Chapter 7 – Extreme Accuracy Opens the Door
A/N: Sorry for the slow update! Here's the chappy!
"Atsune! It is you! But…you were dead, so how can you be here now?" Ethan whimpered.
"I wasn't dead, only missing. And for right now, it's a secret that I'm back okay?" Atsune asked. He nodded and sniffled once, "So tell me what's wrong. What happened?"
"The family, the ones who live in your house now. I know them pretty well so they have my pokegear number. They called me and I heard Mr. Claude say, 'Run, get the police.' And it turned off or something. I know something's wrong. Please! I know how strong you are, you have to help!" Ethan explained.
Atsune's throat clenched, but knew what had to be done. "Everyone," she said, facing her friends, "take Ethan and get the police this instant! I'm going ahead to check things out." Atsune remembered that Gardevoir was gone, so she pulled out Rapidash. "Go!" The horse pokemon whinnied loudly and Atsune jumped on. "Back home Rapidash!" she cried, and Rapidash took off.
A moment later, Gary rode up on his Arcanine to follow her. "What the hell are you doing?" Atsune yelled.
"I'm not leaving you alone! The others got the kid, and by the way, who is he?" Gary shouted over to her.
"He was my little brother's best friend! But now's not the time to talk. Extreme Speed Rapidash!" Atsune yelled. Rapidash sped up, and Gary had his Arcanine do the same.
Not even a minute later, they slowed down outside of Atsune's house. She leapt off Rapidash and stared for a moment. The door hung open on one hinge, a nearby window broken through. "Rapidash, wait here. You too Gary…something ain't right." Atsune ordered as she pulled out another pokeball. "Go, Medicham!"
"Medicham!" The new pokemon cried as it appeared.
I don't have any weapons. Any combat I'm ready for is Taijutsu…good enough. Atsune thought. "Medicham, be ready and don't let your guard down." She muttered quietly to her pokemon. Slowly they approached the house, moving with caution. At the door they peered inside, seeing the damage of a struggle.
Atsune signaled to Medicham to split up and search the house, and Medicham stealthily charged up the stairs. Atsune crept along, seeing obvious signs that pokemon also fought in the struggle. Through the door to the kitchen Atsune saw Ivysaur! She knelt by him, but could easily tell he no longer lived.
Atsune looked to her left next, her heart turning cold and the color draining from her face. Claude and Susan lay unmoving before her. "No…" she whispered, going over to them. She didn't feel a pulse on either of them.
Atsune swallowed once, hiding her emotions with years of experience. Susan had a bullet hole in her chest, while a Shuriken poked through Claude's neck. They still felt warm, and Atsune almost charged out the back door to find their killers. "Abby!" Where was she?
Atsune searched the rest of the downstairs and met up with Medicham. "Was there a little girl up there?" Atsune asked. Medicham shook his head, also signaling there was nothing of importance up their either. Then, she heard something. The sound was so soft, Atsune almost wasn't sure she heard it, but she heard it a second time. Atsune rushed to the corner where the stairs met the wall, pulling back the secret door.
She walked down, the small sound steadily becoming louder. It was the sound…of somebody crying? "Abby? Are you there? It's Atsune." She reached the bottom of the steps when something crashed into her. Abby hugged Atsune with all of her might, crying into her shirt. "Don't worry Abby…I'm here now." Atsune whispered, stroking the girl's head.
Abby merely continued crying and didn't struggle when Atsune picked her up. "Now Abby, I need you to close your eyes, and don't open them until I say so, alright?" Atsune asked. Abby nodded slightly, small hiccupping sobs rattling her small form.
Atsune carried her all the way outside, meeting Gary. Gary opened his mouth, but Atsune shook her head. "Abby, we're outside now. You can open your eyes if you like." Abby opened them a little, seeing Gary. "Abby, this is my friend Gary. I need to go back inside for a moment. I'll only be gone for a few minutes, and Gary will watch you until I get back, okay?" Atsune handed Abby to Gary, who sat down with her with their backs to the house.
She felt it. Atsune sensed it from the moment she saw Abby's parents. She called back Medicham and ran inside again. Reaching the kitchen, Atsune knelt down by Claude, inspecting him. Close now, Atsune heard the sirens of police and an ambulance. "Claude…the medics are coming, you'll be okay soon." She muttered.
Claude's eyes opened ever so slightly, allowing him to see Atsune. They closed again and he sighed lightly.
Atsune knew it almost as soon as she saw it. There's no chance Susan could survive the bullet to her chest, but Claude had been put into a near-dead state. In this state, you appear dead but only for a while. Atsune knew personally since, as a part of her training, was put into this state when she was nine.
The ambulance arrived along with the police, taking away Claude and Susan and keeping everyone for questioning.
Later that night everyone, including Ethan and Abby, went to a single bedroom in the pokemon center to talk. Medics already told Atsune and Abby that Susan, unfortunately, didn't make it, but her husband has a strong chance of living.
"As you found out, Claude was hit by a throwing star in the neck." Atsune said, seeing everyone nod once. "When I got to him, he was in a near dead state. A state in which I have been in before and I know very well that you appear dead only for a bit. Though I also know that to put someone in such a state takes extreme accuracy, something only the smallest handful of martial artist can do.
"I feel as though, for some reason, the attackers kept Claude alive for a reason. What reason? I can't truthfully say I know." Atsune paused.
Ethan stood, facing Atsune. "What I want to know is how you came back from the dead!" Atsune remembered how stubborn and curious Ethan could be.
"Well, Team Rocket captured me since I was strong. They used me as a test subject for nearly three years until I got out." Atsune said bluntly. "But that's not what matters right now." She gently looked at Abby, who sat right beside her. "Your dad will be fine, but he needs time to heal. A kind police officer will be here tomorrow to watch over you while you stay here at the center. They'll make sure no more bad people will ever try to hurt you."
"No." Abby croaked, shocking Atsune. "I want you to watch me Atsune! I know I'll be safe if you're here with me!"
Atsune looked away towards the floor. "I'm really sorry Abby, I can't stay. It was Team Rocket who attacked your family because of me, and they'll only come after you more if I'm around. Tomorrow morning, I'm heading out on my own."
"What!" Ash and Gary cried.
"I have to!" Atsune said, looking up at everyone again as she stood up. "I can't stay with other people any longer! Everyone I come in contact with is in danger!" Atsune walked toward the door and opened it. "I treasure you all like my family, so come tomorrow morning, I'll be long gone." She went out into the hallway, heading for her own bedroom.
"So you're just going to abandon your family!" Abby's voice cried from behind, causing Atsune to stop dead in her tracks. "Even with you gone, they're still going to come after us to get to you! You're not doing anything to protect us by leaving!"
Atsune didn't move, but heard someone else enter the hallway.
"I always thought you were strong Atsune." Came Ethan's voice. "I never imagined you could be so pathetic as to leave the weak unprotected, something you never used to do." Now Atsune left, walking with her head hung low. Making it to her room, she curled up in her bed and cried out all of her sadness.
What could she do?
Knowing Team Rocket, they probably would still go after her friends. Atsune couldn't have felt any more helpless than she did now.
But could I honestly protect them by staying near them? Who else could but me? she thought miserably. I could stay and protect them, but if I ever have to fight, that would put me at a disadvantage. It's not like the group is completely helpless, right? They will be in situations like at the forest, and even then Pikachu was captured!
If that happens again, and I'm not there, they'll be the ones to head into Team Rocket's base. They'd be captured, no matter what their abilities are. Even a strong trainer like myfather had trouble, and eventually lost his life. There's still a chance that Team Rocket would only come after me, and forget everyone else...she thought hopefully. But...am I willing to take that chance? I just don't know...
The next morning Atsune found Ethan and Abby coming out from visiting Claude. They stared at her, and Abby grabbed Ethan's hand. "You guys were right. I thought about it all night, and I was stupid to even consider leaving anyone unprotected. Though you must understand I do need to get as far away from Team rocket as I can.
"Abby, since I definitely can't take you with me, I'm giving you this." Atsune placed a pokeball into Abby's free hand. "This pokemon is my best fighting type, Hitmonlee. I can't stay to protect you, but Hitmonlee will be there for you when I can't."
Abby nodded and smiled lightly, and Atsune faced Ethan. "Ethan, there's almost no chance that Team Rocket ever found out that we met again, but I want you to have this." She placed a second pokeball into his free hand. "This pokemon is a strong fire-type of mine, a Vulpix. Seeing as I didn't have a firestone a while back, I never evolved it. I know you're officially a trainer now, so this is just another to add to you collection, eh?"
Ethan smiled, "Actually, this would be my first one. Thank you so much!" Both Ethan and Abby hugged Atsune, who hugged them back.
"I'm going to go see if the others still want to travel with me. Goodbye, and stay safe." Atsune told them.
"We will!" They both chimed.
She walked off, meeting Absol back in her room. Atsune sighed as she packed the rest of her stuff. Just as she finished, a knock sounded on her door. She opened it to Gary, Ash, Pikachu, Brock, and Misty.
"I'm sorry!" Atsune blurted out before they could speak. She performed a standing bow, something she only did before her father. "I haven't been fair or smart. Abby was right. If I left now, I'd only be running from my responsibility. I know you all are strong, but I'd feel much better if I could stay and protect you in travels we could share together. I'm heading for my home base today, and I hope that you all would accompany me."
There was silence, and then Ash and Gary each placing a hand on her shoulders and pulling her upright. Gary beamed, "We'd all love to go."
"Just as we promised." Ash agreed.
Atsune felt speechless. She pulled the two boys into a hug, Misty and Brock joining in. She pulled out after a moment, "Everyone got your stuff?" she asked.
"All packed," Brock said.
"And ready to go!" Misty finished.
"Gardevoir, come on out and take us all to Home Base!" Atsune called, releasing the Psychic pokemon. A moment later they arrived facing a HUGE rock. The air smelled salty and felt humid, the lapping of ocean waves sounded off the deep cliff behind them.
"This is your home base?" Ash asked.
Atsune said nothing, but walked up to a boulder near the main rock landmass with a hole carved into it. "Early this morning I went out to go grab my armor and weapons for this sole purpose." She pulled out a kunai from her side pocket while walking further away from the boulder. Facing the carved hole from her small distance, she leapt into the air while pulling back her kunai.
"HYA!"
The kunai landed perfectly upon its target. On the landmass of rock, a grinding rumble sounded as a doorway began to lift. It was…an elevator!
"Come on in!" Atsune cheered happily as she walked into the elevator.
For a moment everyone just stared at her, but they all followed suit. "All of this for a simple base?" Gary asked from beside her.
"Oh no, all of this is for a base far beyond that of Black Base. And don't worry though when the lights don't come on straight away. It's a defense mechanism for those just-in-case scenarios. The only way to activate this elevator is to throw a specially made kunai into the carved hole on the outside. Yes, you have to throw it otherwise it won't work.
"If someone ever did manage to find this base and accomplish that, then they would have access to this base and all of my family's pokemon. Not to mention some rare and dangerous martial arts weaponry." They felt the elevator slowing down as Atsune concluded her explanation. "The lights don't come on until after a minute for a sole purpose. Naturally, someone coming in would search for a light switch, so my dad and I installed a fake light switch on a panel not far from the elevator. The foolish will flip the switch and actually trigger an alarm that alerts me when someone has broken in."
The door to the elevator opened, and they stepped out into a dark room, growing darker as the elevator closed and made its way up again. "In reality, the lights automatically come on after a short period of time. If an outsider knows this, then a second defense has been arranged."
"Second defense?" Gary's voice sounded out.
Several whistling sounds were heard only by Atsune in the silence. In an instant, Atsune pulled out a kunai and leapt in front of Gary, who stood beside her. Clangs were heard as Atsune deflected the projectiles that were meant to seriously injure Gary. "Everyone, Get down!" She shouted as more projectiles were deflected.
In the darkness, something rushed Atsune, who rushed towards it as well. Throwing her kunai at the assailant, Atsune pulled out her Sai. She made out a figure in the darkness, seeing as it dodged her kunai and thrust dagger-like claws her way. For the next few moments, blows were dealt out and blocked with uncanny dexterity. At last, everything seemed at a stand-still.
"Atsune!" Gary yelled in worry. The lights flickered on as machinery powered up with it. They were in a main room bigger and more beautiful than a five star hotel lobby. In the middle of the room stood Atsune against the assailant, both Sai were locked still with the claws of…a Sandslash!
"You continued your training. We still seem to be equals…Kaname." Atsune smirked.
"A Sandslash?" Ash asked as the group stood up. Absol had actually sat off to the side during this whole period of time.
Atsune and Sandslash released their hold on each other to face them. "Yeah! Everyone, this is my Sandslash, Kaname. Without him, we wouldn't even be underground."
"What? You mean this whole place was dug out by this Sandslash alone?" Misty questioned in shock.
"Yeah. When my dad started out as a trainer, he watched two trainers battle it out. A battle between a Sandshrew and a Poliwag. Naturally, the Sandshrew lost with the type disadvantage, and its trainer abandoned it while it was still weakened. My dad went to help out the poor little guy, and he also did some pretty nasty stuff to the trainer I dare not repeat." She grinned maliciously for a moment before continuing. "When the Sandshrew finished healing, my dad explained the ideas of these secret bases and the benefits of coming with him.
"So the Sandshrew was given the name Kaname and trained hard with my father. When Kaname became a Sandslash, my dad brought it to this mini-island to see if it could make a decent hide-out. Kaname made it his personal training to create this base as payment to my dad for all he did to help. Whenever my dad sent other pokemon to help, Kaname fought them off. Eventually the rock up top became the hollowed-out shell of this!" Atsune waved her arm around to signal the room they currently stayed in.
"That's where my parents took over and added the pretty details. Kaname here gained strength past the normal Sandslash due to endless base-building, and being with my dad for so long kept him with quick reflexes. Kaname is my equal in battle, and I've yet to meet anyone besides my father that could beat us."
"Wow! That's pretty impressive!" Brock said.
"Yeah, Home Base is as big as a five star hotel with its own pokemon center. About ten percent of this hotel can only be accessed by the Tamotsu family. That's all the personal family stuff and high-tech toys are, so to speak." Atsune laughed.
Absol sauntered over to her trainer's side, happy to be back. "Absol!" said Absol.
"Oh! Right, I should probably show you around and such. It might be a good idea to stay a night here or something, so I'll show ya'll some rooms. After that, we'll take a few hours to get used to the place before we have lunch. Once everyone's comfortable, we'll discuss what cool stuff we can do for the next few weeks." She laughed again, shaking her head lightly.
"Um, what's so funny?" Ash questioned blankly.
"Oh, nothing. It's just weird 'cause this is the first time I've ever had guests here. C'mon now. There're some rooms down here." Atsune told them, walking down a hall. The group followed, throwing puzzled looks at one another.
A/N: Sorry I haven't updated, I've been busy unfortunately. I promise to update more in the future! Though I'm not sure how much that's worth…WAIT, don't mind me, I WILL update more. I'm just a little slow is all….Plus I'm sorry if it felt like this chapter went by too fast. I have a bad habit of that. BUT! I'll get to work on the next chapter right away! I'm off! -Leaves-