Chapter 4: Last Day of Freedom

Las Vegas. February 2009

It's been 18 years since Tony Stark first took over his dad's company and things couldn't be better for him. While Tony's business reputation is outstanding since he's the richest man in the country his personal reputation speaks otherwise. When Tony wasn't working on his inventions or handling business matters, he was drinking and womanizing as much as Hugh Hefner.

Nine felt bad that Tony transformed into a young version of his father because she hoped he wouldn't turn out like him, despite this she still cared for her master and he still made time for her. Metagross evolved three years ago during a business trip in Sudan when terrorists were targeting Tony and Metang evolved to battle them since then Tony gave it the nickname "Claw" after the claws at the end of its legs. Even Porygon evolved after winning some battles with Obadiah and Rhodey, first he evolved into what Tony named Porygon 2 then he evolved again and Tony renamed him Porygon Z or Z as he likes to call his creation.

Tony Stark was supposed to accept the Apogee Award at Caesar's Palace, but he was busy. He was in the casino playing craps sandwiched between two women. Z was floating above the table excited about the outcome of the rolls, Nine was surrounded by people who found her absolutely adorable and Claw was busy eating a slot machine that Tony bought for him. They quickly noticed an agitated Rhodey with his Scizor going toward's Tony with the award that he supposed to receive.

Rhodey said, "You are unbelievable."

"Oh, no! Did they rope you into this?"

"Nobody roped me into anything! But they told me that if I presented you with an award, you'd be deeply honored." Nine and Claw felt bad for Rhodey having to suffer for Tony's absence, while Z chirped waiting for their master to roll the dice.

"Of course I'd be deeply honored. And it's you, that's great. So when do we do it?"

Rhodey presented him his award, "It's right here. Here you go."

Tony took it, "There it is. That was easy." He apologized, "I'm so sorry."

Rhodey let it go as usual, "Yeah, it's okay."

Tony looked at the award with little interest, "Wow! Would you look at that? That's something else. I don't have any of those floating around." He handed it to one of the two women who left it on top of Claw.

Z whined, "Pory Porygon!"

Tony quipped to Rhodey, "Ah! See that you're getting my baby upset!" Tony was about to roll the dice to Z's delight, "We're gonna let it ride!"

Tony held his hand out to the woman so that she can blow on the dice, "Give me a hand, will you? Give me a little something-something." Once she did that he tried to get Rhodey to do it too, "Okay, you, too."

Rhodey was having none of it, "I don't blow on a man's dice."

Tony and Z whined, "Come on, honey bear." Rhodey knocked his hand towards the table causing the dice to roll.

"There it is. Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes rolls! And..." The dice showed two craps much to Z's disappointment who made a depleting sound.

"Two craps. Line away."

Rhodey felt no shame, "That's what happens." His Scizor was grinning at his master's joke.

Tony perked up, "Worse things have happened. I think we're gonna be fine. Color me up, William. Z perk up nobody likes a sore Pokémon."


Tony, Rhodey and their Pokémon exited the casino preparing to go home. They needed to rest for tomorrow cause Tony was gonna present to the Air Force the Jericho Missile in Afghanistan.

Rhodey said, "This is where I exit."

Tony kept walking towards his limo, "All right."

Rhodey confirmed with Tony, "Tomorrow, don't be late."

"Yeah, you can count on it."

Rhodey yelled, "I'm serious!"

"I know, I know." Tony handed his award to a Caesar street performer cause he already has a lot of those at home. Tony put Claw in his Pokéball cause he's too heavy for the limo unlike Nine and Z. Just as they were getting inside a blonde reporter along with her Glameow called out.

"Mr. Stark! Excuse me, Mr. Stark! Christine Everhart, Vanity Fair magazine. Can I ask you a couple of questions?"

Happy said, "She's cute."

Tony asked, "She's all right?" Tony and Nine greeted her, "Hi"

"Hi"

"Yeah. Okay, go."

Christine asked, "You've been called the da Vinci of our time. What do you say to that?"

Tony joked, "Absolutely ridiculous. I don't paint." Nine grinned at the joke and looked at the suspicious looking woman.

"And what do you say to your other nickname? "The Merchant of Death"?"

Tony and Nine could already tell this interview was really a chance to degrade him, but Tony rehearsed the answers for these question, "That's not bad. Let me guess. Berkeley?"

Christine shot back, "Brown, actually."

Tony prepared to give his rehearsed speech while petting Nine, "Well, Ms. Brown, it's an imperfect world, but it's the only one we've got. I guarantee you, the day weapons are no longer needed to keep the peace, I'll start making bricks and beams for baby hospitals."

Unfortunately, the reporter was onto him, "Rehearse that much?"

"Every night in front of the mirror before bedtime."

"I can see that."

"I'd like to show you first-hand." Nine stared at her master incredulous that he was flirting with this distasteful woman.

Glameow wrapped himself around her masters legs, "All I want is a serious answer."

"Okay, here's serious. My old man had a philosophy, "Peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy.""

"That's a great line coming from the guy selling the sticks."

That crossed a line for Nine, "Nine!" Christine was taken back and took a step back while her Glameow was in front of her.

Tony stroked her fur to calm her down, "Don't be rude Nine, I'm a big boy and I think I can handle a reporter." Nine calmed down.

Tony continued, "My father helped defeat the Nazis. He worked on the Manhattan Project. He made it so that soldiers could carry their Pokémon into battle. A lot of people, including your professors at Brown, would call that being a hero."

Christine still wasn't budging, "And a lot of people would also call that war profiteering." Nine scowled at her.

Tony was getting annoyed, "Tell me, do you plan to report on the millions we've saved by advancing medical technology or kept from starvation with our intelli-crops or the Pokémon Houses that we helped fund so that no Pokémon has to starve on account of dumbass trainer? All those breakthroughs, military funding, honey."

"You ever lose an hour of sleep your whole life?"

"I'd be prepared to lose a few with you." Nine and Glameow sweat dropped as they both knew that look in their trainer's face.


Nine was in her king size bed trying to get some sleep, unfortunately her room was right next to Tony's. She could her those two kissing, tumbling off the bed and Tony cackling. Nine knew she wasn't gonna sleep tonight so she decided to go outside where Claw and Z were. Along the way she ran into Glameow who dismissed the fox in a rude manner. Nine sat next to Claw in front of the pool looking at the beautiful Malibu ocean.

Claw asked, "Couldn't sleep?"

Nine shook her head, "Not with those two going at it like Nidoking and Nidoqueen." Z floated next to them.

Nine said, "You two are lucky that your inorganic…you don't need sleep."

Claw grinned at it's friends dilemma, "Just give it another 8 hours and you'll be sleeping like a Snorlax in no time."

Z asked, "How long will Tony be in Afghanistan?"

Nine answered, "Including the plane ride to and from just four days. Why?"

Z looked down, "I just hope that he makes it back safe. It's the Middle East not Disney Land."

Nine dismissed its concerns, "He's been to the Middle East over dozens of times and he's always come back in one piece, besides Rhodey will be there along with over 50 soldiers. I think its safe to say he's in good hands."

Z said, "Logically I understand that but…"

"But what?"

"I just have this feeling that something might go terribly wrong."

Claw joined in, "Its probably just one of your circuits being out of order."

"Claw is right there's nothing to worry about, it's just 4 days what could possibly go wrong?"


Nine was sleeping in the corner of the kitchen when Pepper and Espeon walked in, Pepper was holding dry cleaned clothes no doubt for Tony's flavor of the night. Espeon went into the kitchen and levitated the coffee grounds into the machine for her master, Pepper smiles sympathetically at the exhausted fox.

"Kept you up all night did they?" Nine nodded.

Nine liked Pepper very much and Tony did as well, in fact she's the longest lasting assistant Tony's ever had. Tony and Nine respected her for being able to put up with him for years.

"Don't worry she'll be up any minute and you'll sleep in that bed that's twice the size of mine." Nine grinned at the witty woman and just then they heard light footsteps, "Time for me to take out the trash." Pepper and Espeon stood there in front of the reporter wearing Tony's shirt.

Christine called out, "Tony? Hey, Tony?" She then touched the screen on the wall meant for Tony to access Jarvis. After the real Jarvis died, Tony made an AI that he named after his beloved butler and made it so that it sounded like him and made sarcastic jokes like the prior. Nine thought that it wasn't quite the same as the real Jarvis but it was close.

Jarvis's robotic voice said, "You are not authorized to access this area."

Christine was shocked, "Jesus."

Pepper spoke while Nine hid in the kitchen and eavesdropped, "That's Jarvis. He runs the house. I've got your clothes here. They've been dry-cleaned and pressed, and there's a car waiting for you outside that will take you anywhere you'd like to go."

Christine walked towards Pepper, "You must be the famous Pepper Potts."

"Indeed I am."

Christine said with a smug grin, "After all these years, Tony still has you picking up the dry-cleaning."

Pepper kept a straight face and said in a stoic voice, "I do anything and everything that Mr. Stark requires, including, occasionally, taking out the trash. Will that be all?" Nine and Espeon grinned at their friend silently shading the vile blonde.


Tony was about ready to take his car and drive to the airstrip but first he needed to say bye to his Pokémon.

"All right Z don't even think about downloading any of Hammer Tech's codes or I will disinherit you, Claw I cannot stretch this enough do not eat Dum-E or U cause last time I came I was caught in the crossfire between you and Nine." Tony muttered, "It took 2 months for my eyebrows to grow back." Claw looked down in shame, Tony felt sympathetic and patted the poor Iron Leg Pokémon on the head, "and Nine you're the prison ward so make sure these two don't cause havoc kay?"

"Nine!" Nine nodded her head. Tony petted her head and rolled his luggage out the door.

"Take care babies see you in a few days." And with that Tony was already out the door unaware that his life was about to change forever.


AN: Hey guys so I edited the story from last time after being informed on how Feriowind named Metagross in his art and I wanted to add that to the story.