Disclaimer: I be not owning Pokemon~! Arrrr, mateys~! XDXDXD
Here we are, the first chapter to a brand new story! XD I came up with this story a while back, and I gotta say, I'm really looking forward to bringing this story to you guys XDXDXD I'll say this now, this story, is a LOT different from my usual stories and I'll just say this now, the Ikarishipping won't come until WAY later on. This story starts off with Pearlshipping, but will lead to Ikarishipping vs Pearlshipping later on in the story. XD I can't tell you which ship wins in the end, because that's for me to know and for you to find out. :3c
Another glaring difference here is… -sighs- That's right! Cyrus is actually NOT a villain in this story, but rather, he's actually one of the main protagonists!
Cyrus: FINALLY, MY TIME HAS COME~!
Me: Wellll, I wouldn't keep my hopes up. Coz you're a pirate… A good pirate, but still a pirate… and a Pirate Captain nonetheless… Not only that, the focus is mainly on Dawn and Paul, so you probably won't get much screen time.
Cyrus: I DON'T CARE AS LONG AS I'M THE GOOD GUY FOR ONCE~!
-Sweat drops- Aaaaaanywho, while Cyrus here is celebrating his first non-villain role another important thing to bring up. This is an AU story, and many of the characters will be drastically different in characters from their anime-canon counterparts. Dawn won't be the bubbly cheerful girl you're all familiar with. Paul's character won't be the same as he's portrayed in the anime as well. And Cyrus, oh, I actually have great plans for Cyrus' character XD I think you'll all enjoy how I portray him here. Everyone in this story will be a young adult or older, not the usual teenaged characters I'm known for. Coz well, I mean, if our characters are pirates and marines, I doubt they would be like 16 year old teenagers and such. :PP
We will have Pokemon in this story, but each character will be limited to having one Pokemon which represents them the most. In Paul's case, his Electivire, in Dawn's case, Piplup, or Empoleon in the case of this story. This way, the Pokemon have much more time to develop along with their trainers since there's not as much Pokemon in this story. Though it's not like Pokemon will be their only form of fighting and such. In the cases of the marines, they're well-trained in physical combat as well, so even without their Pokemon they can kick butt. This goes for the pirates as well. XDXDXD There will also be guns in this story, since it's a pirate themed story. I mean, it only makes sense, right? XD
Anyways, I think I stalled long enough. With everything out of the way, I think it's time for us to start! If you have any questions for me, regarding lore or otherwise, feel free to PM me or just ask me in a review! Hold on to your hats and get ready for one hell of a ride… I present to you… Land Ho!
Land Ho
Chapter 1: The Galactic Pirates
The first scene begins with a grand chase happening. An explosion occurs at a large mansion and a group of four, a young woman with red hair, a blue haired young man, a purple haired woman, and finally, a purple haired young man, all of them fleeing from the scene with riches and gold being hauled by their Pokemon. They were being chased by the mansion guards and their Pokemon. A wealthy, obese noble with a curly mustache and a rich-looking red suit has his eyes widened as he points at the four thieves desperately.
"Those blasted pirates! They've stolen my treasure!" The noble shrieks as he has his guards go after them. "After them! Hunt them down! Do not let them escape!" As the noble says this, the purple haired man simply rolls his eyes at this as he makes his getaway with his comrades. His partner, Electivire, fires a Thunder attack on a guard's Houndoom, hitting it hard as the four of them make their way back to their ship.
Their ship was a large, majestic black pirate ship with a huge mast. The center flag had a Duskull and crossbones in the form of a Jolly Roger. The bow of the ship was a Gyarados' face with its jaw opened wide. It was a beautiful ship… And for these pirates, it was their home.
"These treasures were never yours to begin with! They belong to the people! We're simply returning them to their rightful place!" The purple haired man says to the noble defiantly. "Your days of corrupt bargaining, loaning and over-taxing of the citizens ends here, noble! Electivire, use Thunder on the mansion!" As the purple haired man says this, the electric Pokemon complies as it fires a huge, wicked thunderbolt on the mansion, setting it on fire as the building begins to crumble and falls to the floor. The noble's curses can be heard from the falling mansion as the four pirates board the ship, welcomed warmly by a man with a hearty laugh. He was a light blue haired man with spiky hair and a wide, welcoming grin on his face. Although he had sharp, intimidating eyes, he was a hearty, fun-loving man… And he considered his crewmates as family.
"Well done, everyone! That's another corrupt noble brought to justice!" The light blue haired man says with a wide grin. "We shall head back to the village, and tonight, we shall drink and have a hearty celebration for our victory today~! At this rate, the Galactic Pirates will be well-renowned all over the world! Bahahahahaha~!" He laughs cheerily as he takes a swig of rum cheerfully. An older man with purple hair tied to a small ponytail rubs his temples at this and sighs. Their captain was certainly an energetic one despite his age. He then turns to the younger purple haired boy and puts his hand on his shoulder, welcoming him back to their home. He was shown to be the chef of their ship, wearing an apron as he arrives at the scene.
"Welcome back, Paul, another job well-done!" The older man says, welcoming his brother back and handing him wooden bowl of soup for their dinner. The purple haired boy named Paul, who upon looking at him more clearly, was a young man of about 18 years old. He was quite handsome, and his purple hair was shoulder length. His eyes were sharp and serious, filled with determination. He was the captain's second mate, and his most trusted ally. The purple haired young man simply nods his head at the older man, acknowledging him as he greets them.
"Thanks, Reiji!" Paul says to the purple haired man, accepting Reiji's cooking. He then looks towards the rest of his crewmates and smiles a bit as they interact with each other. The red haired woman, the ship's doctor, was tending to the injuries of her comrades. She was tending to the blue haired man and wrapping bandages around his waist, only to grow red in the cheeks as the purple haired woman snickers at them teasingly.
"Aw, now isn't that sweet, widdle Mars taking care of her boyfriend~!" The purple haired woman, who was the navigator of their ship, says teasingly and comically as the both of them grow red in the cheeks. "It's like you two were made for each other~! Saturn and Mars, the best ship~!" She says comically and teasingly. Saturn, the ship's shipwright, and Mars grow red in the cheek as they are teased. The blue haired man then gets a slight vein mark at the purple haired woman.
"Can it, Jupiter…" Saturn says to the purple haired woman with a low grunt. He then winces as Mars bandages an injury around his arm and applies ointment to the wound. The purple haired woman grins and snickers at Saturn's irritation and denial over his feelings for the red haired woman. She then hears her stomach growl loudly and eagerly goes over to Reiji, looking to have some of his cooking. Cyrus had a bottle of rum in his hands, laughing and singing cheerily as the ship takes off to the village. Paul simply smiles at how peaceful, yet lively things were and closes his eyes as he lies down, looking up at the sunrise. It felt as if these fun-filled days could last forever…
… If only it were that were true…
Meanwhile, someplace far away, a huge, impenetrable fortress stood tall above the ocean, standing tall and proud, and completely protected by outsiders. This building was known and feared by pirates everywhere as the Marines Headquarters. Although the World Government usually worked to stop criminal pirates and fight against corruption, part of the government itself was corrupt, and it was for this reason, nobles were able to get away with taxing their citizens unreasonably by means of corrupt bargaining.
A blue haired woman sat in her office, slamming her fists to the desk as she looks at the news. Another corrupt noble was brought to justice and it was all thanks to the pirates. This woman was introduced as Johanna, and she was the Fleet Admiral of the marines, the highest ranking marine, and the woman who ran this whole operation. The blue haired woman grits her teeth as she slams her fists on the desk in frustration.
"That damned Cyrus and his pirates!" She growls in frustration from looking at the news. "What the hell does the world government think they're doing? At this rate, those lousy cursed pirates will be making a good name for themselves and the revered reputation of the marines will plummet completely as we know it!" As the blue haired woman contemplates these thoughts, she scratches and pulls at her hair in frustration.
She then pauses as a young, blue haired woman, about the tender age of 18, knocks on the door and enters the room. She had long, beautiful blue hair and fierce blue eyes, the eyes of a true, loyal warrior. A black marine officer's coat was draped over her shoulders along with her standard marine officer uniform. A long, thin sword was strapped to her left belt, a gun to her right, and a Pokeball was strapped next to her gun. She wore a heart-shaped golden locket around her neck as well. Although she was very beautiful, she was stern and serious, and always stayed composed. The blue haired woman salutes to the fleet admiral as she makes her report.
"This is Captain Hikari, reporting for duty, madam!" The blue haired woman says as she salutes to the fleet admiral. "I have just returned to report that I have successfully captured and subdued the rogue pirates pillaging and taking over the nearby village. The blue haired woman pauses at this, and smiles dismissively at the blue haired woman.
"You don't have to be so formal when it's just you and me, Dawn dear…" Johanna says affectionately and in a motherly manner to the blue haired girl. "I may be the Fleet Admiral of the marines and you may be the 1st division Captain, but before anything, you are my daughter, and I am proud of you for serving the marines so loyally and so full of pride." The blue haired girl has her eyes soften as her mother says this and looks the other way.
"I-If… If that is what you wish…" The blue haired girl stutters quietly, unsure and not used to talking to her mother so formally and casually and relieved that she was given the chance to do so. Opportunities like this didn't come very often for her at all. "M-Mother…" The blue haired woman smiles and gets up from her seat, holding the blue haired girl close to her and stroking her hair gently and in a motherly manner. Despite serving the marines, despite all she had been through, despite her duties and loyalties, deep down inside, she was just a normal young girl. And while her tough, fierce demeanor made her seem unapproachable, she just needed time to break out of her shell, and her mother knew that more than anyone in the marines.
"Let me brush your hair, dear. You just went through a long, arduous journey out at sea after all. So just relax for a bit, and let your mother spoil you for just a little bit!" The blue haired woman says with a warm, kind smile. Dawn pauses at this, unsure how to act in this situation, unsure if it was alright for her to be selfish for once in her career. She then pauses as she silently nods her head. Johanna smiles as she has Dawn sit down on the couch while she takes out a comb and brushes the blue haired girl's long, silky blue hair. The two are silent for a bit as the blue haired woman continues to run the comb through her hair, before Dawn breaks the silence and starts speaking.
"I-I heard the news about the Galactic Pirates, mother." Dawn says to the blue haired woman. She then has her eyes shadowed and clenches her fists while gritting her teeth. "Those damned, cursed pirates doing whatever they please… They won't get away with this! I'll capture them if it's the last thing I do!" Johanna pauses a bit as Dawn says this as she finishes straightening out Dawn's hair with her comb and frowns a bit. She knew that the pirates were the enemy, but Dawn's hatred towards them stemmed from… something much deeper… The blue haired woman smiles as she takes a seat next to blue haired girl and closes her eyes as she pulls her closer to her tenderly and gently, holding her in a warm, caring embrace.
"I know it's frustrating, dear. But know that we haven't lost just yet!" The blue haired woman says caringly and gently to the blue haired girl. "We can think of a way to deal with them later… for now, I want you to rest…" She says softly. Dawn's eyes soften as she closes her eyes and rests against her chest, relaxing. There was nothing in the world that was better than a mother's encouraging words and her embrace resting her head on her shoulders… The blue haired girl felt at peace. Just her, and her caring, loving mother… She wished it would stay like this forever…
… Her wish wasn't granted however, as a brown haired Marine Officer comes in and salutes before making his report.
"L-Lady Hikari, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have ourselves a client!" The officer says meekly while saluting. "A noble from the Hearthome area wishes to pay us for escort services. He wishes to meet with us now." The blue haired girl has her eyes closed and sighs as the officer reports this. She then looks at her mother, who smiles and nods her head encouragingly. Although she wanted to spend more time with her daughter, duty had called.
"Go on, Captain Hikari…" Johanna says to the blue haired girl. "Make the marines proud!" Dawn pauses at this and has a small smile on her face as she nods her head, getting up as she salutes before leaving with the officer, bidding farewell to her mother. Johanna returns Dawn's salute before getting back to her desk and back to work, sorting through her piles of paper work.
"Alright, Kenny, give me a run-down of the client and the mission." Dawn says to the brown haired marine officer seriously with her arms crossed, her captain's coat flowing as they walk together to the destined area. Kenny meekly nods his head and takes out a sheet of paper filled with notes he had compiled.
"Yes, Miss Hikari!" The officer says as he looks through his notes. "Our client is noble who goes by the name of Conway Kohei. Our task is to escort his supply ship to Sunyshore Port. There's more to it than that, however… This man is a well-known slave trader…" Dawn's eyes widen at this and she turns to Kenny while outraged.
"A slave trader? I will NEVER help out a man like that!" She yells while outraged. "Cancel the request immediately and send this man behind bars! The Marines are a symbol of justice, we won't simply help fools who dabble themselves in crimes such as slavery. If anything, this man should be arrested!" Dawn snaps harshly and sternly. Kenny swallows hard and flinches a bit comically. It was times like these where Captain Hikari had scared him, when she was so stern and serious.
"Th-There's more to it than that, Miss Hikari." Kenny says timidly while swallowing a bit. "You see, this man is a government official. Should we deny his request, the reputation of the marines will plummet even further and this will put Fleet Admiral Johanna in a very tough spot. We can't afford to turn down this request." Dawn pauses at this and clenches her fists and grits her teeth with her eyes shadowed in frustration. She had no choice in the matter…
"Damn those government officials… What is the government thinking letting a corrupt man like him run loose?" Dawn mutters under her breath irritably. If there was one thing she hated just as much as pirates, it was those damned, corrupted government officials who abused their power. She then closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before speaking again. "Prepare the ship. We might as well get this over with. I shall meet with our client personally. Is there anything else you would like to report?" Kenny nods his head, reading the last of his notes.
"Yes, there is a bonus objective! The Galactic Pirates have been suspected to be after this official themselves. The Galactic Pirates have a huge bounty on their heads. If we capture them, maybe we can restore the reputation of the marines!" Kenny says as he analyzes his notes. The young marine captain lights up as her officer says this and she narrows her eyes at this.
"Those blasted pirates…" Dawn mutters under her breath with her fists clenched tightly as she grits her teeth. "This time for sure, I'll be sure to put them behind bars…" Kenny pauses as Dawn says this and tips his head to one side curiously.
"I-If I may ask, Miss Hikari, why are the Galactic Pirates wanted criminals and why do you want to capture them so badly?" He asks curiously, tipping his head to one side. "They've done nothing but good for this country, and they gladly take out corrupt government officials without being asked. So how is it that instead of being recognized, they're shunned for their efforts?"
The blue haired woman has her eyes shadowed and stares at the floor silently while clutching the gold pendant around her neck tightly. As she does this, quick flashbacks flash by in her mind.
The first flash was of a younger version of her saluting and entering the 1st division office for the first time. At this point, she was still an officer, just like Kenny. She seemed different from the strict, fierce woman she was now. She was so pure, so innocent, and she always wore a bright, cheerful smile on her face, always staying hopeful and optimistic. The captain back then appeared to be a silhouetted man with spiky black hair and a warm smile as he pets her on the head affectionately, welcoming her with warm, open arms.
Several images of their time together pass by when the next image comes out more clearly. The silhouetted figure smiles as he goes down on one knee, and offers her a ring, proposing to her. Dawn simply gasps at this and smiles with a deep blush on her face, nodding her head with tears of joy falling from her eyes. The two embrace and share their first kiss with each other. Everything looked so happy, so pure… It all just seemed so perfect…
… But then in the last image, everything took a drastically darker tone. The image seemed to flash by so quickly. It was a dark, stormy night, they were at sea, and the blue haired woman was stranded on their ship alone. She was seen crying out to the spiky black haired silhouette desperately and helplessly reaching out for him while crying as their battered, almost destroyed ship drifts off into sea away from him as lightning crackles in the distance. She could only watch helplessly as they grew farther and farther apart. The last thing that was seen was a pirate ship, and its silhouetted captain smirking widely with its arms crossed.
As this image ends, Dawn still has her eyes shadowed and she clenches her fists. "You're still young and naïve, Officer Kenny…" The young marine captain says with her back still turned to the young officer in a soft, quiet voice. "Pirates are the scourge of the sea, regardless of their actions. Not only that, they're unpredictable, and that's what makes them dangerous…" Kenny raises his eyebrows at this and he opens his mouth to speak some more.
Before he could pry any further, however, the blue haired woman turns around with a stern, serious look on her face, her eyes sharp, stern and fierce. "Well? Are you going to ask questions all day or are you going to do your job and get started with our preparations?" She snaps fiercely and harshly at the young marine officer. "Now get to work!" She says as she points to the marine ship port harshly. The young, brown haired man has O-O eyes and salutes comically and meekly. He jumps a bit as the blue haired woman intimidates him and he scurries off to the port to get their ship and its crew ready. The blue haired woman sighs at this and rubs at her temples as her officer runs off before she turns around herself, meeting with her client.
The last scene shows a green haired man wearing glasses standing in front of a port. He had a wide, calculated smirk on his face as he tips his glasses creepily, a devious, plotting look on his face as he watches and stalks Captain Hikari from afar.
"Today is the day, Miss Hikari, where I make you my woman…" The green haired man says ominously and creepily with a devious smirk on his face as the chapter closes with his ominous chuckling as he fades into the darkness.
To be continued
Woot! And there we go! That's the first chapter! It's a lot different from my usual stories, I know, but man, was it a lot of fun to write! XDXDXD Not much action in this chapter. This was meant to be more of a build-up chapter to introduce the characters and such. The real action begins next chapter! XDXDXD
Cyrus: I'M GOOD! AND ACTUALLY LIKABLE! IT'S... IT'S A MIRACLE! –Sobs silently and comically with joy-
Me: Yeah, yeah, I get it… -3-
Dawn: Wow, I really like my character! It's definitely a different take from my usual, cheerful personality!
Me: TENK YOU DAWN~! I LURVS YOU~! –Glomp tackles-
Dawn: -Sweat drops- Yeah, I know…
Barry: Hey, will Lukie and I be in this story?
Me: Well, that's the thing… I'm not sure if you'll be in this story, and if you are, you'll be pretty minor characters… Sorry! ^^;;
Barry: WHAT THE HELL? WHY AM I DENIED AN APPEARANCE IN SUCH AN AWESOME STORY~! I DEMAND YOU GIVE ME A FINE, I SAY, A FINE~!
Lucas: Okay, that's enough Barry… Besides, I just had a major role in both the Silver Saga remastered and in Targeted. I could use a break. –Shrugs and drags Barry along as he continues ranting at me comically-
-Sweat drops- Anyways, be sure to review, leave me your thoughts on what you think of this story. Also be sure to leave some constructive criticism. Also don't be flaming me ya land lubbers or I be making you walk the plank~! YAHAHAHAR~!
And now, for something new I'll be doing with this story, I'll be doing previews of the next chapter! Here's the preview for next chapter and I'll just leave it at that! XD
Next time on Land Ho: Captain Hikari has a not-so-pleasant first impression with her client and sets sail for Sunyshore Port. Meanwhile, the Galactic Pirates finally make their move. Two worlds collide, what will happen next? Next time on Land Ho, When Two Worlds Collide.
~Honou