Authoress' Notes: Well, this is it; the last Chapter of "It's My Baby". Even though I'm not really into writing it anymore, I'm glad I finished it, for the reviewers' sake. So, here's the grand finale.
It's My Baby
Chapter 9: The Great Rescue (Part 2)
Maelstrom loomed dangerously over Lightning, ready to finish him off with one final Ice Beam.
"Say goodbye," he spat. Just as Maelstrom released the Ice energy in his mouth, Summer rammed into his side, causing him to shoot the Ice Beam at a few trees in the distance.
"Your going down!" Summer threatened, smacking into Maelstrom's head again.
The Suicune was enraged. "FILTHY BIRD!"
Blaze then jumped in and joined Summer in attacking Maelstrom. He was followed by Tantrum, Torture, and Terror, while Springleaf tended to Lightning's need.
"Come on, now," she gently nudged Lightning to get up. "You'll be okay."
Maelstorm was outnumbered, but he was much stronger than his opponents. Using his extrodinary jump to excape, Maelstrom landed a few yards away.
"Do you fools think you could possibly defeat ME?" he growled.
"Well, let me think... YEAH!" Blaze spouted, making Maelstrom all the angrier.
"You should hold your tongue, Entei! Fire isn't exactly the best again Water you know," Maelstrom began to back into the bushes.
Blaze refused to respond to Maelstrom's taunting. He knew he was right about the type advantage, but that didn't mean he couldn't try to fight.
Maelstrom continued to back into the bushes, then completely disappeared. Terror glared at Blaze.
"Oh, yeah, Mr. Bad; you make threats, then you let him get away! What a clever idea!" he sarcastically stated.
"Shut up!" Blaze roared, looking around around for Maelstrom. "I didn't see you trying to do anything!"
"What?" Terror stomped over to Blaze, but Torture stopped him.
Summer landed on the ground. "Guys, stop it! This isn't the time to be fighting each other!"
Just before Terror could complain, Maelstrom leapt out of the bushes and behind Summer with a powerful Ice Beam ready to strike.
"Summer, watch out!" Tanturm called.
Summer turned around just in time to hit with the Ice Beam. It's cold force was so hard, it caused her to break through three trees and put a big dent in the fourth. When the Ice Beam cleared, her body was frozen solid.
Maelstrom chuckled. "Aw, pretty little birdy got the chills? Too bad for you..."
"You... DEMON!" Tantrum bellowed, sending an array of Razor Leafs towards Maelstrom.
The Suicune frowned. "You just don't learn, do you?" Another Ice Beam froze the razor-sharp leaves solid and sent them plunging into the ground.
Tantrum gritted his teeth and backed up then looked at the others. "Guys, a little help here?"
The Typhlosion stepped up and used a fearsome Flame Wheel. Terror knew it was useless, but at least it was something. Blaze added to his attack with a Fire Blast, Tantrum threw in his Razor Leaf, and Torture topped it all off with a Hyper Beam.
The four combined attacks did a fair amount of damage to Maelstrom, especially Tantrum's Razor Leaf. Maelstrom shook off the damage and leapt into the bushes again. Terror stomped his foot in annoyance.
"Damn it! Somebody has to stop this guy from running away!" he growled.
Springleaf joined the group. "Well, that is what the Legendary Dogs do all the time..."
Lightning chose that time to wake up. He looked around, wearily, then sat up in a panic. "W-where's Aqua?"
Tantrum perked up. "Aqua? You mean you found her?"
Blaze stepped on Lightning's head. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US? We're busting our butts trying to fight this guy!"
"Stop it, Blaze!" Springleaf pulled the angry Entei away, allowing Lightning to rise.
"We have to find Aqua! She's a target out there!" Lightning looked around in a panic.
Terror and Blaze walked over to the frozen Summer. Blaze shook his head, while Terror looked toward Springleaf.
"You want us to thaw her out? I really hate seeing her like this," Terror asked.
Springleaf shook her head. "No. You might end up hurting her even more. I hate to say this, but we'll have to leave her... at least until we defeat that Suicune."
Elsewhere, Aquamarine sat huddled behind a tree, grunting in pain. She had felt her water break just afew moments ago and her contrations were getting worse. Slowly laying down behind a thick bush, she sprawled out on her side. She couldn't stop Mother Nature's doing and was going to have her babies whether she wanted to or not.
"Man... what a time to... go into... ouch... labor," she whispered to herself.
"Yes, what a time, indeed..."
Aquamarine turned to see the smirking face of Maelstrom. Upon seeing him, she growled.
Maelstrom started to snuggle with Aquamarine. "Why so tense, my dear? You need to be as calm as possbile if want to have healthly pups."
In response, Aquamarine turned and snapped violently at Maelstrom, taking a large bite out of the crystal on head. Maelstrom was outraged.
"If you want to play rough, then I'll show you rough!" Maelstrom snarled, fangs ready to punture Aquamarine's neck.
With a roar, Lightning came crashing out of the bush at the last possible moment, giving Maelstrom a nasty thump to the skull.
Aquamarine sat up. "Lightning!"
Malestrom sat up and snarled madly. "I've had more than enough of you!"
He lunged at Lightning, ready with a Hydro Pump. Lightning moved away, only get slightly dampened, then slashed Maelstrom across the face. His claws weren't really even designed for Slash attacks, but at this point, it was critical.
The male Suicune howled in pain from the deep, bleeding gashes on his face. This left a spot open for Lightning to attack, so he Tackled Maelstrom, knocking him over.
Aquamarine put her head back down. "Lightning..." she called softly.
Lightning perked up at the sound of her voice, then turned his attention towards her.
He went over and rubbed against her cheek. "Don't worry, Aqua. It's okay now. I think I killed him."
Aquamarine chuckled at Lightning's joke, but suddenly stopped and frowned up in pain. "Ouch..."
Lightning got down on the ground with Aquamarine and placed his face close to hers. Aquamarine responded by rubbing back, a tear rolling down her cheek.
"It hurts..." she whimpered, starting to cry.
"Don't be like that, Aqua," Lightning continued nudging her. "This isn't the tough Aqua I know. You're stronger than this..."
Aquamarine sighed. "I know... it's just... I don't think I can do this..."
"You're right about that..."
Lightning looked up in time for Maelstrom to use Leer. Surprised, Lightning could feel his Defense drop. Maelstrom then used Bubblebeam, just barely missing Aquamarine and sending Lightning into the bushes.
"Attack! I repeat, ATTACK!" a Rocket Grunt shouted, as his troops came to his rescue.
Inside the Rokect HQ, it was complete and total chaos. Pokémon were all over the place, fighting. Some were Team Rocket captives, while others were Crystal's and Sam's Pokémon.
Riding on her Stantler, Crystal ran over a Grunt. Sam followed by ordering his Poliwag to Tackle another.
Crystal rode up to Sam. "Sam, did you find Aquamarine yet?"
"No, I haven't seen her. Maybe she escaped."
Crystal looked away. "Maybe..."
Back in Marcy's office, a wounded Grunt crawled in with his beat-up Sneasel. "M-m-ma'am!"
Marcy sat up in a rage, while Inferno perched herself up on the desk. "Grunt, speak!"
The Grunt stood, clutching his Sneasel. "Yes, ma'am! There has... been an outbreak... of the... Pokémon..."
"What?"
"Two kids and their Pokémon... stormed the place... and they let... the captives.. out... they're everywhere, ma'am..."
Marcy stood up and walked out. "No... those kids will not ruin my plan again! Come, Inferno!"
With a bark, Inferno obeyed and followed her master.
After what seemed like forever, the Pokémon were finally starting to win over the Rockets.
A Grunt stood up. "Retreat, men! RETREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAT!"
Just as Marcy and Inferno arrived on the scene, defeated Rockets ran for their lives. This also included the other Executives. Annoyed, Marcy turned to see Sam chasing away one last Rocket with his Poliwag and a captive Charmander. The captives still had iron-linked chains around their necks, so it was easy to tell they were prisoners.
"Inferno, use Crunch!" Marcy ordered.
Inferno attacked the Poliwag, defeating it almost instantly because of its low level training. Seeing its partner taken down, the Charmander looked worried as Inferno approached it.
"Hey!" Sam called. "My Poliwag!"
Marcy grabbed the Charmander's chain. "Little boy, if you want to live, you'll give up now while you still can!"
Sam backed up. "Not a chance! Larvitar! Rock Smash!"
Just as Sam called, his Larvitar appeared and hit Inferno with its attack.
"Inferno, Crunch!"
"Larvitar, Earthquake!"
The two Pokémon attacked... withLarvitar as the winner.
"Way to go, Larvitar!" Sam praised his Pokémon.
Marcy kicked Inferno in her side. "STUPID DOG! Looks like I'll have to do this myself..."
Before the leader could do anything, she was overwhemled by Crystal's Stantler.
"You leave him alone!"
Marcy ran for the garden. "You brats won't get away with this!"
"Quick," Crystal called to everyone in the HQ. "follow Marcy, and let's put an end to this once and for all!"
Thousands of Pokémon, all shapes and sized charged, following Crystal on her Stantler and Sam on a captive Venusaur to the fleeing Marcy.
Maelstrom stood victorious over Lightning, once again, and was ready to make sure that Lightning never got in his way again...
"You die today..." Maelstrom said, coldly.
"No way!"
Maelstrom looked up. "WHAT?"
Terrance latched onto Maelstrom's mane with hisBite attack. The Suicune bounced around like a Ponyta in a rodeo.
Still on her Stantler, Crystal found her way to the garden, along with Sam, his Pokémon, her Pokémon, and the freed captives.
Just then, Torture, Tantrum, Blaze, and the others came up, confused by what was going on.
Crystal spotted Aquamarine. "Look, Sam! Over there! It's Aqua!"
Sam looked up. "Huh? Aqua?"
Aquamarine was still in labor, but hadn't given birth yet. Lightning came out of the brush, tattered and torn.
"Maelstrom, come to me!" Marcy demanded.
Maelstrom still bounced about with Terrance on his back. After a few more moments, he threw the Totodile in to a tree.
"Terrance!" Torture called for his son. But instead of answering, Terrance baeagn to glow.
"Torture," Springleaf spoke. "I think Terrance is evolving!"
And Springleaf was right, as Terrance took on a new form. When he stopped glowing, he was a Croconaw.
Torture smiled inwardly. "Oh, Terrance, you're always so outgoing. You never listened to me and now look what's happened. I can't really boss you around much like that now..."
Marcy grunted in disgust and jumped onto Maelstrom's back. "GOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Weakened from so much fighting, Maelstrom began to limp away, but was soon stopped by the captive Venusaur's Vine Whip.
Crystal smirked. "You're not going anywhere but to jail."
Sam chimed in. "Yeah! What she said!"
Crystal sweatdropped. "Oh, Sam..."
"All right," the Officer Jenny from Goldenrod ordered, cuffing Marcy. "It's off to the big house for you, Marcy."
"..." Marcy did nothing but glare back at Crystal and Sam, who stupidly waved at her. She was put into a police car and was soon to be in jail like all the other Grunts and Executives.
The Violet City Jenny came up to Crystal. "Well done, Crystal. We've been trying to catch these scums for months."
"Hey, anything for the girls in blue," Crystal joked.
"Now, all these captured Pokémon can go to nice, new homes. You can even have few," Blackthorn Jenny offered.
"Nah, I have more than enough Pokémon," Crystal chuckled. "I don't think I can handle many more."
"Well, I want some!" Sam chose a Charizard, an Umbreon, a Miltank, and a Blissey from the heaps of homeless Pokémon.
Saffron Jenny walked up. "Sure, you can have those. And the others will be shipped to Kanto."
"Half can stay here," Blackthorn Jenny suggested. "Johto needs some, too."
Crystal nodded. "Well, I think that's all. Move 'em out!"
Pokémon were taken to the nearest Pokémon Center or put onto the Bullet Train, bound for Kanto. After they were all cleared out, Crystal, her Pokémon, Sam, with his Pokémon and the new ones all turned to head off to the Pokémon Center as well.
All was well in the lands of Johto and Kanto once again. Team Rocket had been taken care of, with their hideout being used for Pokémon care and research. Peace was restored at last...
In the Pokémon Center, Lightning sat outside the maternity unit, looking as worried as ever. Terror, Blaze, Springleaf, and Tantrum came up to him.
"C'mon, Lightning, You need to relax. You still haven't recovered fully from all that fighting at the Rockets'," Springleaf said.
Terror nodded. "That's right! We're not fully healed, either, but at least we're taking it easy."
Blaze changed the subject. "Speaking of which, where's Summer?"
"She's in intensive care, but I heard one of the Chanseys saying she was going to pull through," Terror anwsered.
"Okay, so then, where's Torture?" Tantrum asked.
Terror looked at Lightning. "He's with Terrance. He said they needed some time alone to talk about the responsibilities of evolution, or something. I heard that Terrance was the one who told everybody where to find the Rockets' HQ."
Blaze scoffed. "I told you he'd get in the way if he came with us."
Springleaf looked up to the sound of doors opening. Sam and Crystal came in with some ice cream and sat down on the couch behind Lightning.
"You think Aqua's okay?" Sam asked, taking a lick from his cone.
Crystal shrugged. "I sure hope so."
Lightning looked at Crystal, then back at the door. "I hope so, too, Crystal."
It seemed like forever when the doctor finally came out. Lightning was almost bouncing off the walls, anxious about Aquamarine's condition.
Crystal sat up. "Well? How is she?"
The doctor took off his gloves and sighed. "Well, the procedure was a success. Your Aquamarine had 9 puppies. There were6 girlsand3 boys..."
Crystal smiled. "WOW! Didja hear that, Lightning? 9! That's your lucky number!"
Lightning was excited, but he could care less about the number, he just wanted to see Aquamarine.
"But..." the doctor held a cloth in his hand. "One didn't make it... sorry..."
"Awww..." Crystal took the towel form the doctor and gently opened it. Lightning came over to inspect, too.
Inside was a rather large puppy. It was almost as big an adult Vulpix and looked very pale. The puppy looked exactly like Aquamarine, but had Lightning's stripe imprints and a small jagged tail like Lightning's.
"I'm sorry, Crystal," Sam put a hand on her shoulder.
Crystal sighed. "It's okay, Sam. That's just the way things happen."
Smelling the puppy, soft sparks began coming off Lightning's body. Gingerly touching the baby's nose, Lightning shocked it with his Spark. After a few seconds, the puppy's snout twitched. Then it started moving around and whimpering, eyes still closed.
Crystal looked down in surprise. "Lightning!" She picked the puppy up and craddled it. "You brought it back!"
Sliding past the doctor, Lightning snuck in to see Aquamarine. He nudged the door open and peeked inside. Looking around, he saw all sorts of strange objects, but in the middle of the floor, he saw Aquamarine laying in a soft basket of cushions. As he got closer, he noticed she was exhausted, her eyes looking at the floor, and her breathing slow. He also saw she was nursing 9 puppies on her side. He had to admit, they were huge, more than twice as big as the one outside. No wonder Aquamarine was in so much pain.
"...Lightning..."
The Raikou looked down at Aquamarine. Her eyes wearily looked at him.
"...hey... hey... Lightning..." she whispered.
Lightning placed his head next to hers. "I told you it'd be okay, Aqua..."
"I'm so tired..." she coughed.
Lightning nodded. "I know..."
"...the baby...?"
"Well, you had 10..."
"...10..."
"Aqua?"
"...I'm so... tired..."
"I know, Aqua. I know..." Lightning rose and took a closer look at the 9 puppies.
They all had different markings from their parents or a combination of both. The first one looked just like Aquamarine, but it had his tail and imprints of stripes, instead of Aquamarine's diamonds, on its side. Another had a Suicune's flowing ribbons, with his thundercloud mane and face mask. Crystal came in and put the recently revived puppy down with the rest. After a lot of pushing and struggling, the runt finally managed to get in on feeding off Aquamarine.
Crystal rubbed Lightning's back. "So, I'm hoping you two made up, right?"
Aquamarine weakly smiled. "Yeah... we did..."
Lightning nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but I'm just glad this is all over now..."
Crystal was about to respond when Sam came in, holding a badly wounded Houndour.
Standing up, she walked over to him. "Sam?"
"This is the Pokémon that belonged to that crazy lady, Marcy. Nurse Joy brought it in."
Hearing Marcy's name, Aquamarine sat up. "I've seen her before... t-that's... Inferno..."
Lightning looked a little irritated. "I don't think I want this to start up in here. Aqua's tired and needs her rest, so do you guys think you could take this out?"
Crystal was surprised by how protective Lightning was being, but she respected his wishes. "Sure, Lightning. Let's go, Sam."
After the two left, Lightning sat near Aquamarine like the father he was.
Blaze, Terror, and a recently recovered Summer looked at Inferno in her bed. She glared back.
"What? Got a problem?" she spat.
"I wouldn't be so feisty if I were you," Terror taunted. "Don't forget, we put the "indestructible" Marcy behind bars!"
Inferno turned her head. "I don't care about her anymore..."
Terror turned his head. "Why?"
"She turned on me when I needed her most... she left me to die..." Inferno sighed.
Torture smiled. "Well, she was the bad guy anyway. Now that she's gone, you can make a new start."
Terrance nodded. "Yeah. Not everything goes right the first time."
Inferno shook her head. "No, I'll never trust humans again..."
Summer couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Not again with this 'Oh, I'll always hate humans' bit... Get over it!"
Hearing the argument Crystal walked in. "Summer's right; not all humans are bad. Take me, for instance. I think I'm actually a very good human."
Inferno perked up. "...you're bluffing."
Crystal stroked Inferno. "No, I'm not! Really! Why don't I adopt you and let you see how good most humans are? I'll give you food, water, whatever you need!"
Inferno looked around the room with a sneer. "...fine..."
"Good," Crystal walked out. "I'll tell Nurse Joy then!"
The other Pokémon began to leave, except for Terrance. He looked at Inferno.
"Trust me, you made the right choice choosing to stay with Crystal. She's not my Trainer, but I know she's really sweet."
Inferno looked. For the first time ever, she smiled happily. "Hey, don't tell anyone, but I'm actually kind of lonely without humans around. I'm not as tough as you think. I only act stern because Marcy taught me to. That's really not my nature at all, but the others can find that out for themselves later."
Terrance smirked and left. "Your secret's safe with me..."
A few weeks later, Lightning sat in a wide, open field, watching over a herd of Miltank in the distance. After the puppies were born, He and Aquamarine decided to raise them to grow strong and independent in nature. Even though she didn't want her best 2 Pokémon to leave her, Crystal knew it was for their best interest and let them stay at the Moo Moo Ranch outside Ecruteak City. Crystal and Sam often came to visit with their Pokémon.
Feeling a nudge on his side, he looked down to see Sampson, the puppy whose life he saved about a month ago. He had gotten much bigger, like the rest of his brothers and sisters, growing his Raikou stripes and mane. His teeth were still immature, but they were growing nice and sharp. His fur was a relaxing mix of green and blue, making it an aquamarine-ish color.
"Dad, can I have some Moo Moo Milk, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE?" Sampson pleaded.
"Go ask Mommy, Sampson," Lightning replied, smirking.
"Okay!" Sampson responded, bounding off to Aquamarine, who was on the other side of the ranch.
Lightning went back to watching his puppies play with some of the younger Miltanks.
Things were taking a turn for the better. And if luck stayed with them, it'd be like this forever...
Authoress' Notes: Okay, that's it! Sorry if the ending wasn't all that good. I couldn't figure out how end things. Meh. Go eat a stick.
