Chapter 16: The Ultimatum
xxx (Jet Set Radio Soundtrack - Super Brothers, yes, seriously)
The bright sky over northwest Kalos, free of any clouds, bestowed a vibrant and loving gift upon Shalour city, contrasting the horrors below.
Xxx
Ash felt a breeze run through the joints in his suit of armor as he and Mega Charizard Z flew alongside Fletchinder, Pidgeot, Talonflame, Noivern, and Skarmory.
Several knights and men-at-arms rode the Pidgeot and Noiverns, with two of Count Gurkinn's knights mega evolving their Pidgeot as Ash did with Charizard.
"En Garde!" Ash roared alongside Charizard and Fletchinder.
"Pika!" Pikachu added with the other Kalos pokemon before they and their riders followed Ash towards a fleet of Galar ships in the bay. Each vessel carried the same banner, depicting a fist with a trail indicating a punching motion.
As they closed the distance, a few Galar knight/men-at-arms countercharged on Corviknights, Unfezant, and Mandibuzz.
"Fire Blast!"
"Grauuu!" Charizard Z unleashed a symbol-shaped burst of green fire straight for a Mandibuzz, who just barely evaded the attack.
"Thunderbolt!"
"Pika chu!" Pikachu blasted the Mandibuzz, sending her tumbling towards the ocean below.
"Nice truck, Kalos git! Steel wing!" A Corviknight flew straight for Ash and Charizard Z with a Galar knight on his back, lance held out.
"Flame Charge!"
"Fletch!" Fletchinder covered himself in fire and zoomed in at the Corviknight, who desperately moved to evade him. However, he presented a perfect target for Charizard Z in doing so.
"Fire blast!"
"Grauuu!" Charizard Z enveloped his foe in fiery fury. At the same time, Ash perfectly aligned his lance with the knight's stomach, unseating him before warrior and Coviknight both plummeted to the ocean below.
"Oui!" Ash roared with Charizard and Fletchinder.
"Pika!" Pikachu frantically cried while pointing to a thunderbolt that flew from a Galar ship.
"Dodge it!" Fletchinder just managed to avoid the attack with a frantic expression, and soon various Galar pokemon on decks of their ships provided additional cover for their flying pokemon alongside scorpio and longbowmen.
Charizard Z slashed apart an incoming scorpio bolt with dragon claw while Pikachu similarly leaped up and knocked away two longbow arrows with Iron tail. One or two struck Ash's breastplate but merely bounced off harmlessly as he continued guiding Charizard Z and Fletchinder.
Fortunately, the Kalos flyers soon found themselves similarly supported by crossbowmen, hand cannoneers, and pokemon from Arnaud's Company and local Shalour men-at-arms on the Tower of Mastery's battlements and balconies.
Mega Charizard Z, Fletchinder, and Pikachu worked in deadly precision thanks to Ash's masterful coordination, knocking out eight pokemon within minutes while the Prince Consort himself unseated another three men-at-arms.
Count Gurkinn's knights and men-at-arms proved similarly successful, particularly the two chevaliers on Mega Pidgeots.
"Get those Bloody Mega pokemon!" A Galar flyer roared.
"On it!"
Ash and his team's eyes widened when they saw a Galar knight Gigantamax his Corvinknight.
"Corr!" The monstrous Corviknight turned and lashed out with his colossal wings and knocked a few Skarmory/Talonflame from the sky.
"Flamethrower!" A Noivern mounted by a knight flew in and tried to blast the monstrous Corviknight's side, only to get batted aside like the others.
"Josué!" One of the Shalour knights on a Mega Pidgeot flew at top speed, just catching the tumbling knight before he hit the water.
"Heat Wave!" Ash roared. The monstrous Corviknight turned its massive bulk just in time to see the fiery wind crash into his front.
"Corrr!" Corviknight squawked loud enough to make ripples in the water. When he turned, Corviknight lunged forward and tried to crush Charizard Z.
"Au-dessus de lui, then Fire Blast!"
"Grauuu!" Charizard Z flew hard and fast as he moved sharply over the bird's enormous wings.
"Pika chu!"
"Fletch!" Pikachu and Fletchling kept back other Galar pokemon and attacks from the ships as Charizard Z came directly over Corviknight's back.
"Blimey!" The knight barely caught Ash's lance with his own, causing both to snap.
"Grauuu!" Charizard Z unleashed a fiery symbol into Corviknight's back, causing him to squawk again, only louder than before. Ash and the Galar knight continued to exchange sword blows until the Kalos chevalier landed a crippling murder stroke, nearly caving the man's open-faced helmet and gray painted face open.
Both he and his now reverted Corviknight tumbled into the water before Charizard Z roared victoriously.
"Bien!" Ash cried with his slightly bloodied sword raised.
"Pika!"
"Fletch!" By then, the Kalos flyers had virtually won the battle, and both Mega Pidgeot followed Charizard Z as he and Ash descended upon the nearest Galar ship, a hulk.
"Hurricane!"
"Air Slash!" Both Mega Pidgeot unleashed their attacks upon the deck crew and their pokemon while Charizard Z came in low.
"Fire Blast, Dragon Rush! Accrochez-vous à Pikachu!" Ash held Pikachu in his lap and braced himself as Charizard Z blasted the hulk's starboard size open, then smashed through the interior using dragon rush, coming out the other side.
Ash and Pikachu slowly looked up again and shook off the splinters of wood.
"Grauuu!" Charizard Z roared and pointed to the hulk, which started sinking, forcing its crew to abandon the ship hastily. Upon seeing this, bursting cheers erupted from the Kalos fliers and tower garrison, but soon Ash saw the desperate crew on longboats or water pokemon trying to reach the rest of their fleet, which now pulled back.
A few fliers attempted to attack, but Ash shouted out, "Tenir!"
"Tenir! Don't be cruel!" The soldiers/knights sighed before nodding.
"Great job guys." Ash said, stroking each of his pokemons' heads.
"Pika!"
"Fletch!"
"Grauuu!" Ash's smile faded slightly as he raised his helmet's visor and looked out at the city's eastern walls.
There, Red flew atop Mega Charizard Y with Noibat close behind.
"Air Slash!"
"Grauuu!" Charizard Y flew like a flash of light, slashing a pair of Mandibuzz, followed quickly by Noibat, sending both hurdling to the ground.
"Brave bird!"
"Inferno!"
Charizard Y engulfed a now glowing Corviknight in a volcanic flame while Red similarly hit the tip of his lance against the Galar knight's breastplate, sending him to the ground alongside the scorched Corviknight.
Several Talonflame, Skarmoy, and Noivern joined Red, alongside a Mega Salamence and Mega Charizard X, both ridden by one of Gurkinn's knights.
Below them, a massive force of Galar soldiers/knights raced across makeshift fortifications, including stakes and hastily-built palisades protecting their longbowmen, pokemon, and trebuchets. Instead, these Galar forces carried distinct banners from the fleet, depicting a violet will-o'-the-wisp. However, the Galar didn't fight alone.
Red and Charizard Y's blood boiled slightly as they looked out at the contingent of Lysandre's forces fighting alongside the Galar.
"Noi!" Noibat picked up the danger from his echolocation and pointed to a squad of Galar knights, each performing distinct motions while their pokemon powered up.
"Z-Moves! Dépêchez-vous, avant qu'ils n'attaquent le mur!" Red barked out to the knights with mega evolved pokemon while also pointing to the increasingly battered eastern wall.
Rollo's men and most of the Catalan Company stood arrayed along the battlements while longbow volleys, powerful ranged pokemon moves, and trebuchet rounds beat against their fortifications.
Rollo and Don Miquel directed counter volleys of crossbow bolts and pokemon moves. However, Red doubted the walls would withstand Z-moves and readied himself to attack. However, just then, Charizard Y spotted a new danger and quickly pointed it out to Red.
The chevalier's eyes widened as he saw one of Lysandre's knights approaching while riding an Altaria. Red's eyes widened upon seeing a familiar colorful sphere surround the dragon pokemon and transform her into Mega Altaria.
"Regarde moi!" The knight roared from behind his visored helm, lowering a lance.
"Repentez-vous, traître!" Red snarled back while Charizard Y huffed.
"Dragon pulse!"
"Air Slash!" Charizard Y masterfully evaded the incoming beam and came for Mega Altaria's side, slashing her when Red's lance struck the knight's, causing a sharp clang.
"Dragon's breath!"
"Steel wing!" Charizard Y spun himself around and used his metal wings to push the dragon energy aside before smashing them against Mega Altaria's face.
Red and the knight clashed again, this time, both losing their primary weapons and drawing swords.
"Gaaah!" Red couldn't deny the chevalier's skill as he was unable to make any progress.
"Outrage!"
"Steel wing!" Charizard Y grimaced, covering himself in his metal wings like a shield against the barrage of dragon energy that erupted into him. Even with a steel-type move shielding him, Mega Altaria's power battered against him repeatedly.
Noibat tried to help, but two Corvisquire kept getting in his way. Red similarly grimaced as he felt Charizard buckle against the Outrage and their enemies press the advantage below.
Large groups of Galar and Kalos soldiers (from Lysandre's forces) ran the gauntlet with siege ladders as they tried to reach the city walls. Many fell to crossbow bolts or pokemon moves, but more and more squads got in place then started scaling.
"Maintenant tu gagnes ton destin, defiler of this world!" The knight pushed his Mega Altaria on and climbed up her head to end Red with a murder stroke.
Charizard Y saw this and panicked, but to move would expose him to the Outrage. Red grimaced and held his sword up defensively, soon finding himself enduring the same hardships as his Charizard.
"Avec moi, braves chevaliers!" Red, Charizard Y, and their opponents all heard Count Gurkinn's unmistakable voice followed by the thunderous sound of Rapidash and Ryhorn hooves.
A great cheer overcame the defenders when Count Gurkinn led out over two-hundred mounted knights from one gate, and Don Miquel brought out another two-hundred Catalan knights from another entrance.
"Bats-toi! Bats-toi!" Another familiar voice cried out from below, and Red's agony turned to burning passion when he saw Korrina rush onto the battlements in a suit of armor waving her family's banner.
"¡Enfréntense a su destino, bandidos!" The Catalan warriors roared together, drawing weapons as their pokemon snarled.
"Pour Kalos!" Reinvigorated, Red threw himself up and managed to parry the rival knight's next blow. Following up fast, he thrust his sword forward and drove his opponent's weapon back, allowing Red to smash his elbow across the man's visor.
"Merde!"
"Air slash!" Charizard Y opened his wings and soared in between the outrage bursts.
"Grauu!" He raked Mega Altaria's head with a furious strike while the Kalos chevalier grappled Lysandre's knight until he found an opening, drawing his dagger and stabbing it through the plates.
"Noi!" Noibat cried out in glee upon seeing Red and Charizard Y emerge victoriously.
"Allez!" Red roared, even as he gasped for breath. Charizard Y quickly understood and flew for the walls but found it unnecessary. Red, Noibat, and Charizard Y found themselves almost sympathizing for the attacking troops when they saw the true terror of the Catalan warriors who cut down any Galar or Lysandre soldier/knight who reached the battlement with ruthless efficiency.
The sheer terror they inspired made many of the attackers surrender on the spot, saving their lives. Korrina saw Red approaching and smiled for a moment before looking stern.
"Not me, help pepe!" She roared, pointing to her grandfather.
"Oui!" Charizard Y turned and flew after their mounted knights, who moved in two pincers, Gurkinn's squadron on the left and Miquel's on the right.
The sally proved quite decisive, for Gurrkin's knights on Mega Charizard and Salamence successfully knocked out the Galar Z-move pokemon, preventing them from intercepting the knights.
This, along with attacks from the air, gave the Kalos/Catalan knights enough cover to complete their encirclement. Each squadron split in two, with one half moving in to scatter the Galar/Lysandre missile troops/pokemon, while the other half put groups of mounted Galar/Lysandre knights to flight.
By all accounts, it looked decisive, with most of the Galar/Lysandre force pulling back to the safety of their camp. Red thought his help might be unnecessary for a brief moment, especially when he saw the Count riding ahead of his chevaliers, sword held out and Mega Lucario beside him.
"Fuyez lâches! Swim back to Galar!"
"Grouuu!" Mega Lucario ruthlessly beat back a trio of
Sirfetch'd using power-up punch, aura sphere, and bone rush. However, the Mega evolved Lucario quickly sensed a new danger and acrobatically leaped away from a colossal thunderbolt that nearly shook the ground upon impact where Mega Lucario recently stood.
"Lucario!" Gurkinn reigned in his Rapidash and stared out at a new figure approaching him. A noblewoman dressed in red with a half a dozen of Lysandre's knights surrounding her approached Lucario, a Mega Manectric in front of her.
"Bonjour, Count Gurkinn. It's so good to see you again?" She smiled with a terrible sense of desire.
"Lady Celosia!" Gurkinn snarled as he tightened the grip on his sword while Mega Lucario similarly snarled.
"Shalour holds out despite our combined efforts. J 'aurais du le savoir, you always were a capable commander."
"Leave traitor! This is your only warning! Take these salopards with you!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I'm afraid I can't do that, mon Seigneur. The Duke has given me a vital task. I don't intend to fail him now. Flamethrower!"
Mega Manectric unleashed a fiery inferno that nearly engulfed Mega Lucario several times, but Gurkinn's partner moved too fast.
"Aura Sphere!"
Mega Lucario leaped up high into the air and blasted Mega Manectric back.
"Bone rush!" Mega Lucario readied himself to follow up when suddenly a pair of glowing eyes appeared behind Manectric and met his.
"Grouuu?" Mega Lucario felt his body grow heavier and unnatural fatigue set in as hypnosis took effect.
"Quoi!?" Gurkinn cried before seeing a rather sinister-looking Gengar appear behind Manectric and completed hypnosis.
"Lucario!" The Count's partner hit the ground in a deep trance, and Celosia's grin widdened.
"You didn't think I came alone, did you?"
Gurkinn's eyes went wide when he saw Earl Allister reveal his masked face as he came up beside his Gengar.
"Shadow ball."
"Flamethrower!" Gurkinn could only watch in horror as his sleeping Lucario endured both attacks and bounces across the ground before landing in front of him.
"Lucario!" Gurkinn frantically dismounted and ran over while Celosia pointed her finger at the Counter.
"Prend le." Four of her knights dashed forward, swords drawn, while another two-dozen mounted Galar knights rode to intercept Gurkinn's chevaliers who attempted to air their Count.
"Mon Seigneur!" They cried. Though the superior Kalos knights overcame their Galar counterparts, the melee made them unable to help him.
"Pepe!" Korrina wailed in pure horror as she saw her Grandfather get swarmed by the four knights.
Red nearly went pale, and his mind flashed back to Alexandre.
"Non! Non! Not this time! Charizard allons-y!"
"Grauuuu!" Charizard Y's tail flame almost exploded around him, and the fire-lizard hurled himself at the fray as if his life depended on it.
"Inferno!"
"Grauuu!" Charizard Y lit up the ground between Gurkinn and Celosia/Allister, forcing them and their pokemon back. Once clear, Charizard Y slammed into the earth behind the Count, knocking all four Lysandre knights into a stumble.
"En garde!" Red leaped down and unleashed upon the four knights what he would've done to Lysandre that fateful day had he gotten the chance.
"En garde!" Count Gurkinn roared as he forced himself up and beside Red.
"Grauuu!" Charizard Y growled, revealing Gurkinn's still sleeping Lucario in his arms.
"Allons-y, mon Seigneur!" Red shouted while grabbing Gurkinn's arm.
"Oui." Gurkinn muttered. They'd killed two of the knights and bloodied the other two before managing to climb onto Charizard Y's back. Once he saw them both, Charizard Y kicked off and soared at top speed back to the wall with Noibat and the other Kalos flying pokemon/knights beside him.
Similarly, the Kalos and Catalan Knights on the ground moved back within the walls while the invaders slowly regrouped in their camp.
"Faire place! Medic!" Red roared as Charizard Y landed on the walls, and he helped the wounded Count to his feet.
"Mon Seigneur! Breath!" Red helped Gurkinn get his helmet off and saw the older man's bloodied face.
"Lucario, where is Lucario!?" Gurkinn muttered, ignoring his injuries.
"He's safe!" Red assured him, pointing to Lucario as a Wigglytuff healer took him from Charizard Y. Moments later, a physician knelt beside Count Gurkinn and began applying first aid.
"Pepe!" Korrina frantically pressed her way through the mass of Catalan soldiers with Lucario close behind.
"Korrina." Gurkinn struggled to speak but managed a smile upon seeing her. The noblewoman fell to her knees and tried to embrace him, but the physician protested.
"Non, ma dame! I need to work!"
"Hors de mon chemin!" Korrina snarled back and nearly struck the physician before feeling a pair of strong hands on her shoulders.
"Korrina, calmer, he's safe." Despite the firmness in his voice, Red soothed Korrina a bit, and he felt her relax, if only momentarily. For the noblewoman almost instantly pulled Red into a fierce embrace before kissing him with similar enthusiasm.
"Merci! Merci!" Korrina sobbed as tears streamed down her face. Red, too found himself at the mercy of his emotions when more memories of Alexandre came flooding back.
Back in the Tower of Mastery, Ash and Charizard Z landed at the nearest balcony, Charizard reverting to his base form while Ash removed his helmet.
"Monsieur!" A squire cried as he ran over and exchanged Ash's helmet for a fresh waterskin.
"Merci." Ash panted, offering the water to Pikachu and Charizard first before quenching his own immense thirst. Fletchinder eagerly awaited his turn and chirped in glee upon seeing Ash open another waterskin for him, this one filled with spiced wine.
"Fletch!"
"Ash!" Serena raced in with her pokemon close behind and embraced Ash with immense relief across her face.
"Thank Reduka. You're alright!" She cried, ignoring his steady face and hard armor as he hugged her back.
"Char!" Charla tried to hug Charizard's leg and similarly expressed her gratitude for his safe return. He sighed but then smiled before reaching down to pat Charla's head.
A few other knights/men-at-arms landed around them and similarly removed their helmets.
"Ash! Thank Reduka, you and Clemont are ok!" Bonnie came in with an exhausted Clemont beside her.
"Nous l'avons fait! We drove them off!" Ash shouted victoriously despite his fatigue.
"Pika!"
"Fletch!"
"Grauuu!"
"Oui, for now." Clemont muttered.
The four and a few of the returning knights/pokemon all gazed back at the Galar fleet, which still loomed over them.
"We'll find a way to beat them! We always do!" Ash proclaimed.
"Victoire de Kalos!" Serena cried.
"Victoire de Kalos!" The knights/squires all began shouting with similar enthusiasm.
"Victoire de Kalos!" Bonnie sang. Even Clemont found himself inspired by her proclamation and soon looked at the fleet with interest rather than fear.
"Hmmm, I wonder."
The squire eventually freed Ash from his suit of armor, leaving the knight in just his sweat-soaked trousers and gambeson as he walked with the others past dozens of servants, soldiers, and pokemon down the tower.
"Allez, we need to get you cleaned up." Serena said with slight sternness as his distinct smell from the intense battle finally broke through her sense of relief.
"I need to find out of Red is ok first." Ash protested, earning a nod of agreement from his wife.
"Oui." However, Ash didn't have to wait long, for he and the group soon saw none other than Red and Korrina, both still armored, emerge from a chamber with their pokemon, each looking as if an immense burden lifted from their shoulders.
"Merci Reduka!" Korrina almost shouted.
"Red!" Ash cried, and his brother looked up and smiled.
"Ash! Reduka is good!" The two brothers quickly embraced before Bonnie took her turn hugging Red.
"What happened at the wall?" Serena asked Korrina.
"We drove them back, but my grandfather was wounded."
"Oh non! Is he-" Serena frantically started.
"He's fine! The physician says he'll recover eventually, but he needs to stay in bed for a while." The four arrivals breathed an immense sigh of relief.
"Allez, you should get some rest. There's no telling when they'll be back." Serena said in a caring tone as she took Ash's hand.
"Oui, she's right." Korrina added while taking Red's. Bonnie tried to do the same with Clemont when he noticed Don Albaro waving him over with one of the cannon schematics they'd been working on.
"Uhhh, peut-être plus tard." He said while anxiously sweatdropping.
"Geeze, brother, you're going to wear yourself out! What happens when the Galar come back, and you can't even hold your hand cannon!?"
"I'll be fine!" Clemont shouted while racing over alongside his pokemon.
Early in the evening, Red stood outside Gurkinn's chamber after receiving a summons to see him alone. Or rather, without any other human.
The chevalier trembled with more visible fear than when he went into battle.
"Grauuu."
"Tile."
"Kirl."
"Noi." Red's pokemon tried to ease him, but Gurkinn's words from the other day kept ringing in his head.
"Monsieur, the Count will see you now." Red heard from the physician who came out with her Wifflytuff.
"Merci." Red muttered, taking a deep breath and mustering his courage before entering alongside his pokemon. Inside, they saw Gurkinn bandaged up and laying in a bed beside his Lucario, a jug of wine on the nightstand beside them.
"Bonsoir, mon seigneur." Red said, trying to sound calm. However, Gurkinn's expression didn't help. The grizzled Count stared at him with piercing eyes, but Red didn't back down despite his fear.
"Asseoir." He sighed while emphasizing a chair beside him. Red and his pokemon slowly approached before the knight sat down. Gurkinn groaned as he reached for the jug of wine and tried to pour a few glasses.
"No, mon seigneur. I'll-"
"J'insiste! I'm not crippled!" Gurkinn struggled but managed to pour a cup for both of them and their pokemon.
"This is a special reserve, the last time I had it was when Korrina was born."
Red almost dropped his cup in shock and fumbled about for it before Kirlia caught it with Psychic.
"Merci." He muttered while sweatdropping.
Gurkinn shook his head before raising his glass.
"To you, monsieur, for saving Lucario and my's lives."
Red didn't drink at first, and Gurkinn saw the immense lament in his face.
"Red, what happened to the King wasn't your fault." Gurkinn set his glass down and reached to place a hand on the knight's shoulder.
"You did everything you could. Now drink." Red took a deep breath before doing as the Count ordered.
Gurkinn laid back and stared at the ceiling with deep introspection.
"Red, I almost died today. I'm an old man. My days in this world are limited, one way or another."
"Mon seigneur, don't talk like that, you're as healthy as-"
"I'm going to die, Red, one day, and Reduka be willing, sooner than you!" Gurkinn sighed again as a horrific pain buried deep within the Count returned.
"No father should have to bury his son and daughter-in-law."
Gurkinn's Lucario tried to comfort the Count, as did Red, but he held his hand up to the young man and turned iron again.
"Red, I'm placing you in charge of the City."
"Quoi!?" Red yelped with his pokemon.
"Mon seigneur! I-"
"I'm in no condition to lead the defense anymore! Monsieur Arnaud, Captain Rollo, Don Miquel, and the others respect you, and my men will obey your command if I tell them to."
"Why, why me?"
"Because you have the makings of a great leader, I can see it in you, Red." Gurkinn placed his hand on Red shoulders and spoke with utter sincerity but quickly hardened his expression again.
"Cependant, I'm also doing it for another reason. Consider this an ultimatum, Red. I love my granddaughter more than anything, and I will see her properly married to a good man before I die. Whoever that man is will become the Comte de Shalour. I know you love her, and she loves you, but Korrina will not be your mistress, Red. You either marry her and take your responsibility as Count of Shalour or let her go! You have until the end of this siege to decide, or I'll decide for you."
Red turned pale and got up, leaving the Count without a word. The knight almost stumbled down the staircase, not even noticing Clemont and Albaro passing him with giddish expressions, followed by two Machoke carrying something.
"There he is! Pepe kept you late, mon amour!" Red heard Korrina giggled and looked up only to tremble again when he saw her sitting directly opposite Ash on one side of a dining table.
"Allez! We've been waiting for you, and I'm starving!" Ash cried while holding his stomach. Red felt himself tremble again as he looked to Korrina and then Ash.
"Eh? Are you ok?" Ash asked.
"Huh! Oui! Oui I'm fine!" Red shouted, making his pokemon sweatdrop.
"Pepe's not doing worse, is he!?" Korrina almost stood up in a panic before Red eased her back into a seated position.
"He's fine. He just, well, told me that I'm in charge now."
"You are! Impressionnant!" Ash laughed while throwing up his fist.
"Pika!"
"Ahhhh! Pepe! I knew he'd come around!" Korrina laughed as she hugged Red tightly. Serena, and Bonnie, however, weren't convinced. Both knew something else troubled Red and looked at him cautiously.
The five and their pokemon dug in, Ash and Korrina feasting with particular enthusiasm after their exertion that day. Red, however, only ate modestly, making Serena even more suspicious.
"Red, are you sure you're ok?" She asked tenderly.
"I'm fine." He answered in a less than convincing tone.
"Non, vous ne l'êtes pas! Serena's right, you need to eat, Red! We could be right back in the fight tomorrow!" Korrina said sternly as she began cutting up his dinner and practically fed him like a child.
Seeing this made Ash, Bonnie, and their pokemon laugh. Even Serena giggled slightly but still knew something was off.
"So Red, you really saw Earl Allister out there today?" Ash asked, earning a nod from his brother.
"So that confirms it, Lady Bea and Earl Allister lead this attack. Parfait!" Ash grinned, bursting with enthusiasm.
"Parfait?! Are what you said they did before the battle up north!?" Serena muttered in disbelief.
"Oui! They're still Earls, and there's one for Red and one for me!" Ash cried, earning a slight smile from Red.
"Oui, that's true." Korrina vehemently nodded.
"Bien! Crush Lady Bea! Crush her into dust!" Serena and the others looked taken aback by the fury in Korrina's voice and expression.
"Korrina, do you know Lady Bea?" Serena asked, making Korrina's face turn a fiery red. So much so that it looked like steam might come out.
"If one of you doesn't put that la pute in her place, I will!"
"Korrina!" Serena yelped while covering Bonnie's ears.
Red, however, merely smiled wider and nodded with Ash.
"They don't stand a chance."
"Ahhhh! There you are! Viens vite! You must see this!" The group turned to Monsieur Raymon, who looked as excited as a school boy.
"Monsieur?" Serena asked.
"Viens vite! We don't have much time!" The group saw dozens of soldiers,knights, servants, and pokemon rushing to any balcony they could reach and decided to see what the fuss was about.
Upon reaching the topmost balcony, they saw Arnaud, Rollo, Don Miquel, Monsieur Gefreid, and Miette waiting for them.
Serena and Miette exchanged harsh glances with each other before Arnaud waved them over with similar excitement to Monsieur Raymon.
"Ahhh! Timing parfait!"
"Hawluch!"
"What's going on?" Red asked.
"The greatest show on earth!" Miquel laughed before pointing to three ships carrying the Kalos flag sailing straight for the Galar blockade.
"Just three ships?" Korrina asked.
"Ahhh! Clemont!" Bonnie yelped.
Ash and the others gave similar looks of disbelief upon seeing Clemont with his pokemon on the leading ship's bow. However, it almost didn't look like Clemont at all, his usual squeamishness replaced with a sense of confidence that rivaled Ash and Red.
"What is he doing!?" Serena asked before realizing that Clemont stood beside his cannon. The flanking ships also carried a single gun at the boy, with Don Albaro manning one and another Catalan knight handling the third.
Additionally, each cannon had a Magnemite resting on them.
"Hmm, hmm, hmm! Time to face the future of warfare, Galar! Magnemite, use lock on!"
"Nite." Magnemite locked onto the nearest Galar ship's lower decks and aimed the gun with it.
"Fire!" Clemont lit the fuse and covered his ears.
To the group's disbelief, the cannon didn't explode but breathed a fiery inferno and smoke. Across the bay, something unseen tore through the leading Galar's lower bow and sent water flooding inside.
Before anyone in the fleet or tower could react, the other two cannons let loose, and each similarly tore through the hulls of another Galar ship, causing them to start sinking.
"Clemont!" Red, Serena, and Korrina muttered in disbelief.
"Ha! Bien joué Clemont!" Ash cheered.
Dozens of pokemon from the Galar fleet scrambled to fight back alongside just as many ships, only for Kalos and Catalan pokemon to counter them. As for the Galar ships, Clemont's cannons proved nothing short of a game changer.
Typical naval warfare involved smaller and swifter ships peppering hostile ships with arrows and pokemon attacks to wither down the crews and cause some damage before larger ships either rammed them or sent over a boarding party.
However, the three cannons ripped holes in their lower decks at a distance that made such tactics impossible. Additionally, Clemont's pokemon helped him and a few crewmen reload the guns at an incredible pace, allowing them each to fire a round every few minutes, and with Magnemite using lock-on, each shot hit their mark.
Within a half-hour, the three Kalos/Catalan vessels mortally wounded over a dozen Galar ships, causing their crews to hastily abandon ship.
"Voir!" Arnaud laughed while eagerly pointing to the Galar flagship. Clemont's artillery clearly proved too much for the Galar Admiral who, by the looks of things, attempted to raise a white flag of surrender. However, upon closer inspection, Red saw what looked like a scuffle breaking out between none other than Lady Bea and someone else.
"Pour Kalos!" Clemont cried loud enough for those on the tower to hear him. Moments later, he fired his cannon and ripped a massive hole in the bottom of Lady Bea's ship.
"Oui! Oui! Get her Clemont! Korrina roared with a fiery determination.
This proved too much and the remaining Galar ships made a frantic retreat with little to no order.
"Hold your fire!" Clemont cried, having no desire to kill anymore than he absolutely had to. Not only did the three ships obey, but they began throwing down nets, longboats, and water pokemon to help the drowning Galar sailors.
"La victoire!" Arnaud roared before the entire garrison echoed him.
"That's my brother!" Bonnie cried out with a beaming face and stars in her eyes.
Korrina similarly seized Red in a crushing embrace while Serena did the same with Ash.
"Grauuu!"
"Pika!"
"Noi!"
Red momentarily forgot about Gurkinn's ultimatum and merely savored this moment with Korrina, Ash, Serena, and Bonnie. The knight smiled warmly at his brother, particularly his typical optimistic and almost carefree expression.
"Ash." He thought before looking back at Lady Bea who'd managed to escape to one of her other ships. Seeing this gave Red an idea, one that made him smile with bursting enthusiasm when he turned back to Ash.
"Two Earls, two brothers, parfait."
Author's note
Gurkinn has given Red an ultimatum, what will he do?
Clemont also has a moment to shine, unveiling the future of warfare, rest assured, this won't be the last we see of his cannons
Also when he fired on Bea's ship, they hadn't surrendered, so it wasn't a war crime
So until next time,
Please review, comment, suggest or ask (VIA PM)