Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.
"Charizard, what are you doing?" yelled Ash as the orange dragon burst out of its pokeball and started flying upwards. It rose higher and higher, roaring at its target.
On the ground, Ash looked around him. Brock was looking at his Pokémon, silent. To his right, Misty looked on at the monster that caused the destruction of the city. All around them, Pallet Town was no more than a pile of rubble. Professor Oak's lab was demolished. The old windmill was burning, and Ash's house was no more. The houses were bombarded with flames and lightning, destroying everything they hit. Oak, Tracey, Delia and the other survivors had fled to Viridian City to get help, but that was over an hour ago. Either they were having trouble finding help or…
Ash shook his head. He refused to believe that they didn't make it. They'd be here soon. He looked up and saw Charizard roaring at the three-headed Pokémon that destroyed his home. Charizard launched flames repeatedly, but the agile Pokémon dodged them and taunted Charizard by cawing and snapping its beaks again and again.
"This… no!" he heard Misty say. "GYARADOS!" she yelled as she threw a pokeball into the water. The blue serpent appeared and reared its vicious head in the bird Pokémon's direction. "Dragon Rage!"
Gyarados charged a huge sphere of flames in its mouth and let it loose at its target. Zapmolcuno, distracted by Ash's Charizard, didn't see it coming and was struck on the Zapdos head. The head screeched in pain, looking for who had hit it. Its eyes found Gyarados, and it opened its beak, charged its own sphere, and launched it.
"No- Gyarados, return!" she cried. The pokeball's red beam hit Gyarados, and it glared at its trainer for a moment before letting itself be recalled. A second later, the Zap Cannon crashed into the water and exploded. The water lit up and arcs of electricity soared from the surface. After it died down, wild Pokémon the likes of Staryu, Krabby, and Tentacool floated up to the surface, fried.
Tears poured out of Misty's eyes as she fell to her knees. The death of so many water Pokémon had her feeling worse than she ever felt before. She had already lost most of her Pokémon in this fight, including Starmie who had been impaled in its center jewel, and her Golduck who was frozen and then shattered into pieces.
Brock's Pokémon fared no better; Steelix had met the same fate as Golduck. His Crobat had been hit with an Ice Beam while it was flying over water, and with its wings being frozen, fell into the sea, never resurfacing.
The older teen approached Ash and put a hand on his shoulder. "You're the one with the amazing ideas to get us out of trouble..." he said with a serious look. "Got anything?"
Ash chuckled darkly, and looked down at his Pikachu in his arms who had begun to stir. "Brock, if I could've done anything to stop this from happening, I would've done it already…" He looked Brock in the eye. "You want my honest opinion…? I think we-"
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Misty screamed. She was on all fours, her hands gripping the grass. "I'm… I'm through with this…! M-my Pokémon… they're gone…!" she began to cry hard, not caring to wipe away the tears. She got to her feet and started running towards the hill near them, the point where she could get the closest to Zapmolcuno. She reached the top and began to yell. "YOU KILLED MY POKEMON! YOU… you…!" again, she was brought to her knees, replaying over and over how her Pokémon were killed right in front of her. "WHAT IS IT YOU WANT! US! I DON'T CARE ANYMORE, TAKE MY LIFE AND BE DONE WITH IT! I-"
"GVROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAWH!"
Charizard's roar had silenced the young water Pokémon trainer. She stopped and looked up, surprised and scared, at Charizard. It had stopped in mid-air, and it began to roar angrily at Misty, spewing embers in the process. It had tears falling down its face, and blood running down its arms; it had been balling its hands into fists so hard its claws dug into its own palms. It roared again and again at Misty, flailing its tail about madly and sent Flamethrowers in her general direction, none ever really hitting her.
"MISTY!" yelled Ash as he ran to her, Brock not too far behind. He fell to his knees and embraced her, whispering to her that everything was okay. She tore her eyes off the dragon still spewing fire at her and began to cry her eyes out again.
Brock stared at Charizard with understanding eyes. "Ash…" he said. "…what is it saying?"
"It's angry at Misty, Brock." Said Ash as he hugged Misty closer to him. "It's really angry at her. It's saying she's a weak coward. That she's not the only one to have lost precious friends to that monster." Ash glanced towards Zapmolcuno, who had Snorlax's arm stuck in between the Moltres and Articuno head. He turned away, replaying the moment his Snorlax was swept up, ripped apart and… eaten. "It's saying it's angry at the one who took its friends, but even more so at someone who would willingly give up without even trying to avenge them. It's saying it'll kill that bird, or die trying…"
Brock moved swiftly in front of Ash and, after picking him up off the ground, punched him in the face. Ash held his chin, looking away while Misty stared wide-eyed at Brock.
"Brock, what are you-!"
"!"
They all looked up, and saw that Charizard had finally reached Zapmolcuno, and began to fiercely engage the Pokémon, dodging bolts of electricity being sent its way.
"No." Brock said, bringing their attention back to him. "What are YOU two doing?" He stood over Misty and was looked at Ash. The flashes of random Thunderbolts being sent across the night sky behind him made him seem even more imposing. "I've lost all but one Pokémon to that stupid bird, but have you ever heard me once complain?" Ash looked at Brock, who was looking at him with fury in his eyes. "Ash, your Charizard has more sense than you and Misty put together. It probably knows that it can't do anything to stop it, and yet it's still fighting that fucking bird. Not for itself, but for its friends and for us. For Misty to cry and ask to be killed is an insult to the memory of our Pokémon and the Pokémon still willing to fight." Brock looked down at Pikachu, who was looking at him with sparks coming out of its cheeks. It wasn't threatening him; it was showing him that it wanted to fight to the bitter end.
Brock took a deep breath and said "I'm not giving up without a fight." He smiled as he pulled his last pokeball off his belt, enlarged it, and held it at the ready while glaring at Zapmolcuno, waiting for Ash's cue.
Ash looked at Misty, whose tear streaked face no longer showed signs of despair. She looked at him and nodded. Getting to her feet, she too pulled out her last two pokeballs and, mimicking Brock, glared at the bird still fighting Charizard.
"Pika!" said Pikachu, jumping onto Ash's shoulder. "Pika-pi! Pi pika-chu, pika!"
"You too, huh?" he said. The yellow Pokémon nodded, and Ash looked up to see Charizard trying, and failing, to land a hit on Zapmolcuno with a Flamethrower. "Okay." He said, turning his cap backwards, tearing his last pokeball off his belt and threw it in the air.
"Pidgeot-toooooo!" screeched Pidgeot as it burst out of its pokeball. It flew in a circle, and came to rest next to Ash.
"Pidgeot, I want you to take Misty up in the air."
"What?" Misty said. "Ash, I don't think that's a good idea… Why don't you take Brock? I think he-"
"I'm good." Said Brock. He called out his last Pokémon, and a giant bird came out beside him. It resembled a pterodactyl.
"Had fun on Cinnabar Island?" asked Ash.
"A breeder's work is never done."
Brock and Ash mounted Aerodactyl, while Misty reluctantly got onto Pideot's back.
"Misty, you have to trust it the way it trusts you." Ash said. The bird Pokémon turned its head and looked at Misty. Misty took a deep breath, and nodded to the majestic bird. The avian nodded back in acknowledgment
"You'll trust me?" Misty asked.
"Pidgeot!" it chirped.
"Well, if I'm going to be in the air…" Misty said. "Gyarados! Milotic!" She threw her pokeballs into the water and Gyarados appeared again, staring at Zapmolcuno with bloodlust. Milotic appeared beside it, an elegant air about it; but also radiating a dangerous aura. "They'll back us up from the water."
"Let's hurry; Charizard can't hold it off for much longer." Said Brock.
As they soared through the air, Ash took one last look at his lost Pokémon. His Bulbasaur had been charred to a crisp, and lay smoldering on the hill next to where they had taken off. Totodile, despite being a water type, was also burned beyond recognition before the Moltres head tossed it up in the air… and swallowed it. Ash turned his gaze towards the monster that had taken his friends. He'd make it pay.
"I'd love to cut off that Articuno head myself..." Brock said to himself.
Ash agreed with him. The Articuno head made short work of Brock's Pokémon. Himself, he wanted the Moltres head. It'd burned up Bulbasaur, ate Totodile and tore apart Snorlax. He glared up at it with hatred in his eyes. He'd make it pay.
As they gained altitude, Zapmolcuno was none the wiser; it was still toying with Charizard, cawing and launching electric attacks at it. Charizard was getting more frustrated by the second. After trying and again failing to hit the bird with a Flamethrower, it roared. It rose above Zapmolcuno, flying higher and higher until it stopped and entered a dive. It pulled back it's fist glowing with power.
"Charizard, watch out!" Ash yelled.
Charizard looked at its trainer then back at its target before spinning to the side and away. Zapmolcuno had hidden Articuno's head behind the other two, and just barely missed Charizard with an Ice Beam. The other heads turned towards Ash's voice and were met with more opposition.
The three headed Pokémon went to meet its new opponents. Ash and co. scattered after it launched Thunderbolts and Ice Beams at them.
"Charizard!" called Ash. Charizard flew in a wide arc, towards its trainer. Ash patted Brock on the shoulder, nodded, and jumped off Aerodactyl, landing on Charizard's back.
"Gyarados, Dragon Rage! Milotic, use Ice Beam!" yelled Misty. The Pokémon obeyed, and the Zapmolcuno swerved this way and that to avoid the barrage of attacks directed at it.
"C'mon Aerodactyl!" said Brock, urging his Pokémon to join the fight. "DragonBreath!"
"Aeeerooooooo!" it screeched before launching a green/blue beam. Zapmolcuno easily moved to dodge it and countered with a Flamethrower. It hit Aerodactyl's wing, but being a Rock type, it was nothing to big.
"Are you alright, Brock?" asked Misty, flying towards him.
"Yeah, that was close. But I don't think attacks from a distance are going to work."
"Then we'll attack from up close!" Ash yelled. "Misty, distract it!"
"Pidgeot, fly circles around it!" Misty said.
Pidgeot then began to fly around Zapmolcuno, cawing every now and then to confuse it. It was still busy dodging flying DragonRage and Ice Beams.
"Aerodactyl, fly behind it! Rip Articuno's head off!" Brock commanded, and flew straight towards the three headed Pokémon.
Zapmolcuno, whilst barely moving out of the way of an Ice Beam, saw Aerodactyl flying straight towards it and launched its own Ice Beam. Aerodactyl dove and avoided it, but instead the Ice Beam hit Pidgeot's tail. It began to panic and flap its wings frantically.
"Charizard, help it! Use Ember!" Ash cried. Charizard sent its attack and it hit Pidgeot's frozen tail, thawing it out enough for the avian to regain flight control.
"Pidgeot, fly circles around it again." Said Misty, but Pidgeot instead flew straight at Zapmolcuno, its wings glowing bright white. "Pidgeot, no!" cried Misty, but on it flew.
The bird Pokémon focused on the bright wings and launched another Ice Beam, this time freezing Pidgeot's entire wing. It screeched, and spiraled out of control down to the Earth.
"MISTY! Charizard, GO!" Ash yelled, and dove after them. "Misty, jump!"
Misty jumped off of Pidgeot, and began her free-fall. Drawing its wings to its body, Charizard began to fall faster, and scooped up Misty in its arms.
"Charizard, use Ember on Pidgeot's wing, hurry!"
Charizard launched its attack again and again, but the avian squirmed too much to be able to land a hit. Charizard pulled up, and Ash looked on as his Pidgeot hit the ground; its neck at an unnatural angle, and its wing shattered.
Ash felt tears sting his eyes. He had lost four of his precious friends… No, even more. Professor Oak didn't have enough time to transfer the Pokémon that were at his Lab to a Pokémon center. His only Pokémon left were Pikachu and Charizard.
"Pikachu!" he thought. The thought hadn't even occurred to him to use it. It was holding on between Ash's legs, sparks flying at how angry it was, and he got an idea.
"Charizard, to Brock!" Ash cried. The dragon roared its response and soared to Aerodactyl while Ash helped Misty onto Charizard's back. Brock and Aerodactyl were having a hard time diving and weaving between Zapmolcuno's constant barrage of Ice Beam and Thunderbolt.
"Brock, what happened to Gyarados and Milotic?" Ash yelled.
"Gyarados got hit with Thunder! Milotic's alright but the attack traveled through the water! I think its hurt!"
Misty looked frantically before spotting Milotic, who was still using Ice Beam, but not as often. She felt her heart ache when she didn't see Gyarados anywhere.
"We need to end this now! Take Misty!" Ash yelled, and pushed Misty off Charizard. Aerodactyl dived and Misty landed on its back.
"Ash Ketchum, where do you get off pushing me off a Pokémon that's flying thousands of feet in the air?" Misty yelled.
"Distract it! Pikachu, get on Charizard's head!" Ash called.
"Pika!"
The rodent Pokémon made its way to Charizard's head, and Ash saw Aerodactyl flying circles around Zapmolcuno, launching DragonBreath repeatedly. He took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.
"Charizard, come up from under it! Pikachu when we're close enough, use Thunder!"
"Groar!"
"Pika!"
Charizard flew higher and higher towards Zapmolcuno. It flew this way and that, avoiding Aerodactyl's DragonBreath and Milotic's Ice Beam, and didn't notice anyone under it until it heard Pikachu's cry.
"Piiiiiikaaaaaaa-CHUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
The attack landed, and Zapmolcuno flapped around frantically.
"Ice Beam/DragonBreath!" cried Misty and Brock, and both Pokémon landed their attacks simultaneously. Zapmolcuno screeched again, being paralyzed and frozen. Milotic froze both its wings, and Aerodactyl fried the Articuno head. It then began to fall, trying to free itself from the ice encasing its wings.
"Charizard, chase it; use Fire Blast!" yelled Ash angrily. It roared in response and dove towards Zapmolcuno, launching Fire Blasts again and again.
"Ash, what are you doing? You'll thaw out its wings!" yelled Brock.
Ash ignored him. This monster killed his friends and he'd make it know the agony they went through before they died.
Again and again, it was hit with Fire Blast until it crashed into the ground. The smell of burnt feathers and charred skin was in the air. Aerodactyl landed next to it first, and without being told anything, shook off its passengers and viciously bit at the Zapdos' neck. Blood spurted out, and it screeched in agony as Aerodactyl Crunched again and again on its neck until it was severed from its body. Aerodactyl flew towards the water, dumped the head into the sea and returned next to its trainer, staring at the remaining living head.
No one said a word as Charizard landed. Ash and Pikachu jumped off, and they looked on at the Moltres head writhing in pain. It got to its feet, and sent a Fire Spin towards Aerodactyl, but it was blocked by a Flamethrower from Charizard. It charged the now one-headed avian, and hit it with a fist glowing with power. Blood seeped from the Moltres nostrils, and again and again Charizard assaulted it with Mega Punch after Mega Punch to the chest until it collapsed on the ground.
"Pikachu, Charge." Ash said.
"Piiiiiiiiiiiiiii…" Pikachu charged itself with electricity, transferring the majority of the electricity stored in its cheeks to the rest of its body. It began to glow bright yellow.
"Thunder."
"Pikaaaaaaaaaaa-CHUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
Pikachu unleashed its attack, and again the Moltres head screeched in pain. Pikachu's attack didn't end. Five seconds passed, it was still discharging electricity. Ten seconds, and Moltres' screeches ceased. Fifteen seconds, Moltres' eyes burst. After twenty seconds of continuous Thunder, Pikachu stopped its attack and wobbled toward Ash, who scooped it up and held it in its arms while looking at the now deceased Zapmolcuno.
As they all stood there looking at the corpse, the realization of it all hit them full-force. Their friends, who had helped them fight, who had helped them LIVE, were no longer going to come back. Ash could hear Misty's light sobbing behind him. Brock's face was stoic, devoid of emotion, but he knew he was hurting just as much.
"M-Milotic, return." Misty said as she recalled her Pokémon. She looked at Ash. "S-should we… Do you think we should-"
"No… I don't think so." he said. "This… This was a battlefield. Even if we move the bodies we can find, they'll stay here. I think… I think we should leave it at that."
"I-I agree." Stuttered Brock.
Pallet Town was no longer Ash's home. Pallet Town was now the gravesite for his, Brock's, and Misty's Pokémon, who had fought and died to protect them.
They turned to where the battle began, and where the bodies of their Pokémon lay. They bowed their heads, and uttered a simple thank you to them all. Words couldn't describe how they felt.
Charizard roared with tears in its eyes; a final farewell to its friends whom it wouldn't see again.
Pikachu was silent. Tears streamed down its face as it said its own silent goodbyes.
Ash took off his hat, and laid it on the ground. He would never forget their Pokémon's sacrifice. He turned, and began to mount Charizard again.
"Ash... where are you going?" asked Misty.
"To find out who made this," Ash said, pointing to Zapmolcuno's corpse. "and to find out who's responsible for the death of our Pokémon."
"We're coming with you." Brock said, mounting Aerodactyl. Misty climbed on after him.
"I figured you would." Ash replied.
A man was sitting in his easy chair, sipping wine and petting his Persian. The fireplace was the only source of light in the room, and it cast ominous shadows on the walls. The man heard someone open the door and enter.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Boss sir, the Zapmolcuno you had ordered created has been killed."
The man paused for a moment, and then resumed petting his Persian. "Thank you. Keep me updated on those brats."
"Sir. At present, they seem to be making their way to Viridian City."
"I see. Anything else?"
"That's all, sir."
"You're dismissed."
The man left, and the Boss sipped at his wine again. For a minute, he kept petting his Persian. Then, he smiled wickedly.
"You're one hell of an interesting child... Ash Ketchum."
And so ends the first chapter. To be perfectly honest, I've been wanting to write a Pokemon fic for a long time; But I'm not really confident in my writing skills. It actually took coaxing from my friends to post this here.
I'm open to any kind of criticism, flaming or otherwise. At the very least it'll help me become a better writer.
Note: I had actually intended this to be an Ash/Misty fic, but I'm horrible at romance. ;x We'll see where this ends up, though.