[I]The Himmadrus
Chapter Zero[/I]
The magnificent crystal chandelier dimly illuminated the vast hall, where a single man sat at a long wooden table meant for twenty-five. He drummed his long, bony fingers casually on the table. He was old, but not ancient with his thinning black hair. His pale skin was creased, and the red cloak he wore around his shoulders was badly aged, its once bright colour was faded and tears could be seen here and there.
A second man entered, younger and larger than the older man. He too wore a red cloak, though his was much newer, and the colour was bright and had a much sharper look to it. He sat down in the chair beside the older man. "Nice night, Idunn?" the younger said, initiating conversation.
The older shrugged his shoulders. "It's alright, I guess. Why are you here?" the older, Idunn asked.
"A variety of reasons. Do you have the time?" the younger, named Hunsi replied.
Idunn smiled. "Of course."
"Why have we allied ourselves with the angels?" Hunsi asked, his voice serious.
"Do you complain? They are very powerful," Idunn asked, puzzled.
"I have no objection to it, but it does not make sense. We are mortal and they are immortal. Why would they want us as allies?" Hunsi asked.
"True, they are immortal, while we are mortal. But you forget that the angels are not from earth, like us. And they are losing their fight with the Evils. And whom can they rely on other than us for power? We are magi; we have magic like them and can use it against the Evils. Earth is their battlefield. They cannot fight in the heavens, because the Evils cannot survive there, just the same as the angels can't survive in the burning hells," Idunn explained, "And the characteristic of being immortal does not give them other special qualities like the ability to grow a new arm or a new leg once it has been severed. If you freeze them, they will not be able to move. They are useless. And despite their awesome powers, there is no spell powerful enough to give them new legs, or to give them their vision back after it's been taken away from them."
Hunsi frowned, and closed his green eyes briefly. "And we will fight alongside them?" he asked, opening his eyes.
"We will," Idunn said, with a shrug.
"Why should we die in a battle that is not ours?" Hunsi said, still confused.
"But it is ours," Idunn said patiently, "The winner will have utmost control over us. Under the angels, our lives are good. Can you imagine what our lives would be like under the Evils?"
"I can't imagine," Hunsi agreed, "but how is it that the humans don't suspect a thing?"
"They don't suspect a thing, but they certainly feel it. Though the humans can't actually [I]see[/I] the battle, they ultimately will feel its effect. Battles take place in a different time, where humans have ceased to exist. Correct?" Hunsi nodded his head in comprehension, and Idunn went on. "The battles take place in the future, very far into the future. The time is unknown, though. There, the battles unfold. Every time one of the angels becomes 'useless,' like when they lose a limb, or lose their vision, then someone will die, an animal will become extinct, or a water source will become contaminated. If a massacre takes place and thousands of angels die, then thousands of humans will die. It's likewise with the Evils, except the opposite. Whereas if one of them dies, a baby will be born, etcetera. Ultimately human existence depends completely on the outcome of this war. Do you see what I'm saying?"
Hunsi nodded his large head slowly. "Will we use magic to fight?" he asked.
Idunn laughed. "Yes, we will. There is no other way for us to fight. We have all been trained since birth to use magic, and it is our strongpoint." A sly grin appeared on his face, and he reached into his cloak and removed a black pistol. "Warfare has changed, my friend. Our predecessors founded this clan that we are part of today and they used swords and shields against human enemies. In those battles, the one who was more skilled and experienced would almost [I]always[/I] win, unless he was unlucky. With guns, often the one who wins is the one who pulls the trigger first. It could take weeks, months to destroy a castle using only simple catapults and other siege weapons. But now, a castle made of the strongest stone can be destroyed in minutes, thanks to artillery. Funny, isn't it?"
"Indeed it is," Hunsi agreed. "Tell me, though, why do you carry a gun when you are so skilled with magic?"
"I use magic on other magi like myself, and on other magical enemies. I can't use magic on a human. If other humans saw me, they would kill me. Humans fear the unknown, Hunsi. That's why I carry a gun," he explained.
"And what about Pokémon?" Hunsi asked, his questions coming to an end.
Idunn shrugged. "I have no use for Pokémon. The Evils and the angels alike would ridicule me if I tried to use one in battle, for Pokémon can be destroyed at the snap of two fingers. And I cannot use them against humans, for they think it is a great sin to use a Pokémon for evil and on other humans. Do you have any more questions for me?"
Hunsi laughed. "None for now at least. I feel belittled by your interminable knowledge."
"I was once like you, Hunsi. You are the second of this great clan, and when I die you will take over for me and appoint your new second. This knowledge that I have told you today was not the product of my own brain, it was the product of my predecessor. One day you may very well repeat similar things to your second," Idunn explained, rising from the wooden chair, "If you'll excuse me, I have other things to attend to."
Hunsi rose from his chair as well, and brought his right fist to his heart in the clan salute. "Himmadrus," he said, reciting the name of the clan.
Idunn brought his fist to his heart, and quickly said the same, though his voice leaked his own impatience.
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"Doctor Sinsira! How are you?" Jason, the new, young and bold leader of Team Rocket exclaimed cheerfully.
"What is it?" the doctor answered, annoyed. Though Jason was his boss and employer, Doctor Robert Sinsira usually had very little, if no time for annoyance and interruptions, no matter who the violator was.
"I just thought I'd check up on your progress, doctor," Jason replied, still grinning despite the minor outburst.
"Experiments. Important ones too," Sinsira answered, still sounding slightly annoyed.
"And what is so important? That is, what are you trying to accomplish with [I]my[/I] money?" Jason asked. His friendly yet intrusive smile remained, though anger was apparent in his voice. He was a busy man, and worked hard. He understood the value of hard work, despite his young age of only twenty- two years. With his dark brown hair, attractive sideburns, his smooth, thin face and his thick brown eyebrows, he was a hit with the ladies as well.
"I'm trying to understand the structure of a Pokémon's brain better. If I understood fully how it worked, I could probably use it to Team Rocket's advantage," Sinsira said, frowning. He pulled a Rattata out of a nearby cage and placed it on the glass table upon which sat his work. He then produced a long, yet thin needle from his lab coat that covered his scrawny body. The thick liquid contained in the needle glowed bright purple.
"What's that?" Jason asked, puzzled.
"It's a forced evolution formula," Sinsira answered, brushing away a bit of his greasy black hair from his blue eyes. In a swift motion, he jabbed the needle into Rattata's small body. Within seconds, the Pokémon began glowing, against its own will. With a slight screech and a bright light, Rattata slowly turned itself into a larger, fiercer Raticate.
"You're going to kill that, aren't you?" Jason asked, slightly disgusted.
"I'm afraid so," Sinsira replied, though regret didn't fill his voice as much as glee and anticipation did. He pulled a large scalpel (though it looked more like a machete than a surgical knife) off the table and swiftly cut the top of the Raticate's head off. Blood gushed out all over the doctor's hands, but was wiped away almost immediately with a dirty lab rag. He then took a scoop and dug into Raticate's head, digging out its brains. He gathered them out, and dropped them into a small, plastic bag.
Jason grimaced at the sight. "I think I'll return to my office now," he said, and left the small laboratory.
Robert Sinsira returned to his work, but was interrupted once more by a second person, this time a woman. A navy business suit clung to her womanly frame, and her long, chestnut brown hair flowed gracefully down to her shoulders. She had big, beautiful brown eyes and to many men was the most beautiful woman they had ever laid eyes upon.
"You scared me, Melissa," the doctor said, slightly annoyed though dopey by the presence of the beautiful woman.
"My apologies, Robert. He's becoming quite a nuisance, isn't he?" the woman, Melissa said, in a low, seductive voice. The "he" she was referring to was their boss, Jason.
Sinsira frowned and then chuckled. "Just like his father," he said.
"Ah yes, Giovanni. Perhaps even more so," Melissa put in.
"Will we 'dispose' of him?" Sinsira asked, slightly eager.
"Not yet," Melissa said cautiously, "It's not really a good time for any of us."
"What should we do then? He's young, and I don't trust him," Sinsira said.
"Robbie, nobody trusts the youthful ones. But until we give him the axe, just do what he says. Follow his orders, and get your work done. Then when the right time comes, we'll get rid of him and I'll campaign to be the new leader of Team Rocket. I should have no trouble getting voted into the lead role of this organization. You just act like you know nothing," Melissa explained, "But right now I've got to get back to work. Jason wants me to plan a raid on a casino in Goldenrod."
"Do you have to go back so soon?" Sinsira pleaded. He liked being in the company of the devilishly attractive woman.
"Well," she said slyly, unbuttoning the top button of her blouse, "Maybe not just yet… You're not a handsome man, Rob, but you'll do."
+++
Chapter Zero[/I]
The magnificent crystal chandelier dimly illuminated the vast hall, where a single man sat at a long wooden table meant for twenty-five. He drummed his long, bony fingers casually on the table. He was old, but not ancient with his thinning black hair. His pale skin was creased, and the red cloak he wore around his shoulders was badly aged, its once bright colour was faded and tears could be seen here and there.
A second man entered, younger and larger than the older man. He too wore a red cloak, though his was much newer, and the colour was bright and had a much sharper look to it. He sat down in the chair beside the older man. "Nice night, Idunn?" the younger said, initiating conversation.
The older shrugged his shoulders. "It's alright, I guess. Why are you here?" the older, Idunn asked.
"A variety of reasons. Do you have the time?" the younger, named Hunsi replied.
Idunn smiled. "Of course."
"Why have we allied ourselves with the angels?" Hunsi asked, his voice serious.
"Do you complain? They are very powerful," Idunn asked, puzzled.
"I have no objection to it, but it does not make sense. We are mortal and they are immortal. Why would they want us as allies?" Hunsi asked.
"True, they are immortal, while we are mortal. But you forget that the angels are not from earth, like us. And they are losing their fight with the Evils. And whom can they rely on other than us for power? We are magi; we have magic like them and can use it against the Evils. Earth is their battlefield. They cannot fight in the heavens, because the Evils cannot survive there, just the same as the angels can't survive in the burning hells," Idunn explained, "And the characteristic of being immortal does not give them other special qualities like the ability to grow a new arm or a new leg once it has been severed. If you freeze them, they will not be able to move. They are useless. And despite their awesome powers, there is no spell powerful enough to give them new legs, or to give them their vision back after it's been taken away from them."
Hunsi frowned, and closed his green eyes briefly. "And we will fight alongside them?" he asked, opening his eyes.
"We will," Idunn said, with a shrug.
"Why should we die in a battle that is not ours?" Hunsi said, still confused.
"But it is ours," Idunn said patiently, "The winner will have utmost control over us. Under the angels, our lives are good. Can you imagine what our lives would be like under the Evils?"
"I can't imagine," Hunsi agreed, "but how is it that the humans don't suspect a thing?"
"They don't suspect a thing, but they certainly feel it. Though the humans can't actually [I]see[/I] the battle, they ultimately will feel its effect. Battles take place in a different time, where humans have ceased to exist. Correct?" Hunsi nodded his head in comprehension, and Idunn went on. "The battles take place in the future, very far into the future. The time is unknown, though. There, the battles unfold. Every time one of the angels becomes 'useless,' like when they lose a limb, or lose their vision, then someone will die, an animal will become extinct, or a water source will become contaminated. If a massacre takes place and thousands of angels die, then thousands of humans will die. It's likewise with the Evils, except the opposite. Whereas if one of them dies, a baby will be born, etcetera. Ultimately human existence depends completely on the outcome of this war. Do you see what I'm saying?"
Hunsi nodded his large head slowly. "Will we use magic to fight?" he asked.
Idunn laughed. "Yes, we will. There is no other way for us to fight. We have all been trained since birth to use magic, and it is our strongpoint." A sly grin appeared on his face, and he reached into his cloak and removed a black pistol. "Warfare has changed, my friend. Our predecessors founded this clan that we are part of today and they used swords and shields against human enemies. In those battles, the one who was more skilled and experienced would almost [I]always[/I] win, unless he was unlucky. With guns, often the one who wins is the one who pulls the trigger first. It could take weeks, months to destroy a castle using only simple catapults and other siege weapons. But now, a castle made of the strongest stone can be destroyed in minutes, thanks to artillery. Funny, isn't it?"
"Indeed it is," Hunsi agreed. "Tell me, though, why do you carry a gun when you are so skilled with magic?"
"I use magic on other magi like myself, and on other magical enemies. I can't use magic on a human. If other humans saw me, they would kill me. Humans fear the unknown, Hunsi. That's why I carry a gun," he explained.
"And what about Pokémon?" Hunsi asked, his questions coming to an end.
Idunn shrugged. "I have no use for Pokémon. The Evils and the angels alike would ridicule me if I tried to use one in battle, for Pokémon can be destroyed at the snap of two fingers. And I cannot use them against humans, for they think it is a great sin to use a Pokémon for evil and on other humans. Do you have any more questions for me?"
Hunsi laughed. "None for now at least. I feel belittled by your interminable knowledge."
"I was once like you, Hunsi. You are the second of this great clan, and when I die you will take over for me and appoint your new second. This knowledge that I have told you today was not the product of my own brain, it was the product of my predecessor. One day you may very well repeat similar things to your second," Idunn explained, rising from the wooden chair, "If you'll excuse me, I have other things to attend to."
Hunsi rose from his chair as well, and brought his right fist to his heart in the clan salute. "Himmadrus," he said, reciting the name of the clan.
Idunn brought his fist to his heart, and quickly said the same, though his voice leaked his own impatience.
+++
"Doctor Sinsira! How are you?" Jason, the new, young and bold leader of Team Rocket exclaimed cheerfully.
"What is it?" the doctor answered, annoyed. Though Jason was his boss and employer, Doctor Robert Sinsira usually had very little, if no time for annoyance and interruptions, no matter who the violator was.
"I just thought I'd check up on your progress, doctor," Jason replied, still grinning despite the minor outburst.
"Experiments. Important ones too," Sinsira answered, still sounding slightly annoyed.
"And what is so important? That is, what are you trying to accomplish with [I]my[/I] money?" Jason asked. His friendly yet intrusive smile remained, though anger was apparent in his voice. He was a busy man, and worked hard. He understood the value of hard work, despite his young age of only twenty- two years. With his dark brown hair, attractive sideburns, his smooth, thin face and his thick brown eyebrows, he was a hit with the ladies as well.
"I'm trying to understand the structure of a Pokémon's brain better. If I understood fully how it worked, I could probably use it to Team Rocket's advantage," Sinsira said, frowning. He pulled a Rattata out of a nearby cage and placed it on the glass table upon which sat his work. He then produced a long, yet thin needle from his lab coat that covered his scrawny body. The thick liquid contained in the needle glowed bright purple.
"What's that?" Jason asked, puzzled.
"It's a forced evolution formula," Sinsira answered, brushing away a bit of his greasy black hair from his blue eyes. In a swift motion, he jabbed the needle into Rattata's small body. Within seconds, the Pokémon began glowing, against its own will. With a slight screech and a bright light, Rattata slowly turned itself into a larger, fiercer Raticate.
"You're going to kill that, aren't you?" Jason asked, slightly disgusted.
"I'm afraid so," Sinsira replied, though regret didn't fill his voice as much as glee and anticipation did. He pulled a large scalpel (though it looked more like a machete than a surgical knife) off the table and swiftly cut the top of the Raticate's head off. Blood gushed out all over the doctor's hands, but was wiped away almost immediately with a dirty lab rag. He then took a scoop and dug into Raticate's head, digging out its brains. He gathered them out, and dropped them into a small, plastic bag.
Jason grimaced at the sight. "I think I'll return to my office now," he said, and left the small laboratory.
Robert Sinsira returned to his work, but was interrupted once more by a second person, this time a woman. A navy business suit clung to her womanly frame, and her long, chestnut brown hair flowed gracefully down to her shoulders. She had big, beautiful brown eyes and to many men was the most beautiful woman they had ever laid eyes upon.
"You scared me, Melissa," the doctor said, slightly annoyed though dopey by the presence of the beautiful woman.
"My apologies, Robert. He's becoming quite a nuisance, isn't he?" the woman, Melissa said, in a low, seductive voice. The "he" she was referring to was their boss, Jason.
Sinsira frowned and then chuckled. "Just like his father," he said.
"Ah yes, Giovanni. Perhaps even more so," Melissa put in.
"Will we 'dispose' of him?" Sinsira asked, slightly eager.
"Not yet," Melissa said cautiously, "It's not really a good time for any of us."
"What should we do then? He's young, and I don't trust him," Sinsira said.
"Robbie, nobody trusts the youthful ones. But until we give him the axe, just do what he says. Follow his orders, and get your work done. Then when the right time comes, we'll get rid of him and I'll campaign to be the new leader of Team Rocket. I should have no trouble getting voted into the lead role of this organization. You just act like you know nothing," Melissa explained, "But right now I've got to get back to work. Jason wants me to plan a raid on a casino in Goldenrod."
"Do you have to go back so soon?" Sinsira pleaded. He liked being in the company of the devilishly attractive woman.
"Well," she said slyly, unbuttoning the top button of her blouse, "Maybe not just yet… You're not a handsome man, Rob, but you'll do."
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