Chapter 9: Antsy Player


The PortCourt had calmed since Ash's shirtless performance. It had been a few days since Ash entered Gothos Tower with Kaz and destroyed Decomposition in front of Klay, Krystella and the Underworld creatures. Tom and his friends ate pizza as they wait for Ash. "So, where did Ash take off to, again?" asked Peyton. "He's missing out of some good Perim Pizza."

"Like I said, he's back at Mount Pillar," Sarah replied. "He wanted to see what else was there for his deck."

"I see," Tom realized. "He probably saw something in there from your time with him."

"Maybe… After all, he's gone solo with Pikachu this time, unlike with me."

"Yeah, what happened? You three came back gasping for air." Sarah glared at Tom for his comment.

"How would you feel if Mandiblors chased you around?" This led the boys to question Sarah's knowledge of Danians.

"We've been skeptical about you and Danians for sometime," Kaz broke the ice. "If you're this much of an expert like me with Underworld creatures and Peyton with Mipedians, the hive should be more respectful to you instead of cowering away. Next thing we know, Ash may be the one who ends up with Illexia!" Sarah and Peyton laughed to Kaz's concern.

"Please, Kaz!" the Mipedian young man snickered. "We all know that getting the Danian Queen is virtually impossible!" Sarah decided to explain the ScanQuest with Ash.

"I introduced him to Wamma who explained to him about how impossible it is to get into Illexia's throne room, let alone get a scan," she added. "That's of course came to a short end, no thanks to the Mandiblors. Funny enough, Ash talked about one of his former traveling partners, a Misty Waterflower. Jeez, the name sounds lovely." The boys scoffed to Sarah's coo. "Anyway, Ash mentioned her as we saw Wamma and the Mandiblors. He said that seeing all of the Danians and Misty's fear of bugs, she'd be running for the hills before we get a mile of one Danian. I'd have to agree with Ash, there's no way in Chaotic that Misty and I can be friends."

"Totally, this Misty chick wouldn't stand this place," Peyton agreed. He saw a few slices. "Let's save some Perim Pizza for Ash and Pikachu." Tom didn't want Pikachu to get sick.

"Peyton, who do you think Ash has?" he complained. "Speedy Gonzalez?" Out of nowhere, Pikachu flew out of nowhere and intercepted a slice.

("Lunchtime!") he cheered. The four gawked to the speed of the Pokémon.

"Pikachu?" they shrieked.

"I knew Pikachu was hungry," Ash said as he came to the table.

"Ash!" they cheered. Ash had a confident smile on his face.

"Hey, looks like you scored a good scan or two," Kaz noticed.

"I did... a really rare one as well," Ash confirmed as he snagged the last slice of Perim Pizza. "They should have some green peppers to go with it."

"Hey, you can order that with your own Perim Pizza," Tom argued. "So, what did you get? I'm guessing Yondaf."

"No way, Tom!" denied Kaz. "You want rare, how about Vunhra?" Peyton's laugh didn't agree with the other two.

"The way Ash is with his luck," he gloated. "He has to have Illexia! There's no reason that he'd be smiling that big if he didn't strike gold with the queen!" Sarah cackled to the thought.

"As if!" she disagreed with a laugh. "Like we know, Illexia can't be obtained." She sipped her soda through a straw. Ash brought out his scanner and showed Peyton.

"I'm sorry, but who's this?" he asked with a smirk. Looking at Ash's scanner, Peyton gawked to seeing a light brown giant bug with a cape.

"IT'S ILLEXIA!" he shouted. Sarah gawked, gagging on the soda before spraying a geyser of the drink at Tom.

"Hey!" he complained. Sarah ignored Tom's shout to grab the scanner from Peyton and observed Illexia. Her eyes seemed to have exited her head, shocked and bugged out.

"It's her!" she claimed. "It's really her! But that's impossible! No one can get to Illexia!" Ash sat down where a robot came by.

"Can I interest you in anything?" it asked.

"Think you can get a Perim Pizza for me with Pepperoni, Green Peppers and Andouille?" Peyton heard the order, snickering.

"Someone's keeping a hot tongue!" he joked. The robot heard the order.

"At once!" it computed.

"Oh, and a towel for Tom," Ash added.

"Yeah, that will need to be cleaned off." It flew off before Ash took a seat.

"Anyway, it started out with relocating the Battlegear Sarah and I saw during our first visit to Mount Pillar…" he began.


(Hours ago/Mount Pillar)

Ash and Pikachu found a rifle in a stored room within Mount Pillar. Seeing the moment, Ash scanned the rifle. It registered and he got a good look. "A Plasma Pounder…" he read. "I'm not fond of guns but this could be a great addition to when I have a new Drome Match. And thanks to Wamma, I want to try this in the Beta Drome."

("Good to know,") Pikachu squeaked. Feeling good about the scan, Ash decided to return to Chaotic.

"I want to try those Perim Pizzas. I haven't had their pizza before."

("Yeah, those Toxic Gust Tacos were a little too spicy for Froakie.") Before Ash could hit the scanner, a swarm of man-like bugs tackled the two before they could port out. One red four-armed winged Danian pulled the scanner from Ash's grasp.

"My scanner!" One four-legged spider-like ant had Pikachu in his hand.

"Returning to the scene of the crime, huh?" a blue four-armed winged insectoid snarled. "Luckily, someone wants to see you. Her highness awaits." Feeling the squeeze, Pikachu released Thunderbolt and shocked a few.

"Drazz!" a Danian cried out. The spider-like creature staggered.

"He's small," he warned. "But he's strong." They caged Pikachu in a small trap before carrying him and Ash to the center of the mountain. Inside, a giant reddish-brown insectoid with a green fan-like crown and cape covering a large abdomen faced Ash and Pikachu. She had four golden spider legs and two lizard-like legs in the front.

"I've seen only one human before," she snarled. "Now I'm seeing you. From the looks of it, you're a lot punier than her." To Ash, there was one person coming to mind.

"I'm starting to see why Sarah would call herself 'Kween'," he muttered. The queen sniffed Ash and Pikachu before realizing something.

"So, the rumors have fact. You have to be the human and mouse that fell near Kiru City, the real human in Perim." A huge red ant with four massive arms reached Ash's side.

"Queen Illexia, what should we do to him?" he asked. Ash gave a stern look to the ant.

"Wamma, whose side are you on?" he muttered. Illexia nodded her head to Wamma's question.

"I have a task for you, puny human," she plotted. "I seek a stone within the Danian's home."Ash and Pikachu blinked in confusion.

"A stone?" he repeated.

"Yes. Find me a stone within this region. Then, your scanner can be returned. However, there is a consequence… should you refuse." Lore came forward, holding a heptagon.

"Failure to comply will result in what Song of Futuresight will show," he warned. The heptagon floated upward. "Song of Futuresight! Reveal the outcome of failure!" An essence flew from Lore and to the heptagon. In a flash, Ash and Pikachu saw themselves , their heads began to morph. Both heads were like ants. Ash and Pikachu gasped at the consequence.

"No stone, you'll be infected with a Danian Parasite," Odu-Bathax growled. Ash and Pikachu felt they had no choice.

"You have two hours!" offered Illexia. Ash and Pikachu knew they had to succeed. They journeyed around the region. After an hour, they've found themselves in a land full of eggs and larva.

"This is a place I know Misty would stay far from," Ash gritted. "It's a Danian nesting ground." As they avoided stepping on eggs and larva, they sought this stone.

("We're running out of time,") Pikachu warned. He searched low while Ash looked high. Suddenly, he saw a patch of wall that was discolored. He believed to have found what he's looking for.

"That's gotta be it!" Pikachu heard Ash and came to his side. Looking up, Pikachu believed Ash's intent. "You think an Iron Tail can chip that off?"

("Let's try it!") Ash alley-ooped Pikachu to the ceiling where he swung with a glowing tail. The discolored rock fell to where it splashed in a small pond. Ash caught Pikachu before picking the rock up. It was about as big as his torso. He viewed the stone that glittered.

"Let's take this to the queen." Soon, they arrived at the throne room.

"It's you!" she noticed. "I see that you brought a stone for me. May I see it?" Ash nodded before Odu-Bathax came forward.

"Allow me, human," he offered. "Your arms have to be pretty tired." He took the stone from Ash before going to Illexia. She took the stone, marveling its glitter.

"This is it! Where did you find it?"

"In that nesting cave nearby," he replied.

"Ah… the Infectorium… Puny human, you completed your task. As promised…" Odu-Bathax returned the scanner to Ash.

"Glad I could help," he acknowledged.

"If there is anything you want, we'll aid you with the item." Ash awed the offer before an idea popped in his head.

"As a matter of fact, I do have one right now." Illexia seemed rather surprised with Ash's ponder.

"What request do you have in mind?"

"Can I scan you for my game, please?" The request made Illexia laugh. Odu-Bathax and a dragonfly-like creature did not appreciate the request.

"I don't think so, human!" the dragonfly denied. "You've caused enough trouble as it is!"

"We had to dismiss that blond girl when she tried to get her highness!" argued Odu-Bathax. Illexia heard…

"ENOUGH!" she roared. All turned to the queen. "This young man performed my task and he asked politely. I understand that we have a kingdom to run in Perim. However, it's my honor to fulfill this wish." Ash and Pikachu got excited as Ash scanned and got Illexia on his scanner.

"Thank you," he praised. After that, Ash and Pikachu ported out.


Tom, Kaz, Sarah and Peyton gawked to the story. They couldn't believe Ash's luck that he got by scanning Illexia. "And now I'm back and not looking like a Danian," he joked as he enjoyed his Perim Pizza.

"I'll say," Kaz awed. "You're the first player to have Illexia scanned. Sure, you're the second to see her behind Sarah."

"But this also increases your deck's variants and with some Danians that you have," Tom pointed out. "You can execute some swarm techniques that I'm sure Sarah can teach, right?" Tom waited but Sarah punched the table. This forced Pikachu back.

"Unbelievable!" she scowled. "I was there… I was by Illexia when I tried to scan her! I got blocked by Vollash… and now someone actually got her? I can't accept that!" To Ash, there may have been a reason.

"Did you say 'please' when you tried to get her?" he questioned. Sarah's eye twitched from Ash's point.

"You have to admit," Tom spoke. "'Please' does go a long way." Peyton and Kaz agreed, making Sarah palm her face.

"Unbelievable…" she groaned. Suddenly, a thought. "Wait, maybe…" She got up as Ash reached for another slice. Before he got his hand under the crust, Sarah snagged his with both. "Ash, I need Illexia! I know about what this Danian can do!" Ash seemed surprised with her approach.

"Sarah, you do know I'm not the one who-" That's when she presented a face with teary puppy eyes and lower lip sticking out.

"Pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaassssssssseeeeeeeeeeee!" Tom, Kaz and Peyton realized Sarah putting on the charm.

"Sarah's desperate," Peyton whispered. "When she's got The Face, no one escapes."

"We're familiar," Tom replied. Ash looked at Sarah with scorn.

"I don't think Ash is buying The Face!" irked Kaz. Ash sighed to The Face.

"You don't want Big Sis Sarah to be sad!" she whimpered. Ash shook his head.

"Drop the act, Sarah," he snapped with a smile. "I'm not giving Illexia away!" Sarah gawked to the denial, the boys just as shocked.

"Come on! Illexia's all I need! Look, I'll trade you her for Staluk!"

"Have him already!"

"What about Ibiaan?"

"Got him too!"

"Antidaeon?" Not getting the hint, Ash faced Sarah with a finger in the air.

"Look: No deal, no sale… NO WAY!" Sarah still wanted Illexia but Ash wasn't surrendering the card as he walked away.

"There's gotta be something you like!" Pikachu and the other boys laughed as Sarah chased Ash for Illexia. A young dark-skinned man in a maroon jersey watched, the jersey having a green "8" printed.

"Every Danian player may go after him for Illexia," he believed. "But he's turning down Chaotikween. Maybe one of us may get a chance." With a valuable card as Illexia, Ash has a huge target on his back.


TO BE CONTINUED…

(I want to give my condolences to the families of the fallen in the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Senseless and Antisemitic attacks will not be tolerated.)