Author's Notes: Well, I guess I'll do an epilogue. That way there'll be a
kind of after-story to this fic. Anyway, I'll finish the main plot in this
chapter no matter how long it gets. Mainly because I still remember how I
had thought that it was going to be only four chapters long. Now it's seven
chapters with this one included. ^_^ Anyway, I'd like to thank all those
who regularly reviewed this fic. It was nice knowing that this was enjoyed.
Anyway, here's the seventh chapter.
*
Ash was almost ready to move on. Ash hadn't asked anything about what happened the night before, and didn't seem to be inclined to do so. As Ash was about ready to leave he went over to Jared and asked, "Tell me one thing. Where's my family's sword?"
"It's gone," Jared replied. "It fell through the ice last night crossing the river."
"D*** you. I needed that sword to kill Senzei," Ash snapped as he moves over to Jared with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"That sword was just a meaningless symbol of your own death," Jared told Ash. "Now there's a chance for life." A brief pause, then motioning towards Misty, "A new life with her."
"That sword was the little of all I ever knew of my father that I ever had. And now you're telling me that it's gone!?" Ash roared.
"Then why not kill yourself then?" Jared retorted. "And while you're at it kill her too! You never cared for her as much as you did for yourself anyway."
Jared had gone too far with that statement and Ash could tell that Jared knew that as well, but he didn't care. "How dare you say that. You know nothing of that. If you knew then you'd also know why we are like this right now. But, I don't think that you'll live long enough to find out now," Ash says, grabbing Jared and throwing him against the rocks; now with a murderous look in his eyes. The tunic Jared was wearing opened up enough for Ash to see the claw marks on Jared's chest that were still starting to heal. When Ash saw that, he knew that there was something that happened that he needed to know. And fast. "What's that?" Ash asked, pointing to the claw marks on Jared.
"That happened last night when he saved your pathetic life," Jessie spat in disgust.
A complete change came over Ash at that point. He realized that Team Rocket weren't up to their old tricks and had gotten Jared to go with them, but that they really cared what happened to him and Misty. Ash knew that even if they had hidden his sword somewhere with their stuff, he'd still now work with them to try to break the curse.
Ash sighed. Then he said, "Okay. I'll show you idiots how to cage an Arcanine."
* * * * * * * * * * *
They had finished the cage and were on the road. They planned on being in Saffron Fortress sometime in the night, so Jared was dozing in the basket, wondering when they'd finish their trek to the final battle with Senzei. Jared knew that it would be a dark night as he saw the clouds overhead covering the entire sky with a grey overcast. Jared was just getting up to see where they were when he saw Ash starting to climb over the edge of the basket to the cage beneath. "What are you doing?" Jared asked.
"It'll be night soon," Ash replied, not pausing in his descent.
Jared looked towards the sky and couldn't see the sun anywhere along the western horizon. "How can you tell?" Jared asked, not really sure if he wanted to know.
"After so many nights?" Ash asked Jared. "I seem to have developed a sixth sense for knowing when night would be long ago."
Jared was a bit surprised at this, though he figured that he really shouldn't. Because since Ash always turned into an Arcanine at night, he was bound to develop a way of knowing when he would need to prepare, instead of suddenly becoming an Arcanine while riding his Rapidash. Jared couldn't help but wonder if that had happened to Ash already. Jared sighed. Soon this would be over with, Jared thought. Then I can get out of this nightmare. Nightmare? Jared asked himself silently as he gazed over the darkening landscape, Daymare! And then a- a day without a night and a night without a day, it's enough to have made me want to stay in the dungeons for no matter how long they were going to take before I hung.
Jared jumped when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" Jared was asked. Jared hadn't realized that Misty had already lost her Spearow form already and was fully dressed.
Jared nodded. "I was just thinking," Jared replied honestly, though he didn't want to have to say what he had thought, because he was already ashamed of himself for wishing that he could help two people who were in much more pain everyday than he had ever encountered in his life. It just made him sick to his heart to know how selfish he really was when there were others who needed his help more than he needed to get out of the situation. "So, would you like to know the plan that Ash told us?"
"Sure, if the curse can be broken then, I think that it would be good for me to know where I'll be when I become human again," Misty answered.
"Well, tomorrow will be when Senzei cleans out his dungeons every year by hanging everyone on that day. He always personally attends and requires everyone in the city to attend as well. At least everyone except some of the soldiers. I'll sneak in and get the northern door open for Ash so he can ride in right before whatever happens will happen. But, that's if Ash still is willing to try to break the curse."
"Sounds like Ash realized that he could fail to kill Senzei if he didn't accept help to get in there," Misty replied.
"You don't think he really is willing to accept that the curse can be broken?" Jared asked.
"No. I think that he's given up on it and won't accept anything else," Misty answered, sighing.
Jared didn't think that Ash might do that. It all seemed to be just a big story that Jared was looking in on it while inside it as well. Jared sighed. At least Ash should get a chance to break it, even if it's too late, Jared thought gloomily to himself.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Go," Jessie told Jared while they were driving a cart that someone had left earlier, and that they had 'borrowed'. "You know what to do."
Jared nodded in the dark and slipped into the water that he had come out of when he had escaped from the dungeons several days ago. As soon as Jared had left the cart, they began to have Rapidash pull it towards the gate. Ash they approached the gate, a guard called out to them to see what they were doing.
"What are you four doing tonight?" A guard asked.
"We brought a surprise present for Senzei," Jessie replied, as the guard threw open the blanket they had put over the cage. Jessie jumped slightly when she heard the Arcanine snarl at the guard. The guard then turned towards the group and walked over to Misty and pulled back the hood to her cloak. The Arcanine began snarling even louder.
"Hmm," the guard commented, drawing his sword. "I've never had the pleasure of killing an Arcanine before."
Misty caught her breath in fear. James saw it and said, "How strange. That's EXACTLY what Senzei had told us. Well, I'm sure he won't mind if you kill it. I mean, he is a VERY forgiving person, right?"
The guard seemed angered at James' comment, but then he stepped back quickly from the cage. "Good choice," Meowth said.
"Go in," the guard ordered.
Jessie sighed. That part of the ordeal was over and they almost failed. Jessie hated to admit it, but James could still think when he chose to.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Jared was tired. He had been searching the sewers for a place to get to the gallows. The sooner he got there, the more time he would have. Finally! Jared thought, as he saw dried blood on the wall. He knew he was close. He then moved over to the wall and began to climb it and soon it began to have a forward incline and Jared soon was climbing it quickly. As Jared got to the top, he could see that a very large crowd had gathered. Jared could tell by the size of the crowd that they were going to begin soon and ash would be arriving shortly, although there was a gray overcast. Not much time, Jared thought as he began to pry the drain from above him.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Please wait!" James exclaimed softly.
"It's day. Just like it was yesterday. Just like it will be tomorrow." Ash paused and took a deep breath. He had wanted so much to be wrong, but it seemed as if he was doomed to be right about this. "Now, if Jared has done his job, I can ride into the execution area and kill Senzei."
"The time will be coming soon!" Jessie exclaimed in vain. It was obvious that Ash wasn't going to listen to them now. "It should happen shortly after the sun comes out from behind the clouds."
"There is no time. If I don't kill Senzei now, I might not get another chance," Ash replies, flatly.
Ash moves towards the door to the pokecenter they're in, then stops and turns with tears in his eyes. "There is one thing that you can still do for me."
The remnants of Team Rocket wait for Ash to continue, knowing that this is something that is difficult for him to say. Ash takes a deep breath and then says, quietly, "If I fail and the prisoners start to be hung, I. . ." Ash pauses for a moment then continues in a strained voice, while giving them a dagger, "I beg you. Take her life. Quick and painless."
Jessie and James are horrified. They never expected Ash to say something like that. "But. . ." They both begin simultaneously, but are interrupted by Ash.
"The cruelty would be to damn her to a half-life and I know that is not what she wants," Ash finishes.
"But, we can't do that," they tell Ash.
Ash walks back over to both of them and rests a hand on a shoulder of both of them and replies, "Have you ever considered that this is what Sabrina meant for you to do?"
Jessie and James couldn't say anything to that and watched as Ash walked out and passed Meowth, who was making certain that guards didn't come in without them getting a warning first. Jessie and James look at each other for a moment then prepare for Misty to become human in a short time.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Jared had a difficult time getting the grate open, mainly because right after he got it pried loose, Senzei came into the area and Jared knew he couldn't risk being caught, so he stayed in the drain until he was certain that he could get out without being noticed. Jared then made his way to the gate on the north side, the one that he had agreed on getting open, and pulled out his lock picking tools and got to work picking it. Though, Jared had also looked to see where the nearest guards were. He wasn't all too comfortable with them being only a hundred feet away, but he knew that that was the best he was going to get. Jared knew that it would be difficult to unlock it, but he didn't expect it to be so rusty. Don't they ever clean this? Jared thought to himself as he got his lock pick stuck again.
Finally in frustration, Jared slammed his fist on the lock only causing his own hand to hurt and a loud noise to come from the lock. Soon, Jared had gotten the lock completely unlocked and Jared raised the bar off of the door and looked to see if there were any other locks and spotted one at the bottom of the door. As Jared opened that one, he could hear hooves against the pavement on the other side of the gate. He couldn't be sure if that was Ash, but he knew that he couldn't take any chances. Jared risked a glance behind him and he saw two guards only twenty feet from him and approaching him with weapons drawn. Jared quickly jumped on the door and threw open the last lock as the first guard began to swing at him. But before the blow could be delivered, there came a whinny from the other side of the gate, as they were forced open.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ash had put his suit of armor on that he had made during the time he was hiding from Senzei. As he mounted his Rapidash, he wondered if they weren't cursed by Senzei, would Ash still be trying to kill him, or would they be sort of friends. Ash couldn't help but wonder that, though he knew that wondering wouldn't change the fact of what Senzei did to him and Misty. There was no chance that Ash would let Senzei live through the day, unless something in his plan went wrong. Ash began to ride through the streets, heading for the gate that he and Jared had agreed upon on which one that he would go through. As Ash neared the gate, he spotted some soldiers that were blocking his way. Ash stopped and told them, "Let me pass. I have no reason to fight any of you. I only wish to speak with Senzei."
The leader of the soldiers moves his Ponyta over next to Ash and whispers, "Go on and good luck."
Ash is surprised to hear encouragement from the soldiers and looks and sees that it's Richie. Ash didn't expect this and looks around and sees his other friends among the soldiers. Harrison, May from Hoenn, Gary, and others that he had met. Ash then looks down an alley that's nearby and sees the real soldiers bound and gagged. Ash can't help but laugh as he rides on filled with renewed determination to kill Senzei. Ash begins to ride faster, knowing that his time was growing short. Though, in moments he was at the gate. His Rapidash gave out a whinny and slammed open the gates. Ash could see a soldier was knocked down, but Ash saw that his sword was drawn and Ash turned to look at Jared to see if he was okay and saw that Jared was just fine. Ash then turned to where Senzei was and could tell that he wasn't expected. Ash then rode into the crowd that parted like Moses did the Red Sea and stopped when he heard a voice cry out. "You will not rob me of the pleasure of killing Senzei!"
Ash turned his Rapidash around and saw Giovanni riding his own Rapidash. Ash knew that he would now need to kill Giovanni before he could get to Senzei. Ash then drew his Short sword and began charging Giovanni. Ash's arm rang from the strike as Giovanni parried the blow with his own sword. Pass after pass they made, neither seeming to gain any ground, but Ash could tell that Giovanni wasn't used to such an experienced opponent. Ash finally is able to cut deeply into Giovanni's sword arm, cutting straight through the armor and muscle, make his arm useless. Ash then turns to face Senzei as the clouds part of shine sunlight on the entire crowd, almost as if it's a sign of a new time. Ash then dismounts from his Rapidash, and begins to walk towards Senzei, up steps that would have been too difficult for his Rapidash to navigate, without falling. As Ash nears Senzei, a dagger enters his leg and Ash drops to the ground and turns to see Giovanni, holding his sword in his other hand. Ash didn't expect Giovanni to be ambidextrous, but there wasn't anything he could do about that fact.
Ash pulled the dagger out of his leg and ignored the fiery pain that coursed through his leg. Ash then turned to face Giovanni and they began to continue the fight. Ash still had the advantage of having more experience, and recent experience too. Though, while they were fighting, Ash noticed out of the corner of his eye, a soldier going to hang the prisoners that were already set up to hang. Ash gripped the tip of Giovanni's dagger and threw it at the soldier. The dagger entered the soldiers back and killed the soldier instantly. Ash then quickly delivered the final blow to Giovanni, killing him. As Ash turned back to Senzei, he noticed the sky seemed to be getting dark quickly, but there weren't any clouds by the sun. Ash looks and sees the formation of a solar eclipse start. Ash realizes what they day without a night and a night without a day meant. Ash waited anxiously and when the moon was a quarter of the way over the moon, Ash realized that Jessie and James had done what he had asked them to. Ash then turned back towards Senzei and held his sword ready.
"Kill me Ash and the curse will go on forever," Senzei said smugly. "We must think of Misty."
"Misty is dead!" Ash snapped. Senzei seemed to go a little pale at this. Then Ash said a little more calmly, "D*** you. D*** you to h***. Ash raised his sword to kill Senzei, but it was knocked out of his hands by one of Senzei's bodyguards. Ash's short sword flew well out of reach and down the drain that Jared had come out of. Ash knew that he now could be with Misty when he was killed. He watched as the bodyguard raised his own sword ready to kill Ash.
The bodyguard was about to swing, but a voice rang out startling the bodyguard enough that his swing missed completely. "Ash!"
Ash turned not daring to hope that it was who he thought it was.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Jared had left the area when Giovanni had thrown his dagger at Ash. Jared then ran off to the cart that they had taken to get Ash's sword from where he had hidden it. Jared knew that time was precious and he made his way along quickly. He didn't even care to take notice of anyone he saw as he ran to the cart. As soon as he got to there, he got under the cart and slid the sword out from the place he had secured it to. I hope I'm not too late, Jared thought to himself. Jared then ran back as quickly as he could to get Ash his father's sword.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ash was surprised to see Misty. He had thought for sure that she was dead. Senzei's bodyguard seemed to have lost his desire to kill Ash and ran off into the crowd. Ash turned back to Senzei and saw that Senzei was focusing his attention towards the ground, with his eyes shut tightly. Ash grabbed Senzei and pulled him forward and told him, "Look at her!"
Senzei slowly glanced at Misty until Ash snapped, "Look at her!"
Senzei looked at Misty for a moment as Ash made his way backwards along the steps. The moon now completely covered the sun. When Ash was halfway to Misty, he told Senzei, "Look at me!"
Senzei's attention snapped to Ash just as Jared ran back through the gate. Ash continued to move back to Misty and when he was next to her, he told Senzei, "Look at us!"
Senzei didn't seem to inclined to do so. "Look at us!" Ash roared. Senzei now looked and saw what he had destroyed with the curse. Now that he had been able to realize this, Senzei felt his own mind being torn apart as the curse was undone. Senzei cried in extreme pain as the power he had somehow tapped into tore apart his mind. After the sun was shining again, Senzei was released from the hold of the power he used. Misty walked up to him slowly, but purposefully and stood directly in front of him. Misty seemed to start to turn but then swung and even Jared, who was fifty feet away, could hear the crack of Senzei's jaw breaking. Misty then walked back to Ash. Senzei then filled with a deep hatred at both of them and called out, "If I can't have her, then no one shall!" Senzei pulled a dagger out of his belt and Jared tossed Ash's sword to him and Ash caught the sword and threw it at Senzei in one fluid motion. The sword knocked the dagger out of the air and went straight through Senzei's chest, killing him instantly.
With that taken care of, Ash and Misty both embraced tightly. The years of being unable to be together were finally gone. They both held each other tightly as the crowd around them dispersed. There wasn't anything more to say to each other. Senzei was dead and wouldn't affect them again. Jared and the remnants of Team Rocket started to leave, but Ash called out to them, "Wait!" When they stopped, he said, looking at Misty, "Thanks for keeping on trying to get me to see this fact." They nodded. No words were needed. They all understood how Ash felt.
*
Author's Notes: Well, that ended a little too much like the movie than I intended. But, I figure that the friends letting Ash know that they were there for him, was a nice touch. I thought that the movie was good, but had some very annoying pieces in it, like how the main character and the captain of the guard fought for so long, although it was clear that the main character had superior skill as well as endurance. Though, please let me know what you thought of this. ^_^ I'm looking forward to it. Also, I'll be writing an epilogue, so please look forward to it, and it will be after where the movie ended. ^_^
*
Ash was almost ready to move on. Ash hadn't asked anything about what happened the night before, and didn't seem to be inclined to do so. As Ash was about ready to leave he went over to Jared and asked, "Tell me one thing. Where's my family's sword?"
"It's gone," Jared replied. "It fell through the ice last night crossing the river."
"D*** you. I needed that sword to kill Senzei," Ash snapped as he moves over to Jared with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"That sword was just a meaningless symbol of your own death," Jared told Ash. "Now there's a chance for life." A brief pause, then motioning towards Misty, "A new life with her."
"That sword was the little of all I ever knew of my father that I ever had. And now you're telling me that it's gone!?" Ash roared.
"Then why not kill yourself then?" Jared retorted. "And while you're at it kill her too! You never cared for her as much as you did for yourself anyway."
Jared had gone too far with that statement and Ash could tell that Jared knew that as well, but he didn't care. "How dare you say that. You know nothing of that. If you knew then you'd also know why we are like this right now. But, I don't think that you'll live long enough to find out now," Ash says, grabbing Jared and throwing him against the rocks; now with a murderous look in his eyes. The tunic Jared was wearing opened up enough for Ash to see the claw marks on Jared's chest that were still starting to heal. When Ash saw that, he knew that there was something that happened that he needed to know. And fast. "What's that?" Ash asked, pointing to the claw marks on Jared.
"That happened last night when he saved your pathetic life," Jessie spat in disgust.
A complete change came over Ash at that point. He realized that Team Rocket weren't up to their old tricks and had gotten Jared to go with them, but that they really cared what happened to him and Misty. Ash knew that even if they had hidden his sword somewhere with their stuff, he'd still now work with them to try to break the curse.
Ash sighed. Then he said, "Okay. I'll show you idiots how to cage an Arcanine."
* * * * * * * * * * *
They had finished the cage and were on the road. They planned on being in Saffron Fortress sometime in the night, so Jared was dozing in the basket, wondering when they'd finish their trek to the final battle with Senzei. Jared knew that it would be a dark night as he saw the clouds overhead covering the entire sky with a grey overcast. Jared was just getting up to see where they were when he saw Ash starting to climb over the edge of the basket to the cage beneath. "What are you doing?" Jared asked.
"It'll be night soon," Ash replied, not pausing in his descent.
Jared looked towards the sky and couldn't see the sun anywhere along the western horizon. "How can you tell?" Jared asked, not really sure if he wanted to know.
"After so many nights?" Ash asked Jared. "I seem to have developed a sixth sense for knowing when night would be long ago."
Jared was a bit surprised at this, though he figured that he really shouldn't. Because since Ash always turned into an Arcanine at night, he was bound to develop a way of knowing when he would need to prepare, instead of suddenly becoming an Arcanine while riding his Rapidash. Jared couldn't help but wonder if that had happened to Ash already. Jared sighed. Soon this would be over with, Jared thought. Then I can get out of this nightmare. Nightmare? Jared asked himself silently as he gazed over the darkening landscape, Daymare! And then a- a day without a night and a night without a day, it's enough to have made me want to stay in the dungeons for no matter how long they were going to take before I hung.
Jared jumped when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" Jared was asked. Jared hadn't realized that Misty had already lost her Spearow form already and was fully dressed.
Jared nodded. "I was just thinking," Jared replied honestly, though he didn't want to have to say what he had thought, because he was already ashamed of himself for wishing that he could help two people who were in much more pain everyday than he had ever encountered in his life. It just made him sick to his heart to know how selfish he really was when there were others who needed his help more than he needed to get out of the situation. "So, would you like to know the plan that Ash told us?"
"Sure, if the curse can be broken then, I think that it would be good for me to know where I'll be when I become human again," Misty answered.
"Well, tomorrow will be when Senzei cleans out his dungeons every year by hanging everyone on that day. He always personally attends and requires everyone in the city to attend as well. At least everyone except some of the soldiers. I'll sneak in and get the northern door open for Ash so he can ride in right before whatever happens will happen. But, that's if Ash still is willing to try to break the curse."
"Sounds like Ash realized that he could fail to kill Senzei if he didn't accept help to get in there," Misty replied.
"You don't think he really is willing to accept that the curse can be broken?" Jared asked.
"No. I think that he's given up on it and won't accept anything else," Misty answered, sighing.
Jared didn't think that Ash might do that. It all seemed to be just a big story that Jared was looking in on it while inside it as well. Jared sighed. At least Ash should get a chance to break it, even if it's too late, Jared thought gloomily to himself.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Go," Jessie told Jared while they were driving a cart that someone had left earlier, and that they had 'borrowed'. "You know what to do."
Jared nodded in the dark and slipped into the water that he had come out of when he had escaped from the dungeons several days ago. As soon as Jared had left the cart, they began to have Rapidash pull it towards the gate. Ash they approached the gate, a guard called out to them to see what they were doing.
"What are you four doing tonight?" A guard asked.
"We brought a surprise present for Senzei," Jessie replied, as the guard threw open the blanket they had put over the cage. Jessie jumped slightly when she heard the Arcanine snarl at the guard. The guard then turned towards the group and walked over to Misty and pulled back the hood to her cloak. The Arcanine began snarling even louder.
"Hmm," the guard commented, drawing his sword. "I've never had the pleasure of killing an Arcanine before."
Misty caught her breath in fear. James saw it and said, "How strange. That's EXACTLY what Senzei had told us. Well, I'm sure he won't mind if you kill it. I mean, he is a VERY forgiving person, right?"
The guard seemed angered at James' comment, but then he stepped back quickly from the cage. "Good choice," Meowth said.
"Go in," the guard ordered.
Jessie sighed. That part of the ordeal was over and they almost failed. Jessie hated to admit it, but James could still think when he chose to.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Jared was tired. He had been searching the sewers for a place to get to the gallows. The sooner he got there, the more time he would have. Finally! Jared thought, as he saw dried blood on the wall. He knew he was close. He then moved over to the wall and began to climb it and soon it began to have a forward incline and Jared soon was climbing it quickly. As Jared got to the top, he could see that a very large crowd had gathered. Jared could tell by the size of the crowd that they were going to begin soon and ash would be arriving shortly, although there was a gray overcast. Not much time, Jared thought as he began to pry the drain from above him.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Please wait!" James exclaimed softly.
"It's day. Just like it was yesterday. Just like it will be tomorrow." Ash paused and took a deep breath. He had wanted so much to be wrong, but it seemed as if he was doomed to be right about this. "Now, if Jared has done his job, I can ride into the execution area and kill Senzei."
"The time will be coming soon!" Jessie exclaimed in vain. It was obvious that Ash wasn't going to listen to them now. "It should happen shortly after the sun comes out from behind the clouds."
"There is no time. If I don't kill Senzei now, I might not get another chance," Ash replies, flatly.
Ash moves towards the door to the pokecenter they're in, then stops and turns with tears in his eyes. "There is one thing that you can still do for me."
The remnants of Team Rocket wait for Ash to continue, knowing that this is something that is difficult for him to say. Ash takes a deep breath and then says, quietly, "If I fail and the prisoners start to be hung, I. . ." Ash pauses for a moment then continues in a strained voice, while giving them a dagger, "I beg you. Take her life. Quick and painless."
Jessie and James are horrified. They never expected Ash to say something like that. "But. . ." They both begin simultaneously, but are interrupted by Ash.
"The cruelty would be to damn her to a half-life and I know that is not what she wants," Ash finishes.
"But, we can't do that," they tell Ash.
Ash walks back over to both of them and rests a hand on a shoulder of both of them and replies, "Have you ever considered that this is what Sabrina meant for you to do?"
Jessie and James couldn't say anything to that and watched as Ash walked out and passed Meowth, who was making certain that guards didn't come in without them getting a warning first. Jessie and James look at each other for a moment then prepare for Misty to become human in a short time.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Jared had a difficult time getting the grate open, mainly because right after he got it pried loose, Senzei came into the area and Jared knew he couldn't risk being caught, so he stayed in the drain until he was certain that he could get out without being noticed. Jared then made his way to the gate on the north side, the one that he had agreed on getting open, and pulled out his lock picking tools and got to work picking it. Though, Jared had also looked to see where the nearest guards were. He wasn't all too comfortable with them being only a hundred feet away, but he knew that that was the best he was going to get. Jared knew that it would be difficult to unlock it, but he didn't expect it to be so rusty. Don't they ever clean this? Jared thought to himself as he got his lock pick stuck again.
Finally in frustration, Jared slammed his fist on the lock only causing his own hand to hurt and a loud noise to come from the lock. Soon, Jared had gotten the lock completely unlocked and Jared raised the bar off of the door and looked to see if there were any other locks and spotted one at the bottom of the door. As Jared opened that one, he could hear hooves against the pavement on the other side of the gate. He couldn't be sure if that was Ash, but he knew that he couldn't take any chances. Jared risked a glance behind him and he saw two guards only twenty feet from him and approaching him with weapons drawn. Jared quickly jumped on the door and threw open the last lock as the first guard began to swing at him. But before the blow could be delivered, there came a whinny from the other side of the gate, as they were forced open.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ash had put his suit of armor on that he had made during the time he was hiding from Senzei. As he mounted his Rapidash, he wondered if they weren't cursed by Senzei, would Ash still be trying to kill him, or would they be sort of friends. Ash couldn't help but wonder that, though he knew that wondering wouldn't change the fact of what Senzei did to him and Misty. There was no chance that Ash would let Senzei live through the day, unless something in his plan went wrong. Ash began to ride through the streets, heading for the gate that he and Jared had agreed upon on which one that he would go through. As Ash neared the gate, he spotted some soldiers that were blocking his way. Ash stopped and told them, "Let me pass. I have no reason to fight any of you. I only wish to speak with Senzei."
The leader of the soldiers moves his Ponyta over next to Ash and whispers, "Go on and good luck."
Ash is surprised to hear encouragement from the soldiers and looks and sees that it's Richie. Ash didn't expect this and looks around and sees his other friends among the soldiers. Harrison, May from Hoenn, Gary, and others that he had met. Ash then looks down an alley that's nearby and sees the real soldiers bound and gagged. Ash can't help but laugh as he rides on filled with renewed determination to kill Senzei. Ash begins to ride faster, knowing that his time was growing short. Though, in moments he was at the gate. His Rapidash gave out a whinny and slammed open the gates. Ash could see a soldier was knocked down, but Ash saw that his sword was drawn and Ash turned to look at Jared to see if he was okay and saw that Jared was just fine. Ash then turned to where Senzei was and could tell that he wasn't expected. Ash then rode into the crowd that parted like Moses did the Red Sea and stopped when he heard a voice cry out. "You will not rob me of the pleasure of killing Senzei!"
Ash turned his Rapidash around and saw Giovanni riding his own Rapidash. Ash knew that he would now need to kill Giovanni before he could get to Senzei. Ash then drew his Short sword and began charging Giovanni. Ash's arm rang from the strike as Giovanni parried the blow with his own sword. Pass after pass they made, neither seeming to gain any ground, but Ash could tell that Giovanni wasn't used to such an experienced opponent. Ash finally is able to cut deeply into Giovanni's sword arm, cutting straight through the armor and muscle, make his arm useless. Ash then turns to face Senzei as the clouds part of shine sunlight on the entire crowd, almost as if it's a sign of a new time. Ash then dismounts from his Rapidash, and begins to walk towards Senzei, up steps that would have been too difficult for his Rapidash to navigate, without falling. As Ash nears Senzei, a dagger enters his leg and Ash drops to the ground and turns to see Giovanni, holding his sword in his other hand. Ash didn't expect Giovanni to be ambidextrous, but there wasn't anything he could do about that fact.
Ash pulled the dagger out of his leg and ignored the fiery pain that coursed through his leg. Ash then turned to face Giovanni and they began to continue the fight. Ash still had the advantage of having more experience, and recent experience too. Though, while they were fighting, Ash noticed out of the corner of his eye, a soldier going to hang the prisoners that were already set up to hang. Ash gripped the tip of Giovanni's dagger and threw it at the soldier. The dagger entered the soldiers back and killed the soldier instantly. Ash then quickly delivered the final blow to Giovanni, killing him. As Ash turned back to Senzei, he noticed the sky seemed to be getting dark quickly, but there weren't any clouds by the sun. Ash looks and sees the formation of a solar eclipse start. Ash realizes what they day without a night and a night without a day meant. Ash waited anxiously and when the moon was a quarter of the way over the moon, Ash realized that Jessie and James had done what he had asked them to. Ash then turned back towards Senzei and held his sword ready.
"Kill me Ash and the curse will go on forever," Senzei said smugly. "We must think of Misty."
"Misty is dead!" Ash snapped. Senzei seemed to go a little pale at this. Then Ash said a little more calmly, "D*** you. D*** you to h***. Ash raised his sword to kill Senzei, but it was knocked out of his hands by one of Senzei's bodyguards. Ash's short sword flew well out of reach and down the drain that Jared had come out of. Ash knew that he now could be with Misty when he was killed. He watched as the bodyguard raised his own sword ready to kill Ash.
The bodyguard was about to swing, but a voice rang out startling the bodyguard enough that his swing missed completely. "Ash!"
Ash turned not daring to hope that it was who he thought it was.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Jared had left the area when Giovanni had thrown his dagger at Ash. Jared then ran off to the cart that they had taken to get Ash's sword from where he had hidden it. Jared knew that time was precious and he made his way along quickly. He didn't even care to take notice of anyone he saw as he ran to the cart. As soon as he got to there, he got under the cart and slid the sword out from the place he had secured it to. I hope I'm not too late, Jared thought to himself. Jared then ran back as quickly as he could to get Ash his father's sword.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ash was surprised to see Misty. He had thought for sure that she was dead. Senzei's bodyguard seemed to have lost his desire to kill Ash and ran off into the crowd. Ash turned back to Senzei and saw that Senzei was focusing his attention towards the ground, with his eyes shut tightly. Ash grabbed Senzei and pulled him forward and told him, "Look at her!"
Senzei slowly glanced at Misty until Ash snapped, "Look at her!"
Senzei looked at Misty for a moment as Ash made his way backwards along the steps. The moon now completely covered the sun. When Ash was halfway to Misty, he told Senzei, "Look at me!"
Senzei's attention snapped to Ash just as Jared ran back through the gate. Ash continued to move back to Misty and when he was next to her, he told Senzei, "Look at us!"
Senzei didn't seem to inclined to do so. "Look at us!" Ash roared. Senzei now looked and saw what he had destroyed with the curse. Now that he had been able to realize this, Senzei felt his own mind being torn apart as the curse was undone. Senzei cried in extreme pain as the power he had somehow tapped into tore apart his mind. After the sun was shining again, Senzei was released from the hold of the power he used. Misty walked up to him slowly, but purposefully and stood directly in front of him. Misty seemed to start to turn but then swung and even Jared, who was fifty feet away, could hear the crack of Senzei's jaw breaking. Misty then walked back to Ash. Senzei then filled with a deep hatred at both of them and called out, "If I can't have her, then no one shall!" Senzei pulled a dagger out of his belt and Jared tossed Ash's sword to him and Ash caught the sword and threw it at Senzei in one fluid motion. The sword knocked the dagger out of the air and went straight through Senzei's chest, killing him instantly.
With that taken care of, Ash and Misty both embraced tightly. The years of being unable to be together were finally gone. They both held each other tightly as the crowd around them dispersed. There wasn't anything more to say to each other. Senzei was dead and wouldn't affect them again. Jared and the remnants of Team Rocket started to leave, but Ash called out to them, "Wait!" When they stopped, he said, looking at Misty, "Thanks for keeping on trying to get me to see this fact." They nodded. No words were needed. They all understood how Ash felt.
*
Author's Notes: Well, that ended a little too much like the movie than I intended. But, I figure that the friends letting Ash know that they were there for him, was a nice touch. I thought that the movie was good, but had some very annoying pieces in it, like how the main character and the captain of the guard fought for so long, although it was clear that the main character had superior skill as well as endurance. Though, please let me know what you thought of this. ^_^ I'm looking forward to it. Also, I'll be writing an epilogue, so please look forward to it, and it will be after where the movie ended. ^_^