My ears are ringing…
I can't see.
What's going on?
"…!"
I feel heat singing my skin, I feel smoke clouding my lungs, my body aches all over and I can't feel my arm…
I don't think it's supposed to bend like that…
There was a woman there wearing an iron mask and pointing a gun at me.
"The orders were clear: Kill subject 5."
Her hand pulled the trigger and gunfire went off…
Episode 23: Festival Of Ruin (part 1)
[Torren Region]
Deep below in an underground lab, a man had just finished a recent call and sat on his desk in a contemplative mood.
One of his subordinates knocked on the door.
"Come in."
A woman with silver hair and yellow eyes came in. "Professor? I was called here?"
"That Shipment deal we made with Dimension Enterprise… was intercepted by the Abyssal Cultists. We lost many of our cargo, including the three prototype Delta Kanto Starters."
"Oh, you mean the ones that will have their DNA…"
"Yes."
[Nimbasa City]
"I've been going over the records of all the fights of Subject 5. His only has three Pokémon, but all three of them seem to be oddly powerful. The closest to normal would be the Liligant he has, but even then it's shiny."
She turned back to him, her face unchanging as she looked away from the giant computer screen with today's battle schedule was. "He only has three Pokémon? Hard to believe any trainer can win three badges with only three Pokémon."
"He's only been using those three so far in the official tournament. Unless he used different Pokémon outside the camera, it's just these three." The man put down the digital pad on a nearby desk before also looking up to the screen. "So, the next battle is a tag battle. Two different contestants get paired up and have to battle a different pair of battlers. The first pair to knock out two opposing Pokémon whether they belong to the same trainer or not."
"Yes. I've been watching subject 5's participation and he is surprisingly competent in Pokémon battling, something we must strip him off forthwith." She pressed something on the screen and then it showed four trainers currently fighting in a large arena. "Have the preparations been finished?"
"Yeah, they're done. Majus is on standby. And the man power needed has been supplied, no one thought twice since they thought the influx of more people were simply more tourists, which some were. We'll all go on your order."
She nodded, before pressing a button, and sending her voice to all agents scattered throughout Nimbasa City. "Good, we move now. Execute Operation: Trojan."
Mrs. Akio was working with other staff members in setting up the next performance by the Go Rock Quad.
"Hilda really trusts you to manage this, doesn't she?" A lower level co-worker asked the temporary manager in amazement.
"Well I do have experience managing people," She smiled before noticing an influx of people wearing security uniform. She blinked and wondered why there were so many officers holding their Poké Balls in their hands?
Her danger senses were spiking, but she walked over to who looked like the leader of the group now spreading out through the stage. "Excuse me, sir? Is something wrong?"
"There won't be if you cooperate."
He then threw his Poké Ball, followed by every other 'guard'.
"You know, why am I not surprised that I was paired up with you of all remaining 32 contestants? It was literally a 1/32 chance and we get paired up. Really? Your bad luck is so bad it's contagious. I'm starting to see why that weird Absol tried to kill you."
"Oh ha ha Wes. You make it sound like I'm purposely doing all this. Did you know that I was this close to buying a Pontya Shoe for good luck?!"
Wes briefly turned from the fight towards the boy. "Why didn't you?"
"I don't want to walk around carrying a large necklace filled with those metal shoes! I'd look stupid!"
"You already wear that stupid minion costume." Wes pointed out.
Anto answered without missing a beat. "But at least I get paid for it."
"Ah money, what some people would do for it. It's such a shame that people are slaves to the economic chains of capitalism and are forced to work their lives for pieces of text paper just to give it away for strange objects."
Anto raised his brow questioningly at Wes. "I'm going to assume you're joking due to the fact you're a freaking thief! And you literally never paid for anything in your life! I know I kept track; you had either Tracey, Summer or I pay for your meals!"
Summer's voice yelled out from the bleachers and reached the two boys. "Hey you two focus on the battle!" She screamed before sitting down with Aster, Tracey on her left, and the Sinnoh trio on her right.
Anto and Wes looked back but to be honest neither of them actually paid much attention to the fight since they trusted their Pokémon to make smart enough decisions…
And mostly because giving a command in this type of fight didn't feel right.
The duo of Wes and Anto was battling against Arran and Sebastian.
Specifically it was the pair of Takezo and Delta Wartortle versus Lucario and Stein.
The four of them were quite amazing as they continued to battle. The combat looked like something off a well choreographed fighting movie.
Takezo swung his blades in a flurry of quick strikes as it was empowered by Assurance energy. However, Lucario expertly blocked each strike with her Bone Rush staff before spinning her body and swinging it right at the Patrat.
Meanwhile, as the fight between the four continued, Hilda was watching the battle from her own office.
"My daughter really knows how to pick them. Ahh reminds me of how her father and I met…" Hilda sighed with nostalgia in her mind. She heard a buzzer go off.
"Hilda, one of the construction worker representatives are here." One of her friends and coworker spoke through the intercom.
The president was slightly confused as to why they wanted to meet her now of all times.
Still, she paged an answer to her. "Alright let them in."
The doors opened and a woman wearing a suit with long blonde hair and vividly strong red eyes walked in very formal attire.
"Are you're the president of the BW company, President Hilda?"
There was a kind formality to her voice and a kind smile, but Hilda's senses felt something wrong, very wrong.
Hilda still smiled back. "Yes, and where is Daniel, the usual head representative that I've worked with for the past month in regards to the closing and construction of the battlefield and cameras?"
"He was tied up at the moment," The woman fixed her glasses. "As you will be."
Hilda's eyes widened as she saw the woman's shadow split into three then blacked out as they launched themselves at her.
The fight raged on between the four neither of them seemed ready to fall despite the damage they all inflicted hard on each other.
"These guys just don't want to give up!" Sebastian exclaimed as he kept his eye on Lucario fighting with Wartortle and avoiding blows left and right. Takezo and Stein were clashing blades back and forth, Stein brought one of his sword arms down flowing that by spinning around and doing a large swipe with his other arm. Takezo side stepped the first vertical strike before flipping over the wide slash. Mid air, he stabbed one of his wooden blades forward towards the face of Stein. However, the dark and steel type bent his head backward and avoided the blow.
Vacuum Waves and Aura Spheres flew left and right, all trying to hit their target. Wartotle was surprisingly mobile as he retreated into his own shell and spun it as he moved forward. He even jumped with it still in motion, popped up all his limbs and launched more continuous rapid fire Vacuum Waves towards Lucario. Lucario threaded on the battleground with nimble grace, avoiding the fighting type blows as expertly but not as unorthodox as Wartortle.
The battle closed in, fists, blades flying as the two pairs re grouped with their teammates. They all looked tired, but were smiling excitedly from the fight. But this long battle had taken its hold and they were all tired, which mean that this next clash would determine the—
The lights died out instantly.
Everyone froze, it looked as if the entire area had under gone a black out.
It was then the light came back on, most of the other fighting in the arenas beyond also stopped fighting from the sudden black out.
The four Pokémon in Anto's field were all frozen, each very close to hitting the other with any attack, mere inches from their face before withdrawing back.
"The XTranscivers aren't working." Sebastian started as he looked at the wristwatch.
Arran tapped his glass but it looked not to be working.
"Summer," The girl looked over to Aster beside her. "I just checked my cell, the signal's dead." Her fellow Ranger said.
"Something's not right." Tracey said worryingly.
Pearl's attention was caught as something in the giant monitor on the ceiling popped up with an image of a woman wearing a Team Plasma uniform.
However, as she lifted up her hood, her face was covered by a metal mask that resembled an Entei. However, there was a certain bloody, glowing light behind her eyes, intimidating almost everyone that saw her face.
"Nimbasa City, you are under Martial Law by Team Plasma." The way the woman spoke was commanding, as if she wasn't just saying it, but rather stating that it was the truth, and to oppose her would only invite consequences most dire.
"First thing is first, we are very aware of the gym leaders and Champions currently staying and enjoying the festivities." Smaller screens popped up, showing Alder and Wallace starring into a direction away before looking into the direction of the camera pointing to them. Other screens showed Valarie and Elesa with Fatina in a clothes shop. The third screen showed that the Elite four of Unova, Marshal, was also currently holding a bag of baked goods, as if he was soon going of enjoy them before this.
Arran's eyes widened before looking up. "They hacked the Camera Bots!" He yelled out, making everyone look up at the floating camera orbs surrounding everyone. Now people were uneasy around the objects.
The woman impassionately continued. "The Elite Four is also implied along with this message. You are given only two minutes to vacate the city. I suggest you use your Pokémon to leave forthwith. And if you even think about defying this order…" The camera zoomed out of the dark room, showing a bigger picture—
"MOM!?" A loud shriek echoed into the room, where everyone looked over to a horrified White hugging herself as on the screen appeared Hilda, gagged and bounded to a chair.
To her, and everyone's else horror, the masked Plasma Grunt pulled out a pistol and pointed the barrel at her.
"Your time starts now. Leave." She wasted no words, only weaving confusion and fear throughout the city.
A timer appeared on screen, with the Gym Leaders, Champions, and Elite Four still staring in horror and anger at their camera.
The woman looked disappointed five seconds in because the people in the video were not moving, so did something unthinkable.
She shot Hilda.
In the foot.
"MOOOOMMMM!" White shrieked again, more agony in her voice as she saw her mom trashing in pain, tears in her eyes and her gag preventing her screams from fully coming out. She Then ran out of the area with Black and his Pokémon shortly chasing after her.
"White!" Anto yelled as he ran after her and Black. Takezo, followed his trainer.
"This can't be good." Wes said as then he and Wartortle followed right after the two. Arran and Sebastian shortly followed after with Lucario and Stein quickly behind.
Then the rest of their friends, the Sinnoh Trio, Aster, Jamie, Summer, and Tracey, stood up from the stands after the trainers.
When they went outside, the face of the woman was on every screen in NImbasa City.
The video's voice became louder as Anto heard her voice coming from all directions. "I am not repeating myself. Leave. Now. Every ten seconds that pass will be another shot, and I guarantee the next one won't be a flesh wound. Eight, Seven, Six…"
With absolute horror, the video screens showed Valarie, frustration and confusion and defeat on her face, get her Mr. Mime and seemingly command him to teleport the two other Gym leaders out with her. Marsshal gritted his teeth and crushed his bag of goods before running out with surprising human agility.
Lastly, the two Champions looked at each other before Wallace stood up, summoned some of his own part psychic Pokémon and teleported them both out.
"Pres, stop!" Black finally caught up, catching her and making her stop in front of the now empty streets that were once filled with people.
After seeing the shot on live television, many people had fled in doors, it was so hard for Black to move past the crowd of screaming people, and he honestly thought he would have been killed if he fell into the floor for just going in the opposite direction, but it didn't happen.
"But my mom!" White yelled almost hysterically back at him, tears in her eyes and desperation written all over her face.
"Pres, listen! Do you even know where they are holding her!?"
"They have to be at the Radio Tower, it's the only place that can broadcast and control all the camera bots in Nimbasa City." White weakly explained.
Anto and the others caught up with the two.
Black grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly. "Team Plasma would have had that place guarded!"
"Speak of the devil..." Arran noted as a group of Team Plasma Grunts with N and Rood walking towards them in a hurry.
"You bastards have stooped to a whole new low!" Aster hissed with anger.
"That is not us! Whoever they are they aren't team Plasma!" Some grunts yelled back in defense.
"Wait, what?" Tracey, and everyone else seemed shocked at that proclamation.
N stepped forward. "For whatever it's worth. This isn't us. A large shipment of our uniform was stolen earlier this week. I assure you, the real Team Plasma wants nothing more than to expose these imposters for besmirching our name!" The usually stoic N was bridle with Rage, so much in fact that Even Black, who was about to say they were lying, was silenced at the raw emotion N was giving off.
"Uhh Guys?" Diamond said out loud making both groups look at him. The usually simple boy pointed up. "There are a lot of Camera Bots surrounding us."
True enough, they all finally noticed a large group of Camera Bots surrounding them in the sky with all of their lenses focusing on them from many different angles.
Anto looked up to one of the major screens and saw the video of the Fake Plasma Woman beside a new video… that showed a camera zooming on him.
"Nimbasa City. I will make this quick, because I detest 'beating around the bush'. Contestant # 13, Anto will make his way to Mayor's Office down Pidove Street, alone and without his Pokémon."
"What?!" Tracey said before all eyes on the boy in question.
[Meanwhile]
Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, and Lissa were at the Small Court watching in horror.
"Anto?! Wait, what does Team Plasma want with him?" Emerald cried.
"I don't think they're Team Plasma." Lissia commented briefly.
"There's no way I'm just gonna stand here and let them do this!" Sapphire cried out before making a dash out the door.
[Elsewhere.]
"What?" Anto wondered as he stared at the camera that was directly facing him. All of Nimbasa City, including himself, saw the look of confusion on his face.
The woman spoke again. "The Timer is still continuing. If Contestant # 13 Anto does not comply and head to NImbasa City Hall within the allotted time, or is not making his way towards us," A new screen popped in front of all screens, showing inside the Nimbasa City Hall surrounded by fake Team Plasma members pointing their Pokémon at a large staff of workers huddled together in a large hearing room.
"Then it will not only be The President of CEO who will suffer your actions."
"Those monsters…" N gritted in rage.
Everyone else looked to be in shock, or were just as angry at the fact they all couldn't move without killing innocents.
The amnesiac was afraid. Who wanted him? Why put an entire city in jeopardy? For him? What… wait… Dimension Enterprise? Was it them behind all of this? Why did they need him so much?
Anto saw the woman raise her gun, so he quickly dropped his Poké Balls to the floor before making his way out.
He didn't care much about that now. If he hesitated any more people would get hurt on his account.
… At that, a small thought planted itself into his head.
This is all your fault.
Wes and Sebastian both grabbed different sides of Anto's shoulders as the boy made his way from them.
"Whoa! Where the heck do you think you're going!?" Wes screamed angrily.
Meanwhile, Takezo went closer to the Poké Balls his partner was dropped. Flow was still out, and he was getting bits of the whole situation from what everyone else was saying and from the visuals of the screen.
Takezo saw something in his partner. Fear... and doubt. He lost one friend, he wasn't going to lose another.
He took a quick look at the cameras… and noticed how all of them were focused on Anto…
"You're not actually going to listen to her, are you?!" Aster yelled to him before grabbing him by the sleeves and pulling him up.
"Aster, put him down!" Summer cried out.
Another shot went off.
Everyone looked to the screen, especially poor White, who feared the worst. Thank Arceus, the woman had only shot the roof.
"I'm only going to say this one more time!" The woman in the video declared angrily. "Let Anto go, or I will give the order to execute all hostages without mercy."
"Mom…" White gasped again as she looked to the screen.
Anto was let go before he made his way away from everyone else, quickly.
Black gritted his teeth, anger seething from his lips. "You won't get away with this!"
There was no sign of her even showing any reaction to what looked to be an empty threat to her. "If any of you make a move, I will kill the hostages."
"Where are the police in this?!" Pearl cried out in frustration, holding his head, trying to see something about this situation.
"It's more than likely these impostors subdued them, if they have this much choke hold over the city." N stated as he looked around all the cameras surrounding them.
[Meanwhile…]
Elesa was beyond peeved being teleported and almost forced out of her own town by no good thugs. What had happened to the security!?
"Madame Elesa, we need to calm down."
"How could this have happened?! The security was everywhere!"
"Shush!" Valarie silenced as she looked around for more Cameras. She wasn't as stupid to let the brutes have their way. She had recalled after the first battle, the old residential district was pretty beaten down and still had left over jungle vines from Anto and Emerald's battle. So instead of teleporting them out of town, she had her Mr. Mime teleport them right into the middle of the previous battlefield, where the vines were thick enough to hide their view from the cameras patrolling the skies.
She silently watched one of the cameras glance in their direction, a house covered by the vines of Sceptile, before moving away.
Fatina's Gengar popped up from the shadows, returning from his own patrol and recon, and quickly pointed to the door.
"The door?" Fatina spoke before she and the two other female Gym leaders readied their selves at what was behind the wooden frame.
Knocking on the door came, not too loud but enough to be heard by the three. "Hello? Are there any beautiful ladies in there?"
The voice was familiar, as well as that easy going and joking tone. Fatina opened the door to see Alder, Marshal, and Wallace standing on the door frame.
"Well what do you know? I was right after all." Alder grinned widely. "Great minds think alike after all."
"This attack seems frustratingly coordinated." Marshal seriously noted. "But we've been tracking Team Plasma's movements for a while, this isn't their MO nor is this something they would do."
"I've seen the full extent of what these 'Teams' usually do." Wallace grimaced. "Are you sure they wouldn't resort to this?"
Valarie then recalled a rather glaring fact. "Halt. They kicked us out, yes. But what was their purpose for all this?"
Fatina looked to one of the shopping bags she was carrying before Valarie whisked them away. In it, she took out one of the new Tablet devices.
"Here, let me see that." Elsea offered. "It should come with a function to connect to the Radio Station…" She said as she put it on and then made the screen open up a video.
Everyone crowded around her to see what new demands the madwoman was making.
They all became surprised when the woman demanded that Anto, that boy they had met along with Black was forced into meeting with them.
"That mute boy has a connection with Team Plasma?" Marshal wondered. "They have this city in the palm of their hands and all they're demanding is one boy? That shouldn't be right. If this was really Team Plasma they would have demanded something strange like the liberation of all Pokémon."
Valarie gritted as she saw the video of everyone trying to stop Anto from going, only to be forced to go when it was revealed they had even more hostages.
"They're going to get away with him!" She hissed. She was about to call out her Mr. Mime, but Wallace put a hand on her shoulder.
"Ms. Valarie, calm down. I know what you were thinking. And you are right."
The Gym leader from Kalos blinked suddenly at the odd saying. "What?"
The current Hoenn Champion smiled.
"WHAT!?"
The woman on screen screamed out loud when suddenly, the three Gym Leaders, One Elite Four, and two Champions appeared on screen with the survivors, with all of their Pokémon ready.
Alder acted first, pointing to the camera facing them, and having his Accelagor destroy it quickly.
For once, the calmness in the Woman on screen finally seemed to be fading as she looked more panicked.
"It's the Champs! They still stayed!" Black cried out in joy.
Just then, all surrounding Camera bots were hit by trails of fire, Bullet Seeds, and water and then immediately destroyed.
Everyone looked over to the side, seeing the trio of Hoenn coming up to them with their Hoenn starters out and accompanied shortly with Lissia.
"Guys!" Tracey exclaimed.
"Where did Anto go?" Emerald cried as he and his Sceptile looked around.
Jamie stepped out frantically, pointing in the direction where Anto ran off. "He probably went to the town hall! We have to go get him!"
"But what about my mom!?" White cried out again.
"Those imposters will pay for besmirching our name like this!" N turned to his followers. "We will make them pay for all of this tenfold!"
Then the Team Plasma grunts beside him cheered readily.
"EVERYONE, SHUT UP!"
That silenced everyone as they all looked to see Summer uncommonly furious. "Listen up!" She barked The Fake Team Plasma is still holding the main communications center of Nimbasa City, but there are still hostages that the League members are trying to free!" She pointed to N and his large group. "You! You have the most man power out of all of us! Spread out your group to help the league in saving the hostages! Whoever wants to join them, can, but the rest of us will storm the radio center and save White's mom!"
A team Plasma grunt stood up. "What makes you think you can order us—" But he was interrupted by N.
"She's right. People are more important first. Rood, take half of the team with you. If the police are not caught up, ask them to come and help us, if they are captured by the enemy, show them what happens when one crosses with us."
Rood bowed. "Your will be done, my king." He said without the bit of doubt or wavering loyalty.
"The rest of us, we will help the league save and evacuate the prisoners." N stated.
"I'm coming with you! Anto's making his way there!" Wes stated.
"I'm coming too!" Jamie followed after Wes before turning back. "So whose going to save White's mom and whose coming with us?"
The ones who chose to help save White's mom and take back the radio tower of Nimbasa City where: Sapphire, Ruby, Lissia, Sebastian, Aster, Summer, Tracey, Pearl, Platinum, and Diamond.
Following Wes, Jamie, and N with his some of his followers were Emerald and Arran.
"Alright, we have to move or else!" Summer finished before the two teams made their way.
But briefly, she and Wes stayed behind.
"Not bad, Summer." Wes complimented quickly.
"Just be safe," She said with concern. Then she smiled. "I can't treat prisoners and criminals poorly under arrest."
Wes smirked. "Good luck to you too." He said before walking after the others.
Summer's cocky smile fell and looked to Flow. "I hope I'm doing the right thing…"
The little pink Delta looked around her before asking innocently, "Summer? Where's Takezo?"
Inquisitor did not like what was going on. She cut the feed and turned to her ear piece. "Majus, Warden. We've lost most of our hostages. Resort to Plan B."
"Well I have to deal with two champions." Warden complained from his line. "This is going to suck."
"I be ready on this end," Majus assured from his station. "We be receiving word we just attacked by teams of trainers. But I be holding them all off long enough for the plan to work."
Inquisitor nodded solemnly. "While the mission is the abduction Subject 5, do not hesitate to retreat if anyone of our men are severly injured, your health fare is priority… please be careful."
"Aww look at that, she does care." Warden said. "Thanks, we but we know what's at stake if we let Subject 5 out in the real world, here n Unova of all places."
Majus agreed. "I agree Sister Inquisitor. We be failing here, we be failing the world. We be heroes after all."
"You make it sounds so easy. We aren't doing heroic things are we?" Inquisitor spoke with almost doubt in her voice. "I may have screwed up big time."
"Well, if everyone else lives peacefully, I'm fine with it. Remember, we can't let them catch Subject 5."
With new confidence, Inquisitor inhaled. "Thank you… be safe, all of you."
"… You too Katie." Warden said genuinely before he and Majus hung up.
She had new confidence, the world may hate her, people may spit when they see her image, but she still had family worth protecting and those that would have her back, even if her hands would be stained in blood.
"Come on Subject 5, hurry before you end the world…"
She stared outside, where a young teenage boy had just entered her sight.
{Author Notes…?}
Welcome one and all to the Festival of Ruin!
Believe half of what you see, and ALL of what you hear!
Heroes shall rise then bleed like all mortals.
Tactics shall turn and twist like knives stabbed into your flesh.
Bodies will drop, but no one knows if they shall rise once more.
Power unleashed! Those caught in the titanic battle will only huddle in fear and pray not to be caught within the gales!
And a boy, at the center of the storm… is he truly the cause of this all?
Or is there something far darker hidden within the light of peace?
But one thing is certain…
This battle, is but the taste of the madness to come!
So welcome one and all to the Festival of Ruin!
Won't you come and stay a while?