Chapter Two

Carnival of the Damned

(A/N: I'm back! This is the second chapter in my Samurai story. Enjoy!)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not even the swords.

"So the nun says, pass the avocados! Ha ha ha!" Latias joked. Ash did what he did the last fifteen times he had to endure one of her mildly humorous jokes; he ignored it. Latias sighed from behind him.

"What's wrong, Ash? You feeling ok? You wanna sit down?" She asked, concerned.

"No." Ash said callously. "Pick up the pace back there."

Latias frowned. "Ash, why are you so cruel?" Ash turned swiftly.

"It was how I was brought up, and where I come from, it is considered "calm" instead of 'cruel'. I agreed to let you tag along; under the condition you do everything I tell you to! Got it?"

Latias nodded rapidly. They only time they spoke again when they stopped for the night. Latias spread out a sleeping bag. Ash shook his head.

"Bad idea. If the enemy comes, it will slow you down."

Latias sadly folded up her bag and lay down. She then produced a book, 'The Pearl' by John Stienbeck. Ash shook his head.

"Bed. Now."

Latias groaned and put her head down, slowly closed her eyes, and began to dream…

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Annie and Oakley stared into the crystal clear water in the divining bowl. "Aww. Look at her, Oakley. Sound asleep in her little bed." Said Annie. "Shall we…" She drew her finger swiftly across her throat.

"No." Said Oakley. "I have a better idea." She raised her sword. Soulstealer began to glow eerily green.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Latias woke up suddenly. To her surprise, she was not hungry, or thirsty, or anything else that she would have expected to feel, now that she was awake. She looked at Ash. Even though he was so cruel, er, calm, she sort of felt compassion for him. As a psychic pokemon, she decided to look into the matter. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She drew back with a gasp. What she had felt was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. A burning building…people screaming…and a tall figure. That was the worst part. Around him was an aura of pure malice. She sensed something ancient…and evil. Pure evil. It was like she could feel a powerful, destructive energy; pulsating from him. This couldn't be Oakley. Who was this? What was this? Was this a clue to what made Ash so calm? She sighed. Suddenly she heard a noise. It sounded intriguing, so she turned to it. When she saw what it was, she gasped. A beautiful carnival spread out in front f her. She eagerly ran down into it. The street was filled with happy, talking, eating, and laughing people. The smell was just as lovely. Burnt sugar, exotic spices, fried dough, molasses and violets made her mouth water. She decided to explore first. After about 15 minutes of wandering, she found something interesting. It looked like a huge wagon wheel, with seats around the perimeter. Suddenly the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. It was only then that she realized that everyone was staring at her. One of them walked up to her. She gulped. The man stopped about a foot away. Suddenly he began to change shape. His arms shriveled until they were bones, and he began to grow. His face melted into a skull, and his eyes turned into eerie red lights. Latias screamed. The man had turned into a hideous demon…and the others were undergoing the same transformation. Latias ran backwards and tripped on a stuffed animal. The demon pulled out a sharp spear and raised it above his head. Latias screamed and closed her eyes. Suddenly, there was a hollow thunk, and the demon fell in half. Behind it stood Ash with Lightbringer drawn.

"I leave you alone for three minutes and you end up on the menu." He said heatedly. The other demons stared at each other for a few seconds, and then ran at him. Ash whirled out of the way of one and cut it down. "Too slow!" Another ran at him and Ash tripped it. "And over you go!"

Latias stared in amazement. He…he's strong!

A demon with a torch ran at Latias. Latias screamed and curled into a ball. The demon tripped over her and fell into a pile of gas canisters. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! The creature screamed and rose up, engulfed by inferno. It ran around in pointless circles and crashed finally into a tent. With a whooshing noise, the carnival was on fire. Ash slashed down the final demon and paused to catch his breath. Latias stared at him.

"Ash. You…you saved my life." She whispered. "Is there any way I can thank you?"

Ash nodded. "Yes. By not thanking me." He said coolly. He turned and strode out of the carnival. Latias sighed.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Annie looked disappointed. "Okay, I think I can safely say that that could have gone a lot better."

Oakley roared in rage and pounded once on the arms of her throne. "How could they have escaped?"

"Now, if you had just done as I said and killed them in their sleep…" Annie began.

Oakley sighed in annoyance. "Annie, Annie, Annie. What will I have to do to make it clear enough for you? There is an art to these things! See that you remember, you infantile little insect!"

"Oh sure, blame the sidekick, what the heck, we're easy targets" Annie muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Ash and Latias, Ma'am! I just wish that I could do the job for you! Please don't hurt me." Annie squeaked.

Oakley grinned. "Very well. Ash and Latias are headed towards Violet City. Take your troops to scout tower and eliminate them. However, if, by some chance they happen to fail, I have a little surprise ready and waiting for Ashy-boy." She looked at the divining bowl to see Ash and Latias walking in a forest. "A very special surprise." She turned to a figure standing in a doorway. As it stepped into the light, Annie gasped in horror.

"N-no! No!" She turned to Oakley, lips pulled back in a terrible snarl. "What have you done? What have you done to him?"

Oakley's laughter rang throughout the palace.

(A/N: The end of chapter two. Who is the mysterious figure? Find out in chapter three, coming soon! Okay, enough with the movie trailer junk. Chapter 3 I expect will come out over the vacation. After all, no school for twelve whole days! Or is it seventeen? Dang, I'm not to good at remembering. Ah, so what? I am also working on Pokemon Attack Team, so I guess I do have a bit to juggle over the weekend. Bye!