Ransei…
A region of Pokemon unlike any other.
Divided into seventeen different kingdoms, this region has long since forgotten most of its feudal heritage. While the kingdoms remain intact, most of the people have given up their warring status for trade and commerce, although some warlords still vie for competition and power amongst themselves. Those warlords that do instigate wars that most do not wish to be a part of are considered despots and they are, by nature, despotic rulers. As a result, the region has suffered a huge technological boom that brought advancement to each of its kingdoms.
Each kingdom went through a transformation from an area of merely small villages and hamlets with a castle into either a large urbanized area or a mix between pastures and cities. The castles remained intact for several centuries, but through the growth of the kingdom some either vanished and had to be rebuilt or fell into disrepair and had to be rebuilt from the ground up. By the time the region opened its borders to trade with the other regions, only three castles remained intact: Aurora, Ignis, and Greenleaf.
Thanks to the hard work of historians and archaeologists over the next few decades though, most castles have been rebuilt and modernized for better longevity. But there was another advancement that led to the growth of the region. In terms of arms, Ransei's natives only possessed simple swords and their Pokemon. Yet trade brought with them an arm that they readily adapted to and refined into more lethal formats: the gun.
After thirty years, the Ransei warlords possessed enough arms to equip their forces as they continued to wage war against one another. The battles fought spurred more advances, leading to newer and better guns, along with the development of the car. Refinement of the airship also led to newer versions, culminating in the creation of the speediest aircraft the world had ever seen: the fighter plane.
Even ships were not immune to this type of advancement. Whereas sailing ships have been used for centuries in Ransei, with the coming of trade and new technologies, sailing ships have been phased out for more modern and more efficient methods of transportation. Steam engines replaced sail, and when steam became too polluting, diesel was adopted. Armored warships also came into existence, carrying bigger and heavier armaments. Most did not really last into the modern era, but some have, allowing those who possessed them to have immense firepower on their sides.
Most now possess some form of an army, navy, and/or air force. But not all kingdoms like this.
In fact, one kingdom, the kingdom of Aurora, has been known to rely not on arms alone, but on well-built defensive lines that keep any invaders out. Such feats are commended by the other lands within Ransei as being either the acts of a coward, or a smart, wise ruler. Of course, it was for good reason, as well.
Being surrounded on all three sides by other kingdoms, it was necessary.
But it really showed itself the day everything went to hell.
The day Ho-oh declared war on humankind.
Now, one young man must step up to the plate and unite Ransei amidst war, chaos, and depression that threatens to sap any chance of hope left. Fighting against other kingdoms, bandits, wild Pokemon, and the darkest hearts of Ransei, the man, along with the allies he makes, will become a beacon in the world's darkest hour, and turn Ransei into a force to be reckoned with.
This is his tale.
The story of Steven "Spray" Krane.
This is…
The Ransei Chronicles
Book One: What I've Done
Prologue
Doomsday
Sounds of metal being hammered and drilling filled the vast space as the engineers worked to get it operational. It was almost time for the annual test run, and they wanted to be sure it was at optimal operating performance. The technician in charge of the device, a man named Hank Murdoch, looked back and wiped at his forehead with a hand, clearing the sweat from his brow. He let out a sigh and slumped back against a cooling tube, his skinny frame seeming to deflate from the easing of the tension within him.
Hank Murdoch was in his early forties and he had very pale skin, a sign of not having gone outside in months, or even years. His blonde hair was very messy and tied back into a short ponytail to keep it from getting caught in the wiring or even the hydraulics for raising the device once activated. His blue eyes were sharp and alert, a sign of a man who knew what he was working on and with. He wore a simple white lab coat over a T-shirt and some greasy blue jeans with steel-toed work boots.
Originally one of the many Pokémon researchers within the kingdom of Aurora, he had been contracted by the previous warlord to do some research on a sonic based-defense system due to the relations with the neighboring kingdoms falling into possible war. Many researchers had considered his ideas to be fantasy and science fiction, but after several years the committee he had appointed to the task, which included Murdoch, had found some potential results and research material. And not just for a sonic weapon, either.
But the sonic device had proven to be the most feasible thus far, and Murdoch had been the one to construct a fully working prototype for testing purposes. The testing worked beautifully and the warlord commissioned the construction of the sonic pulse weapon, initially developed for use against Flying types, which Aurora lacked any effective defenses against, save for their modern anti-aircraft (AA) weapons. While effective, they required aiming and Flying types were known to sometimes dodge entire salvos fired from surrounding communities.
The device itself was built like a satellite dish, but it was much more than that.
The structure on which the device was mounted consisted of a lattice framework perched on a platform that could be raised via powerful hydraulics out through the roof of the palace itself. The sonic pulse weapon was still a prototype though, and as recent testing had shown, it tended to scramble the radio communications within the kingdom, save for the landlines that spread all over the place underground, although periodically ground types would chew on them and leave some gaps in the landline network. Satellite was another method unaffected by the sonic weapon. Due to that advantage, all citizens of Aurora were ordered to have a satellite linkup on all mobile devices they had, although it was possible to have the linkup get jammed by enough smoke and debris, as some battles between Warriors had shown.
The sonic pulse weapon was a recent development in military technology, designed for nonlethal disruption of flying Pokémon's equilibrium, meant to render them confused and unable to really cause much damage. While it had been effective in tests and simulations, this was the first time it had ever been used in a combat scenario in real life in war against other Pokémon.
It was developed fifteen years ago when the relations between Ransei's major kingdoms began to deteriorate, leading to fears of a possible war between them. The only thing holding them back was the vast distances between them, but a disadvantage was the high-flying Pokémon such as Fearow and Pidgeot. While some kingdoms did possess a formidable air force, they relied more on their Flying type Pokemon for their aerial combat capabilities. Such an attack would have left Aurora vulnerable from the mountains, so each kingdom took to developing their own means of forcing the attack to be called off. Ignis' methods relied heavily on their hot springs and geothermal power plants (thick steam smokescreens generated by the plants via a special system that allowed the reactors to overheat while being cooled using recycled water).
The sonic pulse weapon was the result of this possible inter-kingdom Cold War. Using finely tuned sensors, scientists and engineers were able to detect and analyze the broad range of waves emitted by Zubat's Supersonic attack and pick apart the frequencies. Studies were then done over the next ten years to find and perfect the emitter needed to transmit the frequency over the whole kingdom, and then some. The research bore fruit and over the previous five years the device was constructed and tested a few times before putting it into standby in case war ever broke out between the major kingdoms. The only downside to the device was that it needed time to recharge, as was shown in the tests over the years.
Sam Jackson, another worker on the same shift as Hank, walked over and sat down beside him.
"Whew! That's that!" he remarked.
"Yeah. The warlord says that he'll begin the test run later today, so we'll be ready for it," Murdoch replied.
Sam chuckled a bit as he wiped his forehead with a rag. "Just think. Soon, if this thing proves itself the next time that Fearow flock attacks, we'll be ready."
Murdoch winced at that. "Don't remind me! It's been what fifty years since that last attack?"
Sam nodded, having been around for sixty-five years, and working on the device for twenty.
"Yeah. That last attack really decimated our fields and left several hundred homes damaged. Thankfully no one else got hurt," he said.
Murdoch looked back at the device, a frown on his face. "The only question now is will it be of any use in the coming years? Why did we even build it? Was it solely for defense against the raiding Fearow, or was there another purpose?"
Sam shrugged as he grabbed his water bottle and took a swig; the room they were in was about eighty degrees due to the equipment humming all around them. Even with the cooling tubes around and nestled against the computer, the device's numerous monitors and the computers needed to run it generated enough heat to keep the room at eighty degrees Fahrenheit.
The engineer looked back at the device before he heard the door slide open and both men leapt to their feet. They turned as the warlord stepped into the room, his short hair blowing in the cool air as he passed underneath the closest cooling tube. He walked over to them and they saluted.
"Sir!" they said.
The warlord of Aurora, Greg Hansen, looked back at the device, a look of grim determination crossing his face. "Is it ready?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," Murdoch replied. "Why?"
"Something's about to happen. I don't know why, but lately some trainers from other regions have been getting frantic calls from home about something big," Warlord Hansen said.
Both men looked at one another in worry. This was new.
"And on top of that, most communications are down all across several other regions," the warlord explained. "So we need to be prepared in case whatever's happening outside happens here in Ransei, as well."
"Good luck with that!" Sam snorted, rubbing his brown hair with one of his large hands. At six foot one, Sam was a big man and he worked out a lot, something that was needed to maintain his strength for hauling around parts for the sonic weapon. He looked back at the computers and frowned as he spotted one of the techies trying to input the codes for raising the hydraulics.
"All right, Jeb. Whatcha doing?" he asked.
"Trying to test the hydraulics," the nervous techie said as he pushed his clipboard tightly to his chest. He looked around nervously, a habit he tended to fall back on when he was around the Warlord. Working for such a man made him a bit edgy and he sometimes even had a bit of a tic when he spoke: he stuttered. "A-And m-make sure th-they're g-good to g-g-go."
Sam rolled his eyes and smacked the younger tech with his hand.
Murdoch simply snorted. "So, that aside, what kind of stuff could -"
He was cut off just as the alarms began to wail outside the palace.
"Oh, shit...!" he muttered.
The warlord turned to face one of the soldiers of the Aurora Defense Forces running into the room, her face streaked with sweat. "Sir, it's all over the news! Pokémon are going berserk all over Ransei!"
"That does it! I want all forces to mobilize for the coming slaughter! I don't want any civilians to die on my watch!" he snarled.
The soldier nodded. "Shall I relay the orders?"
"No time! I'm going out!" Warlord Hansen barked as he ran for the door. "C'mon!" He turned and spun to look over his shoulder at the two men and the rest of the maintenance team. "You guys get this thing ready for deployment! If it doesn't work, then let me know and I'll do it myself!"
"Sir!" they said.
The clear sky was sunny as the cries of several Pokémon echoed over the small town, waking the young man as he slept under a tree. He groaned and shifted, opening his eyes and brushing away a small leaf that landed on his forehead. He reached out and groped for the phone beside him as it rang repeatedly, the sound resembling the call of a Pidgeot. He sat up and rubbed at his eyes, clearing the last vestiges of sleep as he yawned and turned on the phone.
"Yeah? What is it?" he asked.
"Spray! It's been an hour! Where are you?" a familiar voice called over the device.
He winced at her voice. "Sorry!" he blurted.
The pilot rubbed his eyes with his free hand. "So, what's the deal?" he asked.
"We're waiting at the airport! Weren't we gonna go flying today?" the voice asked.
The young man grimaced as he remembered her words. "Geez, Wingma! I completely forgot!"
Willma "Wingma" Nelson sighed, and he swore he heard her pinching the bridge of her nose on the other end. "It's okay. Just get over here as soon as possible. And try to finish your chores early."
"Okay. I will. See ya when I get there!" the pilot replied.
He hung up the phone and dropped it into his pocket as he turned to his dad who was busy pumping up a deflated tire on his truck. "Dad, how much more do I have to do?" he asked.
The man, Alan Krane, looked back at his son, Steven "Spray" Krane, and stood up, cricking his back. "Damn that hurt!" he muttered. He finally straightened up and looked at him. "Well, let's see..." He shot a glance around the yard and looked it over with a critical eye. "Hmm..."
Steven waited for the news.
"Well, there's still the flower beds that have to be mulched," he said.
"I did that a few hours ago," Steven said seriously.
"You fertilize the fields out back?" Alan asked.
"I'll do that when I go flying with the gang," Steven replied, holding up the keys on the keychain around his neck.
Alan frowned, but then relented and sighed. "All right. But be sure to remember doing it. Otherwise it'll all be for nothing. And on your way out, could you swing by the capital? I left something in the office there."
Steven pursed his lips, knowing that the capital city of the kingdom was a bit out of the way, but he could make it work. He nodded. "All right. I'll do that."
"Oh, and Steven?" his mother, Bertha Krane, called out from the upstairs window. "Be sure to hit the fields this time and not our neighbor's house!"
"Hey! Ol' Larry's a downright ass!" Steven shot back. "You know how he goes on about those crops of his! Especially that stupid watermelon plot!"
Bertha was about to scold her son for his language when she remembered he was a young man of twenty one years of age, and she shook her head, closing the window as she resumed her cleaning.
Steven turned and ran for his bike, hopping on and starting the engine. He shifted the bike into gear and pulled out of the driveway, gunning the engine as he did so. He slipped his helmet on as he drove, unaware of just what was awaiting him as the world continued on its path.
The roads to the capital were busy, with cars practically on every part of the streets. He groaned a bit as he finally came to a stop at a stoplight. He sighed, looking ahead at the long line of cars ahead of him. "Shit... Now what?"
He looked around, and spotting a side street, grinned and gunned his bike's engine, peeling out of the line of traffic and right towards the road, startling the man working on repairing the gate. "Hey! Watch it!" he shouted.
"Sorry!" Steven called back as he waved a hand.
The man grumbled before he returned to his task and Steven pushed his bike to the limit, a laugh escaping his throat as he revved the engine and up a small hill, getting airborne for a few seconds before doing a wheelie as soon as his bike landed back on the ground. The front end landed back on the ground seconds later and the tires screeched as he tore off down the road towards the bustling capital city looming just ahead in the distance.
The pilot crouched down low over his bike, the windshield keeping the wind from buffeting his body.
He grinned as he felt the sheer power flooding the small motorcycle, a birthday present from his parents when he first turned eighteen a few years ago. The bike was sleek and powerful, possessing a white body with a blue upper half and green stripes on the side, the same paint job that was on his plane. After he got the bike, he worked on modifying it a bit, downloading a map of Aurora from the satellites and installing it on the new computer. The windshield was modified to allow it to project the layout of the kingdom's streets and possible detours in front of his eyes while still allowing him to see the street before him. But he had no idea just how important it would become in the coming year and a half.
Steven gunned the engine a bit more as he peeled around a bend in the road, approaching the suburbs of the capital city. The sun beat down on his skin and he felt sweat forming on his arms, but be brushed it aside as he sped into the maze of buildings coming up.
The capital city of Auroros was the place where Alan worked as a defense contractor for the Aurora Defense Forces. Steven had been to his office before as part of a birthday surprise, so he knew his way to the room where his dad worked.
He spotted the building and made his way over to the parking lot off to the side and parked the bike.
"Good thing I've been here before," he said.
He was about to enter the complex and get what his dad had left behind when everything suddenly went to Hell.
Kyou Kagita grumbled as he made his way down the streets of Auroros, kicking a soup can discarded by a passing tourist. He still couldn't believe that his folks had sent him all the way here to get some parts for the van. It didn't make much sense, really. He knew that the parts dealer in his hometown had the stuff, so why did he have to come here?
Blaze was beside him as he made his way to the auto store.
His partner tilted his head a bit, and Kyou felt a small pulse of confusion over the Link.
"I know, Blaze. I'm just as curious as you are. The guy back home had the stuff, so why did they send us here?" he asked.
The parts store was wide open and he could make out a few other people and one or two other Warriors with them. The man in charge of the place was balding and looked as if he had been once a boxer before he retired and started up his parts business. He looked over and spotted Kyou, a smile crossing his face. "Hey, there kid! What can I do for ya?" he asked.
Kyou reached into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper with the name of the brand of tire written down on it. "Hey. I'm told you have some parts in stock?"
The man grinned broadly. "Sure do, kid. Everything from engines to tires! What can I get ya?"
"Do you carry AuroraBolt tires?" Kyou asked, holding it out.
The parts dealer grabbed the paper and scanned it over before whistling. "Hoo boy. You're looking at full on heavy duty AuroraBolts there. Those are almost impossible to come by."
"Hold on. Heavy duty? I thought they were standard," Kyou remarked, his eyes now filled with confusion.
"That's what the paper says," the man said, shaking it in front of Kyou's face. He backed up, getting a whiff of the man's breath.
"Okay. We'll wait outside." Kyou nodded to Blaze and the two headed out to wait.
Once outside, Kyou reflected back on his parents' request. He frowned a bit before he grabbed the phone in his pocket and pulled it out, dialing his home number.
His mom picked it up.
"Hey, Kyou! Did you get the tires yet?" his mom, Serena Kagita, asked.
"Not yet. I'm at the Auroros Parts Shop right now. But I'm confused as to why you need heavy-duty AuroraBolt tires. It's not like the world's gonna end, is it?" he asked, leaning back against the cool brick surface.
"Well, Kyou, you know that something strange has been happening outside of Ransei, right? This is just a precaution in case whatever is going on hits home here. You can never be too prepared!" Mrs. Kagita replied.
"Just drop it, hon. He needs to know, so tell him," Matsumi Kagita said from the other end of the phone.
"Hey, Dad," Kyou said with a grin. "You busy as usual?"
"Tell me about it," Mr. Kagita said with a grunt. "Every day I'm working on software issues, but this really takes the cake! I don't even understand some of it myself, and I wrote the damn program!"
The young man laughed. "Sure. Anyway, what's with the tires? Why heavy-duty?"
"We may go to war."
The sentence made Kyou stop and stare as a police cruiser sped on by, siren wailing. "What? War? But... with who? Ignis? Fontaine? Greenleaf? Who?"
"That's just it. We don't know. But based on recent events being broadcast from outside the kingdom and region, I'd have to say against -" His voice was suddenly cut off as the air raid sirens suddenly began to wail, and everything went to Hell.
The last thing anyone expected was for the devastation to come when they least expected it. As soon as the word went out of the incoming hordes of wild Pokemon, the people retreated back to the safety of their kingdoms, hoping that the walls and defenses would keep them out.
Wild Pokemon thrashed and cried out, their attacks firing in all directions and inflicting casualties on both human and Pokemon alike, forever ending many lives in both adulthood and childhood. Blood ran in rivers through the kingdom streets and down the cobblestone paths, dribbling into the rivers, making them turn red with crimson death. Kids, adults, and teens alike writhed in the flames that now danced across the numerous lands within Ransei, even their Pokemon suffering from it. Those who had Links with their partners were not immune, although some managed to rein in their partners before they lost themselves to the orders that lingered in their subconscious.
Most kingdoms were reduced to rubble within a few hours of the event, caused by damaging attacks like Hyper Beam, Earthquake, and Thunder. Other attacks sliced buildings clean in half, some coming down like dominoes. Fires ran rampant in a few areas of other kingdoms, leading to blazing infernos that went unchecked as fire services were overwhelmed and in some cases, wiped out. The armies and navies were mobilized to try and quell possible rioting, but soon mass desertions led to more riots and bandits took the chance to attack the warlords, some even killing them and becoming warlords of the kingdoms which they conquered.
People were forced to take up arms to defend themselves.
Armories were raided and more people started rioting. Within several hours, half of Ransei was burning under the assaults. Not every kingdom escaped unscathed. Even the southern region suffered. But one small kingdom held in its hands the future of not just Ransei, but the world as a whole.
This small kingdom was called Aurora.
And it was here that a young man was about to embark on a journey that would lead to a revolution in Ransei and the creation of a safe haven against the forces of Ho-oh himself.
The young man groaned as he looked back, the walls groaning and trembling under the constant assaults. Every so often some of the tough concrete shed as minor dust particles, a testament to how savage the blows were. A few cracks had started to form in the middle of the walls, but so far they were holding fast against the attacks.
His eyes were filled with fear as they gave a particularly hard shudder, and some loose rocks cascaded down their facades. Smoke was curling up from outside the well protected kingdom, and his body shuddered as he wondered just how bad the outside was.
He wondered just what was going on. In all his life, he had never once considered just how dangerous Pokemon really were, having always seen people getting hurt, but never really bad like now. His entire life had transformed in a single instant, and he wondered just how this had all happened. He briefly recalled legends of some sort, but they were fuzzy inside his mind.
A loud screeching caught his attention and he turned, his eyes widening as he felt his heartrate increase. As the walls made another ominous shudder, small bits of dust and debris began to fall faster. His eyes widened a bit more and he backed up from the trembling structure.
He looked left and right, his fears only becoming multiplied when he heard the screeching of the aerial threat overhead, dive-bombing the helpless civilians. At once the warlord emerged from the castle, his hair wildly flying behind him as he threw his coat over his shoulders and ran down to the street level. His eyes were hard as he whirled around, grabbing the shotgun strapped around his shoulder and firing the gun, hitting one of the Flying types now attacking.
"Dammit! I want to get all anti-aircraft defenses up and running now!" he barked to one of his aides, a woman in her late twenties.
"Sir, we can't! There are just too many Pokemon!" she protested.
"I don't care! Do whatever it takes to get them up and running! NOW!" he ordered.
She nodded and turned, running past him as she looked in his direction.
The warlord spat out a swear as he ducked under a Fearow and threw up a hand, grabbing it by the neck and swiping with the bayonet mounted under his gun, cutting its head clean off and swinging the butt to connect solidly with another as it dove down. "Take this!" he shouted.
The young man was terrified as he backed away from the scene, turning and running for the street where his bike was parked. He threw one leg over the seat and jabbed the key into the ignition, starting it in seconds. The throaty roar of the motor was drowned out by the attacking Pokemon and he didn't want to stick around to become a meal for them. He opened up the throttle and sped away, kicking up the kickstand and hunching over. He didn't have time to put his helmet on, so it was a risk he was willing to take.
A loud chattering suddenly cut through the air and he shot a brief glance up at the wall he was driving by, and his eyes widened in immense relief as he saw the anti-aircraft guns opening up on the hordes of wild Pokemon as they dove and swooped, seeking out a new meal. Already large numbers were falling, but there were just too many. The general in charge of the air force barked out another order and at airfields across the kingdom planes started their engines, taking flight.
The dogfights that ensued were vicious, with no quarter being lost on either side. The planes had speed and firepower, but the Fearow had the numbers. They attacked en masse, forcing the planes to withhold their fire for fear of attacking the civilians below now struggling to defend themselves against the ensuing massacre. The young man felt his heart leap into his throat as one of them suddenly dove for him, but he reacted swiftly and jerked the controls of his bike to the left, speeding down a nearby alleyway and through a pack of Evee struggling to get past the large mounds of trash. He didn't care what was happening; just that he had to get to his family and friends.
A Gust attack suddenly blew through the alley, throwing him off his bike and slamming him into one of the dumpsters. He groaned as he felt his chest. He was sure he had a few broken ribs, judging from the tenderness. He looked up as a Fearow seemed to sneer as it came in for the feast.
The young man shivered and shuddered, groping for any kind of weapon to use. Anything at all. But nothing reached his hand and he gulped. His life began to flash before his eyes, only for a blast of searing heat to soar past his face and he grimaced as sweat broke out on his flesh. A loud screeching from the Fearow indicated it had been hit. He slowly removed his hands from in front of his eyes and he felt his lunch surge up through his throat.
The Pokemon was charred right in the chest and already half the skin was burned off, some of it showing the white ribs as it fell to the ground, dead from the shock. He turned, seeking out his savior and his eyes landed on the form standing on the top of the building closest to him. "Hey, you okay?" his savior called.
The young man nodded, still shaking with fright.
A second form landed and grabbed the first, leaping off the building and landing on the ground, now slightly smoldering from the heat. He looked down at his shoes. "Well, there goes that pair..." he muttered.
"Uh… who are you?" the young man asked in a shaky voice.
"The name's Kyou Kagita," the boy said, running his hand through his hair. "And this is my partner, Blaze."
The young man studied his savior intently.
He could see he was slightly wiry with muscle on him, and messy black hair tied back at the nape of his neck, contrasted by blue eyes that stood out against his light brown skin. A grey baseball cap adorned his head and a pair of old aviator goggles rested on his forehead. He wore a white jacket with a red T-shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers. Beside him stood a Blaziken, tall and proud.
The young man nodded. "Thank you…" he rasped.
Kyou looked at him as well, taking in his short, messy black hair and brown eyes. Like all natives of southern Ransei, he had dark tan skin. On his head he wore an aviator visor and he wore a T-shirt that was blue on the top and white on the bottom with green stripes on the sleeves. He wore dark grey cargo shorts and brown combat boots with black fingerless gloves. Around his neck he wore a keychain ring with a set of keys attached to it.
"What's your name, kid?" Kyou asked.
"My name's Steven Krane…" the young man rasped as he shivered a bit.
Kyou pursed his lips, but said nothing. Suddenly he tensed and whirled around, barking out an order to Blaze as he did so. "Blaze, Fire Punch!" he ordered.
The Pokemon nodded and leapt up, his fist shining with fire blazing around it, punching a Fearow that dove from the air.
"C'mon!" Kyou ordered. "Get that bike up and get outta here!"
Steven didn't even hesitate as he scurried back to his dented bike and lifted it up, slipping over the seat and starting the ignition again. He looked back just as Kyou ran over and slung a leg over the seat as well while motioning for him to go. He didn't even hesitate as he revved the engine and sped off as fire started burning in the dumpsters full of trash.
"How fast you planning on going, kid?" Kyou shouted over the roar of the engine.
Steven didn't answer. All he did was gun the engine to full and the bike leapt forward, nearly dislodging the other man. Kyou yelped and threw his arms around the young man as he hunched down, his body becoming shielded by the windshield. His eyes narrowed as he stared through the tinted glass, which showed a Heads-Up-Display in front of his vision.
He gritted his teeth as he studied the readouts, from his bike's speed to the engine temp and the fuel gauge, and the bike's structural integrity.
His eyes hardened as he looked at the battle raging around him. "What'll we do?" he asked Kyou.
"Find someplace to hide for now!" he ordered.
"Why?" Steven asked.
"Just do it!"
He didn't even need to be told twice as he swerved the bike into a small alleyway that took them right to a smaller building that looked like a warehouse. He slid it inside and the door was closed as the workers barricaded the door.
How long they would be there for remained unknown.
Outside, the fighting continued on. By now the entire Aurora Air Force had been mobilized, and they were managing to get quite the kill count. Already large numbers of Fearow were falling to their guns, but more were still coming. The Aurora Defense Forces also finished mobilizing, sending their tanks out to drive back the wild Pokemon that managed to clamber over the walls and breaching underground. Buildings were beginning to crack and crumble under constant Earthquakes, and the walls, so formidable against certain types of Pokemon attacks, were starting to crumble as well. This was bad news for the Kingdom of Aurora.
But there was one edge they had that was sure to turn the tide of war: a type of pulse weapon that would drive them back. Or at least force them to leave to keep their hearing safe.
The warlord by now was trying to run to the kingdom's castle where the sonic pulse weapon was stored. His heart was pounding as he ran for the doors, leaping over fallen trees and darting around scattered remains of cars, buildings, and occasionally, the human or Pokemon body. Some were still alive as he bolted past, his teeth gritted as he finally ran up the stairs to the massive steel doors, already starting to close.
"Hurry, sir!" one of the guards standing in the middle of the doors shouted.
He increased his speed, running for the doors as fast as he could. He grasped his shotgun and lunged, turning his body and firing at a nearby Arcanine, killing it as he landed on the floor and slid inside, right underneath the doors. He discarded the empty gun and got to his feet, running through the palace until he reached the main command center. The guards were already opening the doors as he grasped the code and pulled the flash drive off its strap.
"Okay! Here we go!" he shouted, jabbing it into the control console and booting up the weapon.
Up on the roof of Aurora Castle, a segment began to shudder and rise up, splitting down the middle as a large satellite dish emerged from the depths of the palace. The Pokemon ceased their attack in confusion, giving the defenders of the kingdom the chance they needed to press home the attack. The fighter planes engaged at full speed, not even hesitating to unleash their destructive payloads as all civilians had been evacuated to the shelters beneath the city streets of all towns and small cities. Tanks began to emerge from their bases, their guns barking and sending shells right for the Pokemon now invading their home.
Explosions started to rock the kingdom's center city, and some humans ran for the rubble, using it as cover as the attackers began to fall to the Aurora Defense Forces. The battle was beginning to turn against the humans, only for shortly after, the strange satellite dish that had extended from the top of the castle began to hum. Then, a loud screeching emitted from the dish, a sonic pulse spreading out across the kingdom and disrupting the equilibrium of the Fearow and other flying Pokemon in the area.
What happened next could only be described as chaos.
Fearow fell in large numbers, and some landed on the ground only to be blasted by guns or crushed under tank treads. Some buildings fell and crushed others, along with some humans. But the toll of the living was in the favor of the humans. Other warriors began to assist, and soon, the last of the Fearow had been driven away, along with other hostile Pokemon.
The battle had lasted less than a full day, but already destruction and devastation had claimed Aurora's quaint culture and destroyed most of the cities. The wall bore all kinds of craters from Pokemon attacks, and some parts were dangerously corroded thanks to Poison attacks like Gunk Shot and Poison Needle. The Pokemon had also created cracks in the protective barrier. Anti-aircraft guns lay in ruins around the perimeter, and some planes lay in wrecks within the walls. Flames flickered feebly against the coming darkness and the lights that still worked flicked on, flickering weakly. In the darkness of the battle torn kingdom, people began to take stock of their situation and locate their loved ones.
The kingdom's center city and all others had been ravaged by the attacks. And now that the battle had died down, it allowed Steven and his new friend to emerge from hiding.
What they saw shocked them to their core.
Steven felt his legs go weak and he collapsed to his knees, silently staring at the destruction all around them.
His eyes were wide and it seemed to Kyou that the young man was going into shock. He nudged him harshly and Steven seemed to snap out of it. "Huh?"
"Steven, let's go," he said.
The black-haired man nodded and he got to his feet, grabbing his bike and mounting it. Kyou didn't get on this time, but instead clambered onto the back of his Pokemon. The fighting type nodded and at once leapt into the air and on top of a building. Steven started his bike and the trio began to move. Steven was stunned by this devastation. In all his life, he had never thought this would be the End of Days described in old Ransei legends.
But it was not, as people still lived, and so did many Pokemon.
His eyes flicked around, taking note of the people as they gathered around bodies starting to be recovered from the rubble. It also didn't help that communications were very spotty at the moment, the sonic weapon having messed with the radio frequencies. Steven looked back towards one of the streets, and at once he gritted his teeth. He didn't even let Kyou know what he was up to as he suddenly swerved to the left and headed out of the kingdom's capital, dashing right for the suburbs in which he lived.
The trip there was just as devastating.
All around him he could see destroyed houses, torn up roads, and devastated trees. Craters pockmarked the area, and he began to worry for his family.
Images of the devastation suddenly surfaced in his head and he felt his stomach lurch as he realized that maybe his parents and friends had died. What if they had been torn to shreds by Swift attacks? What if they had been eaten? What if they died of burns? What if... What if... What if... ? There were just too many possibilities and at once he grabbed his phone, dialing as he drove with one hand.
The signal bars flashed weakly, then went out. He stared in shock at the lack of a signal, his mind unable to process the possibility of their loss. He tried again, and again. But nothing happened. All he got was a dead zone. He stared in shock at the screen before he put the phone back in his pocket. Tears pricked at his eyes as he shook his head. 'Dammitall!' he thought to himself. He grasped the bike's handlebars and let out a scream as he punched it.
All he could see in his mind's eye were their charred bodies, before they were replaced by bodies eaten by Fearow and other flying types. His heart was now pounding in his chest as he felt the tears streaming down his face only to be blown away by the wind. He felt as if he were flying rather than riding as he sped down the road. His teeth gritted and he was clenching the handlebars so tight it seemed as if he would break the throttle off.
He increased the speed of his bike and the wheels screeched as he burned rubber. He hunched over the bike's control panel, and the readouts on the windshield ticked past his vision. A map showed up on the glass and his eyes narrowed as several roads flashed red, indicating either severe damage or destroyed altogether. His eyes narrowed a bit as he saw this. He was jolted back to his senses as he felt the bike lurch over a large hole and he swore, peeling to the right and heading down another road which was flashing yellow.
The road conditions did little to stop him as he finally arrived near the town in which he lived.
Like all the others, it was damaged and several buildings were destroyed, but for the most part it was untouched. Bodies of flying Pokemon and humans alike littered the area and his eyes widened as he stared in shock at the destruction. Fires flickered near the houses, and he began to fear the worst for his family and friends. He punched the throttle and the bike reared back onto its hind wheels before slamming back down and he darted through the destroyed sections of the town, reaching his street and peeling to the left.
He flicked on his bike's headlight and he was greeted by the carnage of war.
Steven felt sick to his stomach and he nearly vomited on his bike's controls, but he held it in. He needed to get to his house and see if his family was all right! Then he could get sick.
The street was deserted as he turned onto it and slowed his bike.
The houses were dark, but for the most part were undamaged. Only a few signs of attack lingered, primarily the bodies of several Fearow and one Pidgeot. A human child lay in the middle of the street, half her body eaten by the bird Pokemon. She looked to be no more than five.
Steven drove down the street a bit more, his eyes landing on the house he called home.
Thankfully the generator his dad had bought all those years ago still worked. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw the lights coming on, flickering into life. It was a sign of hope, and he began to see a few others coming on as well, no doubt due to either candlelight or backup generators. The doors on a few other homes opened and people stepped out, no doubt relieved to see that he was all right.
Steven parked his bike in the driveway and headed for the front door of his home.
His heart was now pounding double time as he grasped the handle and opened the door, only to be greeted in a huge hug by his mother, a short petite woman with black hair and green eyes which were accented by her tan skin. He could feel wetness streaking down his neck and he reached up, hugging her back; she was crying.
His father, a big, burly man with a thatch of brown hair and brown eyes to match his skin tone, ran out, holding a shotgun in his hands, but lowered it upon seeing his son.
"Steven…" he whispered.
"Hey Dad," Steven said, holding his mother close.
The door to the basement opened and out came a few other people he knew well: his three best friends. Lithe, brunette-haired and grey-blue-eyed Willma "Wingma" Nelson, her younger brother Zachary "Zippy" Nelson, with his messy red hair and blue eyes, and Bradley "Radar" Harrison, with his big imposing build and short, yet shaggy brown hair which framed deep blue eyes.
The sense of relief was so profound it was almost tangible. Steven broke down crying as his three friends approached, and slowly, one by one, they joined the hug. He was one of those lucky enough to have his loved ones survive.
Others... were not as fortunate as he. And some were not fortunate at all.