. A massive quake shook the area, and vicinity around her broke up and shattered sending splinters of stone the size of baseball bats everywhere. The snakes were caught, squeezed, and crushed by the broken earth, while the humans fell one by one, a giant shard of stone embedded somewhere in their bodies. Tia surveyed the area then smiled, Blaze whistled, "remind me never to cross you." She giggled.
Rika and Bane were exhausted, the exertion of takeing down the tauros, the holding up against the snakes and humans, only one serviper being taken down, had left them outta breath. Rika whispered something into Bane's ear, he looked at her unsure, but eventually nodded. She prepared an iron tail, which Bane jumped on, she then sent him high into the air, while she used a shock wave. The attack was powerful, and hit every one of the surronding enemies, the charge lingered on them, causing additional damage. As they let out screams of pain and rage a hyper beam hit, the circled the area, engulfing every one of them. When Bane landed all of their foes were nothing but dust. He staggered a bit but smiled, "I can't believe that worked." Rika smiled at him, giggling.
Sky had cut down all three of the humans, leaving only the four snakes. They charged for her, reading bites, and all missed her as she lept into the sky, and launched an ice beam. One serviper's midsection was frozen to the earth, the other three went up for her. An arbok lost his head as her razor wind cut through him, the frozen serviper joined him in the fate. The last two snakes turned to flee, but another razor wind left a near complete sever, both collasped and died in agony as their blood leaked out.
Inferno had stayed to the sidelines, watching the fight. He smiled, these guys were a lot tougher then they looked. As the last of the attackers were cut down, he chuckled, "Well, I'll admit you guys are pretty strong. But your weak now, what can you do against me?"
Sky looked at him pleadingly, panting hard, "Inferno, please listen..."
He chuckled, "Again you ask me to listen, and again I tell I won't. I don't care what you have to say. All I care about is you dieing." Inferno was about to charge when a fearow swoped in. Inferno stopped his attack short, "What is it?"
The fearow gave a quick bow to Inferno, "Our master want's you to return to the castle. He say's that something of importance has come up." The fearow then took back to the sky, and flew off.
Inferno cursed, "Looks like you fools are pretty lucky. But don't think you'll get off so easy should we meet again." Inferno turned and ran off.
"Inferno!" Sky tried to chase after him, but something long struck in front of her, causing her to stop dead. Out of a nearby tree shot a winged creature, it landed, and chuckled. The group stared in disbelief at the thing, it had the wings of a dragonite, and from its side came two long tentacles. The center of the creature was a mightyena. Bane looked at it in disbelief, "D...Death?"
He smiled, "Nice to see you haven't forgotten what I looked like before I became Carnage. You know, I didn't appreciate you killing that third time." He glared at Bane, "When will you learn? You can't kill me. I'll always come back." He waved his tentacles in a menacing way, "I'm Death, the greatest mightyena in all of existence. I'm the true angle of death. I am perfect."
"You talk too much." A voice souded. A twirling object came out of the bush and struck Death full force in the side of the face. Death went tumbling to the side as the club went into the air, falling back to the ground, just to be caught. A marowak twirled the bone club, a second one was tied to his back. Death glared at him, "Who are you?"
The marowak pointed the club at Death, "I'm known as Link." (copyright Jewelwriter) He took the second bone club and gave it a twirl. Death growled and charged, tentacles flailing. Link went in, wielding the bone clubs as if they were a pair of swords, blocking every attack Death launched. Link slowly worked his way up close, and began striking Death. Blow after blow landed, he was knocking Death around with ease. The twisted mightyena took to the sky, and launched a shadow ball. Link deflected the attack, then with a strike brought up several rocks. Using his clubs he sent each rock up at Death, who easily dodged them, but didn't have as much luck when Link himself came up and hit him with an Iron head. Death tumbled to the earth, as Link launched the Rocks back down at him, creating a makeshift rockslide. Death leaped clear of the rocks, but missed Link coming down on him, delivering a powerful double boneclub. Link lept back and waited for Death's next move. Death rose, glared at Link, then created a smoke screen, escaping in the haze. Link stared after Death before returning the second bone club to it's sheath.
Bane walked up, "Link right? Thanks."
Link turned to face him, "It was obvious that he was among the darker kinds of creatures. I'll stand with any who stand against those of evil."
Rika nodded, "Well you certainly proved that." Link nodded, "So what brought you here?"
"The sounds of battle."
Blaze sighed, "Well thanks, now what? We have a friend trying to kill us."
Sky seemed to come into the conversation just then, "THAT WASN'T INFERNO!!! He'd never want to harm us, never.....threaten me." She lowered her body.
Burn sighed, "I think we have a good idea who took the crown. I'm guessing it's power of resurrection wasn't a bunch of bull. I think we've got a real big problem."
Rika nodded, "That's the only way he couldn't remember us. But there has to be a way to reach him, to get him back to our side."
Bane sighed, "But we don't have any idea how to do that. We're screwed."
Link held up a hand, "Not neccesarily." they all looked at him, Sky did with a glimmer of hope in her eyes, "Not to long ago I passed a very peculiar village. I noticed it was filled with humans much like the ones you have slain." He pointed in the general direction, "If you need a new clue, that would be the best spot." he faced them again, "I'll assist you in this endeavor."
Sky smiled, "Thank you. We'd be grateful." the others nodded.
Mist stepped up, "But first I think we all need some rest. A lot of us aren't in the best of conditions, and the sun is going down."
Link nodded, "Tomorrow, then." He followed them a little way off the road, to a small clearing. They all took to a spot, and layed down, but sleep wasn't coming easy to Rika, Bane, Tia, Blaze, and especially not Sky. They had thought Inferno gone forever, lost to them. But now he was alive and well....and their newest enemy. Sky shuddered, her life was going from bad to worse, she wasn't sure if she had much hope left. None of the old gang did.
The group looked at their old friend, not sure what was more surprising, the fact that he was alive or the fact that he had no memory of them. Sky looked at Inferno, pleadingly, "Inferno!? It's me Sky."
He looked at her, uncomprehending, "Who?"
Sky looked as if her heart was torn from her body, "Inferno, it's me, your..."
Inferno spat, "Look I'm not sure how you all know me, and I don't care. Just do me a favor and die. I'd rather not waste my time in some battle, which your doomed to lose, so just show your necks."
They all looked at him, shocked, Rika stepped forward, "Inferno, we're your..."
Inferno didn't let her finish, "Like I said I don't care. And since your not gonna show necks, I guess it's battle time. Attack!" The surronding pokemon, and strange humans, moved forward. The group was quickly put on the defensive, dodging attack after attack. Sky was trying to get to Inferno, to make him listen, but it was proving difficult with three of the humans, two arbok, two seviper, and a hitmonchan. The snakes launched a poison sting, while the hitmonchan went into a flurry of punches. Sky was forced back, first by the poison sting, then ducking and weaving around the punches. She was so caught up with the hitmochan that she only noticed the three swords coming down at the last moment, managing to dodge, escaping with a cut to her rear left leg, while the hitmochan went to far forward, getting two swords imbedded into his skull. One of the humans glared at her, "Your fight is in vain. You can't match our might." He charged forward, his blade swinging with little accuracy.
Bane and Rika were together, fighting off five of the humans, four arbok, three seviper, and two tauros. The tauros were stopping about, and trying to gore the two with their horns. The snakes were standing by with the humans, watching the show. Rika easily slipped to the bulls rear, and delivered a powerful zap to him. The tauros cast a deadly gaze at her, and went at her with a passion, intent of putting a hole through her gut. Bane was blasting away at his attackers legs with shadow balls. The force of the stomp attack was weakening, and the bull was loseing his ability to stand. Bane unleashed the coup-de-gra with an iron tail to the knee cap, shattering it and sending the tauros down, bellowing in rage and pain. Rika was doing her best to avoid the barrage of attacks, and was doing well until a misstep got her a caught by a head butt, knocking her to the ground a short distance away. The tauros charged for her, aiming to impale her on his horns, and wave her about like a trophy. As he closed in Bane used a quick attack, picked Rika up with his jaws, leapt over the charging bull, landed and rolled ending on his back, then with a head snap back, launched a hyper beam. The tauros had turned just in time for the attack to tear through both of his right legs. The tauros fell to the ground bellowing in pain, as the blood flowed from the stumps that were his legs. The snakes and humans watching sighed, then jumped into the fray.
Blaze and Tia were stuck with a lunatone, solrock, as well as six humans, four arbok, and four seviper. The lunatone was pressing Tia, while the solrock put it's attention on Blaze. The lunatone began launching ice beams, Tia was just able to dodge them. She used rock throw in response, hitting the floating rock, and stopping the barrage, but only for a moment. Within a few seconds the lunatone was back to blasting the area with ice beams. The solrock was using using tackle, trying to knock Blaze down. The attacks were haveing limited success, but Blaze was low on options, his fire and psychic attacks wouldn't do much. Blaze had no choice but to use hyper beams, so he sent one out. It missed and left him open to a tackle, the solrock, pushed him to the ground then fell back and prepared a solarbeam. Blaze saw he was in trouble and tried a gamble, using confusion. The attack hit but didn't appear to do what he had hoped it would, but then the solrock lost target of Blaze. Tia was still trying to take down the lunatone, when an ice beam struck her leg, freezing it to the ground. As the lunatone prepared another attack it was hit by a solar beam, sending it to the ground where Tia used an iron to finish it off. She then turned to the solrock and launched a hyper beam, Blaze doing the same. The attacks his and sent the solrock hurtleing back, breaking apart as it went. It hit a rock and shattered. Tia and Blaze let out a cheer, but the victory was short lived, the snakes and humans came yelling forward.
It was obvious that these enemies either didn't think much of Burn and Mist, or they didn't know they were with the others. Only four humans, two arbok, and two seviper could be seen on them. Two humans and one of each snake focused on each one. Burn chuckled, "This won't be much fun. You want to take down the whole lot of them?"
Mist smiled, "I wouldn't want to rob you of all the fun." Burn chuckled then they both went into their opponets. Mist used an hydro pump, knocking one of the humans back, she was a bit surprised she had used it herself. The snakes charged her, one got an eyefull of bubble beam, the other sent back by another hydro pump. The remaining human managed to get close, and was preparing to strike down, but the blade met an iron tail, Mist's own, and was knocked from his grasp, twisted around in the air, then fell back down, straight through it's old wielder. The others were back up and went back for her. The one's on Blaze weren't faring much better, they were stuggling to get past his nine iron tails, and meeting no success what so ever. The humans were bashed back, along with the seviper, leaving the arbok alone to face the barrage. Slowly the snake was being beaten apart, and by the time his allies were back on Burn, was dead. The humans rushed in to cut the ninetales up, one meeting a flamethrower and buring to death, the other a quick attack to the gut. The seviper tried a poison tail, but another wave of iron tails knocked it aside along with the snake. Mist had knocked both of the snakes with a single iron tail, and the human was doing his best to strike at her, after being blinded by a bubble beam to the face. He swung widely, missing time and again, until she sent him flying into a tree with a hydro pump, and splatter of blood. The two snakes got up and charged forward, then prepared a iron and poison tail, sending them at her. The poison hit the ground, the iron grazed the top of her head, but missed. Mist used a hydro pump, sending the arbok into a rock, the crack of his spine audiable to everyone, and iron tailed the sevipers head into the ground, creating a spray of blood. The last human and seviper were wary of charging forward, but moved in from two sides. Mist charged for the human, Burn aimed for the seviper. With an iron tail the human lost his blade and fell to another iron tail to the skull. The snake tried to run but was hit by a flamethrower, causing him to scream and thrash as his body burned.
Blaze and Tia were surronded, and panting hard, the humans and snakes ready to charge in and finish this. Tia got an idea, "Blaze get on top of me." Blaze jumped onto her back, she brought her fist down to the ground. A massive quake shook the area, and vicinity around her broke up and shattered sending splinters of stone the size of baseball bats everywhere. The snakes were caught, squeezed, and crushed by the broken earth, while the humans fell one by one, a giant shard of stone embedded somewhere in their bodies. Tia surveyed the area then smiled, Blaze whistled, "remind me never to cross you." She giggled.
Rika and Bane were exhausted, the exertion of takeing down the tauros, the holding up against the snakes and humans, only one serviper being taken down, had left them outta breath. Rika whispered something into Bane's ear, he looked at her unsure, but eventually nodded. She prepared an iron tail, which Bane jumped on, she then sent him high into the air, while she used a shock wave. The attack was powerful, and hit every one of the surronding enemies, the charge lingered on them, causing additional damage. As they let out screams of pain and rage a hyper beam hit, the circled the area, engulfing every one of them. When Bane landed all of their foes were nothing but dust. He staggered a bit but smiled, "I can't believe that worked." Rika smiled at him, giggling.
Sky had cut down all three of the humans, leaving only the four snakes. They charged for her, reading bites, and all missed her as she lept into the sky, and launched an ice beam. One serviper's midsection was frozen to the earth, the other three went up for her. An arbok lost his head as her razor wind cut through him, the frozen serviper joined him in the fate. The last two snakes turned to flee, but another razor wind left a near complete sever, both collasped and died in agony as their blood leaked out.
Inferno had stayed to the sidelines, watching the fight. He smiled, these guys were a lot tougher then they looked. As the last of the attackers were cut down, he chuckled, "Well, I'll admit you guys are pretty strong. But your weak now, what can you do against me?"
Sky looked at him pleadingly, panting hard, "Inferno, please listen..."
He chuckled, "Again you ask me to listen, and again I tell I won't. I don't care what you have to say. All I care about is you dieing." Inferno was about to charge when a fearow swoped in. Inferno stopped his attack short, "What is it?"
The fearow gave a quick bow to Inferno, "Our master want's you to return to the castle. He say's that something of importance has come up." The fearow then took back to the sky, and flew off.
Inferno cursed, "Looks like you fools are pretty lucky. But don't think you'll get off so easy should we meet again." Inferno turned and ran off.
"Inferno!" Sky tried to chase after him, but something long struck in front of her, causing her to stop dead. Out of a nearby tree shot a winged creature, it landed, and chuckled. The group stared in disbelief at the thing, it had the wings of a dragonite, and from its side came two long tentacles. The center of the creature was a mightyena. Bane looked at it in disbelief, "D...Death?"
He smiled, "Nice to see you haven't forgotten what I looked like before I became Carnage. You know, I didn't appreciate you killing that third time." He glared at Bane, "When will you learn? You can't kill me. I'll always come back." He waved his tentacles in a menacing way, "I'm Death, the greatest mightyena in all of existence. I'm the true angle of death. I am perfect."
"You talk too much." A voice souded. A twirling object came out of the bush and struck Death full force in the side of the face. Death went tumbling to the side as the club went into the air, falling back to the ground, just to be caught. A marowak twirled the bone club, a second one was tied to his back. Death glared at him, "Who are you?"
The marowak pointed the club at Death, "I'm known as Link." (copyright Jewelwriter) He took the second bone club and gave it a twirl. Death growled and charged, tentacles flailing. Link went in, wielding the bone clubs as if they were a pair of swords, blocking every attack Death launched. Link slowly worked his way up close, and began striking Death. Blow after blow landed, he was knocking Death around with ease. The twisted mightyena took to the sky, and launched a shadow ball. Link deflected the attack, then with a strike brought up several rocks. Using his clubs he sent each rock up at Death, who easily dodged them, but didn't have as much luck when Link himself came up and hit him with an Iron head. Death tumbled to the earth, as Link launched the Rocks back down at him, creating a makeshift rockslide. Death leaped clear of the rocks, but missed Link coming down on him, delivering a powerful double boneclub. Link lept back and waited for Death's next move. Death rose, glared at Link, then created a smoke screen, escaping in the haze. Link stared after Death before returning the second bone club to it's sheath.
Bane walked up, "Link right? Thanks."
Link turned to face him, "It was obvious that he was among the darker kinds of creatures. I'll stand with any who stand against those of evil."
Rika nodded, "Well you certainly proved that." Link nodded, "So what brought you here?"
"The sounds of battle."
Blaze sighed, "Well thanks, now what? We have a friend trying to kill us."
Sky seemed to come into the conversation just then, "THAT WASN'T INFERNO!!! He'd never want to harm us, never.....threaten me." She lowered her body.
Burn sighed, "I think we have a good idea who took the crown. I'm guessing it's power of resurrection wasn't a bunch of bull. I think we've got a real big problem."
Rika nodded, "That's the only way he couldn't remember us. But there has to be a way to reach him, to get him back to our side."
Bane sighed, "But we don't have any idea how to do that. We're screwed."
Link held up a hand, "Not neccesarily." they all looked at him, Sky did with a glimmer of hope in her eyes, "Not to long ago I passed a very peculiar village. I noticed it was filled with humans much like the ones you have slain." He pointed in the general direction, "If you need a new clue, that would be the best spot." he faced them again, "I'll assist you in this endeavor."
Sky smiled, "Thank you. We'd be grateful." the others nodded.
Mist stepped up, "But first I think we all need some rest. A lot of us aren't in the best of conditions, and the sun is going down."
Link nodded, "Tomorrow, then." He followed them a little way off the road, to a small clearing. They all took to a spot, and layed down, but sleep wasn't coming easy to Rika, Bane, Tia, Blaze, and especially not Sky. They had thought Inferno gone forever, lost to them. But now he was alive and well....and their newest enemy. Sky shuddered, her life was going from bad to worse, she wasn't sure if she had much hope left. None of the old gang did.