Wow. Chapter six. I never thought I'd make it. Thank you to everyone who has kept with Retribution thus far, and a special thanks to my reviewers: FrostDeman, Twilight- The Moon Spirit, and Galalithial. You people are absolutely amazing. And an even more special thanks to Galalithial for being the first person to review all my chapters, and even mentioning Retribution in his own story, Black Butterflies.
I'm accepting OC's for Retribution if anyone is interested. Either as a traveling companion for Emayla and Kael, or an enemy, or whatever else that could possibly occur. Thorough descriptions are recommended, otherwise I would have to make up the lacking parts.
Also, school has begun. Updates, hopefully, will be once a week, but may be dropped to one every two weeks, depending on my work load.
Chapter six
Tribulations
Thomas gazed restlessly at the passing scenery as it flew beneath him, his small eyes flickering from tree to tree as he attempted to capture their visage in his mind. Evergreens nearly brushed Skye's soft plumed stomach as she soared overhead, her powerful wings beating softly in the sweet afternoon air. The Pichu whimpered slightly as he saw the tips of Viridian forest far off into the distance, smoke still trailing into the sky above, its dark fingers tickling the stomach of the clouds. His small, yellow ears deflated slightly down onto his back with the path of the wind, his distress easily playing out on his face.
Emayla cocked her head to the side to gaze at Thomas, her red eyes easily scanning his face. She offered no response to the Pichu's silent longing, knowing that interjecting her own thoughts into his consciousness would only invite trouble. Her face eventually turned in a similar angle to Skye's, allowing the Pokemon trainer a full view of the landscape as they soared overhead. Pulling slightly on the downy feathers that laced the Pidgeot's neck, Emayla easily diverted her course slightly to the east as a mountain range began its ascent over the horizon, heralding their proximity to Pewter city.
Thomas swerved his head towards the new distraction, his nose twitching as he attempted to catch the scent of the mountain range on the breeze. "What're those?" He asked loudly, having to raise his voice over the screaming of the wind. Thomas lifted a tiny paw towards the distant peaks, one small finger extended to accentuate his point.
Emayla smiled briefly. "Those are called mountains, Thomas." She gently prodded Skye, who in turn lowered her angle of flight, allowing the crests of the trees to swallow the companions. "They're like boulders, but really, really big."
Thomas cocked his head, blinking several times in an attempt to wash the loose fur that slapped into his eyes. He attempted to envision just how big those far away boulders were, but he couldn't quite muster the required imagination to do so.
The mountains slowly grew, their massive arms swallowing the forests in their rocky depths. The green world gave way to a massive influx of gray and brown, rocks and boulders tumbling down to dominate the landscape. The soft breeze of the wood died, its gentle caress replaced by a bitter snapping wind that flowed off the shoulder of the great mountain range.
Thomas scrunched up his small nose, sniffing in displeasure at the change in terrain. His eyes watered at the unfamiliar air, causing the small Pichu shifts of discomfort. He curled up against Emayla's warm shoulder, his yellow fur billowing wildly in the untamed wind that always kissed Pewter city.
EC
Emayla gently shifted her weight to a greater degree on Skye's broad shoulders, her message getting through easily as the Pidgeot understood instantly, descending in a quiet angle towards the open boulder plains on the outskirts of Pewter. The massive bird Pokemon sent flurries into the blistering air with each powerful beat of her wings, sending rock and ground alike Pokemon scattering into their underground refuges. Alternating her motions against the surge of the oncoming gravity, Emayla swung her legs over Skye's side, sliding down the soft downy feathers with surprising speed, causing her to come to a jarring halt against the harsh rocks below.
Even before her momentum had finished its course, the Pokemon trainer slipped a hand urgently to her neck, unclipping the laden Pokeball from its place. With a subtle click, the sphere rapidly enlarged, allowing Emayla to release the stored energy within. The light swirled maddeningly, its arms dancing about in random patterns, searching for its base form. Soon the light merged in on itself, taking form of a rather disheveled Kael.
The Lucario straightened himself out from the crouched position he had taken, his white fur ruffled in obvious discomfort. "Never again," He growled, stretching his arms out to their fullest extent.
Emayla stroked Skye gently with her hand, smoothing down the weathered feathers of the Pidgeot as the Pokemon panted beneath her grasp. "I'm sorry," Emayla admitted to Kael with full sincerity, her eyes slanted apologetically. "I wouldn't have put you through that if there had been another way."
Kael sighed, nodding his head in full understanding.
Emayla responded to her white Lucario's actions with a soft sigh of her own, clipping Kael's Pokeball back onto her necklace with a subtle movement.
Skye let out a parting call as her body shifted into a core of light, her shimmering form quickly disappearing into the Pokeball that Emayla held aloft. The Pokemon trainer returned the sphere onto its magnetic clip quickly, noting with slight satisfaction as Thomas lifted his head from the hood of her furred jacket, his tiny black eyes widened in wonder and the rocky world.
"Pi! Pichu pi! Pichu chu pi pi?" He exclaimed, his head swerving around madly to catch a glimpse of a fleeing Sandshrew. Emayla let out an involuntary grunt of pain as the Pichu pulled on her ear to get the Pokemon trainer's attention, his small paws gripping her skin firmly.
"'Rocks! Rocks everywhere! What happened to all the trees?'" Kael translated, a smile twisting its way up his maw.
Emayla raised her hand to her shoulder, gently scratching Thomas' twitching ears. The Pichu responded by leaning his head against her touch, prodding the trainer on, smiling in exhilaration.
Kael lifted his head against the tide of the winds, his white fur billowing in the strong gusts. He sniffed a few times, scrunching up his nose in distaste. When Emayla cast a curious glance his way, the Lucario sighed and shook his head. "The air here is so… lifeless." He replied, his red eyes casually scanning the arid landscape. "It's been a while since I couldn't hear the voices of the forest in the breeze."
Emayla nodded wistfully, her own gaze following that of her Pokemon. An Onix lifted its majestic head from its feeding, letting out a low roar as it acknowledged the party of three on the fields of Pewter. "Not quite the same, is it?"
"Pichu pi?" Thomas asked quietly, slinking back into the warm sanctuary of Emayla's hood, his ears pressing against his back.
Kael swerved his head around, following Thomas' line of sight, his eyes narrowing in worry. A distant cloud of dust broke the gentle sway of the rocky land, its long arms reaching far into the sky. "It's time we left."
-Later that night-
I gazed up at the reddening sky, my eyes clouded with misty tears. The air was cold. I felt my spine tingling with a nervous energy, my heart pounding with unknown fears. The world around me was burning, fire licking the skies with its pride. I saw the bloody light of the fires all around me, but I couldn't feel their heat. I was shivering in the smoke infested air.
I lifted my maw to the heavens, my golden fur providing no protection in the darkness. My nine elegant tails streamed out behind me in an array of flashing movements, bringing back memories of a life long since lost. I'm myself again, as I should be. I'm a Ninetales. I am Amarri.
Was the fire my doing? I perked my sensitive ears forward, looking for the distinct patterns of burning that deemed the inferno as my own. The sound was foreign to me. I didn't recognize the fires that ravaged the land below me.
Then I saw him.
He walked slowly towards me, his white mane billowing in the heat of the inferno. The Arcanine padded through the alien flames with practiced grace, his paws barely touching the charred grass below as he walked. His blood-red eyes bore into my soul, carrying with them the touch of his burning spirit. I recoiled slightly at his approach, wary. I couldn't believe my eyes as he stopped before me, his head cocked to the side in questioning.
"Amarri?" He called. His deep voice struck a chord deep within my heart, causing tears to well up in my eyes. I found myself unknowingly following a familiar path to him. His eyes softened at my approach, a cavernous rumble of pleasure resonating from deep within his chest as I pressed my head against his firm neck.
"Tirus," I whispered, closing my eyes in rapture at the feel of his soft body. His inner fire warmed me, sending contented shivers down my spine. "I've missed you dearly."
"Oh my love," Tirus replied quietly, running his muzzle through my fur. "It has been too long since we last saw each other." His striped orange fur glowed in the light of the thousand fires, illuminating the Arcanine in a halo of brilliant red.
I pulled back from his embrace, looking deep into his eyes, my maw pulled into a smile. "Too long." I repeated.
Tirus smiled lovingly.
My glance of adoration was replaced by a grimace of worry as a flash of anger passed beneath his eyes. Something changed in his soul; a subtle shift with the harshest of implications. I saw the darkness beneath his shell of love. I took a tentative step backwards, my head slightly turned to the side.
Tirus' visage immediately changed. The Arcanine that I had loved vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving behind the tyrannical Pokemon that ripped apart my heart. Tirus reared back his head is anger, blood spilling from his maw, the blood of the young lives that he had stolen from me. The blood of our children drenched the earth, spattering my golden pelt with a boiling rage. I could hear my cub's dying screams. I could see their terrified faces in Tirus' eyes as their father tore them apart, consuming them in belief that he would save me.
I cried out in agony as the memories of that horrible night took hold, sending me spiraling down into the darkness of Tirus' heart.
Emayla's scream carried out into the night, ripping from her throat in an urgent rush. She awoke to that same scream, its echoes tearing into her soul. Bolting upright in her bed, Emayla threw back the strangling hold of the sheets, startling the slumbering forms of her two Pokemon into the world of awakening. She crumpled forward, covering her eyes with her hands, sobs shaking her body.
Kael hurried to his master's side, gripping her firmly in his paws. The white Lucario shook her in the darkness, his red eyes prodding her. "Emayla!" He called, his voice ringing with worry. "Emayla!"
The Pokemon trainer looked up at Kael's searching gaze, tears glistening in her eyes. She let out a ragged gasp of air, words flying from her mouth.
Kael wrapped her tightly in his embrace, careful to keep her vulnerable body away from the spike on his chest. Emayla buried her face into his shoulder, sobbing in earnest as the loss of her children fully took hold. The white Lucario gently stroked her hair, keeping her firmly in his warm grasp. With subtle movements, Kael seated himself at the edge of the bed, allowing Emayla to fully lean upon his body for support.
The night waned on, as did the Pokemon trainer's consciousness. Slowly she slipped back into sleep, still enveloped in Kael's embrace.
A small smile found its way onto Emayla's face as the lethargy took hold, her dreams peaceful under the protection of her trusted partner.
EC
The lights of the Pokemon center flickered in the mid-morning hours, their dim illumination barely offering enough to keep the receptionist's desk in view. The dark streets of Viridian beyond were silent; nothing moved at the late hour. The subtle air-conditioning of the building whispered as it worked, never relenting against the summer's heat. The indoor plants sagged in the lack of sufficient light, their unyielding needs never satisfied in the walls of the Pokemon center.
Blackfire glared down in apathy at his victim, snorting slightly as the man gave way to the all-consuming darkness of death. The receptionist gave a slight twitch as Creed dislodged himself from the human's windpipe, blood still dripping from his glistening maw. The Houndoom flicked his tail in finality, turning deftly and returning to his master's side.
"Interesting," The former Rocket lieutenant murmured. "So she decided to head north?" Blackfire turned lightly on his heel, stalking easily out of the lobby of the Pokemon center, his boot clicking lightly on the linoleum surface. The automatic doors slid open quietly, allowing the darkness to pool into the flickering building. Blackfire casually strode into the night, into his element, a dark smile playing on his face. A chill breeze picked up into the shadows beyond, playing a soft tune against the stone walls of Viridian city, beckoning the former Rocket lieutenant forward. He obliged, Creed easily following behind at a leisurely pace, the Houndoom's maw trailing into a wicked grin.
"Welcome back,"
Blackfire swung around; his right fist riding the air to connect with whomever dared interrupt his thoughts. He easily fell short, several feet of air separating his attack from the smiling face of agent Dagger. Blackfire's face immediately fell into a deep scowl, his eyes narrowing in dislike.
Dagger mused for a moment at the reaction of his former coworker, his arms lightly crossed across the red R emblazed on his uniform. He chuckled, lowering his head slightly and shaking it. "Its good to see you survived your probing by the Masters." His gaze lifted, a dark smile slapped across his visage. "Tell me," Dagger continued, running his fingers over his small beard. "How did you manage to do it? You must be the first to escape them in eight thousand years."
"Eight thousand years?" Blackfire mocked. His fist curled back, resting tensely at his side.
Dagger's grin traveled farther up his face. A Banette wrapped around agent Dagger's shoulder, its own wicked smile forever etched upon its evil face. Its transparent fingers coiled around the air, meaning to grasp the far Blackfire.
Blackfire's eyebrow rose slightly. "A Banette?" He questioned, suspicion easily rising.
Dagger laughed, his voice mimicked by the ghost Pokemon floating at his neck. "You don't catch on quickly, do you?" He reached up, running a single finger over the Banette's forehead. "I took your place." Dagger casually said, a chuckle barely suppressed beneath his words. "You of all people should know that the promotion comes with a partner of your choosing." He waved a hand indifferently towards Creed, who snarled up at the giggling Banette, fire bleeding from his maw.
"What do you want here?" Blackfire asked harshly, his muscles tensing as he waited for the opportune moment to strike, his Houndoom mimicking his movements with practiced subtlety.
"Always to the point?" Dagger remarked, his eyes flashing in the dim moonlight. A Pokeball materialized into his fingers, already enlarged and ready for deployment. "I'm here for a fight, and by the rules of conduct, you have to oblige to my wishes."
Blackfire snorted in amusement. "Has your brain been sucked dry already, Dagger? I no longer work for Tirus. The rules of conduct for Team Rocket don't apply to one who isn't in their gang anymore." The former Rocket lieutenant turned on his heel, his back exposed to Dagger in pure confidence. Without a backwards glance, Blackfire stalked away, Creed easily following behind at his heels.
"My, my," Dagger's whisper traveled down the arms of the night, tickling Blackfire's ears with a mocking touch. "You've only been away from your duties a few days, and already you have the heart of a coward."
Blackfire stopped. He glanced towards Creed, who met his eyes with an eager glare of his own. In unison, the two of them turned on the spot, the fire's of battle burning beneath both their eyes. The Houndoom took a step towards the hated lieutenant Dagger, his fangs barred white in the shadows.
A brilliant flash of light temporarily illuminated the darkened streets of Viridian, its core congealing into a hulking shape between the two men. The swirling illumination thickened quickly, hardened easily into thick scales several inches thick. The menacing Feraligator uncoiled its thick muscles, the cords twisting and snapping in response to the massive Pokemon's wishes. The water Pokemon gazed down at Creed with its blood thirsty gaze, its wicked tongue lashing between its massive fangs. Its claws clenched in anticipation of ripping the smaller fire Pokemon apart.
Creed faltered a step at the sheer size of his opponent, but he quickly caught himself, refueling the furious fires of his might with his anger. The dark fire Pokemon raised his proud head in response to the Feraligator's growled challenge, his muscles rippling under his thin, black coat.
"Begin," Dagger called easily from behind the bulk of his Pokemon.
The Feraligator exploded into impossible motion for a beast of its size, ramming its massive body into the smaller Houndoom, its water dripping fangs inches from Creed's throat. The surprised fire Pokemon yelped as his body was crushed under the sheer weight of the Feraligator, his paws scraping helplessly against the thick scales. Wiggling his body, the Houndoom wormed his way out from the direct path of the Feraligator as they fell, insuring that he wasn't crushed as the larger Pokemon slammed into the ground. Creed gripped the scales on the Feraligator's back with his sharp claws, pulling up and away before the water Pokemon had time to raise itself from its take down. Creed crouched back as the Feraligator rose, his muscles tensing. As the water Pokemon finished its ascent, the Houndoom used the given momentum to launch himself, digging with his razor claws in an attempt to get beneath the layer of scales that protected the hide of the larger Pokemon. The Feraligator snarled and turned, his swiping claws coming within an inch of Creed's retreating back.
"Hydro pump." Dagger's voice rung coldly across the pavement.
The Feraligator readily obliged, its jaws opening widely to allow the massive influx of water that built within its body. The jet of water exploded from its mouth, traveling so fast that the edges of the water remained perfectly intact, transforming the water into a spear.
"Dodge it!" Blackfire called, unable to see his Pokemon past the massive shoulders of the Feraligator.
Creed obeyed immediately, swerving to the side, his paws scraping madly against the hard ground in his haste. The hydro pump whirled harmlessly past, its maddened rage stopped by the side of a building, taking a fair chunk of wall out in its wake. The Houndoom crouched back, fire tickling his jaw.
"Circle back around," Blackfire bellowed, angling himself around to get a better glimpse of the battlefield. Creed eyed his master, his tail flicking in acknowledgement. "Get as close as you can to his neck!"
Creed nodded, pulling his stomach close to the ground, crawling along the pavement, his black fur blending easily into the night. The Feraligator, its sight poor in the dim lights of the moon, growled as the phantom Houndoom slipped into the darkness. The dark fire Pokemon pulled along to the side of the Feraligator, careful to keep his instinctual fires low to avoid drawing attention to himself.
"Calm yourself, Flood." Dagger instructed to his Pokemon, his eyes casually enjoying the spectacle. "That Houndoom is a clumsy hunter at best. Listen. You can hear it trying to pull up to your left."
At his master's words, Flood pulled around, another hydro pump spewing from his eager jaws. Creed didn't bother to wait for his master's words. With maddening agility, the Houndoom sprung out of the hydro pump's path, fire belching fourth from his fangs as he flew. The inferno raged across the space between the two battling Pokemon with a savage roar, enveloping the Feraligator in a swelling mass of heat. Being a water Pokemon with a natural resistance to such attacks, Flood let out a guttural laugh, sweeping his claws around in the fire to dampen its fingers. Creed took full advantage of the momentary distraction, sending himself head on into the fire. The blaze licked his fur with half-hearted vigor, unable to catch fire on the Houndoom's oily, fire resistant pelt. Flood cried out in surprise as Creed came flying through the bloody wall, his head thrown back as the Houndoom impacted. The dark fire Pokemon latched himself onto the soft skin below the Feraligator's eyes, knowing that he wasn't to utterly destroy his opponent. With savage grace, the Houndoom tore deep into Flood's eye sockets, splashing both battlers with bubbling blood. The Feraligator threw back his head in agony, sending Creed spiraling out of the flame wheel. The Houndoom landed easily on his feet. Reversing the momentum, Creed sprung back into his trap, this time angling himself lower in his rush. The Houndoom burst forth again into the barrier of fire, his deadly teeth ripping into the soft pads of Flood's hands. The Feraligator swung around with his free hand, his sharp claws ripping easily into Creed's vulnerable back. Creed yelped in pain, detaching himself from his victim. The Houndoom landed at an odd angle with the ground, causing him to stumble as he caught himself with his paws. Flood took hold of this advantage to launch the smaller Pokemon away with a well placed kick. Creed spun away into the air as the solid mass of muscle that was the water Pokemon connected with his side, his paws flailing madly as he attempted to salvage the situation. The Houndoom landed heavily several dozen feet away at the feet of a drug store, the wind knocked out of his lungs.
The fire spin finally dissipated, allowing Flood a full glimpse of the situation. The Feraligator sneered at the smaller Pokemon as Creed attempted to stand, his legs wobbly beneath him. Muscles and tendons ripping with the massive effort, Flood exploded towards the fallen Pokemon, his fangs barred for the kill.
"Get up, Creed!" Blackfire called out in desperation to his Pokemon, his heart thudding in his ears at the rush of the battle. "Get up!"
Creed weakly lifted his horned head up from the gutter in which it lay, his eyes clouded with dizziness. Before he had time to register his fate, Flood was upon him. The Feraligator savagely ripped into the smaller Pokemon's flanks, painting the sidewalk with blood. The Houndoom cried out in agony as his life was literally pulled from his body. His mind clouded, and his sense began to dull. But through the sudden onrush of pain, Creed heard two words that slapped into his consciousness with powerful force.
"Dark pulse!"
A wave of the blackest energy burst forth from Creed, ramming into the larger Pokemon with such rage to send him crashing down onto the road. Flood lay on his back, stunned from the power that emanated from his weakened opponent, his mind swaying in a clouded daze. Creed rose unsteadily to his feet, his red eyes boring deep into Flood's now frightened soul. Another dark pulse exploded from his form, ripping into the Feraligator's consciousness, rendering the larger Pokemon helpless before him.
"Crunch." Blackfire stated in finality, knowing this battle to be won.
Creed inched towards the whimpering Feraligator, his jaw still dripping in blood. With a snarl rumbling from deep within his throat, the Houndoom latched onto Flood's windpipe, his tail twitching in pleasure as he felt the Feraligator die beneath him.
"Stop."
Creed let got of Flood in surprise at the force of the single statement, his head slightly cocked in confusion.
Dagger shook his head. "The battle is won, Blackfire." The retrieval mechanism on the Pokeball spurred into life, bringing away the battered Feraligator deep into its protective depths. With a subtle toss, the Pokeball went flying across the blood-covered battle field, landing with a dull thump at Blackfire's feet. "As decreed by the rules of conduct, the victor wins the losers Pokemon. I relinquish Flood to you." The Rocket lieutenant's eyes shone with a cold light, the merciless depths behind them showing no remorse towards relinquishing the Feraligator.
Blackfire stooped down, scooping up the stilled Pokeball in his hand, his eyes never leaving Dagger.
Creed walked weakly to his master's side, his back and side still bleeding profusely from his battle. The Houndoom licked Blackfire's hand once, before he collapsed onto the pavement, panting with tremendous effort.
With his free hand, Blackfire gently stroked his loyal Pokemon, murmuring a quiet word of gratitude. A smile wound its way onto his face as he glared at Dagger.
"Enjoy your lapse of victory, Blackfire." Dagger scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "No one has ever escaped from the Masters. We intend to keep it that way." The night began to thicken around lieutenant Dagger, congealing into a solid mass around the contours of his body. The vapor of darkness swung inwards, and then dissipated, leaving nothing in its wake. Final words of parting rang out against every building, echoing in the entire city of Viridian, slamming hard into Blackfire's mind. "No one."
EC
Tirus lifted his head from the soft downy pillow, his thoughts troubled from the dream that still filled his consciousness. He could still feel Amarri; he could still feel her fur against his body. Her scent tickled his nose, sending his mind whirling, his defenses drastically lowered by her intoxicating smell. His heart thudded as he remembered her.
Tirus rose slowly from his bed, careful not to disturb his latest wife; wife number 7065, if he remembered correctly. He wasn't even sure of her name, but it didn't matter to him. She'd die, as did all the others, within a short amount of time. Mortals didn't live long enough to hold sway over his heart.
Walking slowly over to the stained glass window of the gargantuan bedroom, Tirus clasped his arms across his back, his mind whirling in deep thought. His eyes trailed over the detailed splotches of color that covered the entire window, depicting a magnificent Ninetales in all her glory. His Ninetales. His Amarri.
Tirus lifted his hand into the air, a single finger trailing over the cold surface of the glass, tracing the delicate lines of the Ninetales' eye. "Oh, my love." He whispered, his words misting in the cold air. "Soon, we shall be together again."