On the Eve of Battle
Mark awoke in a coffin like box, his arms and legs were chained to the back. The front of the box apparently was made out of the same safety glass that the divider back in the gym used to be made of. It stood up right at some kind of dock. Two trainers were posted as guards outside his miniature prison. He didn't try to communicate with them, he knew all too well that they were incapable of responding. A pair of grunts walked by chatting away happily, forgetting his bonds he lunged forward with a growl. One of the grunts jumped with a shout, and got a laugh from his partner. "Those chains are made of polyhexoid alloy, not even old Bruno's Machamp could rip those apart."
"Yeah, then there's that crazy glass stuff." The other grunt added.
"Actually, I heard a couple of administrators talking, and apparently that glass is really expensive, that's just Plexiglas in there." They went on their way, laughing about what would happen if Giovanni ever found out.
A rage filled him that was reminiscent of the night he escaped. Thrashing around inside the box he did little other than wear himself out. As the red haze faded from his vision he saw Mudio standing in front of his cage. "Confused?" The hybrid smirked, "You should be." She nearly laughed at the sight of Mark struggling against the shackles. "Probably wondering why you can't transform, well that is a simple stoke of genius. Apparently a mild electrical current disrupts communication between the nanomachines." Mark tried to kick the Plexiglas, "And that mild electrical current really serves two purposes," Mudio turned a dial on a remote and Mark yelled in pain as electricity arced across the chains and into his body. "Now, you're probably wondering why I just don't control you like before, or perhaps like the other trainers that you helped collect. Well that's something we're working on. It seems that the new control methods don't work on the obsolete nanotechnology that we implanted in you." She turned to walk away, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll tell Master that you are on your way." She sent Mark another electric shock and he slumped to the floor of his box, the chains holding his arms up.
What are you doing? Mark heard the sound of Chardooms voice.
"I've been captured," Mark hung his head.
So, you're just going to sit there? Chardoom asked, he sounded disgusted.
Mark looked at his chains, "What else?"
Stop relying on humans! Chardoom hissed.
A sudden bump brought Mark back to his senses; "Careful you fools Giovanni will have all of your heads if anything happened to his prize." An administrator shouted orders as a group of grunts ran around crazily.
One by one as they completed their tasks the grunts left, soon it was just Mark and the administrator. "Oh, you're awake," The man chuckled as he picked up the small device that controlled the electricity running through the chains. "I guess that I make you do anything I want you to with this thing."
"That would depend on how long you want to survive." Koga made the administrator jump.
"Master Koga, I'm sorry you snuck up on me." The administrator apologized for his shock.
"I get that a lot." Koga wrapped his cloak around himself. "You have your orders." Koga snarled at the administrator, who saluted and ran off to complete his tasks. "You'll have to trust me in this kid." At that Koga turned the dial and knocked Mark out.
When Mark regained his senses he was surrounded by a nearly pitch-black darkness. In the dimness of the security lights he could make out large wooden crates. His eyes caught a quick movement out of the corner of his eye. The front of his box popped open and the chains slipped off with a rattle. Taking a hesitant step out of his prison, he fell to his face. Paralysis left his muscles rubbery and slow. There was a prick in the back of his neck and warmth started to spread along his muscles. "The Parlyz Heal will take a effect in a moment, and the nanomachines will reactivate in a few minutes. I'm giving you a weapon, it should be very effective against the Pokegrunts."
"Whose side are you on?" Koga heard the boy groan from the floor.
The ninja master paused for a second. "Mine." The door slid shut behind him.
Lance cut the engines to the large yacht at the coordinates that Koga had given him. "I'm going below to meditate." Will needed complete solitude as he prepared for battle.
"We'll call down for you if anything happens," Lance called after him.
"That won't be necessary." Will left.
Bruno started stretching, "Are you sure about leaving Shido behind?" Lance asked Bruno.
"Yes." Bruno didn't say it, but it was obvious he thought it was too dangerous for the young trainer. "How long do we have to wait here?"
"I don't know," Lance paused to muse over the ninja's instructions, "He said to wait for St. Elmo's fire."
Bruno grunted, "Why can't anybody around here say anything without making it sound all mystic."
"He is a ninja." Lance suddenly became very conscious of his cape.
Down below decks Will paused for a second and looked at Koga's door. "You'll get in a lot of trouble if Bruno or Lance catches you down here." There was no response, "No, I do not have the time to be a tattle-tale, but I do not have the patience to be a babysitter, so you'll just have to watch yourself."
The warmth intensified as it spread across his body, rising to an almost unbearable level, suddenly evaporating with out a trace of paralysis. Climbing to his feet Mark looked around the cargo hold, Quickly, behind the crates! Chardoom's voice said urgently and Mark quickly dove undercover. The door opened and a grunt looked inside, his flashlight casting shadows across the room.
"Hold seven, clear." The grunt reported, bored out of his mind. He heard a growl, but before he could react a figure jumped out of the darkness and beat him senseless.
"You shouldn't have done that." Mark scolded his alter ego.
Your beginning to sound like Wartortle. Chardoom growled.
"Maybe he had a point," Mark defended his pokemon.
We will have to fight them.
"But not here, not now." Mark realized he was arguing with himself. What do you have in mind? Mark picked Koga's weapon off of his belt, it looked like a hand grenade from back home. He put it back, and prayed that he would never have to use it. "I don't know."
You're thinking too hard. Close your eyes, feel, breath. As crazy as it sounded, Mark decided to follow Chardoom's directions. What do you feel?
"The air is metallic, and the ship isn't rocking with the waves." Mark observed, What does that mean? "We're submerged." Mark concluded.
Right, lets go the engine room and see if we can do something about that. Chardoom growled, ready for action. "What about our pokemon and the nanomachines?" Mark asked, realizing he was already moving stealthily down the hall. What about them? He wedged himself into a shadowy corner as a squad of grunts ran by. The engine room is this way. Chardoom noticed the sign. Mark started to walk toward the door marked Engine Room, but turned at the last second and went though the door marked Brig. Of course, the all-important mission.
Koga walked onto the bridge, "Helmsman, surface immediately."
"Um, Sir, I have orders to keep this heading." The helmsman apologized.
"Then go in the same direction on the surface." Koga said in a manor that the pilot didn't want to disagree with.
The room was rectangular in shape. The long walls were lined with cages each one had a trainer. They seemed oblivious of him as he walked towards the computer terminal at the far end of the room. He suddenly stopped he smelt a familiar smell. Ooze dripped from the ceiling, coagulating in front of the computer, "Well, if it isn't the prodigal trainer." Mudio chuckled, "Making it easy on your self and surrendering?" The trainer just growled at the Muk/Ditto hybrid. "Pokegrunts, front and center!" The glass doors opened and the grunts fell into line in front of their commander. Mark pulled the grenade off of his belt, but didn't pull the pin. "Oh, by the way, did I mention that we've updated the control software?" Mark shivered as the nanomachines came online. "What have you brought me, my pet? Present it!" She commanded. With jerky movements he held it up for Mudio to see. "Drop that thing, you will have no use for it." Mark's hand opened on it's own accord, but his finger was still in the loop of the pin, and it hung for a second before slipping. It seemed to fall in slow motion, bouncing slightly as it hit the deck, the last thing Mark saw was a rapidly expanding sphere of blue light.
Sorry about the cliffhanger, the next chapter should be up in a week or two. (Hopefully)