Here's chapter 2! Pokemon, in any form, do not belong to me. Also, if I butcher Nobunaga's personality, don't yell at me. There's a reason it's MY story.
~~~~~Dawna POV~~~~~
"I've got the snooty scholar, Oichi, clear out Ranmaru so Dawna can get to Nobunaga. The rest of you fan out and fight the others," Hikari yelled, running forward. My army-including Oichi- glanced at me, puzzled.
"Uh, yeah, what she said," I lamely covered. I mentally kicked myself as I shot forward with Eevee. My team spread out and battled against their designated opponents. Ranmaru's Dratini looked like it could take down Oichi's Jigglypuff with one shot, but I pried my eyes away from their battle and focused on the calm, menacing Nobunaga. I stopped in front of him, trying to keep myself from freaking out. Eevee stood bristling at my feet. Just then, I noticed he didn't have a pokemon.
"Um, where's your pokemon…?" As soon as the words came I kicked myself once again, this time for sounding scared and unsure. I guess that's what he wanted, though, because he laughed evilly.
"Oh, don't worry. It'll be here soon, Tamashi." He drew out my real name, not my nickname, and I shuddered. Then the whole room shuddered. A roar echoed through the battlefield, and everyone looked around, trying to figure out where the sound came from. Then it came.
A giant black dragon-like pokemon with startling red eyes and blue electricity flashing over its wings soared through the air, landing just behind Nobunaga, covering him in its shadow.
I almost forgot how to breathe. My Eevee raised its eyes and lowered itself, sinking in fear. I knew I couldn't beat that on my own, so I had to bide time until at least Hikari and/or Oichi and/or another member of my army had defeated their opponent. Then I noticed they were just staring at the Zekrom.
"Hey! Focus!" I yelled at them, and they quickly obeyed. Battles started to rage around us again as I faced Nobunaga. He still stood still, simply watching me. I decided to make the first move.
"Okay, Eevee! He might be bigger and stronger, so we'll have to move faster! Use Quick Attack and run up the wall!" My small brown pokemon shot up the wall, running past the massive pokemon's head. Nobunaga thrust out his hand towards Eevee.
"Bolt Strike," He said simply, and Zekrom let loose a huge bolt of lightning from its mouth, which arched right towards Eevee.
"Jump onto the chandelier!" Eevee quickly obeyed, dodging the bolt at the last second. It tore into the wall, ripping out a hunk of stone so I could see out into the open sky. I made a mental note to avoid its attacks at all times. I pointed at Zekrom.
"Okay, hit him with Trump Card!" Eevee jumped into the air, spinning as glowing cards formed around her and shot toward Zekrom. Eevee landed on the ground just as the attack connected, blasting smoke and dust everywhere.
Nobunaga, still standing behind the giant, was hit by the wind, causing his hair and robe-like clothing to be swept back. He stood still as the dust cleared, revealing an unharmed Zekrom.
Eevee backed toward me in fear. I had to admit, he was impressive. But I had an idea.
'Eevee. Back up so the chandelier is in front of you. We need to get Zekrom below it,' I communicated silently to my partner.
'But why…OH! Good plan, mistress,' she responded. She obeyed, just as Nobunaga ordered his pokemon to attack us again. As the massive black pokemon flew at Eevee, I put my plan into action.
"Now!" I yelled, as Zekrom flew under the light fixture. Eevee leaped, higher than she'd ever jumped before. She cleared the candles of the chandelier, cutting through the supportive chain with a well-aimed Iron Tail.
Zekrom didn't have time to move as the light fixture crashed down upon it, pinning it to the ground.
"While it's vulnerable! Quick Attack!" Eevee rushed at Zekrom, glowing with a green light. She slammed into Zekrom's nose, causing a roar of displeasure. As Eevee hit Zekrom again, I risked a glance at Nobunaga. He was looking not at his pokemon, but straight at me, with what I took to be an amused expression.
Whatever it was, it sent shivers down my spine. I quickly looked away, just in time to see Zekrom bursting up from the trap, sending Eevee tumbling back to my feet. Eevee regained her balance, preparing for the inevitable attack, but Nobunaga put his hand up to Zekrom.
"Enough. I wish to fight her myself."
"WHAT!?" I yelped aloud, then clapped my hands over my mouth. Nobunaga looked at me, and a smirk slowly slid onto his face.
"It is tradition we fight along-side our pokemon. Nobunaga will see what you are capable of."
I was half-expecting an attack, but I still didn't move fast enough. Zekrom shot forward, blasting electricity from its mouth, aimed at Eevee. Nobunaga moved likewise, but slashed out with a black, wide-bladed sword. I jumped to the side, but his sword still raked my side. The blast of lightning seared Eevee's shoulders. I stumbled, drawing and thrusting out with my own sword clumsily, barely blocking Nobunaga's down-cut. Eevee barely got out of the way of Zekrom's claws.
Suddenly, I felt the pain of my partner. Her burden was mine. Our breathing slowed to an identical pace. Our hearts beat at once. Our senses sharpened. This is what it meant to be a Warlord.
Eevee and I surged up at the same moment, slashing upward with steel and Iron Tail. Our opponents moved in sync, stumbling back but quickly regaining stature. Then, we shot forward as they swung powerfully at us. They might've been stronger, bigger, but we were quicker. We ducked to the side, leaping up with a quick stab before gracefully retreating. They staggered, and we could see we left a cut on the side of their face. They slashed again, but we rolled to one side and stabbed at whatever skin we could find before jumping back, clear of them attacking back. They were getting mad, and hopefully, careless. They rushed forward, stabbing at us, but we leaped over their attack, cutting down. They blocked it just in time, so we hopped back. We prepared to rush again, but we weren't expecting the blasting attack that came next.
Black sword and claws alike ripped through the air, slamming into us, sending us soaring back. We crashed into the strange pole-like structures, Eevee hitting a gray one, me, a yellow. I slid down and landed on my knees. I could sense Eevee getting healed, but then I arched my back and shrieked as electricity struck my body.
My sword tip dropped to the ground; probably the only thing that saved me. Some of the shock was sent into the stones. The pain seemed to go on forever, and when the worst finally ended, I crumpled forward onto the floor, still hanging onto my sword. I saw a shadow glide over the ground in front of me. With a final burst of defiance, I lurched up with my sword, feeling it clank against something metal. I looked up, right into deep brown eyes. Then the world faded to black.
~~~~~Nobunaga POV~~~~~
I watched as Tamashi, the young female Warlord from Aurora, crashed into a yellow node, and her little brown pokemon crashed into a gray one. Her pokemon—an Eevee—was quickly healed, but the girl wasn't so lucky. She landed on her knees, then arched backward and let out a shriek that ripped through the other sounds of fighting coming from behind me. The shock that she received would probably kill her—not that I really cared. She was trying to take away my perfect dreams of unity and final peace for this warring nation.
She crumpled forward, amazingly still alive. I decided to end her misery, as I knew full well how much those nodes could hurt. I stood in front of her, beginning to raise my sword. Then, surprisingly, she surged up with her sword still in hand as she smacked my sword out of my hand. Her face turned toward me, and I saw something in her violet-blue eyes. It was something that I felt so often in myself.
She would keep fighting for what she believed in. Even if it meant suffering through this excruciating pain, she would stay true to her beliefs. I respected that. She crumpled again, this time the sword dropping from her hand, grazing my cheek. It left another cut over the one she had given me before.
For a few seconds, I just looked down at the beaten Warlord, thinking. She had come to defy me, to defend her truth, not knowing what could happen, yet still fought until she wasn't able to move. It made me want to know more about her.
Then I whirled around as I heard my Zekrom let out a roar. Tamashi's stubborn little Eevee had knocked Zekrom back into the scattered candles, and apparently one hadn't been completely extinguished. The heat from Zekrom's tail had caused it to ignite, creating a flaming spot on the dragon's tail. It was almost comical. Almost. One of Tamashi's soldiers rushed toward it, yelling, "Okay, Sealeo, Ice Ball!"
A blue, round pokemon crashed into my Zekrom from behind in a ball of ice, putting out the fire, but also succeeding in knocking out my pokemon as well. One of my own Warriors prepared to attack the Sealeo and Warrior from behind, but I stepped forward.
"Halt." My voice carried over all other sounds, everyone freezing and looking at me.
"Your Warlord is badly hurt. I will allow the opposing team to rest here until she is prepared to fight again. Nobunaga finds no satisfaction in letting lesser Warriors fight without the Warlords. We shall continue later." With those last words, I swept away down the battle hallway, leaving startled armies to care for the wounded. My sword lay abandoned on the stone floor. As I strode away, a secret part of me hoped I could fight the girl from Aurora again soon.