AUTHOR'S NOTES: I must be totally boring you. Six whole chapters written and I've received so little feedback. If you really don't like the story, please let me know. I'll do what I can to fix it. After all, if you're not going to read it, what's the point of me writing it, right? Now, let's get on with the show.
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Through Azeroth – Chapter 7
Written by daBOSS
Though Orgrimmar provided more maneuvering room, Ash and Misty found out that the noise in the commercial district was just as bad as Ironforge. It was the mid-morning hours and they were on their way back to see Thrall, only to be greeted with the great boom of Orgrimmar's early bird trade atmosphere. Like Ironforge, adventurers and other retailers ran back and forth between the bank and the auction house, rarely watching where they were going. Everyone seemed to have something to sell, from armor and weapons to reagents for spells and enchants. Of course, being Pokémon trainers from a different world, neither Ash nor Misty needed half of those things, and the other half they simply didn't understand.
Having taken the road once and back, the Pokémon trainers easily navigated their way through the Valley of Strength (where the inn and commercial district was located) and the dark winding roads of the Drag. They found Thrall's fortress, Grommash Hold, in the Valley of Wisdom, exactly where it had been the previous day. As they entered this time, the guards no longer eyed them with suspicion and confusion.
"Ah, good morning you two," Thrall greeted them as soon as they walked into his throne room. "I hope you enjoyed the comforts of our inn."
"Good morning Thrall," Misty greeted back. "Yes we did. Thank you. We slept very well."
"Good to hear," Thrall smiled while speaking. "Now then, I will treat you to breakfast in a little while. First, I'd like to address a few matters."
Thrall pulled out Jaina's letter along with several more documents. Ash and Misty approached his desk once they were beckoned.
"I want you to know that I have made my decision, and I will provide the Alliance with the Horde's help should we ever need to battle the Burning Legion again," Thrall informed the two. "However, I do not want you two to return to Theramore. Instead, I will figure out a way myself to get the message to her."
"Why not?" Ash asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Jaina wrote in her letter that Theramore was not a safe place for you two to stay, given the threats just outside the city's walls," Thrall answered. "She mentioned that you two would play a great role in helping us defeat the Legion, and that keeping you safe for the time being needed to be priority number one, so she asked me to find a place of refuge in Horde lands for you until you're called upon again."
"Does this mean we're staying in Orgrimmar?" asked Misty.
Thrall shook his head. "I would keep you here, since you are very valuable to us, but Orgrimmar isn't necessarily the safest place either," he replied. "Yesterday, immediately after you left my fortress, a member of the Argent Dawn informed me that the undead Scourge have pulled all their scattered forces from Tanaris to the far south and reassigned them to Azshara, directly north of here. They are planning to launch a full scale assault on Orgrimmar and the Horde is rapidly mobilizing to strike at them, but if the unfortunate happens, we can't afford to have your lives in jeopardy."
"The undead Scourge?" muttered Ash. "You mean the same undead Scourge created by the Burning Legion that you told us about yesterday?"
"That's correct," Thrall replied. "They are independent of the Legion now and have been planning an assault on Azeroth from their Frozen Throne headquarters on the continent of Northrend for some time. They've always been present in Lordaeron on the eastern continent, where our Forsaken undead allies are fighting an incessant war with them for their freedom, but just recently, they've revamped their forces and have launched direct attacks on various regions of Azeroth. Tanaris and Azshara were two of these regions, but as of yesterday, they're rerouting their Tanaris troops to Azshara hoping to sack Orgrimmar."
Misty knew that she and Ash wanted nothing more than to help push back the threat, but there wasn't any way Thrall would allow it. She decided not to bring it up and waited for Thrall's next orders.
"This is why I need to have you two taken away from Orgrimmar," Thrall continued. "It's not only for your own safety, but while you're away, I can put my full focus on this matter." He took a few steps toward the two and unexpectedly winked while flashing a sincere but humorous smile. "Besides, isn't it about time you started relaxing and enjoying your honeymoon rather than having to worry about losing your heads?"
Both Ash and Misty were caught off guard by his last remark and couldn't help but laugh.
"What did Jaina NOT tell you in that letter?" Ash snickered, initiating a small chuckle from the orc warchief.
"I'll be sending you to the tauren capital of Thunder Bluff," notified Thrall. "They are faced with the least amount of threats out of all six capital cities between the Alliance and Horde. I've already told their High Chieftain, my good friend Cairne Bloodhoof, that you'll be coming today, and he's more than happy to take you in. While there, put all the problems of Azeroth behind you and experience the vacation you had in mind before you ended up here. We'll call on you when we need you again."
"That's fine with us," said Ash. "Just remember to call on us if we're needed in any way. We owe both you and Jaina so much for your hospitality."
"Will do," Thrall replied. "Now let's get you some breakfast and send you on the road. Will herb baked eggs, sweet rolls and moonberry juice be okay?"
"Sure they will," the young couple agreed simultaneously.
> > > > > >
The wyvern glided over the mountainous divide, revealing to the young couple sitting atop majestic green plains with trees scattered across. They were now flying west, further inland into Kalimdor, toward the tauren capital of Thunder Bluff, which became visible almost instantly as the landscape changed from savannah to prairie. And what a sight the city was to the young couple: wooden longhouses, huts, and tents of all shapes and sizes dotted four enormous windswept mesas elevated as high as the prairie's surrounding mountain peaks. The wyvern headed for the direct center of the main rise, landing near the top of a tower that looked like a gigantic totem pole.
The two stepped off the wyvern and a tauren standing there the whole time immediately welcomed them.
"Peace, travelers. You must be Ash and Misty," he greeted, receiving two nods from the couple. "I am Bogorran, a tauren druid. I am to escort you to the chieftain's tent where High Chieftain Cairne Bloodhoof has been expecting your arrival."
Ash took his wife's hand and followed Bogorran down the ramp of the tower, taking the first exit and reveling in the sight of the tauren capital as soon as he stepped out. Though every city they've been to except Ironforge was outdoors, none were as open-aired as Thunder Bluff. Stormwind and Theramore's buildings were far too close together creating narrow streets, and Orgrimmar's alleys were quite often concealed in the darkness of the canyon it was built in. Thunder Bluff was perched high above the plains and the much simpler dwellings of the tauren meant the outdoors was fully alive.
It was not a long walk at all, and soon Ash and Misty found themselves in front of two conversing tauren. The elder, carrying a giant totem, was speaking with a younger male who resembled him intensely.
"They are here, Chief Bloodhoof," informed Bogorran.
"Ah, fantastic," the elder responded, turning to Ash and Misty. "Greetings young ones, and welcome to Thunder Bluff. I am Cairne, chief of the Bloodhoof tauren. You will find refuge here from all the stress of the world, so relax and enjoy yourselves."
"Thank you for welcoming us to your home, noble chief," Ash said sincerely, taking a bow in the process. "Your city is magnificent!"
"Ah, what respectful travelers we have," Cairne beamed. "Thrall was wise to send you. I believe I will very much enjoy your company."
Cairne then looked over to Bogorran. "Baine would like to have a word with you, Bogorran," he told the druid. "Walk with him to Bloodhoof Village. He'll tell you everything along the way. Return to me when you are finished."
"Yes Chief Bloodhoof," Bogorran complied, then followed the younger tauren to the elevators and down to the plains below.
"That's my son, Baine," Cairne said to the humans once the other two tauren were out of sight. "He currently governs Bloodhoof Village down the road to the south of here. I'm getting up there in years and my time is short. He comes to me daily to train so he can one day take my position."
"He's a very responsible young man," Misty remarked.
"Yes he is," Cairne agreed. "And to think I nearly lost him years ago."
The young couple sought a puzzled glace at each other, both with the same question on their minds. Misty read from her husband's eyes that he would allow her to inquire.
"What happened?" Misty asked.
Cairne sighed and smiled, penetrating deep into his mind to recover the memory of the recent history of his people. "We owe our very existence to the Horde," he said. "If not for meeting Thrall and the orcs, we tauren would be an extinct race."
Cairne walked into his tent, motioning for the young couple to follow. The three took their seats on the rug laid out in the middle.
"We tauren were not always a united group," he began his tale. "For centuries, we were nomadic, wandering the plains and hunting for sport. We were tied together only by two shared traits: our respect for our god, the Earth Mother, and our hatred for our sworn enemies, the marauding centaur."
One of Thunder Bluff's honor guards entered the tent and provided each of the three with a cup of goldthorn tea, which they thanked him for. Cairne took a sip and continued speaking.
"The ruthlessness of the centaur drove us to the coast of the Barrens, near present-day Ratchet," he described. "But then the Earth Mother blessed us with the arrival of the orcs. They had recently journeyed to Kalimdor under the guidance of a mysterious prophet. With their aid, we managed to drive the centaur back and claim these grasslands of Mulgore for our own."
Cairne shed a small tear as he recalled the memory of befriending the orcs and allying the tauren with the Horde.
"Thanks to the orcs, we tauren finally had a land to call our own," he continued. "For our gratitude, we fought alongside them at Mount Hyjal and helped them find a new home in Durotar. Then the trouble came."
"Isn't this when Daelin Proudmoore invaded?" Ash quizzed, remembering Thrall's story from the previous day.
"Yes," Cairne nodded. "His presence posed a dire threat to the peace between the Alliance and Horde that had been so difficult to achieve. The orcs and trolls found trouble fending him off on their own, and they came to me to request tauren aid. Yet I could not, for I had been heartbroken."
Cairne shed another tear, this time from a memory too painful to recall.
"Baine had been kidnapped one night," he spoke in a solemn tone. "I had sunk into a depression. When the orcs came to Mulgore, I did not want to help. I only wanted to grief." He raised his head before describing what happened next. "Yet they managed to find and slay the centaurs that had kidnapped my son and return him to me. I was so overjoyed at that moment that I volunteered to travel to Theramore and battle Proudmoore's forces myself. We prevailed, and I thank the Earth Mother every day for the blessings she has granted the tauren race."
"Amazing," Misty found herself murmuring.
"It is, isn't it?" said Cairne. "We are so fortunate to be part of the Horde. Today our lives are completely intertwined with our orc and troll brethren, we are forging an increasingly stronger tie with the Forsaken, and Mulgore is a land at peace. We still face a few minor threats, but our adventurers have no problems keeping them in check. And soon, Baine will be able to take over as high chieftain."
A figure appeared at the entrance to the tent. Cairne whirled in its direction and waved.
"Ah, Bogorran, you're back I see," he greeted. "Would you mind showing our friends around Thunder Bluff? We are to offer our city to them as a vacation getaway."
"Of course Chief Bloodhoof," Bogorran complied. "Ash, Misty, how about a tour of the tauren capital?"
"Sure!" the two exclaimed.
> > > > > >
The city turned out to be a bit scarier than Ash and Misty had first imagined. Some of the walkways along the edges of the mesas had no guardrails to protect anyone traveling along them from the sharp drop less than one step away, and those that did only provided ropes hanging less than a foot off the ground. Even the mesas themselves were linked by nothing but bridges made purely of rope and wood that swayed in the Mulgore winds.
The young couple was sitting along the edges of a small pond just outside the Thunder Bluff inn. Joining them was their tour guide, the tauren druid named Bogorran, and his orc shaman friend Fenrim.
"It's very interesting to hear about these Pokémon creatures you value so highly," Bogorran said to the trainers as they finished describing the world of Pokémon. "It's a very different world from Azeroth. Here we possess so much supernatural powers within ourselves and the wildlife around us isn't as fortunate."
"Could you imagine how strong Azeroth would be if everyone trained Pokémon as well?" Fenrim threw the question out into the open.
"Actually, I think that's exactly why the Titans placed them on another world when they harmonized ours," stated Bogorran. "Power corrupts, and balance is ideal."
"Titans?" asked Misty.
"Yes, the Titans are the creators of most of the worlds," said Bogorran. "They traveled from world to world, bringing peace and order to the endless chaos of the universe. It is the harmony they provide throughout the universe that has attracted the destructive desires of their demonic enemies, most notably the Burning Legion. Your world must be fortunate to have not yet experienced the Legion's terror, because Azeroth knows it far too well."
There was a brief pause before Ash spoke up. "Come to think of it, we may have heard of them," he said. "Mist, remember all those legends we've been exposed to during our days traveling? Many of them mentioned events triggered by the so-called 'creators.'"
"Yes, I remember," Misty nodded. "I remember quite a bit, although I don't think our world has done extensive research about our own creation. Legends there are usually treated as nothing more than fictional fables, and we're still trying to decipher the mystery of the origins of Pokémon."
"Ah, fear not, you will get there," said Bogorran. "Azeroth has only begun its work as well, and we're fascinated almost daily from discoveries."
A reagents vendor walked past them. Bogorran and Fenrim halted her and purchased a few items, then returned to their original sitting positions.
"So Bogorran, Fenrim," Ash was the first to speak. "Misty and I have been finding out about all these classes you adventurers seem to be, and we've yet to hear about the druid and shaman. What's special about you two?"
The orc and tauren chuckled slightly upon being hit with such a general question.
"What's not so special?" Bogorran asked, now donning a mischievous grin. "Watch this."
He stood up, faced Ash and Misty, and immediately transformed himself into a bear, letting out a small cry in the process. He heard the two humans gasp and changed back to his original form, only to turn himself into a horned lion just as quickly. Their eyes were staring at him in awe, and he surprised them once more by becoming a cheetah.
He was still laughing when he shifted back to tauren form for the last time. "And I'm not just about being feral," he declared. "I can also cast a few spells and heal you better than anyone except a priest."
"Wow," Ash heard his wife exhale. "He's just like a Ditto, but with even more power."
A sigh came from Fenrim's direction, and the Pokémon trainers were quick to whirl their heads toward him.
"Typical druid," the shaman said matter-of-factly. "You always think you're so great. Why not duel me and show our guests just how powerful you really are?"
"Deal!" exclaimed Bogorran. "Let's go!"
Slightly confused and slightly bewildered, Ash and Misty followed the two to the elevators and down to the plains of Mulgore below.
"You two ready?" asked Fenrim. "Now I'll show you the powers of a shaman."
Fenrim threw out three totems: one emitted a strange aura he basked in, one appeared to be replenishing him, and a third was charging up a fireball destined straight for Bogorran. The druid saw it coming and blasted it dead with a sudden ray of moonlight fire, then summoned roots up from the ground seconds later to completely immobilize his opponent.
Bogorran shifted into a bear, charged at Fenrim, and gave him a furious swipe. Unfettered, the shaman smashed the druid with a powerful blow from his hammer and released himself from the roots. Bogorran shifted out of bear form and attempted to root the orc again, only to have his spell be interrupted instantly by a powerful shock. The tauren hit the orc with a beam of moonfire, reshaped into bear form, and charged in to daze his opponent for a short while. Yet by now he had become severely weakened from the fire totem's constant fireballs.
Fenrim slowly cast a spell and healed himself to full health. He took some time before landing a lightning bolt on Bogorran, who shifted out of bear form. Yet when the druid tried the same healing technique, another shock spell instantly interrupted him. Seeing his opportunity, Fenrim moved in for the kill, striking a critical blow with his hammer right as his fire totem launched its final attack.
"Okay, okay, mercy!" Bogorran cried. "You win!"
A devilish smirk donned the orc's face, which quickly turned into an array of laughter. Bogorran healed himself and drank some water from his canteen. Fenrim walked up to the humans.
"So you still think the druid is cool?" he beamed with pride.
Misty was silent, having never witnessed a duel that involved two humanoids. A Pokémon battle was one thing, but this couldn't be described.
"That was incredible," Misty heard her husband utter. "That was more amazing than some of the Pokémon battles I witness everyday."
"Eh, it really wasn't much," said Fenrim. "Beating him is becoming a daily hobby for me now."
"You just got lucky!" they heard Bogorran's voice chime in. "Next time I'll get you!"
"I'd like to see you try," Fenrim continued teasing. "That's what you said yesterday as well…and the day before that…and the day before that."
> > > > > >
The sun disappeared over the western horizon, bringing evening to the mesas of Thunder Bluff. For the first evening in two days, the newlywed couple found themselves enjoying the peaceful nature of the night. As the sunlight slowly faded, the clear night sky revealed itself with the moon and stars brightly shining down upon the plains of Mulgore.
With their hands locked together, the young couple stepped off the elevator onto the main road through central Mulgore. They elected to part from the city for a short time and take a stroll around Thunder Bluff. Cairne Bloodhoof granted them permission as long as they did not stray from the main road, informing them that wolves and cougars were always present on the grasslands. Seeing as such, the two decided to pay Cairne's son Baine a visit in the village to the south, which was directly at the end of the road to the south.
Misty released her husband's hand and slung it over his shoulder while leaning herself closer against his body. She felt his arm encircle her from behind and his hand come to rest upon her waist.
"I'm so glad we get to enjoy this night," she commented. "Even though it's been two days only, it feels like forever since we've had some time alone."
"We'll have to thank Thrall and Cairne for this," said Ash. "Thunder Bluff may not be Pummelo, but it's just as peaceful."
Misty tilted her head upward, giving her husband a familiar look of affection. She expected him to notice and return with a similar expression, but found him staring off into the distance as if deep in thought.
"Ash, Honey, is something wrong?" Misty asked concerned.
"I'm fine," he sighed. "I'm just thinking."
"Thinking about what?"
He looked down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Don't worry about it."
"Ash…"
"It's about these last two days," he admitted. "We come to this new world and all of a sudden find out all this new information about some danger in the distant universe that we haven't ever heard of before but could very well threaten ours soon."
He turned his head back toward her and caught her eyes with his.
"I can't imagine what our world would be turned to if these demonic superpower beings managed to get in. What would happen to all the people, the Pokémon…" he paused for a moment, "…and our families?"
"Ash," Misty responded, "this isn't something you should allow to get to you. You've conquered the worst of the worst in the past. You've saved the world countless times. You've dove into life threatening situations without hesitation and come out on top. Why would this Burning Legion be any different?"
Ash closed his eyes upon hearing his wife's words and embraced her gently. "I'm not the same kid with the same blind optimism anymore," he muttered. "Ever since those two demons almost killed me two days ago, I've feared the worst."
Misty was slightly taken aback by this response. Ash was not one to doubt himself. His positive thinking was what propelled him to the top of the Pokémon world. More importantly, it was his positive thinking over the years that helped divert her own doubts and fears and turn her into a stronger woman. It was just one of the countless traits that caused her to fall for him. Even in Azeroth, his ever-persistent hope that they'd return home and find the happiness their marriage sought had managed to steer her clear of sulking over her own worries.
"He's done all this for me," Misty thought. "Well I'm not going to let him think differently just because of one experience, no matter how bad it was."
"Yes you are," Misty whispered. "You are still the same kid."
Ash looked at his wife's face completely puzzled.
"Ash, your optimism is what drives you to be you," Misty somewhat sternly said. "You can't lose that part of you. I understand that you had a terrible encounter with those demons and it nearly cost you your life, but you can't let one encounter change the person you are. If it weren't for your positive mindset, you would've never been able to conquer the toughest challenges on your way to becoming a world-renowned Pokémon master." She took a small breath before continuing. "And if not for your optimism, you never would've helped me realize how special you are and how fortunate I am to be with you."
Ash simply stood there, gazing into her eyes. He could not find any form of speech in his mind to respond to his wife. Though her words were incredibly simple, they struck him directly in his soul.
Not knowing what to say, he swiftly pulled her in and embraced her with all the emotion he could muster. He clung to her tightly for a few seconds before she gently pushed away.
"And remember," Misty added tenderly, "no matter what challenges are ahead, you'll never be alone. I'll always stand by you."
It was as if all his worries were cast away. As he embraced her again to thank her, Ash realized that what truly mattered in the last few moments were not the words spoken, but the person whom they came from. Aside from the woman he loved, no one in his world, Azeroth, or anywhere else in the universe was capable of uttering such simple words and transforming his mood so drastically.
By now they had reached Bloodhoof Village, where Baine spotted them from his post and instantly greeted them, not hesitating to deliver his own "mi casa es su casa" speech. Baine left them alone quickly, understanding that they were on vacation, and the pair settled down at a comfortable spot beside the shores of Stonebull Lake located along the western edges of the village.
As with two nights before atop the Pummelo cliff, Ash allowed his wife to lean back against him to make herself comfortable in his arms. He planted small, sensual kisses across the edges of her neck, triggering a few pleasant moans. He could feel the desire between them build up once more, which was why her sudden movements were rather surprising.
She abruptly turned around and embraced his lips with hers, but pulled away rather quickly and flashed a wicked smile. Slowly, she got up and walked away from him, leaving him with a puzzled look.
"It's warm tonight," he heard her say with her back turned to him. "How about we go for a dip in the lake to cool off?"
"But…we don't have our swimwear," he reminded her, seeing as how they left all their clothes back in the Pummelo beachfront hotel.
He heard a small chuckle escape her lips. "Poor Ash, still just as dense," she teased.
In a flash, all her clothes fell to the grass and she jumped into the lake. She stayed under for a few seconds before popping her head above the surface and sending him a pleading look.
'Come on Honey," she beckoned. "Try and catch me."
Still slightly bewildered by her actions, he slowly stood up and removed his shirt. By now she was already swimming away from him, and knowing the advantage she had to him in the water from all her experience living and working in the Cerulean Gym, catching her was pretty much out of the question.
"You can't get away from me!" he declared playfully. "I'm Ash, the world's greatest Pokémon master!"
The initial shock had now left him. He quickly removed the rest of his clothing and dove into the lake to give chase, smiling as he did so. They played similar games in the Cerulean Gym pool all the time when he visited, so this was familiar to him.
He swam in her direction for about ten seconds before stopping to observe his surroundings. The lake was calm for the most part with his ripples being its only disturbance. He tried locating a head somewhere near him, but there were no signs. Sighing, he pedaled over toward the shore, hoping to taunt her some more.
"Boo!"
The voice startled him right as he neared the shore. A figure popped out of the water directly in front of him, giggling without restraint. Seeing his opportunity, he snatched her by the waist and pulled her toward him, holding her firmly. She struggled lightheartedly to get away, but he strengthened his hold and deprived her of her freedom.
Their small, jocular laughter vibrated around their immediate surroundings, both of them enjoying their moment together. Yet as the heartiness died down, a sensual rush replaced the humor. His hands were still upon her sides. Her struggles stopped; instead, she weaved her arms around his neck and hung herself against him. Their eyes had found themselves interlocked in the same manner as the moments before their first kiss all those years ago.
No words were spoken. Their breathing died down gradually while they stayed in their positions, merely captivated by each other's closeness. Both were frozen, unable to find any willpower to make the next move.
Just as sudden as the transition from playful to serious, Ash leaned his head forward and locked his lips upon hers. Instantaneously, Misty was caught off guard, but she quickly rebounded and returned his kiss with all the desire he had put into it. Both could taste the yearning the other possessed, and both knew that unlike two nights ago, there would be no interruptions this time.
"God, you're beautiful," he whispered, still unable to remove his gaze from her aqua eyes.
"I want you," she spoke back silently, almost begging for him. "Make me yours."
Within the crystal waters of Stonebull Lake and basking under the moon and stars over the clear, peaceful Mulgore night, the young, newlywed couple at last consummated their union of love.
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AUTHOR'S NOTES: No, this is not going to be a lemon. Do remember that it's rated low enough so teens could read. Anyway, I decided to end here on a positive note instead of a cliffhanger, although for those who like cliffhangers, there'll be some in upcoming chapters. Now send me feedback please (e-mail, private message, reviews, etc.)! Your opinions make my day!