Warnings: Death
Dani closed her eyes before pulling the mask over her face. She was a ninjask half-breed, a peculiar mix, but it yielded great benefits. This robbery would make seven banks, and thirty million dollars. That was more than enough to get across the border and sponsor their movement. She looked at her partners in the van. Her rough crew of half-breeds was a force to be feared
In the driver's seat was Donny, the leader of the little escapade, a half-vaporeon and cool as ice. If he ever lost his head, it was best not to be in the line of fire. In the passengers seat tapping on a laptop was Tonia, the half-alakasam, and brains of the team. She was responsible for everything technological of the heists. Last, but not least, was Strongarm, or Arms to his friends. He is a German half-machoke, and the muscle of the team.
Dani had no more time to think as the van screeched to a halt. Donny looked back and pulled his black bandits mask over his eyes. He gave the group an encouraging smile, then turned to Tonia.
"Yeah, yeah." She said, "Go straight in, down the hall on your right, third door on your left, and straight back. The vault has two security guards." Donny nodded and looked back at Arms and Dani.
"Ok you two, clean and sharp just like always. First, I will freeze the doors and Arms will bust them down. Make it fancy, try to startle, but no hurt the bystanders." He told us. Arms saluted mockingly.
"Aye, aye chief. Watz du you want wit de guards?" His accent lay thick in his voice. Donny looked at Dani.
"As soon as the doors are down, use extremespeed. Gather all their guns, side-arms too. When you have them all stop in the middle of the room. Command everyone on the floor. That should be all that is needed, but stay in the building just in case. Got it?" They both nodded. "Alright, move!"
The van doors opened and the three man crew jumped out and ran at the bank doors. Donny started firing an ice beam against the door, freezing it in its frame. Dani got a glimpse of First Pokemon National Bank before Arms hurled himself against the ice. The moment it was broken Dani took off. Flying through the lobby, she collected the primaries and secondaries of the thirteen guards. She let them all clatter to the floor except for a shotgun and assault rifle, which she now pointed into the mass of people.
"Everyone, your day just got a little more exciting. Get your asses on the ground!" As her feminine voice rang out people began to drop, hands behind their heads. As they did this Donny calmly walked in followed by arms.
"Excuse me everyone, may I have your attention?" All eyes turned to him, "Thank you. We will be taking all your money. Rest assured, it is going to a good cause. Dani, would you mind taking care of the guards blocking the vault?" She disappeared for a moment, then returned with two unconscious guards. "Excellent, now feel free to inform the police of our arrival, I promise we will be long gone before they arrive. Five minutes of your time, I promise." He walked calmly away, down the right hallway with Arms in tow. The people turned to Dani frightfully. One brave woman spoke up.
"I know y-y-you." Her voice cracked, "Your the Half-breed Endorsement and Liberation Legion." Dani smiled and walked over to her. She paused at the sound of ripping metal and grinned.
"That's right," she said, "We are HELL, and we must be going." Strongarm came around the corner carrying several pallets of money bags. Donny was smiling. When he reached the door he gave a small bow.
"I so enjoyed your hospitality, but we really must get going. When the police arrived, tell them you had a brush with HELL." He walked out behind Arms. Dani waited a few seconds, then backed away slowly. When she was five feet from the door she dropped the guns and ran for the van, which was already driving down the highway, back door open. She easily caught up with extreme speed and jumped, slamming the door behind her. The open space that had once been the back of the van was now filled with money.
"So," Dani glared at Donny, "couldn't even wait for me?" Everyone shared a laugh before Donny turned serious again. Pulling off his mask he sighed.
"Were finally done. Now we just need to get our asses to Canada, where are kind is accepted. Thirty million dollars should be enough to fund HELL for a while, maybe until half-breeds and pokephilia is allowed in the good ole U.S. of A. Right now though, were on the run." He sighed and settled in for long drive from Louisiana to the northern border. Everyone got more comfortable and Dani closed her eyes, and began to reflect on her life up to now, deciding to write an autobiography when this was all over.
Her name was Dani. She was born in Mississippi, daughter to Paul Smith, a police officer, and his pokemon, a ninjask named Danielle. The relationship of different species was and still is forbidden in Mississippi, and as a result the small family had moved to San Francisco, California, one of the few places that allowed interspecies relationships. Despite its allowance, many people still opposed it and beatings and abuse were regular sites.
Because of this hate towards what some called "an affront to God," Dani's family was hounded by "sweepers", people who attempted to forge some kind of evidence against people that do not conform, to have them imprisoned. The Smith's tried to stay a quiet family, and thus were immune to threats from the sweepers. Eventually they turned to violence, and Danielle was killed in an assault on their home. In fear, Paul fled to South Dakota with Dani, who was only two at the time, where pokephilia was not only legal, but publicly accepted.
There Dani grew to be a strong individual, proud of her heritage, and quick to stop insults thrown her way. Her fiery spirit caught the eye, and the heart, of Steve Clarrison. By this point Dani had blossomed into a fine young lady of eighteen. Steve, nineteen and already a successful business owner, married her and together they moved back to California, determined to right the wrongs of so many people.
Together they formed a coalition, Half-breed Endorsement and Acceptance Legion, or HEAL. They lived peacefully for four years, despite many death threats, and soon had a child of their own on the way. Unfortunately, tension was still high on the subject of interspecies relationships, and the public announcement of the coming child didn't go well with the public.
On one unfortunate day, the very pregnant Dani was shopping in an open market with Steve. An angry mob had attacked them before they had time to realize what was happening. By time the police had shown up, too much damage had been done. Dani had to be dragged away from her dead husband, beaten to death. Her pokemon heritage had given her more resistance, but her unborn baby was not so lucky. When news of this reached her, she broke. Mentally and spiritually. Unable to care for herself, she was sent back to her father, now twenty-six.
Ridden with grief, she refused food, did not sleep, and turned away doctors and psychiatrists. It was expected she would die before her twenty-seventh birthday. It was then she heard of HELL, the Half-breed Endorsement and Liberation Legion, supposedly a more forceful form of her own legion. The news of this lifted her spirits, and she began to search for HELL. They found her first though, enlisting her for their cause. Under the leadership of Donny, and along side Strongarm and Tonia, she made a name for herself. They traveled among the southern states, robbing banks as they went. There goal was to get the money to fund HELL and finally put an end to the segregation of pokemon and their children.
She left without a good-bye to her father, and was left with only the words he threw at her as she jumped into the back of the fated van.
"I swear to you, if you try to cross that border, I will stop you myself. Heed my words well, for as an officer, I am not forgiving to outlaws. Today, that is what are you are, and shall remain until your death, Dani California." And thus she is known today, Dani California, the liberator.
Dani opened her eyes, satisfied with the synopsis of her life. Now, at thirty years of age, she found herself hurtling towards her goal at sixty miles a hour. From Louisiana they would take at least three days to reach South Dakota. Dani lay back to sleep, her dreams filled with her father in those last few moments before she left him, and the possibility that he would keep his word to stop her.
Dani jumped with a bump in the road. They had reached the badlands of South Dakota and were driving through the desert. Dani couldn't help but think back to her father's promise to stop her. She shivered slightly at the thought. Tonia looked at.
"You ok? You've been getting increasingly more uncomfortable as we neared here. What's wrong?" Dani just shook her head and looked away. She knew her father could find her. At an early age he had captured her in a pokeball. It was safety precaution, with a pokedex on could monitor her location, health, even progress in knowledge. But that same technology that was used to protect her so long ago could now be used to ruin her dream. Her father could, and would keep his promise. Dani turned to Donny.
"Hey, Donny? Could you tell me if you see any other cars out there? No matter what?" He looked surprised and laughed.
"We're in the middle of a desert in the South Dakota badlands. Even I willbe worried if I-" He was cut-off in surprise when a station wagon pulled itself out of the desert haze. He slammed on the breaks and watched as the car slowly came up beside them. Dani sighed when a familiar face climbed out of driver's seat. "Dani, who the fuck is that?" Donny asked, more than a little freaked out now.
"My father." Dani sighed again, climbing out the back of the van, "You guys keep going, I'll catch up. Or not." With that she slammed the van doors and watched it slowly drive away. She turned to her father. She didn't even flinch when she found her self string down the barrel of a .45.
"You shouldn't have come back, Dani. I told you I would do this if it was necessary. After I have stopped you, I'm going to have to stop your friends too." Paul's voice was calm. He had no fear in his eyes. Dani smiled.
"You did promise you would be here, waiting. It's good to see you, dad. Now, I'm going to go catch up with my team. Please don't try to stop us." They stared at each other for a long time. Dani looked at the wrinkles carved into the old man's face, old and new. His thinning white hair was covered with a black silk cowboy hat. Dani remembered that he only wore that hat on very important occasions. The last time was when her mother had been killed, and he had worn it in mourning. She came to the conclusion that he was determined to stop her this time.
"Don't do this Dani." His usually gruff voice soft with an inner pain. He lowered the pistol to his hip, but it never faced away from her. "You can't blame the world for what happens. There is nothing stealing and violence will do to correct the wrongs, only make them worse. You need to stop, you just need to stop and rest, Dani California." Dani turned to leave. She heard the hammer of the gun pull back. "If you take that step, it will be your last." She took a step in the direction of the van.
The shot rang out loud and clear. Dani felt no pain when the bullet hit, only a sudden release, bordering on ecstasy. She fell slowly, face first to watch the ground come to meet her. Before she hit she found herself bathed in light, blinded by its beauty. There was her mother, and Steve, and even her unborn child, all smiling at her. She smiled too, reaching her arms out to hold them in eternal embrace.
Paul watched as Dani's body fell to the ground with a soft thump, in sharp contrast to the gunshot ringing in his ears. Sighing he went to her and lifted her body, carrying it back to the car.
"Now your soul may rest Dani, rest forever Dani California."
Donny and the crew heard the shot ring out, but did not stop. Dani had warned them of this day. They knew what had just happened and would mourn her. Arms gave out a long, pained sob. In it he expressed the emotions of anyone who Dani California. Only now did Donny realize what she had meant to him, only know that she was gone. He looked at Tonia, who was for once not typing away at her keyboard.
"We will remember her," he said, "People will know her story, and her battles for our rights. You may not know this, but I always wanted to be a musician. Now I'm going to right a song for her, my first song and greatest. It be a story of her life, how she would have wanted it." He closed his eyes for a moment, just like Dani always did. He opened them and began singing.
"Gettin' born in the state of Mississippi, papa was a copper..." He sang her song over and over again, being sure to keep it in his mind for when he could finally write it down. He promised himself the name Dani California would be well known.
Donny was lying on the roof of his van, watching the Canadian stars. The others were sound asleep in the one-room house nearby, but he always thought best at night. Now he lay awake, contemplating the future, and treasuring the past.
It had been two weeks since he had heard that gun shot, but it remained in his memory, permanently engraved next to the face of her. He would never admit it to anyone, but he had loved her, deeply loved her. He loved her to the point that he felt himself falling apart, just from the thought that he would never have the chance to tell her the truth.
"Dani California." The name was like bittersweet berries, rolling across his tongue in dismal bliss, wonderful, but agonizingly so. He could no longer restrain himself, the tears flowed from his eyes, leaving puddles of salty pain beside his face. He didn't know how long he cried, but it didn't feel long enough. He had not expressed enough emotion be fore the sun began its slow crawl across the sky.
He gave no thought to the sleep he had ignored, misery has that effect, but went inside to pretend to sleep until the others awoke. He had plans for them today. He needed to do something, no longer could he sit like a lump, simply feeding money into his organization was seemingly pointless. It needed action to back up the words.
Tania was the first to rise, immediately heading to her computer. She tapped out a steady beat before looking over her shoulder at his form.
"I know you are awake, Donny, you can't hide very much from a psychic." He rolled onto his side and propped himself up on an elbow. They watched each other for a moment before Tania returned to typing. Donny knew what she was doing.
"How goes the Legion?" He asked. She paused in her typing for only a moment.
"Membership has gone up three-hundred percent in the last week... a riot started two days ago, ended violently, the members used our name... and we are out fifteen million dollars." Donny shot up in surprise. "Fifteen million dollars?" That was half the money they had raised for HELL. He stared at Tania. "Don't give me that look. It isn't cheap to pay off the authorities. They were going to issue a warrant for our arrest because of that riot." She said smartly. He lowered his head, deep in thought. It was obvious they were going to need to rob another bank. This time, though, it would need to be big. One of the central banks in Bismark, North Dakota should do. He rose just as Arms woke up.
"So, what er ve doing today, boss?" Arms' accent was heavy, but understandable.
"We are hitting them where it hurts. We are going to rob North Dakota International." He said grinning. Both Tonia and Arms gasped loudly. NDI was well known for its ultra-advanced security systems. In the thief community, it was said that is a fly flew into the vault, the police were on scene in five minutes. Donny didn't know if he believed that, but he knew this was going to be challenge.
"It can't be that hard," he said, "Your just going to have to do more then computer work, Tonia. You can still use teleport, right?" In response she disappeared, then reappeared next to him. "Excellent, now lets get moving." He turned towards the door. The other two looked at each other.
"Vut, boss," Arms said, "How can ve pull a heist vithout Dani?" Donny froze in the doorway. He turned back slowly, resting a glare on the machoke-morph.
"This is what she wanted. For HELL to be formed and right the wrongs of society. We need money to do it. Now, let's go." This time they followed without question, scared of the malice and pain in Donny's voice.
The ride south was quiet. They were all thinking their way through this next heist, but also questioning their chances. Tania began hacking into the security, hoping to have complete control before they even reached the states. She had to stop herself from growling in frustration when she was met with firewall, after firewall, after firewall. They were easy enough to disassemble and pull down, but there were thousands of them. She gave a sigh and shut her laptop. Arms and Donny looked at her strangely. The only time she wasn't on her computer was when she was sleeping. She looked at them.
"We are going in the old fashioned way. I can't get through their security, so we are just going to have to do this with our abilities." Donny nodded, adjusting to the circumstances.
"Simple, you'll teleport into the vault, grab the money, teleport out. When your secure we will announce our selves as is our fashion. No one hurt, no one left behind." he nodded again. Unconsciously he moved his hand to his pocket, where he had put Dani's written song, the feel of the paper calmed him somewhat. A sudden wave anticipation rushed over him, and he floored the gas pedal. Everyone jumped at the sudden increase in speed.
"Vat the hell, boss?" Arms complained. He had been left sprawled across the floor of the van. Donny laughed, and everyone's spirits rose. If he could find humor in all of this, maybe there was hope yet. They continued the long drive in silence, not wanting to break the calm that had settled over them.
After a three hour drive they pulled to a stop in front of North Dakota International. Tension had returned in a wave, covering them in the claustrophobic pressure. Taking a deep breath Donny began dealing orders.
"This is going to be simple. Tania teleports into the vault, keeping a mental connection with us at all times. If anything happens, tell us. Just collect the money and teleport it and you back into the van. Arms and I will walk in and announce ourselves. Then we will leave, and everything will be back to the way it should be. Any questions?" They both shook their heads. "Than let's do this thing."
Tania nodded and disappeared. A moment later, Donny could feel the brush of mental contact, then words followed quickly.
"Alright," Tania said, she sent us a picture of the vault door. "I'm standing in front of the vault door, no guards. It seems strange, doesn't it? Oh well, I'm going in." There was a slight pop, then silence. Donny and Arms waited patiently, then began to get worried as a minute passed. After two minutes they knew something had gone wrong.
"Come on, Arms, lets go get her before things get any worse." They ran inside, not even pausing at the gasps of surprise from the people inside. Tania's picture had showed a directions sign, which meant there were probably more. Running down a hallway, Donny soon spotted the first one, pointing right. They turned and continued.
After several turns they came to the vault door. It stood solid, just as they had seen it the first time. Arms quickly grabbed hold and began pulling. The mass of metal didn't even budge. Donny touched his shoulder, motioning him back. He stepped forward and took a deep breath. He blew out in a powerful blizzard, covering the door in frost. He stopped and gestured for Arms to try again. This time he gave just a single punch and the door shattered to pieces. A cloud of dust filled the air as the frozen hunks of metal hit the ground.
"I thought you would never come." Donny and Arms paused as the clearly masculine voice called to them. It sounded tired, but they were on guard despite it. Out of the smoke came an elderly man that neither of of them recognized. His face was sagging, wrinkled to the point of being unrecognizable, but his eyes sparkled with a light that showed his vigor and wisdom.
Donny flinched when he saw Tania on the ground behind him, lying in a pool of blood. He assumed it was her own.
"Who the hell are you, what did you do to Tania?" He almost yelled, the familiar heat of anger rising to his brain. The man lifted a .45 colt.
"This is what I did." Donny barely had the time to shove Arms behind the wall. The shot went barely above his head, grazing one of his fins. From around the corner he heard the old man sigh. "Don't try to run. I killed Dani to save her, and I will do the same for you." Donny growled when he realized with whom he was speaking.
"You're a monster, you know that? What kind of twisted bastard kills someone, to save them. If that isn't the most ass-backwards way of think I have ever heard." The man frowned, Donny could hear the creek of his jaw as it moved.
"You won't understand until you are released as well. Now, just hold still." Donny heard him start walking and dragged Arms to continue down the hall. He was in shock and unwilling to move, but didn't fight it. They had barely gotten around the corner when the next shot hit the wall next to them. They moved quickly, following signs to the exit, chased by the ricocheting bullets.
They made the lobby without slowing, but now they had to cross an open expanse. Halfway across they heard the old man pull back the hammer of his gun. Desperate, Donny shot an ice beam along the ground, making a path of ice along the ground to the door. He ducked and slid Arms along his ice road. The bullet flew over his head again. He quickly pushed himself onto the ice and slid after Arms, who had reached the door by now.
Donny picked him up and began running again, now towards their open van. He quickly got in, started the engine, driving onto the highway as fast as he dared. Bullets pinged off the metal chassis as he drove. When the rain of bullets stopped, he relaxed. He looked across at Arms in the passenger's seat. He was looking around strangely, looking out of place.
"Dis ve Tania's seat, I've no right to svit ere." Donny looked at him sadly. They had lost another today. He had broken his promise. He had said no one would get hurt, no one would be left behind. He had lied to them.
Slowly, he pulled over to the side of the road. Leaning his head against the steering wheel he let out racking robs, releasing his emotion in each gasp of breath. Arms watched, keeping respectively to himself, on the verge of tears himself. They sat like that a long time, and only moved when the sun began to set. Wordlessly they got back on the highway and continued driving.
Paul lowered his pistol arm as the van pulled away, well out of his range. He walked back inside the bank, avoiding the slick, frozen ground. He looked into the frightened crowd of people.
"No need to worry," he told them, "They are gone and didn't take any money." Some people visibly relaxed, others just stood where they had been, too surprised to move. Paul walked calmly passed them all, back to the vault, back to the body of the girl he had saved from her mortal pain.
Her body lay where he had left it, centered in the vault, a single shot in her breast. He picked her up quietly, cradling her against his chest bridal style. Her dead weight rested in his arms easily. Her looked at her face and saw a gentle smile. It was a simple thing, a little turn of the lips, with her eyes closed she looked sleeping. It was a blissful smile, very similar to the one Dani wore in her final moments.
It was this small smile that let him know that they had gone where they had always needed to be, where they would be happy for all eternity. As her carried her through the lobby of surprised citizens, he mused of his joining them in that happy world. He knew he would someday, but he still had work to do.
In the moment before the vaporeon-morph pulled the machoke aside, he had seen the pain in his eyes, in both their eyes. The machoke-morph had obviously loved the girl he carried now, and her dead body had shocked him to the core. He must be released from his mortal pain or he would suffer.
Paul laid the body of the alakasam girl gently in his passenger seat. Like this she looked even more so asleep. And she would, Paul would take her to sleep forever beside Dani California.
Donny had his head in his hands, crying out the pain and frustration. Arms calmly patted his back, but it did little for the distraught morph.
They had reached their temporary home quickly. They drove fast, and were constantly checking over their shoulders for the crazy old man. Unfortunately, Donny had recognized that crazy old man. Dani had described her own father enough times for them to practically be best-friends.
"Itz not your vault." Arms was saying. How was it not his fault, he kept asking himself. It was him who had sent Tania in. Alone. He was nearly entirely at blame.
"We have to stop this." He said, cutting off what Arms was saying. "We did not form this organization to start violence. If we don't end this now then what we stand for will be a load of bull shit!" Emotion drove his words. He was feeling a tornado in his chest, a violent storm of fear, compassion, anger, love, and concern. He looked at Arms and stood; he walked to the door, not caring if Arms would follow or not.
"Vere are you goving?" Arms asked from behind Donny. He looked over his shoulder.
"I'm going to end this." Arms lowered his head and began to mutter. "What'd you say?"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He lifted his head, a mask of determination forced Donny to smile. "I meant to svay, vere are you goving, vithout me?" Donny out right laughed.
"Well, Strongarm, lets go end this, once and for all." They clasped hands then walked out the door.
Paul was dirty and tired, but incredibly satisfied despite it.
He had just put to rest the body of the poor girl he had freed three days earlier. Now, he thought of how to track down those poor boys he had seen before. He paid no particular attention to the familiar roads he now drove. He stopped calmly at the red light despite the lack of cars either way.
He heard the roar of an engine coming his way, but he dismissed it as some hot-shot kid trying to beat the yellow. When his light turned green he slowly pulled out into the intersection.
The next thing he knew he was rolling end over end into a shop front. Paul was built sturdy, though, and calmly assessed the situation. That hot-shot kid was drunk and had hit him. His truck was on its left side, but he calmly climbed up and out of the smashed passenger window. Paul slowly lowered himself to the concrete, and he mentally prepared himself for the apologies of an accident. He closed his eyes expectantly.
He was shocked awake when a punch across the jaw threw him across the street, and he flew straight threw the shop on the other side. Before he could gather his wits he was raised from the ground and carried, but he was too dazed to know where.
He heard voices that came as quiet buzzes, slowly getting louder and focusing into intelligent words.
"... and I say vee kill him right now. Tink avout Dani, and Tania." A heavy German accent was first intelligible.
"No, we won't be like him. We'll calmly take him to the authorities, no matter what he has done to us." Paul recognized the authority in this man's voice. It had the ring of power, yet it held an undertone of grief. It was one of the morphs.
Out of pity, Paul pulled his gun from the holster at his hip, jamming it into the throat of the man holding him, despite the fact that his vision was still blurred. This was the one who was in pain over the girl he had recently released. He should be released too. It was only fair.
He pulled the trigger, but he didn't expect to be dropped so suddenly. He lay dazed on the ground, he could hear rapid footsteps pounding away from him. He thought he should follow, so he mustered himself up and staggered in the general direction of the footsteps.
He already knew where they were headed.
Donny knew exactly where he was headed. He and Arms had trailed Dani's father from a cemetery. Donny could only assume that was where his had been buried. He tapped into his pokemon attributes for speed and stamina, for he wanted to be near Dani, even if it was her corpse.
The gate signifying the graveyard loomed from the street. Donny sprinted past it and began searching the rows. He counted as he went, a strange habit he couldn't help.
He froze when he reached 351. Under a blooming cherry tree, not ten yards away, was a line of four tomb stones. Under two, the ground was turned and fresh. Under the others were deep holes and piles of fresh earth. Donny walked slowly towards them, suddenly nostalgic about seeing their graves.
When he was finally close enough he read the first tome stone aloud.
"Dani California. Brave Spirit. Powerful Fighter. Loving Daughter. May she rest in peace for all eternity." A single tear ran down Donny's cheek. It was soon followed by another. Then Donny gave one long sob and the torrent of pain was released in the form of salty water sprung from his eyes. The tears landed on the turned soil of Dani's grave, staining the soil with grief.
Donny knew not how long he stood like that, but it was long enough for the dam of tears to run dry. Slowly he knelt to the ground, placing his forehead on Dani's grave.
"I love you Dani. I want you to know that, I love you with all my heart." He laughed a little bit. "It feels so amazing to say that." He heard soft footsteps behind him, but he knew who it was. "Have you come to release me too?" The gruff voice grunted a yes. "Thank you. Send me to where they are. I want to see them, and her. Her especially." He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "This is a song for Dani. It is her history, and I want you to spread it. It is my final wish." The voice grunted again.
"I just have one question." Paul said, taking the paper from Donny's out-stretched hands. "What were the others names. They deserve to be remembered as well." Donny lifted a arm to point at the tombstones.
"That is Tania. That is Strongarm, lovingly known as Arms. And I am Donny."
The shot rang out on the last syllable. Birds scattered from surrounding trees. Donny felt himself falling, but then he stopped. He looked at the arms holding his shoulder, then up at the face of his savior. For the first time in a very long time he smiled. He rose to meet the lips of the one he had longed to hold for far too long.
He passed happily. Happily in the arms of Dani California.
The news reporter shuffled through her papers. The news for the day was boring. She paused when she came to one sheet of paper in particular. THIS was a story, she thought. The camera man entered and the reporter called him over, casually gesturing with her hand.
"What is it Janice? We're on in ten minutes." He asked, annoyed by her request for a moment. Janice looked up at the anthro camera man standing above her. His tauros snout twitching with annoyance. Janice paused for a moment, marveling at his muscle under the white tank top he wore.
"It's this story... have you read it, Mike?" She pushed the papers in his nose, insisting he read. He gave a snort and snatched them from her hands. His eyes skimmed through the words quickly, widening at certain parts. After reading he shook his head sadly.
"It's a shame to lose such great heroes. Well, we're on in..." He walked back to his camera, "Five, four, three, two..." Mike pointed at Janice. She looked into lens smiling her camera smile.
"Hello Kanto, and welcome to Kanto's News Central. Recently we have a new League Champion," She looked down at her papers, "One Steven Ghall. Congratulations Steven!"She dropped her frown and stared seriously into the camera. "But tonight, we have some serious news. Everyone knew of HELL, the half-breed organization who were fighting for the rights of those who truly are not so different. They did everything and more, in their power to promote the integration of their species. Recently they have been robbing powerful banks to fund their movement, but this placed them high on a criminal top ten list. I have just learned that they are dead. It has been three weeks since their death and it was only just discovered.
"The corpse of one Paul Smith was found, hung from a cherry tree in a cemetery. The tree hung over four graves which are, according to a letter attached to the body, they are the graves of the members of HELL. The note continues to tell the tale of HELL's struggle, and clearly defines the rights and wrongs of half-breed segregation. The letter, however, focuses almost entirely on the life of Dani California, the daughter of Paul Smith and influential member of HELL. You may remember her from HEAL, a similar organization. She abandoned the hope of a peaceful connection between humans and half-breeds when her husband and unborn child were violently killed in a mauling in an open air market. Alongside this history of her life is a song, written by her supposed love, known as Donny, who is buried along side her.
"In response to these recent events, mobs and riots have sprung up across the nation, all in the name of HELL. From Pallet Town, to Lavender Town, the song titled 'Dani California' is being sung by the masses. Many cities are already passing laws to integrate morphs into our society. The largest mob, however, is outside the doors of the Elite Four, the unofficial government of our region. The people are demanding liberation. Half-breeds are out of hiding and on the rise, how will we respond? How will we react? Only time will tell. I'm Janice Long, and this has been Kanto's News Central." She kept her smile long enough for the camera to shut off. Tiredly she rose from behind the desk center stage and walked to Mike.
"Great story, Janice!" He said smiling. She looked into his eyes for a moment.
"Mike, we have known each other for nearly six years, call me Jane." He smiled and returned her gaze.
Nodding he said, "Jane, then." He turned to walk away, but stopped himself. Turning back around he dropped to one knee before Jane, "One more question, will you marry me?" Frozen at first, she quickly recovered herself and nodded eagerly yes. The two left the news building hand in hand, joining the rioting crowd marching to city hall.
Small and large scale riots were not long in lasting. Soon the country of Kanto divided itself, those accepting of half-breeds, and those who weren't. The Pokemon League was hesitant to give a reply to the people's incessant calls for change. They settled in saying they would allow the separate cities and areas within Kanto decide among themselves. It was to be chosen by popular vote.
Unfortunately the people and half-breeds did not take kindly to this proposition. They knew as well as any that the city governments were corrupt to the point that any rich opposition leader could fund the votes single handedly.
Unrest soon turned to violence. Extremists began bombing the homes of those against change, and in the destruction many died. Hundreds of protestors were arrested under the suspicion of illegal activity. In response the half-breeds began fighting along side the radicalists, staging jail-breaks, and robbing banks, supposedly following the lead of Dani California and HELL.
The violence became so severe that the Pokemon League had to step in and apprehend nearly every morph in the region. The people saw this as the League siding against their cause and the attacks became more viscous. Members of the Elite Four and the Champion were targeted. Eventually they had to repel them using force, a choice not lightly picked.
Through retaliation, the League opened the doors to civil war. Opposing forces fought viciously, turning cities to rubble and battle zones. Those supporting the integration of morphs took the name of HELL as their own, in honor of the original team that took on the challenge. Fighting raged for fifteen years, in this time the population of half-breeds had increased by hundreds of percent. This new force was more than enough to overpower those still fighting.
Standing in the rubble of Saffron city, the League assembled, prepared to sign a peace treaty demanding the acceptance of all creatures of intelligence into modern day society. The opposing side agreed, believing it would stop the birth of half-breeds in general, but the treaty was worded such that it included the integration of pokemon as a whole. Though this angered the opposing forces, they were forced to relent under the influence of the League.
In the years after, peace was ensured. Other regions soon followed Kanto's example. Johto, Sinnoh, and Hoenn had similar events leading up to the freedom of those of two different species. In memorial of the momentous series of events, an enormous thirty-ton bronze statue was erected in every league entry hall. Smaller statues were to be distributed to the cities of every region.
The statues depicted the original HELL team. Strongarm, a bank vault door held over his head. Tania, sitting in a lounging chair, several objects floating around her, including her favored laptop. Donny, simply standing arms crossed, facing east and smiling. And Dani California, standing at the front of the team, pointing into the horizon. The statues were planted on a circular base. Inscribed into the metal was the complete history of every member of the team, the team itself, the war, and a complete list of casualties in that war. And at the end of it all, the final thing left from the lover of she who should always be remembered.
The song of Dani California.