Pokemon: Hollow Meaning
Chapter 4: A Cloud on the Horizon
Author's Note: I don't own anything except for the story, you get the drill. In this chapter we meet yet another main character. That's about all I can say, I'm pretty much just making this chapter up as I go along. But, to make this less confusing, I am going to tell which characters we're following as the scene changes. As usual, enjoy!
Ash, Brock, Misty
Ash, Brock, and Misty ran through the alley Gary went through. They wanted answers. How come the Hollow had attacked him? Ash didn't trust Gary, and Pikachu was at the ready. His red cheeks were sparking with electric energy.
They came out on another street once they were out of the alley. Most people were still inside in shock of the tremor. Ash looked around and saw no sign of Gary.
"Shoot! He's gone", said Ash.
"Yes, the traitor you are looking for is far away now", said a voice.
Ash and the gang turned around quickly in surprise. The voice came from a man with spiky yellow hair wearing a one sleeved shirt that was made for battle and had certainly seen better days. He had bright blue eyes and was wielding a giant steel sword.
"Who are you?" Misty asked.
"Who cares?" said the man, shrugging.
"I care!" yelled Ash. "And if you're not gonna give me answers, I'll have Pikachu attack you".
The man smirked and crossed his arms. "Be my guest", he said.
Ash growled and said "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" After he said that a beam of lightning shot towards the mysterious man.
Almost immediately after Ash gave his command the man shouted "Thundaga!" and a wave of lightning way more powerful than Pikachu's attack shot from his sword. The two beams of lightning seemed to fight in midair, and Pikachu's eventually fell back to him. Pikachu was then grasped by the man's Thundaga attack. Pikachu let out a painful "Chu…" and collapsed to the ground. The man stopped his lightning and put his sword back in the sheath on his back.
Ash ran to his beloved Pokemon and picked him up. "Don't worry, you're okay now", he said. Pikachu opened his eyes and smiled, then they closed again.
"What are you!" asked Brock.
The man crossed his arms again and said "Just an ordinary guy, with a little Materia".
"Materia?" asked Misty.
"Yes. Materia is the Planet's energy crystallized. When you have it, it allows you to use strange and magical powers. I suspect that there is some in these Pokemon", the man explained. "That would probably be why they are able to use their powers".
"Mister, I want a rematch", said Ash.
The man started to laugh. "If you want to defeat me, then you can't just let your Pokemon fight for you. You have to fight with your Pokemon", he said. "If you were in a battle with one of those Hollow things and it managed to kill your Pokemon, then you would be screwed. Not to mention, it would be more effective to have to attacking one of those things than one, wouldn't it be?" The man turned around and reached into a pack that was behind him and took out a blue sword. "Here, take this mythril saber. I don't need it anymore". He walked over to Ash and handed it to him.
"Hey, what about us! We need to protect ourselves, too", said Brock.
"Screw off", said the man.
"How rude!" yelled Misty.
"Excuse me?" said the blond man, pointing his sword at her. "Do you want to test my patience?"
"Hey! You can't threaten my friends like that!" yelled Ash. "Charizard, go!" he threw out a Poke Ball and a red laser shot out, turning into the Charizard.
"Here we go", the man said under his breath.
Ash climbed onto his Charizard and told it to fly. They shot into the sky. "Bahamut" and shot out his hand. A giant dragon rose from the ground under Cloud's feet and they flew into the sky.
"What?" said Ash.
"You thought I'd give you the upper hand? I have summon Materia" said the man. Right after he said that a massive laser shot from Bahamut's mouth. Charizard dodged out of the way, but it barely missed him.
"Charizard, use flamethrower", Ash commanded. A column of flame shot from Charizard's mouth. Bahamut's wings shielded the mysterious man and then went back to their normal positions.
"If you want to beat me, you'll have to fight with your Pokemon", said the man.
"Charizard, fly closer to them", Ash said quietly. Charizard did so.
"What are you going to do now?" asked the man. Right after he asked that, Ash tackled him off of Bahamut. They fell towards the ground, and Ash pushed the other away. Charizard flew under Ash so that he landed on him.
"Charizard, fly right above that man and use flamethrower", said Ash. Charizard flew right over the man and shot out a pillar of flame towards the Earth. The man pointed his sword downward and it sunk into the ground, leaving the man pretty much undamaged. Then he looked up and saw the flames coming towards him.
"Damn", said the man as the fire washed over him. When the onslaught was done, Cloud was standing face down. He was covered in soot. He fell over on his back in exhaustion. He looked up and saw Bahamut dissolve in thin air. He looked down at its Materia and saw it glowing warmly. He smiled and laid back his head.
Ash and Charizard landed. Ash put Charizard back in its ball and ran over to the man. "Are you okay", he asked, holding out his hand.
The man took it and stood up. "Trust me, I've experienced worse", he said. He looked at Ash. "Not bad, but if I hadn't been going easy on you, this would have had a completely different ending".
"Going easy?" said Ash.
The man held out his hand. "The name is Cloud. Cloud Strife", he said.
Ash took his hand and said "Ash Ketchum".
Brock and Misty walked up to them. Brock said "Cloud, earlier you called Gary a traitor. Why is that?"
"I belonged to an organization called the Guardians. We were entrusted with guarding this land. Gary was a member of it, as well as a boy with bright orange hair named Ichigo Kurosaki. We were successful and felt that we were invincible. But then one day, a man named Pegasus joined us. We could tell there was something off about him. He said he had the power to turn his enemies into cards and keep them trapped in there. He proved to be useful to our operations, but then he turned on us and turned Ichigo into a card. He then gave it to Gary and said 'be sure to bring this to Master Ezina', and he ran off. Then that bastard Genesis Rhapsodos came and killed most of the others. Pegasus got down on his knees and begged that he be spared, but Genesis said that the information Pegasus held about the Prison Cards could be leaked and Ichigo released, so he put his red sword through Pegasus's chest. I fought Genesis and injured him bad enough that he had to retreat", explained Cloud.
"I knew I didn't like that Genesis guy", said Brock.
"You met Genesis?" Cloud asked.
"Yeah. He wasn't that far away. He warned us about a 'war of the beasts' and flew away", said Ash.
"Any idea where he went?" Asked Cloud.
"He didn't say anything about that", said Misty.
"Well, I know where Gary was going. He was heading to the Team Rocket HQ in the Viridian Forest".
"Let's go and get him!" Ash said.
To be Continued