Review Replies…..
None….
Oh well….anyways, The SAW actually stands for "Squad Automatic Weapon". I didn't have access to the wiki site when I wrote the last chapter.
The ENFORCER armor image link is on the profile, as well as the VERDANT visor color image link...
and the song in the chapter
Only the strongest will survive
Lead me to Heaven when we die
I am a shadow on the wall
I'll be the one to save us all -Blow Me Away: Breaking Benjamin
Pokémon: Training into Hell
Chapter 2: Into the storm
After the last Rocket agent fell to the bullets fired from the SAW, the inhabitants and Pokémon of Pallet Town couldn't help but gape at the armored figured who was once known as Ash. He would only be 18, and yet he had hardened military discipline, not flinching as people died around him. In fact, all he did was take out the drum of the SAW and reload it and clipped it to his right leg.
"Before you come any closer, how do we know you are Ash?" Professor Oak asked him, hand subtly reaching into his trench coat for a poke ball.
"Because" the figure's rough voice said, as latches opened on the side of the helmet and the figure pulled it off and held it to his left side. The figure was Ash, however, his black hair was in a short military cut and his skin was unnaturally pale-probably from wearing the armor for extended periods. "You were the person to give me Pikachu."
"ASH KETCHUM! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" A familiar voice called from the crowed and a woman wearing a pink blouse and green skirt with brown eyes and auburn-colored hair ran out, pressing a finger into his chest-plate. It was then she noticed his new height.
He was now 6 foot 10 inches tall.
"What happened to you?" She-his mother Delia Ketchum asked.
"SPARTAN Augmentation" Was his curt reply. "Carbide Ceramic Ossification to graft onto my bones to make them virtually unbreakable. Muscular Enhancement lining, a compound applied to the exterior surface of all muscles allowing them to flex and strengthen quicker. Pulmonary Polymer lining, increasing oxygen intake, process toxins from the air and helps us SPARTANs to breathe certain non-oxygen atmospheres for up to an hour. Corneal implants, boosting perception and massively increasing night vision. Cardiac implants, strengthening our hearts to allow adrenaline to flow without risk of stroke or heart attack…this implant allows us to run unarmored at a speed about 40 miles per hour of 64 km per hour. Artificial Pancreas implant, allowing us to gain the maximum amount of nutrients from food with minimal waste. And finally, Artificial Platelet implants, which enhances the body's ability to slow bleeding and clot wounds."
Pikachu and the others were stunned silent. The United Nations Space Corps had pumped Ash full of chemicals to make a Super-Soldier. These were things that no one could think of actually doing to another person.
"So…basically Team Rocket has taken control?" Ash asked, placing his helmet back onto his head.
"Sinnoh and Kalos have held them off so far, but we need to deal with the Kanto forces before we can move onto liberating the other regions." Professor Oak said, as the Pokémon gathered around him, bruises and scrapes from past battles visible. Ash gazed over them, and then shrugged his right shoulder, as Pikachu climbed up and settled on a familiar spot he once held. Charizard had done well in his training as well. Normally, an average Charizard stood at 5 foot 10 inches tall, but his Charizard stood at 7 foot 8 inches tall. The fire/flying type's eyes held respect at the fact his trainer had effectively taken down multiple opponents.
"So….where do we start?" Ash asked, pulling the DMR (Designated Marksman Rifle) off his back and into his right hand.
"Team Rocket has complete control of Viridian City, Cinnabar Island, Celadon City, and Lavender Town. The towns unaffected completely are Pallet Town, and Pewter City. Cerulean, Fuchsia, and Vermillion Cities are under constant siege." Professor Oak explained, "While many of the Legendary Pokémon have vanished off the face of the planet-possible within their own dimension-they have captured Ho-Oh, Lugia, Articuno, Moltres, Zapdos, Latias, and Suicune."
He shook his head and as he received Pikachu's poke ball from the professor, the others watched in amazement as it magnetically locked onto his waist where he would put it on his belt. "I'll need….Lapras, Charizard, and Boldore to start with." Ash said, "Then, I'll work on exterminating the pest problem in the regions."
"Taking no prisoners?" Oak asked, and Ash shrugged.
"Unless they surrender, then I'll secure them for the G-Men. Speaking of which, I assume you'll send the message of my return?" Ash asked, holding the DMR in front of his chest with the nozzle resting in his left hand.
"Yes. When you said you were….drafted….I didn't know how long they would need you." Oak said as he handed back Charizard, Boldore, and Lapras' poke balls as Ash attacked them to the armor after recalling the Pokémon.
"I'm here to stay…and help. The U.N.S.C is concerned about the Team Rocket threat…they could take control of this planet and eventually hack into their technology. Also, the U.N.S.C has recovered one of their missing soldiers….the legendary Master Chief Spartan-117." Ash said, turning towards Route 1.
"Team Rocket thinks that they've won. Tell them…SPARTAN's never die."
/
Route 1 hadn't changed in years, Ash thought. Pidgeys and Rattatas scurried through the tall grass and Spearows eyed travelers wearily. In the river Magikarp, Poliwag and Goldeen swam aimlessly.
"These Pokémon don't know of the threat out there." Ash said; gaining Pikachu's attention as his trainer gazed at the sky. "Of alien empires and weapons that can wipe out all sentient life or destroy entire planets. I can still remember every battle….the screams of the dying. The scent of burning flesh and the sound of bullets and plasma striking living beings."
Pikachu frowned as his trainer trailed off and stood still. "Not all of them were bad…though….meeting the Sangheili Thel 'Vadam…the legendary Arbiter…was an experience that will never leave me. He's even taller than me Pikachu!" Shaking his head, Ash continued on after placing the DMR on his back. Gazing at the cliff, he chuckled slightly. "Ah memories. To be 10 and naïve."
"Pika Pi…Pikachu." Pikachu said, nodding his head.
"Want to take a shortcut?" Ash asked, and Pikachu tilted his head in curiosity before hesitantly nodding.
Ash said nothing, and instead sprinted at the cliff and leaped off of it, about thirty feet off the ground the back of his armor opened and revealed a jetpack, which let out a stream of flames and slowed his fall, but he still landed in a kneeling position. A golden light flickered across his armor as Pikachu was shaken and nearly fell off his perch.
"Energy Shields recharging." Ash said, standing upright as the light vanished.
"Next town is Viridian City, under Team Rocket control." Ash said, slinking off into the trees with surprising grace for his large, armored figure. "We can't retake the entire city on this first trip…but we can put a dent in their forces. In order to respond, they'll have to move forces from the cities they are trying to take control of. The closest town is Pewter….I'm sure old Brock will be thankful for the break."
/
Halo 2 Soundtrack: Unyielding
Viridian City had really fallen apart after Team Rocket took control. Buildings were boarded up and in disrepair. Rocket grunts patrolled in the streets, and some were napping on the job. The only buildings not in disrepair were the Viridian City Gym and Team Rocket Headquarters.
On the outskirts of town, the armor figure of Ash hefted up the DMR and gazed through the scope. "Rocket scum…." He said, before pulling the trigger. With the sound of a thunder clap, a bullet fired and went through the skull of a patrolling grunt.
"Freeze!" A voice called out from behind him as the grunts on the streets panicked. Ash turned to see a lower ranked Admiral holding a pistol at his visor. Without saying a word, Ash charged, shields flaring to life in a golden light as they deflected the pistol's bullets and Ash reached under his left arm after placing the DMR on his back and pulled out a large combat knife that had been safely tucked into his armor and stabbed it into the Admiral's throat. Wiping off the knife on a nearby tree, he tucked it back into his armor and gazed at the Rocket Headquarters.
"Want to cause some mayhem among those scums?" Ash asked Pikachu as the electric mouse Pokémon smirked at the question as he let out a few sparks from his cheeks. Slinking back into the tree line, Ash gazed upon the town below. It had been a bustling city full of city folk and tourists when he last saw it. Now….Viridian was just pitiful.
Then again, the Officer Jenny in the area had trouble with the Rocket Trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth….and they proved to not be the smartest Rocket agents around.
Ash was almost caught at the door of the base, but the guard was silenced when his neck was effectively snapped. Pushing the door open cautiously, Ash pulled out the SAW and glanced around the first floor. Glancing at the few grunts just sitting around reading or writing reports, he slunk into the building.
Ducking behind a desk, he listened to a few grunts talking. "Hey what luck was it to have Ho-Oh locked here for research."
"Don't go spreading it around. Last thing we need is something like the G-Men coming in here and busting it out, even if it is injured."
Ash's fist clenched. By the time he had been in the Unova League, he had seen Ho-Oh three times. It came to him in his lowest times, giving him the inspiration to carry on with his journey.
Glancing up over the desk, he slunk into an elevator behind a researcher carrying a clipboard. Ash had four pockets for grenades: one for Fragmentation Grenades, one for Covenant Plasma Grenades, one for Forerunner Pulse Grenades, and one for Napalm Grenades. Since he did not have Plasma or Pulse Grenades, it was used to store his empty poke balls. Normally, the pockets could only hold two of each grenade, however since the poke ball shrunk smaller than a grenade, it could hold four per pocket. Thus he had eight poke balls.
As the elevator descended, Ash glanced at the buttons. The first floor was obviously marked "G", but there was a "B" button that was currently pressed with a key next to it. Sliding his knife out, Ash slit the Researcher's throat and let the Rocket Scientist's body slump to the floor. He slid the knife back just as the door opened and he entered, SAW pointed in front of him.
Within a circular cage of curved, swirling bars around it was the legendary Rainbow Pokémon: Ho-Oh. He knew what kind of cage Team Rocket was holding it in; it was the same kind of cage Lawrence 3 used to hold the Legendary Birds Moltres and Zapdos when he was "collecting" them.
The Guardian of the Skies glared at Ash's armored figure, but its gaze became curious when it saw the Pikachu on the armored figure's shoulder.
"I never wanted to see you like this." Ash said, helmet latches undoing themselves as he pulled it off and revealed his face to the Pokémon.
"Sorry for the delay, I had to deal with some Storm Covenant Bastards for three years." Ash said, putting his helmet back on as he gazed upon the controls.
"If only I had an Artificial Intelligence Unit…" Ash said, before squaring up to the bars and latching onto them with his armored hands and pulling. There was a screeching sound as Pikachu helped Ash by launching his Thunderbolt attack at it, weakening the shields before the machine fell to their combined strength.
Stepping out of the bars on the ground, Ho-Oh stood proudly, raising its right wing. It tried to move its left wing before it let out a hiss of pain and stumbled slightly.
"Great. Broken wing." Ash said, tugging out a poke ball, enlarging it, and placing it on the ground before Ho-Oh. "This might be your only chance to escape those Rocket Bastards." He said, holding the Squad Automatic Weapon pointed at the elevator. "Make your choice quickly."
Behind him, he could hear Pikachu conversing with the bird, but paid no attention to it. That was until there was a loud "Ding" behind him and Ash turned and saw that Ho-Oh was gone and the poke ball was full. Picking the device up, he clipped it to his armor after shrinking it to "hibernation" mode-to decrease the risk of the Pokémon getting injured worse than it already was.
Ash looked at the elevator and pressed the button, sliding into the door after it opened and pressed the "G" button. At the ground floor, Ash glanced around and saw the grunts staring at him before and alarm started blaring across the base.
Muttering a curse underneath his breath, Ash started firing from his SAW, charging at the door before his armored frame bashed through the door and he turned around and tossed a Napalm Grenade into the room, which exploded in massive gouts of fire. As the remaining grunts in Viridian ran to their base, they froze upon seeing Ash.
"Boo." Ash said, hefting the SAW up, making them scream in terror and run off in random directions.
/
After making his exit from Viridian City, Ash gazed upon the entrance to the Viridian Forest. This was here he first caught Butterfree as a Caterpie and Pidgeot as a Pidgeotto. Reloading his DMR and SAW-as well as making a mental note to buy more ammunition in Pewter if he could-he placed his DMR on his back and SAW on his leg, and walked into the darkness of the forest.
