April 15th, 1987
5:53 pm
Sevii Island
"Come on baby, give me a smile!"
Sirius looked up his eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Leave her alone, Bronxs." He didn't yell the command or even say it in a stern voice. There was no need to and no point. Bronxs wouldn't risk pushing Sirius on this matter. The man from the Sinnoh region, sent to Sevii for felony robbery, only have 8 months left before he went before the parole board. Getting in a fight would almost certainly see his chances to get out of Sevii sunk. Bronxs might have considered risking it but there was another factor that weighed upon him.
Namely that Sirius Black had nothing to lose and would be completely willing to gain another 20 years to his sentence.
"Just trying to have some fun," Bronxs grunted, looking like a little boy caught trying to sneak cookies before dinner. "Been a while since we got something pretty to look at with our dinner. Foxy go out 4 months ago-"
"And she was willing to play with you. This one isn't," Sirius growled. "Piss off or I'll make sure both of us get neighboring cells in the dungeon."
Bronxs glowered but did as he was told. Sirius, Bronxs, and all the prisoners currently having supper in the dining hall were all housed in the minimum security wing of Sevii. They were the prisoners that hadn't hurt anybody and who had chances to actually leave the island. They got to spend most of their time out of their cells, hanging out in the yard or the prison library and were able to eat all their meals together in the dining hall. For Sirius it brought back memories of Hogwarts and he didn't know if he should feel joy at the memories or sorrow for the fact that his schooling resembled prison life.
The dungeons housed those that were a danger to themselves and others. The rapists, sickos, and killers all got to stay there. They never left their cells, had to wash themselves in a metal sink, got their meals through a slot in their door and had the Dusknoirs patrol the halls, inspiring fear and sorrow in all of them. Prisoners that acted up in Minimum got to spend a day or two in the dungeons and after that it was rare for one to ever do anything again that would land them a second stay.
Sirius had been down there 12 times.
"You didn't need to do that," Kent said.
"Yeah I did," Sirius said.
"Why?" the older man asked. He was built thick, with thinning white hair that had once been a dark brown and weather-beaten skin that was forever tanned. His arms were thick with muscle and though he smiled often, even in Sevii, when he frowned it was as if one were facing a mountain.
"Because if I didn't you were going to beat Bronxs up," Sirius said. "Not that I blame you. The man needs to be hit and he was bothering your wife."
Marie, who'd been holding her husband's hand, nodded in agreement. She had short brown hair that, due to her being unable to dye it since coming to Sevii, had roots of gray. She was not a supermodel but Sirius could tell that she had been beautiful in her youth and now held a dignified grace. "That doesn't mean that you need to risk yourself, Sirius."
The 27 year-old waved her off. "You two have a chance to get out of here... there is nothing left for me out there. Might as well make something out of my life, even if it is monitoring these low-lives."
"You're wrong," Kent said firmly.
"No, I'm not. No one pining away for ol' Sirius Black."
Kent shook his head. "No, I mean about us getting out of here."
"At least not the way you are thinking," Marie added.
Sirius considered the couple sitting with him. Kent and Marie had arrived on Sevii almost two weeks ago and had quickly become a matter of gossip among the inmates. Usually 'new fish' had their whole life story revealed to the masses by lunch but Kent and Marie were an enigma. Sirius didn't even know their last names or why they were sentenced to Sevii and he knew them better than anyone. Husband and wife had joined him after their third day and had politely engaged him in conversation. He'd wanted to brush them off as he did everyone else; Sirius was well known to prefer his own company and refused to make friends with anyone in the prison. However, when he looked at the two he found himself remembering James' parents and couldn't bring himself to try and dismiss the two.
The older couple had been friendly enough without a hint of ulterior motive, which was much appreciated by Sirius. When people ended up in Sevii there was always a period of adjustment that saw them trying to latch onto someone strong and powerful. Though no one from Avalon had been sent to minimum security (Avalon was too busy filling half the dungeon with Voldemort's goons) and thus none knew the power of the Black family name, he still radiated strength and drew in enough suck-ups. Kent and Marie didn't fall in that category and, as strange as it was for Sirius, they soon became his first true friends in six years.
"What do you mean by that?" Sirius asked. He idly wondered if they'd received that same offer from the warden he had. Yorrick had told him a year ago that if Sirius was willing to supply him with some of the Black fortune his parole could be looked into. The Marauder had flatly refused; not out of pride or spite but for the simple fact that there was nothing left in Avalon for him. He was the man that had failed the Potters and Peter and he'd rather spend his days rotting in Sevii than return to Avalon and face the accusations of his friends.
Before the couple could say a word the entire building shook. Several prisoners looked up in surprise and the guards tensed slightly.
"How many people are here because they are innocent?" Kent asked simply, ignoring the rumble.
"All of them," Sirius said. He would have said it a bit glibly, except for the fact that he was still focused on the rumbling going on around them. He thought he could hear something in the distance, some sort of loud boom, but he honestly couldn't tell.
"The same is true of us," Kent continued. "But unlike the rest of you, our records clearly state that."
That drew Sirius' attention to them. "What?"
It was Marie who continued. "We aren't prisoners; we're hostages. We're leverage. Kanto wanted to use us, to hold us to try and get things to play out their way." The lights flickered for a moment before going out and alarms began to scream all around them. "Except they've miscalculated... they thought that holding us here would stay our boys' hands... all it did was motivate them into action. They wanted to make them feel impotent… instead they have brought about their own death. They wanted to bring despair… but now my sons feel only rage."
The doors to the dining hall burst open and Warden Yorrick came running in, along with several guards. Sirius had never seen the warden so disheveled. He looked about with wild eyes, his men gripping their guns till their knuckles were bone white. That instantly put Sirius on edge; only the guards stationed in the high towers carried guns. The rest used Pokémon to control the inmates.
"Grab those two!" the warden screamed, his voice shrill and piercing. Two of the men marched towards Kent and Marie, who calmly stood up and stared down the warden and his men. Sirius rose to his feet, ready to protect the couple, only to receive the butt end of a rifles against his temple for his trouble. He fell to the ground, skull throbbing, his vision blurred. He was able to make out the warden as he stormed forward, his thin fingers griping Kent's chin and forcing the taller man to look down at him. "Tell them to stop... you tell them to stop or I will-"
"You'll what?" Marie said with a laugh. "Kill us? You've seen what happened when you agreed to imprison us here. You think this is rage? Kill us and you will find out what our boys can really do!"
Sirius' head snapped towards the southern wall. The booms had grown closer and now he could hear the sound of gunfire... and the screams of dying men. The entire building trembled and the other inmates scurried towards the opposite end of the hall, several of them falling to their knees and praying. There were no windows in the dining hall so they could not see what was causing the chaos outside but Sirius knew in his gut that it was something... monstrous.
Marie reached over and smacked the warden's hand from her husband's face. "I want you to listen carefully, because these are the last friendly words you are ever going to hear." The southern wall trembled and one of the light fixtures smashed to the linoleum. Cracks formed and Sirius began to shimmy away."I don't know what bribes you took... I don't know what they offered you to hold us... but agreeing to it was the dumbest thing you ever did in your whole life."
To punctuate Marie's point a bell-like roar burst from outside the hall and the southern wall began to crack and break. The light fixtures swayed, the ceiling trembled, and it felt like to all inside the cafeteria that the End of Days was upon them.
"Who the hell are you?" Sirius whispered, staring at the couple.
The man merely smiled. "Kent and Marie Kenway."
"…who?"
The dining hall's southern wall burst apart. Concrete shattered and wiring and steel beams fell to the ground, mangled and twisted. A harsh spring wind blew into the dining hall and the twilight sky was visible to all. But it was none of this that held Sirius' attention. All his focus was on the beast that towered over them all... the one responsible for the destruction.
It was well over 13 feet tall and covered in a muted green hide that looked more like stony armor than flesh. The body was thick and filled with muscle. Its arms and legs were just as powerful. The head smaller than one might expect and if Sirius had to describe it he would say it was almost feline-like. Dorsal plates were just visible, running down the creature's back, stopping just at the base of its club-like tail. The great monster narrowed its eyes, lips curling back to reveal not only the sharp main fangs but also the rows of smaller, irregular-shaped teeth. The creature's body tensed and then it let rip another bell-like roar that had Sirius shivering.
A Tyranitar. Fully grown. A pseudo-legendary. Pissed off.
Sirius fought to control his bowels.
The armored beast stomped forward and Sirius couldn't help but let out a gasp at the scene playing out behind him. The courtyard that all the inmates knew so well was coated in blood and gore. The asphalt was turn up and in the deep gouges lay the mutilated bodies of the guards. To the right another, slightly smaller Tyranitar was shooting out blue-white lightning at a section of wall while two mighty Aggrons, their steel armor gleaming in the light of the blast, pounded another section of the prison with their great fists. In the sky a Volcarona flew about, joined by a Dragonite that nearly rivaled the large Tyranitar in size. They were keeping watch on a group of guards who'd thrown down their weapons and were on their knees, doing all they could to show they were surrendering. Sirius thought for a moment that he was hallucinating when he saw what appeared to be a living tree keeping the Dusknoirs at bay but he knew at once that the vision was real.
"Stay... stay back!" the warden screamed, trying to use Marie as a shield.
"Or what?" a grim voice said. A figure stepped out from behind the Tyranitar's leg and began to make his way towards the cowering warden. The man wore a long brown coat and a red hood was pulled over his head so that only his mouth could be seen. He moved forward smoothly, easily stepping over the rubble like he was on a Sunday stroll through the park. "Please, tell me what grave dangers I now face. I am so very interested to hear what threats you wish to issue." He shook his head. "I know people always speak of courage and valor but without strength to back them up such bravado is rather sad."
One of the guards suddenly rushed forward, drawing a handgun. The figure quickly kicking a table over to serve as a barrier and dove behind it, the guard firing into the wood. He only got off two shots before the ground trembled under his feet and he fell, his weapon slipping from his grip and sliding over to the Donphan that had suddenly appeared in the hall. The gray Pokémon merely stared down the guard before bringing his foot down, smashing the gun. The guard, seeing that another of the guards was moving in on the human intruder, pulled out a long knife and rushed towards the Pokémon.
The hooded man swung out of his hiding spot, ducking down as the second guard lined up his shot and gave the man a vicious punch right to the groin. As the second guard crumpled the invader slammed his fist hard into the man's throat, causing him to let out a weak gurgle before he slumped down. Seeing the Donphan in trouble the man leapt in front of the first guard, two metal sticks falling from his sleeves and into his awaiting hands. He raced forward and Sirius was struck by the man's speed and agility; it was almost as if he were flying rather than running. The first stick struck the guard's hand, breaking his wrist and sending the knife to the ground. The hooded man did not stop however and spun around, delivering a vicious kick to the back of the guard's knee, forcing him to the ground. The guard made a move to grab the hooded man's ankle but this strike was blocked before the man drove his sticks once more at his opponent. There was a sickening crunch and the guard fell to the ground with a gagging scream, his fingers clawing at the bloody pulp that had once been his face. It had been a blur of motion and violence that left Sirius speechless.
"You could have laid down your weapon," the man said almost sadly, flicking bits of blood from his weapons. He coldly circled the screaming guard, prodding and poking him like he was a tender steak on the grill. Sirius found himself wishing he could see the man's face… it would have been so much easier if he could tell what the hooded man was experiencing, what his emotions truly were. "You could have gone home, married your sweetheart, had several kids and died in your armchair an old man. But you had to be bold... didn't you? You threw your life away trying to attack that which is simply beyond you." The hooded man raised his right hand, his lips pulled in a thin frown. "Tell the devil Jack Kenway sends his regards."
CRUNCH!
Sirius looked away, eyes clenched tight as he tried to drive the horror of what he'd just seen.
"You... you monster!" the warden screamed as the guard's body fell to the floor.
"Monster?" Jack said almost playfully, his hood shifting slightly so Sirius could get a good look at the man's hard, cold eyes. "If I am a monster than I am in rather good company. Isn't that right, Mumik?" the Donphan let out a trumpeting call. "You think this was murder, warden? No... that was a lesson. Don't come at me unless you are ready to pay the final price. I come at you prepared for the same." He looked up at the mighty Tyranitar. "Azog, if another guard tries something stupid like that again... vaporize them."
The Tyranitar nodded in agreement.
"Now THAT? That will be murder."
Jack walked slowly over to the warden, his icy blue eyes never wavering as he strode towards the cowering man. Sirius all at once had the impression of some mighty predator moving in for the kill. There was something about Jack that wasn't quite... human. The stride of his step, the tilt of his head... at that moment Jack reminded Sirius more of Padfoot than he did a man.
"How many men have rotted in this damn place because of your greed?" Jack asked the warden. The man was unable to reply, he was trembling so bad. His glasses were barely staying on his face and sweat dripped from the man's brow so badly that it looked to all as if he'd just emerged from a shower. "I know all about you, Phillip Yorrick. I know how you have lined your pockets with the blood money of the most vile and corrupt men and women in this world. How many innocents have you allowed to be held here? How many have been tortured under your care purely because they had made enemies of the powerful? You turned this prison into a house of horrors and used it to line you pocket and then… and then… you dared to throw my father… my mother… in here?" He leaned, the warden's nose touching his. "It ends now. The coins that you have fought so hard to get will be the weights I use to sink you to the bowels of hell!" The warden let out a low, guttural moan before collapsing in a heap upon the floor. Jack glared at him in disgust before turning his head and bellowing, "JONAS!"
The Tyranitar Azog shifted slightly, allowing a second man to hurry in. Dressed in a short blue denim jacket with a gray hood, Jonas Kenway spotted his brother and jogged to him, a Primeape on his heels. Jonas was thinner than Jack, with almost no fat on his bones and only pure, slender muscle running along his limbs. The man's face could have been described as gaunt and his shaggy brown hair made him look younger than his years. Still, Sirius sensed the same strength and power from Jack's younger brother. Upon his back was a rifle and a short sword, the second of which was caked in blood. Two more men, both dressed in jackets and hoods, were a few paces behind Jonas and Sirius knew at once they were his guards.
"Sevii is ours," Jonas said to his older brother. "The lower cells have been secured by Tyrone and the remaining guards that refused to surrender were slain by Clair. Vixen is antsy though… she wanted more bloodshed."
"Then give it to her. Take this piece of filth and march him to the top of the battlements!" Jack said sternly. "I want all of Kanto to see him swing."
"You hear that kids?" Jonas asked. "We're going to have a hanging tonight!"
Azog let out a bellow of victory as the men let out cheers of their own. They quickly grabbed the warden and dragged him away, Mumik letting out a grunt as the man passed. Jack turned towards his parents, his hands going up to remove his hood, unveiling his round face and short blond hair. Marie stepped forward and hugged her boys while Kent merely nodded to them.
"I knew you'd come," Marie whispered. "I knew you were still alive, Jack."
"I... I have much to tell you all," Jack said, his tone softer than it had been when he'd first entered.
Marie reached up and touched his cheek. "You've changed... you aren't the son that left me."
"But I am the son that came back," Jack said quietly. His mother smiled and kissed him gently on the check.
"We have much to discuss," Jonas said calmly. "What do we do with the prison now?"
Jack shook nodded, his cold mask slipping back into place. "The guards that surrendered will not be harmed. They were smart and will be rewarded with their lives. Those that fought us will be gathered until we can determine if any of them fought for honor rather than to protect their secrets. That will determine how long they get to live."
"And the prisoners?" Jonas asked, his tone making it clear that his opinion wouldn't lead to many of them making it out of Sevii alive.
"There are good men here," Kent said, placing a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Sirius was a friend to us and helped us when he could."
Jack pulled away from Sirius and looked at him once before extending his hand. "Then I owe him a debt I look forward to paying."
Sirius, after a moment of hesitation, clasped Jack's hand with his own.
September 23rd, 1987
2:14 pm
Viridian City
Sirius ran his arm over his brow, wiping the beads of sweat that had gathered just above his eyes away. It was unusually warm for fall but that wasn't why he was sweating. Since dawn he had been in the thick of battle, shoulder to shoulder with his allies as they stormed the gates of Redstone, the great ancient fortress of the Kanto region that overlooked the valley that led from Viridian to Victory Road. The battle had been intense and though this wasn't his first it still left him gasping for air and feeling like his heart was going to burst from his chest. In Avalon battles tended to be lightning raids that saw Nocturne agents attack without warning and flee at the first sign of trouble. The last few months Sirius had spent on the front lines had been hours of battle, where potions were tossed about quickly and one did not stop until both trainer and Pokémon were down. He'd been forced to keep most of his Pokémon in their balls, knowing that they would lack the speed needed for such a battle. So, instead of his Empoleon Sirius had used the Duskskull he'd captured on Sevii to aid him in battle. Some looked at him strangely for using him but the little guy and him had bonded.
A wind picked up a bit, offering some relief, but still Sirius wished to just sit down and not move for the next 20 hours. He knew though that this desire would have to wait, as the victory they had won demanded a touch of the dramatic. Sirius shifted, rolling his shoulders and watched on as Jack stood on the battlement of Redstone, an escrima stick in his right hand and a flag pole in the left. Sirius rolled his eyes at Jack's grandstanding. 'You don't want them to call you 'King Jack' but you do a piss poor job of not giving them a heroic image to latch onto.'
"Many times during this long war Kanto counted us out! Thought us defeated and broken!" Jack shouted. "They claimed us beaten when they drove us from New Bark! We responded by taking the Ghost right from under their nose!" The Sons who were in Jonas' squad let out a bellow of approval. "They thought they had us routed on the shores of the Lake Rage! We showed them rage alright... the rage of true born Johto daughters, who threw away their skirts and flowers and took up the guns of war! Vixen and her loves showed those weak little men what a true Johto woman can do!" A band of strong, tall women who looked much like the Amazons of myth reborn, pumped their fists in the air as they remembered their first victory in the war. "They thought me dead, lost in the deep caves of Whirl Island!" Jack sneered. "But I rose up from the darkness and brought with me a power so great it makes all in Kanto tremble! If I am dead then let them see me as the Reaper coming to claim their souls!" Now all the Sons were bellowing and shouting Jack's name. He held his escrima stick up high and looked upon them all with pride. "I wonder what they will say now. I wonder what lies they will tell themselves. For what else can they do? For the proof of our strength is here… for above Redstone now flies the flag of Johto!"
Jack lifted the pole high and the warriors went into a frenzy, chanting "Johto! Johto! Johto!" The flag, depicting Lugia flying over the Dark Mountains, billowed in the breeze and Sirius felt as if a great weight was pressing upon him as the roaring crowd screamed out their victory.
Within moments metal baskets were brought out and all manner of beer that had been secured from Redstone's supply cellar was passed around. Sirius happily accepted a glass and smiled as Jack walked up to them, a grin on his face and two cans of pop in his hands. It still made Sirius laugh that Jack and Jonas were suck teetotalers when it came to spirits.
"Remember this day well little brother," Jack said, handing Jonas a can before cracking open his own. "Cuss today… life is sweet."
Jonas, in a rare show of emotion, grinned and toasted with him brother and Sirius. They moved towards the outer wall and watched as the Sons celebrated the victory. It had been a hard fought battle and there were times that Sirius was sure they would lose and be driven out of the valley and into the Viridian Forest. But these men and women, who had been facing loyal soldiers attempting to protect their home, had been driven by the wounds of years of oppression and had managed to overtake the Kanto warriors and claim Redstone as their own.
It was... breathtaking.
Jonas took a long sip of his drink, savoring the cold soda as it flowed down his throat. "They'll make children memorize that speech, Jack."
The blond rolled his eyes. "They better not. They make this war too much about us."
"Us?" Jonas said with a laugh. "Jack, this is your war." He held up his hand as his brother made to retort. "I know, I know... you don't see it as such but there is a reason they call this Kenway's Rebellion."
Jack pursed his lips. "The war may be mine but the victory is all of ours... every son and daughter of Johto claims this victory."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Just those of Johto?"
"Just them," Jack said with a smirk before reaching out and clasping Sirius' shoulder. "But you are a son of Johto now."
Sirius nodded, reaching down the lightly rub the little black 'j' that was tattooed on his wrist. He'd gotten it down three months after leaving Sevii, feeling that he owed the Sons for pulling him out of the pit of depression that he'd wallowed in for the last six years. The war had given him a chance to do good once again, to have allies and friends. Jack and Jonas had come to rely upon him, seeing that Sirius had a cunning mind and a way with traps and surprises. Sirius more than once had spotted a trap set by the Kantoians and had saved the Sons just in time. Now, five months into his time in the war, Sirius was a member of the Inner Circle, his word valued just as highly as Jack or Jonas'.
Sirius took a long sip of his beer. The Kenway brothers had surprised him. When he'd first met them he had found the two to be deadly, dangerous men that made him nervous. And they were that, of course, Sirius wouldn't deny that. But he also found them to be noble and kind, in their own way. They led from the front, with Jack always the first to charge into battle and Jonas refusing to leave until every Son was out of harm's way. They were passionate men who loved their region… more so than Sirius could ever love Avalon, much to his shame. They were patriots who fought for their freedom and Sirius couldn't begrudge them that. In a way, they and the Sons were a blend of the Order of Moltres and Team Nocturne. The Johtoans were fierce, violent men and women that saw no problem terrorizing their enemies. Sirius had been shocked when Jack beat a Kanto official to death and had considered leaving then and there. What had stopped him had been Jack's wife, Clair, and the words she told him.
"In war you cannot worry about your foe. If they surrender then you show them mercy… but for those that refuse to bend to you they must be wiped away… it does no good to march forward if you leave knives to stab you behind your back."
The Sons had ethics and a code of honor like the Order but while Dumbledore had preached using only the slimmest amount of violence the Sons left nothing off the table. Sirius could never imagine Dumbledore authorizing an airship like The Ghost to fire on a Team Nocturne stronghold… something Jonas had ordered only days ago to secure them a path to Redstone.
'And would James and Lily be alive now if we had shown such backbone?' Sirius had thought to himself.
That is why he'd gotten the tattoo. That is why he had said the words of promise, pledging himself to the Sons and swearing to live or die by their fate. Because in the end he found himself agreeing with the Sons and their quest. Their home had been stolen from them… and he would do what he could to help them take it back.
"What is your next move?" Sirius asked. He was leaning against the battlement, looking out over the valley as the sun hung high in the sky.
"Victory Road is a fool's errand," Jonas said. "That maze would be our death. We'll take the Ghost and fly to its peak and to the Pokémon League."
"And then?" Sirius asked.
"I end the war," Jack said sternly. "One way or another."
"There is no 'another'," Jonas commented. "You will win, simple as that." When Sirius merely stared at the two Jonas glanced at Jack, who gave a small nod. "This is the last battle the Sons will fight in. The fate of Johto lies with Jack."
"I don't understand."
"Lance Blackthorn contacted me," Jack said, spitting out his rival's name. Lance and Jack, Sirius had learned, had once been friends but found themselves on opposites sides of the war. Lance was the Headmaster of Daggertooth, Kanto's trainer academy, and had been selected by their Minister to lead their forces. Jack had declared Lance a traitor to his native Johto and given all of Lance's possessions that had remained in Blackthorn town to Lance's cousin Clair… who happened to be Jack's wife.
'Those must be some awkward family reunions,' Sirius thought before speaking. "What did Lance want?" Unlike the brothers and the rest of the Sons, Sirius could manage to say Blackthorn's name without making it come out like a curse.
"A battle. He and I will fight, one on one… with the fate of the war in the balance." Jack took a sip of his pop and sighed. "Lance wants to pit his Dragonite against Azog."
"Can you win?" Sirius asked.
"Oh course he can," Jonas said firmly.
"I win even if I lose," Jack answered.
"And by that…" Sirius pressed.
"I'll be in chains if I lose… and I swore never to be captured. I'll take as many of them out as I can before they put a bullet in me." The way he said it made it clear to Sirius that this wasn't a jest; Jack planned to go out in a blaze of glory if he lost the battle… and mostly likely kill as many members of the Pokémon League as he could if he failed. "And just because I promised to surrender doesn't mean Jonas will."
Sirius smiled weakly. "Should I mention you were captured in Celadon?"
"That was part of the plan!" Jack complained.
"Still counts."
"Bastard."
"Should have left me on Sevii," Sirius said with a laugh. And by Merlin, how good did if feel to laugh again.
"I've actually meant to talk to you about that," Jack stated. "Sevii has done well on its own but I need someone I trust running it."
"And that's you," Jonas said.
Sirius raised an eyebrow but Jack held up his hand. "Before you crack wise I would remind you that you were given chances to leave by the warden but didn't want to. You stayed." Jack looked away from the former Gryffindor. "I understand why, Sirius… and I never expected you to go home. I suggest this only because I think it would help you… give you a place to go and a task to do so you don't wander off and die in a desert somewhere."
Sirius set his now empty can down, Jonas already motioning for someone to bring him another. Jack's words had hit home and he wondered how his friend had figured out what Sirius' plans were. Kenway was right… Sirius was never going back to Avalon and though he fought for Johto it wasn't his home. He couldn't see himself making a life there. Sevii, as twisted as it sounded, was the only thing he had that could be considered a home.
"Warden Black, huh?"
"Actually, if we win I plan to change the title," Jack stated. "You'll be the Lord of Sevii."
"You can do that?" Sirius asked.
"I'm the Leader of the Sons of Johto… I win this battle against Lance and I can do whatever the hell I want."
"King Jack, huh?" Sirius said, knowing his friend hated that name. When Jack scowled Sirius quickly held up his hand. "Ok, not king… but you do need a better title."
"Jack is fine."
"Not for a hero," Jonas said, adding his two-cents. "They call me the Fist of Johto, Jack… Clair is the Lady of Dragons. Now Sirius will be the Lord of Sevii. Our warriors want their leader to have a title and if you don't pick one they are going to hang 'King Jack' on your head. History will demand you have a title."
"I am open to suggestions," Jack grumbled.
Sirius had been thinking on this matter himself and decided now was the time to speak. "We are the Sons of Johto… but Johto herself is being reborn thanks to you, Jack."
"And?" Jack said.
"Father," Sirius stated. "You aren't the king… you are the Father."
Jonas nodded, smiling slightly. "The Father of Johto."
"The Father of Johto," Jack murmured. He lifted up his pop can as Sirius cracked open another beer. "The Father of Johto."
"The Fist of Johto," Jonas stated.
"The Lord of Sevii."
The three friends toasted each other once more.
~MC~MC~MC~
Author's Notes: Sorry for the long delay. I am on vacation and a few family matters came up that have prevented me from posting this chapter. My mother is in the hospital with pneumonia after her bone marrow transplant a few months ago so I have been juggling trying to keep updated on that and editing this chapter. Don't worry, from what I hear she will be ok soon but honestly it has taken me much longer to get this one edited than it normally does. But hopefully the length of it will make the wait worth it!
Marie and Kent… two fun minor characters that won't be showing up much, if at all, again. Still, it was nice to include them if only because it shows that Jasmine Kenway, unlike pretty much every character except Neville, has grandparents that are still alive.
I warned you all in the first book that I was going to be playing with sizes of Pokémon. Charizard is only five foot something. I am six foot one in my bare feet… in my boots I am well over 6 foot 2, almost 6 foot 3. No way am I a foot taller than Charizard. So some Pokémon will be bigger, some smaller. Case in point: the Tyranitar. No way could I keep them at their small, 7 foot size. Tyranitar is the Godzilla of Pokémon and he needs to be huge. Not city-crushing size but enough to break into a prison.
We've seen Jack be the man that restrained Sirius and we've heard about how Jack is dangerous and deadly. We know he's killed and we saw hints of him being an assassin. But this is the first time we truly see Jack kill. I wanted to show that his success in the war wasn't just because he is a Speaker. Jack was a Pokémon Tracker, one of the best, and he spent several years almost exclusively in the wild, fending for himself and fighting off dangers. This has made him into a killer… especially against foes that aren't expecting him. It will be very interesting to see how he handles himself against a true opponent like Team Nocturne's lieutenants… men and women trained to fight like he fights, not just with Pokémon but with their hands and their fists.
Jonas and Jack make a great pairing. Jack is the emotional of the two… he is the one that will react in anger. Jonas tempers him… he is the cold one, the terminator that can march in and dominate a battle field. Yes, he has a softer side and a playful side but when in battle he is stone while Jack is the sea.
The Kenways fight in the same style as Captain America: Fast attacks, quick rolls and dodges, moving in close when they can and ending their opponents fast.
